Billy Joel
An Innocent Man (1983)
1. Easy Money
2. An Innocent Man
3. The Longest Time
4. This Night
5. Tell Her About It
6. Uptown Girl
7. Careless Talk
8. Christie Lee
9. Leave a Tender Moment Alone
10. Keeping the Faith
Easy Money
(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 me 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 easy money
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 to me into losin' just as long as I can win
I want the easy
Easy money
Easy money
I want the good times
Oh, I never had
I want the easy
Easy money
I want the good life
I want it bad
Easy money
You say I fool myself
But better me than 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 fight
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
I could get lucky
An Innocent Man
(Billy Joel)
Some people stay far away from the door
If there's a chance of it opening up
They hear a voice in the hall outside
And hope that it just passes by
Some people live with the fear of a touch
And the anger of having been a fool
They will not listen to anyone
So nobody tells them a lie
I know you're only protecting yourself
I know you're thinking of somebody else
Someone who hurt you
But I'm not above
Making up for the love
You've been denying you could ever feel
I'm not above doing anything
To restore your faith if I can
Some people see through the eyes of the old
Before they ever get look at the young
I'm only willing to hear you cry
Because I am an innocent man
Oh yes I am
Some people say they will never believe
Another promise they hear in the dark
Because they only remember too well
They heard somebody tell them before
Some people sleep all alone every night
Instead of taking a lover to bed
Some people find that's it's easier to hate
Than to wait anymore
I know you don't want to hear what I say
I know you're gonna keep turning away
But I've been there and if I can survive
I can keep you alive
I'm not above going through it again
I'm not above being cool for a while
If you're cruel to me I'll understand
Some people run from a possible fight
Some people figure they can never win
And although this is a fight I can lose
The accused is an innocent man
Oh yes I am
An innocent man
You know you only hurt yourself out of spite
I guess you'd rather be a martyr tonight
That's your decision
But I'm not below
Anybody I know
If there's a chance of resurrecting a love
I'm not above going back to the start
To find out where the heartache began
Some people hope for a miracle cure
Some people just accept the world as it is
But I'm not willing to lay down and die
Because I am an innocent man
I am an innocent man
Oh yes I am
An innocent man
The Longest Time
(Billy Joel)
Oh, oh, oh
For the longest time
Oh, oh, oh
For the longest time
If you said goodbye to me tonight
There would still be music left to write
What else could I do
I'm so inspired by you
That hasn't happened for the longest time
Once I thought my innocence was gone
Now I know that happiness goes on
That's where you found me
When you put your arms around me
I haven't been there for the longest time
Oh, oh, oh
For the longest time
Oh, oh, oh
For the longest time
I'm that voice you're hearing in the hall
And the greatest miracle of all
Is how I need you
And how you needed me too
That hasn't happened for the longest time
Maybe this won't last very long
But you feel so right
And I could be wrong
Maybe I've been hoping too hard
But I've gone this far
And it's more that I hoped for
Who knows how much further we'll go on
Maybe I'll be sorry when you're gone
I'll take my chances
I forgot how nice romance is
I haven't been there for the longest time
I had second thoughts at the start
I said to myself
Hold on to your heart
Now I know the woman that you are
You're wonderful so far
And it's more that I hoped for
I don't care what consequence it brings
I have been a fool for lesser things
I want you so bad
I think you ought to know that
I intend to hold you for
The longest time
This Night
(Billy Joel)
Didn't I say
I wasn't ready for a romance
Didn't we promise
We would only be friends
And so we danced
Though it was only a slow dance
I started breaking my promises
Right there and then
Didn't I swear
There would be no complications
Didn't you want
Someone who's seen it all before
Now that you're here
It's not the same situation
Suddenly I don't remember the rules anymore
This night is mine
It's only you and I
Tomorrow
Is a long time away
This night can last forever
I've been around
Someone like me should know better
Falling in love
Would be the worst thing I could do
Didn't I say
I needed time to forget her
Aren't you running from someone
Who's not over you
How many nights
Have I been lonely without you
I tell myself
How much I really don't care
How many nights
Have I been thinking about you
Wanting to hold you
But knowing you would not be there
This night
You're mine
