Easy Money

Easy Money
An Innocent Man

From An Innocent Man (1983)

US Release:
Peak US Chart:
OFS Rating

n/a
n/a
8/10

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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      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

   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" in this excerpt from SiriusXM:

Billy reminisces about seeing James Brown perform at the Apollo Theater, and pays tribute to Otis Redding, in these excerpts from SiriusXM:

Billy on James Brown:

Billy on Otis Redding:

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

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