"One Less Set Of Footsteps" by Jim Croce
Not talking in silence.
“We've been running away from something we both know / We've long run out of things to say and I think I better go / So don't be gettin' excited when you hear that slammin' door / 'Cause there'll be one less set of footsteps on your floor in the morning”
Jim’s the man. This was his first hit.
Rock and rollers find their way to pure groove at some point. Not Jim. His chords keep moving around in the same square diatonic way, but you can tell in his voice that he’s hungry for something deeper. And his lyrics have an edge for sure. You get the sense that he was a rock star trapped in a folkie’s body, trying to come out.
We really wish he was still with us. Given a few more albums, he might have given both Dylan and ZZ Top a run for their money. A guy can dream at least.
“And we've been hidin' from something that should have never gone this far / But after all, it's what we've done that makes us what we are / And you've been talking in silence / Well, if it's silence you adore / Oh, there'll be one less set of footsteps on your floor in the morning”
I never had the confidence to just walk out on somebody when a relationship had soured. If it ain’t right, it ain’t right. But I would keep trying to make it work, despite all red flags. I deserved everything I got.
But walking out, depending on the couple, is either the nuclear option or a normal Tuesday. Someone can walk out, take a lap around the block to clear their head and then come back with some perspective and a more constructive attitude. But that’s not what Jim’s talking about here. This guy is packing his bags.
Have you ever been to couples therapy? It’s expensive and it doesn’t always work. Or it works too well, by revealing the hopelessness of the situation. Our last couples therapist was so bad, his one talent was getting us to fight within the first five minutes of a session. He knew just what to say to put us at each other’s throats. The car rides home were some of the tensest we’ve ever had, but firing this guy really brought us together as a unit.
One less set of footsteps on his floor!
“Well, there'll be one less set of footsteps on your floor / One less man to walk in / One less pair of jeans upon your door / One less voice a-talking”
This song sounds almost heretical now. Everywhere you look, people say that dating is a nightmare. Like the streaming “economy” for music but worse, an acute crisis of abundance exists on the dating apps. I feel like the last man alive who met my love the old fashioned way, on a dance floor. But from the look of things most folks aren’t so fortunate, they swipe and swipe, praying to get swiped themselves. God help us all in 2025.
But Jim? He’s out. Whatever it was, he’s willing to try his luck by walking out the door. Tinder/Bumble algorithm be damned. He ain’t afraid of no one-star reviews. He knows when the game is up and it’s time to go. Which makes this song that much more poignant: even though this guy is leaving, it’s clear that a real relationship took place and that he really tried to make it work. He’s not the one talking in silence.
“But tomorrow's a dream away / And today has turned to dust / Your silver tongue has turned to clay and your golden rule to rust / If that's the way that you want it / Well, that's the way I want it more / 'Cause there'll be one less set of footsteps on your floor in the morning”
If you’re one of the people hanging on for dear life to something that just refuses to work, give this song a spin. Leaving is hard. Being alone is hard, especially in the immediate aftermath of a breakup. Heartbreak is real, and the road forward is lonely and frustrating. But fearing that journey is what’s stopping you from making the situation that truly does work.
Notice that I didn’t say finding the situation. You don’t find love, you create it.
It starts inside.
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This was excellent on all fronts! I think I had my first lesson with you back in 2015 I think the day after you had your first date or met your partner.