It's only you and I
I'll tell you
To forget yesterday
This night we are together
This night
Is mine
It's only you and I
Tomorrow
Is such a long time away
This night can last forever
Tomorrow
Is such a long time away
This night can last forever
Tell Her About It
(Billy Joel)
Listen boy
Don't want to see you let a good thing
Slip away
You know I don't like watching
Anybody make the same mistakes
I made
She's a real nice girl
And she's always there for you
But a nice girl wouldn't tell you what you should do
Listen boy
I'm sure that you think you got it all
Under control
You don't want somebody telling you
The way to stay in someone's soul
You're a big boy now
You'll never let her go
But that's just the kind of thing
She ought to know
Tell her about it
Tell her everything you feel
Give her every reason to accept
That you're for real
Tell her about it
Tell her all your crazy dreams
Let her know you need her
Let her know how much she means
Listen boy
It's not automatically a certain guarantee
To insure yourself
You've got to provide communication constantly
When you love someone
You're always insecure
And there's only one good way
To reassure
Tell her about it
Let her know how much you care
When she can't be with you
Tell her you wish you were there
Tell her about it
Every day before you leave
Pay her some attention
Give her something to believe
Cause now and then
She'll get to worrying
Just because you haven't spoken
For so long
Though you may not have done anything
Will that be a consolation when she's gone
Listen boy
It's good information from a man
Who's made mistakes
Just a word or two that she gets from you
Could be the difference that it makes
She's a trusting soul
She's put her trust in you
But a girl like that won't tell you
What you should do
Tell her about it
Tell her everything you feel
Give her every reason
To accept that you're for real
Tell her about it
Tell her all your crazy dreams
Let her know you need her
Let her know how much she means
Tell her about it
Tell her how you feel right now
Tell her about it
The girl don't want to wait too long
You got to tell her about it
Tell her now and you won't go wrong
You got to tell her about it
Before it gets too late
You got to tell her about it
You know the girl don't want
To wait - you got to
Tell her about it
Uptown Girl
(Billy Joel)
Uptown girl
She's been living in her uptown world
I bet she never had a backstreet guy
I bet her mama never told her why
I'm gonna try for an uptown girl
She's been living in her white bread world
As long as anyone with hot blood can
And now she's looking for a downtown man
That's what I am
And when she knows what
She wants from her time
And when she wakes up
And makes up her mind
She'll see I'm not so tough
Just because
I'm in love with an uptown girl
You know I've seen her in her uptown world
She's getting tired of her high class toys
And all her presents from her uptown boys
She's got a choice
Uptown girl
You know I can't afford to buy her pearls
But maybe someday when my ship comes in
She'll understand what kind of guy I've been
And then I'll win
And when she's walking
She's looking so fine
And when she's talking
She'll say that she's mine
She'll say I'm not so tough
Just because
I'm in love
With and uptown girl
She's been living in her white bread world
As long as anyone with hot blood can
And now she's looking for a downtown man
That's what I am
Uptown girl
She's my uptown girl
You know I'm in love
With an uptown girl
My uptown girl
You know I'm in love
With an uptown girl
My uptown girl
Careless Talk
(Billy Joel)
Careless talk
That's what you heard about me
Jealous talk
That's what I heard about you
Everybody's telling lies
I don't even know why
Why can't people
Find something better to do
Careless talk
I don't believe what they say
I heard them talk
They say you've been putting me down
In the shadows on the phone
They won't leave us alone
They've been talking
Ever since you came around
Careless talk
Telling you I'm doing wrong
Jealous talk
Follows wherever you go
I'm aware of what you heard
Every terrible word
Everybody's making believe that they know
All of the intimate things
That we might have said
In the heat of a passionate moment
In a conversation shared
For the ears of nobody else
There are some things they will never hear
There are secrets I'll never tell
Careless talk
Going around on the street
Jealous talk
I know how bad it can be
Let them stand where they fall
They don't know us at all
All that talking won't make a difference to me
Christie Lee
(Billy Joel)
Let me tell you a story
About a woman and a man
Maybe you will find familiar
Maybe you won't understand
The man's name I don't remember
He was always Joe to me
But I can't forget the woman
She was always Christie Lee
He was working in a night club
That's where he played the saxophone
He used to fake stock arrangements
He left the customers alone
