Following on from the reckless success of ‘No Control’ came ‘The Big Crash’ for Eddie Money - literally and figuratively. The title of his 1983 album, ‘Where’s The Party?’ (US#67), may have given a clue as to some of the issues creeping up on Eddie Money - he may well have been attending too many - parties that is (and the wrong kind). The album was generally lacking in originality and quality material, and could just as well have been a collection of throwaway tracks from the ‘No Control’ sessions. The killer hooks, and melodic finesse had been supplanted by dull and uninspired offerings. The Money/Dowd produced set wasn’t all bad though, and the title track was a bit of a rock ‘n’ roll charmer, but the singles, ‘The Big Crash’ (US#54), and ‘Club Michelle’ (US#66), yielded only loose change on the charts for Eddie Money. It later became apparent that Eddie Money had for some time been battling some serious problems with drug addiction, and over the next couple of years he took time out to seek treatment, and regain his health.
With his battle to recover from drug addiction having curtailed his career considerably, by 1986 Eddie Money was ready to prove, like his 1979 single, that you can’t keep a good man down. His triumphant return was announced by the stellar radio anthem ‘Take Me Home Tonight (Be My Baby)’. The song lured listeners into its brooding world, before launching them into an irresistible chorus hook, signed off on with a vocal cameo by none other than Ronnie Spector (of Ronettes’ fame) - she sang the “be my baby” bit. ‘Take Me Home Tonight (Be My Baby)’ also brought Eddie Money the accomplished saxophone player to the fore (in fact Money also attended to keyboards). The track soared to a high of #4 on the U.S. charts (OZ#46), but as had been the case with all his previous work, Money’s music held no currency on the British charts. Where some of Money’s previous albums had suffered from ‘filler’ syndrome, his 1986 set, ‘Can’t Hold Back’, didn’t refrain from serving up across the board quality. Money sounded like a man reinvigorated with life, and reconnected to his craft - and keen to make up for lost time. The laid back rocker ‘I Wanna Go Back’ eased its way to #14 on the U.S. Hot 100, further confirming that the ‘Money Man’ was back. ‘Endless Nights’ (US#21) offered up another radio friendly morsel during the first half of ‘87, and by the time that the fourth single, the crisp and catchy ‘We Should Be Sleeping’, underachieved at #90, the album ‘Can’t Hold Back’ had racked up platinum sales, peaking at US#20 in the process.
Given his remarkable comeback, Money might well have felt he could walk on water, and late in 1988 he did just that - at least in song. The radio-friendly finesse shone through once more on the single ‘Walk On Water’, heavy on keyboards, heavy on slick production, heavy on soaring harmonies, heavy on Eddie in career best form, and featuring Eddie’s old band mate Jimmy Lyon once more on lead guitar. ‘Walk On Water’ performed a minor miracle at #9 on the U.S. charts, but a poor exchange rate left the song floundering at #91 in Australia. The song was penned by Jesse Harms, formerly Sammy Hagar’s keyboardist, and I could imagine Hagar performing the song. The track featured on Money’s seventh studio album, ‘Nothing To Lose’ (US#49), and after what he’d experienced over the last decade, the title was apt. By and large there weren’t any great surprises on the album, with Money employing the same, or at least similar, formula of well-crafted pop-rock throughout - it worked last time, so why not. The follow up single, ‘The Love In Your Eyes’, sighted a peak position of #24 on the U.S. Hot 100 in early ‘89, though ‘Let Me In’ only received access as far as #60.
Ten years as a recording artist, and riding on the high of a major comeback - time for a greatest hits album to celebrate! In late ‘89, Columbia released the compilation ‘Greatest Hits: The Sound Of Money’ (US#53- ch-ching!), featuring ten of the most likely suspects from his career to date, with the bonus enticement to Eddie Money fans of three new tracks. I had only had a passing interest in the work of Eddie Money to that point. Many of his previous hits had received little to no coverage here in Australia, though I was familiar with the better known singles such as ‘Baby Hold On’ and ‘Take Me Home Tonight’. But the new single release from his greatest hits album caught my attention late in ‘89. ‘Peace In Our Time’ was inspiring in its anthemic brilliance, crystalline in its sound, uplifting in its lyrics - it sends my spirits soaring every time I hear it. As much as I’ve come to appreciate a good deal of Eddie Money’s music, ‘Peace In Our Time’, for me, remains at the pinnacle of his work. It also represented Money’s last major splurge on the pop charts (US#11), though by the dawn of the 90s, his consistency of presence on the charts over the preceding decade had resulted in record sales exceeding eleven million units.
