What Are You Listening To?

[Music Head]

from my library (cd)



One of those recent $5 purchases. Billy's tribute to doo-wop on some tracks here with his ninth album, and a fine job it is. Produced by Phil Ramone and guest spots by some fine modern jazz legends, Richard Tee, Eric Gale, David Sanborn and Michael Brecker. Other than the lead off track of Easy Money, which I find terrible, not a bad track here. Five standout tracks, An Innocent Man, The Longest Time, Uptown Girl, Leave A Tender Moment Alone and Keeping The Faith. Studio albums with that many great tracks are rare for me. A total of seven singles were released from here with Tell Her About It faring the best at #1, not even one of my top tracks. The album made it to #2 in the U.K. and #4 stateside. Nominated for an Album Of The Year grammy, but when up against Thriller, what can you do? A new love affair can do strange things, like make a great album. A song for Christie Lee is included to highlight that. Maybe most of these tunes are about that love.

I LOVE THIS ALBUM

Worst Track - Easy Money

Best Track - An Innocent Man

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 a look at the young
I'm only willing to hear you cry
Because I am an innocent man
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 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
I am 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

1) Easy Money *
audio - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O6xp54Y39uM
2) An Innocent Man ***
live - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qbWDq86H8VY
3) The Longest Time ***
video - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a_XgQhMPeEQ&ob=av2e
4) This Night **
live - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dnn_Tv5KebQ
5) Tell Her About It **
video - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p0pM5dm--yQ&ob=av2n
6) Uptown Girl ***
video - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hCuMWrfXG4E&ob=av2e
7) Careless Talk **
audio - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1eHqlx0BxOU
8) Christee Lee **
audio - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q_lniN4L1-w
9) Leave A Tender Moment Alone ***
audio - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1bAKX2DIooA
10) Keeping The Faith ***
live - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7IJ3sYVU72c

3's - 5
2's - 4
1's - 1

Grade - 2.4