Happy birthday to the legend himself, Mr. Croft! 🎂
From day one and even now ten years later, Mr. Croft has always disputed any credit for his contribution to "Mean Mikey". In fact, I actually offered him co-writer credit at the time when we published the song, which he turned down: "It's your song. It's all your work. I played a small role in helping you record it". But the truth is, while the song was written solely by me, it wouldn't have been what it is without all Mr. Croft's help, which was a lot more help than he would ever admit to or take credit for. Not all debut singles are solo projects, it takes two to tango; take "Just Dance" by Lady Gaga for example, one of the most iconic debut singles of all time, that has a featured artist (Colby O'Donis)! I had no conception or understanding of music theory, production or chords at the time, and could only play instruments very badly! (I got my first acoustic guitar for my 13th birthday, but was still learning, and could barley hold down a chord, at the time!). But I could write lyrics and come up with melodies, all I needed was someone with the right instrumental and production skills to help me put them into song. One minute I'm writing lyrics - not just for "Mean Mikey", but other songs too, in a similar vein to the latter, which never got recorded or released - most of which were me slagging off teachers, and the next thing I know I'm recording and performing a song with a teacher! Irony or what?! Mr. Croft taught predominantly maths, but his music skills were just as top notch; he was a phenomenal keyboard player, with great timing (I mean, he was a maths teacher!) and sense of rhythm, and as the song's sole producer (though he would deny that), was extremely observant of my stylistic intentions; when I heard the song for the first time, mixed and mastered, it sounded exactly the way I had imagined it - you'd think he read my mind or something! Of course, it was my idea, being the fanatical Michael Jackson fan I am, to reference the King of Pop in the song ("If you're bad, dance like Michael Jackson"), but the "Billie Jean" segment was Mr. Croft idea. (Though it wasn't "Billie Jean" to begin with, at first it was the solo from "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough"). But the highlight of the song for me will always be his flawless performance as the voice of Mean Mikey's dad. Mr. Croft himself is a father of two. The last time I saw him, which was at Bower Grove School's summer fair this year in June - a month prior to him leaving the school after eleven years - I asked him: "Will you ever play the song to your kids?", he said: "Probably, but they're quite young at the moment, it might be too scary for them". Mind you, if I ever have kids, the chances of me playing them the song would be very unlikely. I certainly wouldn't be a good parental role model if I did! In fact, it's probably for the best that I don't have kids at all so long as "Mean Mikey" exists! (Still, you never know - never say never!).
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