For some reason … probably a combination of things like a respiratory infection I’ve been fighting for two weeks, the news from the past week, and the state of the world, I find myself on the brink of tears tonight. I need a pick-me-up, something to bring a smile to my face. I KNOW — LIONEL RICHIE!!! Lionel and Stevie Wonder are two people who can most always bring a smile and wipe away the tears. I’ve played this one only once, back in 2019, so it’s fair game for a redux.
It was almost too easy. In a back-and-forth comment, Padre Steve mentioned something called “Sirius Radio 70s on 7”. Now, I vaguely remembered hearing of Sirius Radio, but really had no idea what it was, or how it worked. But, I decided to check into it, and I’m so glad I did. It’s so easy that even I could figure it out, and while there are hundreds of different decades and genre combinations to choose from, I decided to stick, for my first foray into the unknown, with Padre’s recommendation. Wow … better than my ipod playlist, more variety! And best of all … it’s FREE! The third song I heard was one by the Commodores … surely I must have already played that one, right? A trip to the archives, check, double-check … nope … I can’t believe I haven’t already played this one. Almost too Easy!
Commodores lead singer Lionel Richie wrote this song, which became a crossover hit for the band, bringing them into pop and adult contemporary territory when they were previously pure funk.
The guitar solo, played by group founder Thomas McClary, was tricky business.
“When you have lyrics in a song that say, ‘Why in the world would anybody put chains on me? I’ve paid my dues to make it,’ you have to match the intensity of those lyrics to a sound and a feel that musically portrays the same intensity and the same context of what you’re saying. A lot of ballads, the song would just end, but we wanted the guitar solo to take it to another level of intensity. So that was basically the inspiration behind it.”
I never knew, until tonight, how the Commodores got their name. The seven original members each had a name they liked, so they agreed to throw a dictionary in the air and blind-pick a word on the page it landed on. That word was “Commodore,” which was a ranking in the United States Navy that is no longer used. They came very close to being “The Commodes.”
This song made it to #4 in the U.S., #9 in the UK, and #12 in Canada.
Easy
Commodores
Know it sounds funny
But, I just can’t stand the pain
Girl, I’m leaving you tomorrow
Seems to me girl
You know I’ve done all I can
You see I begged, stole, and I borrowed! (yeah)
Ooh that’s why I’m easy
I’m easy like Sunday morning
That’s why I’m easy
I’m easy like Sunday morning!
Why in the world would anybody put chains on me?
I’ve paid my dues to make it
Everybody wants me to be
What they want me to be
I’m not happy when I try to fake it! no!
Ooh that’s why I’m easy
I’m easy like Sunday morning
That’s why I’m easy
I’m easy like Sunday morning!
I wanna be high, so high
I wanna be free to know
The things I do are right
I wanna be free
Just me! Whoa, oh! Babe!
That’s why I’m easy
I’m easy like Sunday morning, yeah
That’s why I’m easy
I’m easy like Sunday morning, whoa
‘Cause I’m easy
Easy like Sunday morning, yeah
‘Cause I’m easy
Easy like Sunday morning
Songwriters: Lionel Richie
Easy lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Filosofa's Word 
Another great song! I hope you are better now, Jill.atemwegeninfections are sometimes very bad. But because I am a smoker, the bacteria and viruses stay far from me (and nicotine in my veins). 😉 xx Michael
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Thanks, Michael!!! Still taking antibiotics, and still not much better, but … like you, I am a smoker (3 packs a day) and so I have nobody to blame but myself. Still, it does wear me down. Take care, my friend. xx
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Reblogged this on https:/BOOKS.ESLARN-NET.DE.
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Thanks Michael!!!
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Jill, “I’m easy like Sunday morning” is a fabulous song lyric. Keith
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So true! I’m glad you enjoyed it!
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Pass 😉
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Um … gee … I’m shocked 😱 (Not). Sorry, my friend … I was playing it for me, mostly. Perhaps you’ll like today’s better, but … eh … probably not. I promise you something you’ll like on Tuesday!!!
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And so you should. Hope it helped you feel better.
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For the few minutes it played, it did. Sigh.
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Hey Jill – I wanted to ask you if you converted over to Jet Pack on Word Press yet and if so what are your thoughts you have about using it? I read its obligatory for WP users on March 8. Jim (USFMAN)
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No, I’ve resisted the change thus far. I did try it on my phone, but wasn’t thrilled, so I deleted the app and went back to WP, only to be told, as you note, that the WP app will be defunct in March. Sigh. Just when I figure out how to use something, they change it!!! Your thoughts???
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Hi Jill – WP technicians told me the transition should be seamless. I’m going forward with it in March.
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I suppose I will do so too … I think that ultimately they won’t leave us a choice! Let me know how it goes for you, please!
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So far I like Jet Pack. Its crisp and clean.
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I don’t mind it except for one thing. I haven’t figured out how to make it stop sending a message to my phone every time someone likes or comments on a post! Since I get an average of over 200 views per day, over 100 comments, and who knows how many likes, it’s driving me batty. I turned off notifications, but then it stopped putting them on my dashboard, too, which was NOT what I intended, so I turned them back on.
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I experience a similar problem but only with email . We do live and die through our words figuratively don’t we?
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Indeed we do!!!
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I love when these songs bring back memories for me. Great share, Jill.
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Music does have that power, doesn’t it? I’m glad you enjoyed this one, Carla!!!
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Wow live version, quite different from the recorded version played in the UK. In fact I had to check my memory was tuned into the right song.
Funk version here Jill?
Thanks for the memory.
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Not funk, I don’t think … just probably earlier than the version you’re most familiar with. Note the rhinestone-studded attire!
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Ah, I sit corrected. Not my usual area of music so wrong assumptions are common.
1970s. It seemed unless you were doing early metal, punk or folk you were not ‘happening’ without a least a smattering of rhinestones😉
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True … rhinestones and the ability to swing the hips a certain way!
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Sorry, as a fan of 90s grunge I much prefer the version by Faith No More:
The should’ve renamed it to ‘Sleezy’. 😉 Mike Patton is a fantastic singer but also one of the most sleezy guys in a sleezy bizniz. The FNM version was the first I ever heard of that song anyway. Yes, it sounded classic in my ears but I never knew the original was by the Commodores. Black Music has never been of any interest for me.
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Musically, this is good! In fact, very close to the Commodore’s version. The video was … um … yeah, sleezy, and I’m not a huge fan of sleeze. I AM, however, a fan of Motown, or “Black Music” as you’ve dubbed it. Still, we agree that it’s a good song and that both versions get the feet tapping.
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