One Final Serenade: Songs of Billy Joel
 Download "You Picked A Real Bad Time"
You picked a real bad time to spoil my concentration
You picked a real bad time to pass along bad news Tell me why you’re tryin’ to give me aggravation You picked a real bad time and I ain’t got time to lose "You Picked A Real Bad Time" is one of the early songs Billy recorded on Shelter Island as part of the "Shelter Island Session," which would eventually become 1993's River of Dreams. While the song did not make it on the album, it was released as the B-side to "All About Soul." A playlist of the Shelter Island Sessions can be heard on YouTube.
The song is a garage rocker, or perhaps more accurately an empty lobster boat shed rocker. Basically, Billy is a man beset with problems and troubles, and just wants to wallow in the blues. He does not need more bad news, but that's what comes. It's a theme found in several songs on side one of River of Dreams. On the SiriusXM Billy Joel channel, Billy said he wrote the song with Eric Clapton in mind to sing it. It was like a Cream song, with Ginger Baker on drums. 
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Don’t get me wrong
I ain’t the kind To turn away from you When something’s on your mind But you had to know You just had to see I’m having my troubles baby And they’re all too much for me You picked a real bad time to spoil my concentration You picked a real bad time to pass along bad news Tell me why you’re tryin’ to give me aggravation You picked a real bad time ’cause this man’s got the blues Don’t you get me wrong You’re not alone I’d like to help you But I got problems of my own It’s a bitter phase I’m going through And I can run from strangers, darling But I just can’t hide from you You picked a real bad time to spoil my concentration You picked a real bad time to pass along bad news Tell me why you’re tryin’ to give me aggravation You picked a real bad time and I ain’t got time to lose Ain’t it the truth when they say That the only thing worth dying for is our freedom Ain’t it the truth that someday We will all be lying on our backs Free at last from income tax Don’t you get me wrong The mood won’t last And I’ll be myself again Soon as this pain passed I’m standing here Don’t ask me how I’ll make it up to you Someday but not right now You picked a real bad time to spoil my concentration You picked a real bad time to pass along bad news Tell me why you’re tryin’ to give me aggravation You picked a real bad time ’cause this man’s got the blues Ain’t it the truth when they say All you need is love But all you’ll want is forgiveness Ain’t it the proof that someday Even love will not provide for man The ways that life insurance can You picked a real bad time to spoil my concentration You picked a real bad time to pass along bad news Tell me, tell me, tell me, tell me Tell me why you’re tryin’ to give me aggravation You picked a real bad time ’cause this man’s got the blues "You Picked A Real Bad Time" from My Lives and the "Shelter Island Sessions" which led to the River of Dreams album.
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