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Easy Money
An Innocent Man (1983) |
Billy opens An Innocent Man with a screaming soul song, "Easy Money." This is a get-up-and-dance, snap-your-fingers, clap-your-hands song complete with a beefy horn section and Billy channeling the vocals of the king of soul, James Brown, or Wilson Pickett (see videos below). The lyrics are just as catchy as Billy keeps delivering clever metaphors ("I got a hot slot machine of a system ready to go") much like he did in "Only The Good Die Young," only this time the song's theme is looking for easy money, rather than trying to get a girl. Billy was clearly having a good time on this album as songs like "Easy Money" reveal.
I'm a big fan of this song and thought it would become a hit, but it was not released as a single and is rarely done in concert, probably because it takes a full horn section to do it. Billy's new saxophonist at the time, Mark Rivera, does a great job. You can see a rare live version of this song in the video section below, which looks to be from a rehearsal. The song was used as the title track for the Rodney Dangerfield movie of the same name (Dangerfield also appears in the music video for "Tell Her About It'). Click here to see the trailer. Billy discusses "Easy Money," from SiriusXM
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Words and Music by Billy Joel
You don't have to talk all night I'm a man who can't say no You don't have to twist my arm Just point me where you want to go Take me to the action, take me to the track Take me to a party if they're bettin' in the back I've been working all my life, can't afford to wait Let me call my wife so I can tell her I'll be late I want the easy, easy money, easy money I could get lucky Oh, things could go right I want the easy, easy money, easy money Maybe this one time, maybe tonight You don't have to try too hard I don't need a song and dance I don't need an invitation If you've got a game of chance Take me to the tables, take me to the fights Run me like the numbers, roll me like the dice When you're counting on a killing, always count me in Talk me into losin' just as long as I can win I want the easy, easy money, easy money I want the good times, I never had I want the easy, easy money Oh, I want the good life, I want it bad Easy money You say I fool myself, but better me than being a fool for someone else I got a hot slot machine of a system ready to go Easy money I got a one-track mind and a good reputation laying on the line I'll either come back a bum or a king Baby I don't know You don't have to start a fire I'm a man who can't say no If you've got a little risky business Just point me where you want to go Take me to the power, take me to the heat Take me to the cleaners if it's open to the street Something's got to pay off, something's got to break Someone's got a fortune that they're begging me to take I want the easy, easy money, easy money I could get lucky, things could go right I want the easy, easy money, easy money Maybe just this time, oh maybe tonight Easy money, oh, I don't want no hard cash I just want the easy money, oh, I could get lucky Oh, got to, got to, got to, got to, got to have Oh I’ve got to go now baby (easy money) Oh I’m back just one more time |
On the Billy Joel channel on SiriusXM, Billy recalled his childhood soul singer idols, as follows:
"Billy pays homage to Ray Charles, one of his favorite singers of all-time: “I used to try to sing like Ray Charles, rip up my throat and smoke cigarettes and twist my neck, do whatever I could to sound like Ray Charles, but it never worked out. Ray, I have to say, I don’t think anyone has touched me as much as him as a singer.”
"Billy pays tribute to Otis Redding with his own rendition of "Tenderness": “Fun to play, fun to listen to and a dynamic performer. I don’t know if a lot of younger people know who Otis Redding is at this point but he had some of the most exciting records I’ve ever heard.”
"Billy recalls the time he saw James Brown perform live at the Apollo: “That was the tightest band I’ve ever heard and the most dynamic show I’ve ever seen. I love to watch Mick Jagger dance around with the Stones, I love watching a good band play, but as a showman, James Brown was the best. I’ve never seen anybody as good as him on stage.”
"Billy pays homage to Ray Charles, one of his favorite singers of all-time: “I used to try to sing like Ray Charles, rip up my throat and smoke cigarettes and twist my neck, do whatever I could to sound like Ray Charles, but it never worked out. Ray, I have to say, I don’t think anyone has touched me as much as him as a singer.”
"Billy pays tribute to Otis Redding with his own rendition of "Tenderness": “Fun to play, fun to listen to and a dynamic performer. I don’t know if a lot of younger people know who Otis Redding is at this point but he had some of the most exciting records I’ve ever heard.”
"Billy recalls the time he saw James Brown perform live at the Apollo: “That was the tightest band I’ve ever heard and the most dynamic show I’ve ever seen. I love to watch Mick Jagger dance around with the Stones, I love watching a good band play, but as a showman, James Brown was the best. I’ve never seen anybody as good as him on stage.”
Videos
These are clips from the Rodney Dangerfield movie "Easy Money" set to the title track by Billy Joel. © Sony Music Entertainment.
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Billy sings "Easy Money" in this MTV Liner Notes interview (1984).
James Brown "Papa's Got A Brand New Bag" and " I Got You (I Feel Good)" on the Ed Sullivan show.
Wilson Pickett singing the soul classic "Mustang Sally."
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Billy singing the Otis Redding classic "Dock of the Bay" at a Master Class in 2012 at the University of Florida.
Otis Redding "(Sittin' On) The Dock of The Bay."
Sam and Dave singing their classic hit "Soul Man." I also liked them in the movie Tapeheads as the Swanky Modes singing "Ordinary Man."
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