In 1991, Eddie Money had one last tilt at chart success with the album ‘Right Here’ (which boasted no fewer than five producers), but despite the minor hits ‘Heaven In The Back Seat’ (US#58), ‘Fall In Love Again’ (US#54), and the US#21 hit ‘I’ll Get By’, it appeared the album buying public had moved on (more than likely to grunge), as sales for ‘Right Here’ petered out at US#160. In 1992, Money was near the head of the queue to try and cash in on the new MTV ‘Unplugged’ series, but the edge was lost in the translation from lushly produced pop-rock, to stripped down acoustic. Columbia then dropped Money from their account, or roster even, but he found a new home at Wolfgang Records, releasing an album of new material in 1995, titled ‘Love And Money’. Over the next couple of years, Money paid the bills with regular touring, and a number of compilations and live albums were released, including 1997’s ‘Shakin’ With The Money Man’. By 1999, the world was ready for a new Eddie Money album, or at least Money was ready to record one, and it arrived under the title ‘Ready Eddie’. It was a ‘back to the future’ style affair, revisiting the classic album rock territory which defined the first half of his career. Over the last decade the compilation releases have kept the royalty cheques flowing for Money, whilst he still tours on occasion. Money’s latest studio offering surfaced in 2007, with the veteran rocker revisiting some of the music he grew up with. ‘Wanna Go Back’ was a nostalgia laden homage to some of the classic 60s hits that had inspired young Edward Mahoney all those years ago. Everything from ‘Ain’t No Mountain High Enough’, through ‘Build Me Up Buttercup’, and ‘Land Of A Thousand Dances’, got the Eddie Money treatment, and on three tracks his daughter Jesse shared vocal duties. In 2009, Eddie Money the man became Eddie Money the musical, with his life story and music featured in ‘Two Tickets To Paradise: The Musical’. Through all the ups and downs of a turbulent career, Eddie Money has remained, above all else, true to the music he loves.
When a singer or rock band achieves superstardom, it’s often a assumed that they’ve always ‘made music’ for a living, but that’s a popular misconception. Whilst it’s true that some ‘pop stars’ leave school/college and rarely stray from the road to fame (save for the odd casual job to pay the rent), others have forsaken a completely different career to pursue their rock ‘n’ roll dream. Rockin’ Rod Stewart once aspired to be a pro-footballer, but opted to kick a goal on the charts instead; Australia’s ‘Voice’ John Farnham gave up his plumber’s plunger in favour of singing about ‘Sadie’ the cleaning lady; Shaggy did his share of touring with the U.S. Marines before touring the top of the charts; Sheryl Crow left her job as a school teacher when she decided all she wanted to do was have some fun singing for a living; and singer Eddie Money realised the life of a New York City police officer wasn’t for him, choosing to march to a different beat.
Brooklyn born Edward Joseph Mahoney wanted to be a policeman when he grew up - after all his father was a New York City police officer, so you could say that young Eddie was a ‘NYPD blue blood’ - well alright then I know I’ve overstepped the limits for lame puns with that one, but what are limits for if not to be broken now and again. After leaving school, young Edward gained a place at the New York Police Academy, with a view to graduating as Officer Mahoney (not of the Steve Guttenberg variety). But Mahoney had developed a passion for rock music, and began regularly moonlighting in a rock and roll band, the Grapes of Wrath, at local New York City night clubs, singing under the moniker of Eddie Money. Soon, the singer Eddie Money realised that pursuing a career in music just made more cents, not to mention potentially earning him more dollars. Thus Officer Mahoney handed in his badge, and singer Eddie Money (with trusty saxophone in hand) shifted to California in search of a rock star’s life.