But one night before the last song
About a quarter to three
He saw her standing at the coat check
And made his move on Christie Lee
Christie Lee, Christie Lee
Christie Lee, Christie Lee
She was a nice piece of music
She had a rhythm all her own
He blew a solo like a blind man
She really dug his saxophone
She wanted more than just an encore
And he could play in every key
He left the stage and packed his alto
And took it home with Christie Lee
Oh I heard the man knew "the Bird" like the bible
You know the man could blow an educated axe
He couldn't see that Christie Lee was a woman
Who didn't need another lover
All she wanted was the sax
It took a while for him to notice
It took a while for him to see
He was never in control here
It was always Christie Lee
Christie Lee, Christie Lee
Christie Lee, Christie Lee
Oh the man took a calculated gamble
Yes the man had the power to perform
But Christie Lee was more than he knew how to handle
She didn't need him as a man
All she wanted was the horn
They say that Joe became a wino
They say he always drinks alone
They say he stumbles like a blind man
They say he sold his saxophone
Even the band must face the music
That's what the moral is to me
The only time you hit the high note
Is when you play for Christie Lee
Christie Lee, Christie Lee
Christie Lee, Christie Lee
Leave a Tender Moment Alone
(Billy Joel)
Even though I'm in love
Sometimes I get so afraid
I'll say something so wrong
Just to have something to say
I know the moment isn't right
To tell the girl a comical line
To keep the conversation light
I guess I'm just frightened out of my mind
But if that's how I feel
Then it's the best feeling I've ever known
It's undeniably real
Leave a tender moment alone
Yes I know I'm in love
But just when I ought to relax I put my foot in my mouth Cause I'm just avoiding the facts
If the girl gets too close
If I need some room to escape
When the moment arose
I'd tell her it's all a mistake
But that's not how I feel
No that's not the woman I've known
She's undeniably real
So leave a tender moment alone
But it's not only me
Breaking down when the tension gets high
Just when I'm in a serious mood
She is suddenly quite and shy
Leave a tender moment alone
Leave it alone
I know the moment isn't right
To hold my emotions inside
To change the attitude tonight
I've run out of places to hide
And if that's how I feel
Then it's the best feeling I've ever known
It's undeniably real
Leave a tender moment alone
You got to leave a tender moment alone
Leave a tender moment alone
Leave it alone
You got to leave a tender moment alone
Leave a tender moment alone
Keeping the Faith
(Billy Joel)
If it seems like I've been lost
In let's remember
If you think I'm feeling older
And missing my younger days
Oh, then you should have known me much better
'Cause my past is something that never
Got in my way
Oh no
Still I would not be here now
If I never had the hunger
And I'm not ashamed to say
The wild boys were my friends
Oh
'Cause I never felt the desire
'Til their music set me on fire
And then I was saved, yeah
That's why I'm keeping the faith
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
Keeping the faith
We wore old matador boots
Only Flagg Brothers had them with a Cuban heel
Iridescent socks with the same color shirt
And a tight pair of chinos
Oh
I put on my shark skin jacket
You know the kind with the velvet collar
And ditty-bop shades
Oh yeah
I took a fresh pack of Luckies
And a mint called Sen-Sen
My old man's Trojans
And his Old Spice after shave
Oh
Combed my hair in a pompadour
Like the rest of the Romeos wore
A permanent wave, Yeah
We were keeping the faith
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
Keeping the faith
You can get just so much
From a good thing
You can linger too long
In your dreams
Say goodbye to the
Oldies but goodies
'Cause the good ole days weren't
Always good
And tomorrow ain't as bad as it seems
Learned stickball as a formal education
Lost a lot of fights
But it taught me how to lose O.K.
Oh, I heard about sex
But not enough
I found you could dance
And still look tough anyway
Oh yes I did
I found out a man ain't just being macho
Ate an awful lot of late night drive-in food Drank a lot of take home pay
I thought I was the Duke of Earl
When I made it with a red-haired girl
In the Chevrolet. Oh yeah
We were keeping the faith
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
Keeping the faith
You know the good ole days weren't always good
And tomorrow ain't as bad as it seems
I told you my reasons
For the whole revival
Now I'm going outside to have
An ice cold beer in the shade
Oh, I'm going to listen to my 45's
Ain't it wonderful to be alive
When the rock 'n' roll plays, yeah
When the memory stays, yeah
I'm keeping the faith
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
Keeping the faith
I'm keeping the faith,
Yes I am