One Final Serenade: Songs of Billy Joel
From The Stranger (1977)
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There is no music video for "Movin' Out," which was released in 1977, so I made this video. "Movin' Out" is © 1977 Sony Music Entertainment.
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You can pay Uncle Sam with the overtime,
Is that all you get for your money? The opening track to The Stranger, "Movin' Out" is paean to the suburban working class, living a 9-to-5 life and longing for something more. But what? A house in Hackensack? A Cadillac you can't drive because you worked so hard to pay for it that you had a heart attack? Is that all you get for your money? The characters in the song (Anthony, Mama Leone, Sergeant O'Leary) are not unlike those from "Piano Man" (John at the bar, Davy in the Navy, Paul the real estate novelist), all stuck in their routines and lives, and hoping for a better life, a Cadillac instead of Chevy. The teenager from "Captain Jack" who has a "tape deck and [a] brand new Chevrolet" and later "made it with a red-head girl in Chevrolet" is now trading in his Chevy for a Cadillac. The song has a great meandering bass line and is accented by organ and piano flourishes that give it an "Italian" sound. The original melody, however, was reminiscent of Neil Sedaka's "Laughter In The Rain," so Billy quickly changed it. At the end 0f the song, the act of moving out is signaled by the "Layla"-like piano outro and the sound of a car peeling out of a driveway, which was a recording of bassist Doug Stegmeyer's Corvette. "Movin' Out" was the second hit from The Stranger. Although it was released before "Just The Way You Are," it did not become a hit until "Just The Way You Are" shot up the charts. Now it is one of Billy's signature songs.
Billy talks about "Movin' Out" on SiriusXM. Click above.
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Anthony works in the grocery store
Savin' his pennies for some day Mama Leone left a note on the door She said "Sonny move out to the country" Ah but working too hard can give you A heart attack, ack, ack, ack, ack, ack You ought-a know by now Who needs a house out in Hackensack? Is that all you get for your money? Sergeant O'Leary is walkin' the beat At night he becomes a bartender He works at Mister Cacciatore's Down on Sullivan Street Across from the medical center And he's tradin' in his Chevy for A Cadillac ack ack ack ack ack You ought-a know by now And if he can't drive with a broken back At least he can polish the fenders. And it seems such a waste of time If that's what it's all about Mama if that's movin' up then I'm movin' out I'm movin' out You should never argue with a crazy mi mi mi mi mi mind You ought-a know by now You can pay Uncle Sam with the overtime Is that all you get for your money And if that's what you have in mind Then that's what you're all about Good luck movin' up cause I'm movin' out I'm movin out. And if that's what you have in mind Then that's what you're all about Good luck movin' up cause I'm movin'out I'm movin' out. Vertical Divider
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Billy and the band movin' out. Publicity photo (1976)
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Doug Stegmeyer and his Corvette (from Doug Stegmeyer Facebook page).
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Videos
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Demo version of "Movin' Out" (audio only).
Thanks to DundheeBhoy for posting. Billy sings "Movin' Out" in December 1982 from the concert video Live From Long Island filmed at Nassau Coliseum.
From 2008, Billy discusses writing "Movin' Out" including the "ack-ack-ack-ack" line and the sound of the car burning rubber at the end of the song which was a recording of bassist Doug Stegmeyer's Corvette.
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Live version of "Movin' Out" from the UK television program The Old Grey Whistle Test (1978)
Billy discusses songs he has re-written, including "Movin' Out" and "Honesty" at the Berkelee College of Music, April 1, 1992. The original version of "Movin' Out" sounded like Neil Sedaka's "Laughter In the Rain."
"Movin' Out" from Library of Congress' Gershwin Award for Popular Music ceremony on November 19, 2014.
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