It was the mid 70s, and the West Coast music scene was thriving. Money began singing at various bars and venues around the Bay Area, and soon came to the notice of promoter Bill Graham, who signed Money to a management contract. Graham arranged for some demos to be made, and in 1977 helped secure Eddie Money a recording deal with the Columbia label. Money’s rough and ready voice was tailor made for an era when album oriented rock dominated the airwaves - his vocals echoed the same raw and raspy quality of the likes of Rod Stewart, Bob Seger, Steve Perry, and Huey Lewis, yet like those artists, Money also had a controlled, polished quality to his singing. Most of all, Money served his music up with an unmistakable passion. That passion sprang to life on his eponymous debut album, released late in ‘77. Ex-Doors’ producer Bruce Botnick helmed proceedings, and Money was supported by an impressive roster of players, including saxophonist Tom Scott, ex-Steve Miller bassist Lonnie Turner, and guitarist (and right hand man) Joe Lyon.
Money and Lyon co-wrote the album’s first single, ‘Baby Hold On’. The mid-tempo rock ballad boasted an infectious, almost hypnotic guitar riff. ‘Baby Hold On’ possessed the kind of radio friendly hook to propel it into the U.S. Hot 100 in February of ‘78. The track held on to a peak of #11 Stateside, and also introduced Australian audiences to the sound of Money (#19). The follow up single, ‘Two Tickets To Paradise’, an energizing blitz of guitar-driven rock, featured an “excellent guitar riff”, to coin a phrase later uttered by Homer Simpson. Written by Money about his then girlfriend, ‘Two Tickets To Paradise’ was catchy, blue-collar rock at its best, and was soon saturating rock airwaves across the U.S. (#22/OZ#86), eventually working its way into popular culture via use in television and films. The popularity of both singles pushed sales of the ‘Eddie Money’ album to an eventual double-platinum status (US#37/OZ#31), and the album itself received a heavy work out on DJs turntables at rock format stations (aiding in crossover top 40 success). The third single, ‘You’ve Really Got A Hold On Me’ (US#72), was an impressive rendition of the 1962 top ten hit for Smokey Robinson and the Miracles, and the album track ‘Wanna Be A Rock ‘N’ Roll Star’, a spirited blast of boogie rock, proved one of the popular ‘radio’ hits of 1978.
Money boosted his accounts further with the release of his 1979 sophomore album ‘Life For The Taking’, once more helmed by producer Bruce Botnick. As with just about every other respectable rock and roll figure at that time, Money succumbed to a degree from the tidal wave of disco/pop drowning the U.S. charts, but the album retained enough rock and roll soul to pass muster with true rock aficionados. The lead out single, ‘Maybe I’m A Fool’ (US#22/OZ#51), was a fine slice of blue-eyed soul that would have sat comfortably within the Hall & Oates songbook. The follow up, ‘Can’t Keep A Good Man Down’ (US#63), incited a liberal upping of volume levels, and reminded everyone that at heart, Eddie Money was a rock ‘n’ roller. Despite reaching a higher peak position Stateside, the album ‘Life For The Taking’ (US#17/OZ#64) didn’t match the double platinum achievement of its predecessor. Money rounded out the 70s with the single ‘Get A Move On’ (US#46), featured on the soundtrack to the futuristic satire ‘Americathon’.
Money’s first offering of the new decade, via the single ‘Running Back’, didn’t exactly see him running back to the top forty (US#78). The song had a distinct reggae-rhythm feel to it, and reminds me of something Eric Clapton might have recorded a few years previous. Maybe it was just too big a departure not to have alienated the rock radio scene, and the follow up single, ‘Let’s Be Lovers Again’ (with Valeria Carter - backup singer with James Taylor), also went largely unnoticed (US#65) late in 1980. Both tracks were lifted from Money’s third album, ‘Playing For Keeps’ (US#35), produced by Ron Nevins, and also featuring the very alluring song ‘Trinidad’ (reminds me of something Bad Company or maybe even Joe Walsh would have recorded).
