A Minor Variation

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Ain't no way to fight 'em darling
   Ain't no way around 'em baby
   Ain't no way to take 'em honey
   Nowhere to hide and believe me I've tried to
   shake 'em

"A Minor Variation" is an ode to depression and the blues. It is a downbeat blues song of course, featuring the Hammond organ and guitar. Despite a few vocal growls from Billy, the song sort does not really come together for me, but maybe that is the point. Billy is in a bad mood here and just wants to be left alone with his "bad disposition." Alternatively, he could be describing the blues (depression) and how hard it is to do anything to lose them except to simply suffer through them and perhaps have some wine as there is "Nowhere to hide and believe me I've tried to shake 'em."

"Nowhere to hide and believe me I've tried to shake 'em." River of Dreams publicity photo (1993).

A Minor Variation << >>
(River of Dreams) (1993)

Some days I have to give right in to the blues
Despite how I try to keep fightin'
It's a sure shot I'm going to lose
And I'll tell you why
You think I'm crazy
It's such a sad composition
But can you blame me
For what's been causing my bad disposition?
Ain't nothing new with my blue situation
And nothing's fine, it's just a minor variation

When troubles want to find me, I ain't hard to find
They know where I am
Like a hungry pack of wolves when it's feeding time
They tear up a man
And it's a strange thing
"Cause now it don't really matter
More of the same thing
Don't even hurt it's been part of the pattern
But still in all it's a small consolation
I just define it as a minor variation

Ain't no way to fight 'em darling
Ain't no way around 'em baby
Ain't no way to take 'em honey
Nowhere to hide and believe me I've tried to shake 'em

I'm getting to the point where I don't feel the pain
And I've had enough
I'm ready for the next time it hits me again
"Cause I've gotten tough
It doesn't faze me
And now I've made my decision
I may be crazy
It's not as though I don't know that condition
Until I'm through with this blue situation
Pass me the wine, it's just a minor variation

Ain't nobody's business, baby
Ain't nobody's worry darlin'
Ain't nobody's problem
No way to win when you've already been forgotten

And it's a strange thing
"Cause now it don't really matter
More of the same thing
Don't even hurt, it's a part of the pattern
Until I'm through with this blue situation
Pass me the wine, it's just a minor variation

Thematically, the songs on Side One of River of Dreams (remember this was still the age of vinyl) are generally bleak and angry, before turning more hopeful and positive on Side Two, and "Minor Variation" is probably one of the bleakest songs Billy has ever written. When Billy sings "no way to win when you've already been forgotten," that is about as hopeless a line as he has penned. In fact, "A Minor Variation" was ranked #3 on this list of top ten bleakest Billy Joel songs, which had some curious choices ("Falling of the Rain" is not a bleak song). Musically the song is vaguely similar to "Storm Front" from the album of the same name, but does not have the same drive as that song.

Videos (audio only)

Raw version (audio) of "A Minor Variation" from the Shelter Island Sessions. I like this version better.