Money bounced back to form during 1982, aided in no small part by his savvy engagement of the promotional video format. MTV had been up and running since the previous August, and it was apparent that the music video network had the potential to engage a whole new audience, beyond the demographics of rock radio. Eddie Money was among the first wave of artists to take full advantage of the visual medium to augment his music. The single ‘Think I’m In Love’ returned Eddie Money to the black, well to the U.S. top twenty (#16/OZ#54). It was backed by a very cinematic styled promo video, shot in black and white (b&w was all the rage in the 80s). Money engaged the medium to the maximum, embracing the narrative potential of film, and imbuing everything with tongue in cheek humour - an approach adopted by many soft-metal rockers throughout the 80s. Most importantly, the song ‘Think I’m In Love’ was a sleek slice of catchy pop-rock, tailor made for the top 40. Doubtless the return to form had Eddie Money laughing all the way to the blood bank. ‘Think I’m In Love’ was lifted from Money’s fourth studio album, ‘No Control’ (US#20). Veteran producer Tom Dowd (Eric Clapton, Rod Stewart) came on board, whilst long time guitarist Jim Lyon left the scene, following a major falling out with Money over musical direction. It was apparent from the hook laden album that Money had elected to adopt a more melodic, pop-accessible slant to his music, eager to regain some lost commercial ground. The shift was further illustrated by follow up single, the sultry, blues edged ‘Shakin’ (US#63). The song’s playfully sexy lyrics were matched by a cheeky promo video, which quickly became a staple on MTV’s regular rotation lists.
My intent with this blog is not to infringe on the copyrighted work of the artists whose work I have discussed, merely to highlight the brilliance of such work and share publically available information that is hopefully of interest to the reader. Should you be a copyright owner of any of the songs and/or images discussed on this blog, and you wish me to remove any of that said material, please contact me with relevant details and I will gladly act on your request. In keeping with the legalities of such things, please consider the following though: N.B. In accordance with Title 17 USC Section 107, any copyrighted work on this site is distributed under fair use without profit or payment to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for non-profit research and educational or criticism purposes only, and is NOT an infringement of copyright (http://www.law.cornell.edu /uscode/17/107shtml). Any songs available via link are for evaluation purposes only, please delete them from your computer system after 24 hours. And if you like the song and/or artist do them a favour as well as yourseld and purchase their CD's (if they're still available).
Following on from the reckless success of ‘No Control’ came ‘The Big Crash’ for Eddie Money - literally and figuratively. The title of his 1983 album, ‘Where’s The Party?’ (US#67), may have given a clue as to some of the issues creeping up on Eddie Money - he may well have been attending too many - parties that is (and the wrong kind). The album was generally lacking in originality and quality material, and could just as well have been a collection of throwaway tracks from the ‘No Control’ sessions. The killer hooks, and melodic finesse had been supplanted by dull and uninspired offerings. The Money/Dowd produced set wasn’t all bad though, and the title track was a bit of a rock ‘n’ roll charmer, but the singles, ‘The Big Crash’ (US#54), and ‘Club Michelle’ (US#66), yielded only loose change on the charts for Eddie Money. It later became apparent that Eddie Money had for 
some time been battling some serious problems with drug addiction, and over the next couple of years he took time out to seek treatment, and regain his health.
into an irresistible chorus hook, signed off on with a vocal cameo by none other than Ronnie Spector (of Ronettes’ fame) - she sang the “be my baby” bit. ‘Take Me Home Tonight (Be My Baby)’ also brought Eddie Money the accomplished saxophone player to the fore (in fact Money also attended to keyboards). The track soared to a high of #4 on the U.S. charts (OZ#46), but as had been the case with all his previous work, Money’s music held no currency on the British charts. Where some of Money’s previous albums had suffered from ‘filler’ syndrome, his 1986 set, ‘Can’t Hold Back’, didn’t refrain from serving up across the board quality. Money sounded like a man 
reinvigorated with life, and reconnected to his craft - and keen to make up for lost time. The laid back rocker ‘I Wanna Go Back’ eased its way to #14 on the U.S. Hot 100, further confirming that the ‘Money Man’ was back. ‘Endless Nights’ (US#21) offered up another radio friendly morsel during the first half of ‘87, and by the time that the fourth single, the crisp and catchy ‘We Should Be Sleeping’, underachieved at #90, the album ‘Can’t Hold Back’ had racked up platinum sales, peaking at US#20 in the process.
more on the single ‘Walk On Water’, heavy on keyboards, heavy on slick production, heavy on soaring harmonies, heavy on Eddie in career best form, and featuring Eddie’s old band mate Jimmy Lyon once more on lead guitar. ‘Walk On Water’ performed a minor miracle at #9 on the U.S. charts, but a poor exchange rate left the song floundering at #91 in Australia. The song was penned by Jesse Harms, formerly Sammy Hagar’s keyboardist, and I could imagine Hagar performing the song. The track featured on Money’s seventh studio album, ‘Nothing To Lose’ (US#49), and after what he’d experienced over the last decade, the title was apt. By and large there weren’t any great surprises on the album, 
with Money employing the same, or at least similar, formula of well-crafted pop-rock throughout - it worked last time, so why not. The follow up single, ‘The Love In Your Eyes’, sighted a peak position of #24 on the U.S. Hot 100 in early ‘89, though ‘Let Me In’ only received access as far as #60.
Australia, though I was familiar with the better known singles such as ‘Baby Hold On’ and ‘Take Me Home Tonight’. But the new single release from his greatest hits album caught my attention late in ‘89. ‘Peace In Our Time’ was inspiring in its anthemic brilliance, crystalline in its sound, uplifting in its lyrics - it sends my spirits soaring every time I hear it. As much as I’ve come to appreciate a good deal of Eddie Money’s music, ‘Peace In Our Time’, for me, remains at the pinnacle of his work. It also represented Money’s last major splurge on the pop charts (US#11), though by the dawn of the 90s, his consistency of presence on the charts over the preceding decade had resulted in record sales exceeding eleven million units.
In 1991, Eddie Money had one last tilt at chart success with the album ‘Right Here’ (which boasted no fewer than five producers), but despite the minor hits ‘Heaven In The Back Seat’ (US#58), ‘Fall In Love Again’ (US#54), and the US#21 hit ‘I’ll Get By’, it appeared the album buying public had moved on (more than likely to grunge), as sales for ‘Right Here’ petered out at US#160. In 1992, Money was near the head of the queue to try and cash in on the new MTV ‘Unplugged’ series, but the edge was lost in the translation from lushly produced pop-rock, to stripped down acoustic. Columbia then dropped Money from their account, or roster even, but he found a new home at Wolfgang Records, releasing an album of new material in 1995, titled ‘Love And Money’. Over the next couple of years, Money paid the bills with 
regular touring, and a number of compilations and live albums were released, including 1997’s ‘Shakin’ With The Money Man’. By 1999, the world was ready for a new Eddie Money album, or at least Money was ready to record one, and it arrived under the title ‘Ready Eddie’. It was a ‘back to the future’ style affair, revisiting the classic album rock territory which defined the first half of his career. Over the last decade the compilation releases have kept the royalty cheques flowing for Money, whilst he still tours on occasion. Money’s latest studio offering surfaced in 2007, with the veteran rocker revisiting some of the music he grew up with. ‘Wanna Go Back’ was a nostalgia laden homage to some of the classic 60s hits that had inspired young Edward Mahoney all those years ago. Everything from ‘Ain’t No Mountain High Enough’, through ‘Build Me Up 
Buttercup’, and ‘Land Of A Thousand Dances’, got the Eddie Money treatment, and on three tracks his daughter Jesse shared vocal duties. In 2009, Eddie Money the man became Eddie Money the musical, with his life story and music featured in ‘Two Tickets To Paradise: The Musical’. Through all the ups and downs of a turbulent career, Eddie Money has remained, above all else, true to the music he loves.
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