| "Easy" | ||||||||||
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| Single by Commodores | ||||||||||
| from the album Commodores | ||||||||||
| Released | March 1977 | |||||||||
| Recorded | 1977 | |||||||||
| Length | 4:15 (Edit Version) 4:48 (Album Version) |
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| Label | Motown | |||||||||
| Writer(s) | Lionel Richie | |||||||||
| Producer | James Anthony Carmichael Commodores[1] |
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| Commodores singles chronology | ||||||||||
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"Easy" is a 1977 hit single by Commodores for the Motown label, from their fifth studio album, Commodores.
Written by Commodores lead singer Lionel Richie, the song, a slow ballad with country and western roots, expresses a man's feelings as he ends a relationship. Rather than being depressed about the break-up, he states that he is instead "easy like Sunday morning."
Richie wrote "Easy" with the intention of it becoming another crossover hit for the group, given the success of a previous single, "Just to Be Close to You", which spent 2 weeks at #1 on the Billboard R&B chart and peaked at #7 on the Billboard Hot 100 pop charts in 1976.[2]
Released in March 1977, "Easy" reached #1 on the Billboard R&B chart, and #4 on the Billboard Hot 100.[2] The success of "Easy" paved the way for similar Richie-composed hit ballads such as "Three Times a Lady" and "Still" and also for Richie's later solo hits.
The song is noted for a feedback noise, with an echo, that is heard in the Bridge of the song. Also, an electric guitar solo dominates the instrumental portion of the song. In addition, the other Commodores are heard singing wordless harmonies during the Chorus of the song.
The edited version receives the most airplay. The longer version from the album features the chorus being repeated more times, a half step up, from A Flat Major to A Major, a few times before it fades out.
The song appears on the game Karaoke Revolution Presents: American Idol.
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| Chart | Peak |
|---|---|
| U.S. Billboard R&B chart | 1 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot 100[3] | 4 |
| UK Singles Chart[4] | 9 |
"Easy" has been covered by many artists, such as Clarence Carter, Grant Green, Richie Havens, John Wesley Ryles, Jimmy Lindsay, Australian Idol finalist Holly Weinert, Canadian Idol finalist Jason Greeley, American Idol winner Taylor Hicks, Irish boy band Westlife, America's Got Talent runner-up Cas Haley, Boyz II Men and Faith No More, who released it as a single toward the end of 1992. "Easy" was sampled by the Houston-based rap group Geto Boys for the song "Six Feet Deep" from their 1993 album "Till Death Do Us Part". It was also used as a sample in Cam'ron's song "Hey Ma". Another cover of the song was included in a National Football League promo during the 2000s. Also in 2000, an instrumental version was released by saxophonist Warren Hill, from his album "Love Life." The song features Warren's vocals.[5][6]
In 2004, guitarist Eric Essix covered the song from his album "Somewhere in Alabama."[7]
In 2010, the band Captain Zig covered the song as the final track on their album "Music is Math". Lead vocal duties were shared by guitarist Bill Haberer, bassist Keith McCrary, and drummer Chris Condel who each sang a verse. The track also featured Tom Borthwick on piano.[8]
| "Easy" | ||||||||||||||
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| Single by Faith No More | ||||||||||||||
| from the album Angel Dust | ||||||||||||||
| Released | EUR December 29, 1992 USA April 4, 1993 |
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| Genre | Easy listening[9] | |||||||||||||
| Length | 3:08 | |||||||||||||
| Label | Slash | |||||||||||||
| Writer(s) | Lionel Richie | |||||||||||||
| Producer | Matt Wallace Faith No More |
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| Faith No More singles chronology | ||||||||||||||
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Faith No More recorded a cover of "Easy" originally as a b-side during the studio sessions for Angel Dust,[10] following its repeated performance during live shows, but was released as the final single to the album in late 1992 - early 1993. It was their highest-charting UK hit, reaching #3, their second Number One single on the Australian charts and their final charting single in the American chart Billboard Hot 100, peaking at #58. It was originally issued on December 29, 1992, on the double A-side single with "Be Aggressive", listed as "I'm Easy", in Europe and over three months later in America on the Songs to Make Love To EP, it was later included on the European version of their album Angel Dust. Other appearances include a 2006 commercial for Levi's Jeans and as the theme tune for the TV programme Goals On Sunday.
The song was released under three titles: "I'm Easy", "I'm Easy (Cooler Version)", and "Easy". The title varies depending upon the region of release. Most European releases had the title "I'm Easy", whereas the rest of the world, including Scotland, received the release as simply "Easy". There are at least two, perhaps four, different mixes in circulation, all of which originate from the same studio recording of the song. The first mix has a voice-over by Mike Patton during the first few seconds of the song: "Turn the lights out, baby. This one's for the ladies in the house." The second version, sometimes listed as the "Cooler Version", lacks this intro but features a backing string arrangement throughout the song. A supposed third version has both the string arrangement and the spoken intro, while a fourth (and rarest) mix reportedly lacks both.
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The "First version was featured on the releases:[11]
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And the "Second version" was featured on the following releases:
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Songs to Make Love ToThe Songs to Make Love To release, which was titled "Easy" on some pressings, was the American and Canadian release of the single. Its track list, which was almost identical to the German "I'm Easy" – special edition version which replaces track three with the rerecording of "As the Worm Turns" and is similar to the standard edition versions of "I'm Easy" which had the Revolution 23 Full Moon mix of "A Small Victory" as its third and last track, is as follows:[11]
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I'm Easy/Be AggressiveThe double A-side "I'm Easy/Be Aggressive" singles track lists had the first two tracks as "Easy" and "Be Aggressive" and two live tracks, with the exceptions of one fully live version which is identical to the Free Concert in the Park bonus disc and a two track French version, which are as follows.[11]
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Japanese versionThe Japanese version was released separately as a seven track EP under the name of "Easy" with the "I'm Easy/Be Aggressive" cover image and with six live tracks that also featured on other versions of the single, its track list was as follows:[11]
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† Live in Munich, Germany on November 9, 1992 |
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| Chart | Peak |
|---|---|
| Australia ARIA Charts[12] | 1 |
| Norwegian Singles Chart[13] | 2 |
| UK Singles Chart[4][14] | 3 |
| Swiss Single Charts[15] | 9 |
| Dutch Top 40[16] | 10 |
| Irish Singles Chart[17] | 10 |
| Swedish Single Charts[18] | 11 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot 100[19] | 58 |
| "Easy" | ||||
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| Single by Ivete Sangalo | ||||
| from the album IS Multishow ao Vivo: Ivete Sangalo no Madison Square Garden | ||||
| Released | Brazil December 7, 2010 | |||
| Recorded | September 4, 2010 on Madison Square Garden, New York City - USA | |||
| Genre | Easy listening[20] | |||
| Length | 3:58 | |||
| Label | Slash | |||
| Writer(s) | Lionel Richie | |||
| Ivete Sangalo singles chronology | ||||
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Ivete Sangalo recorded a cover of "Easy". The live album was recorded during a single concert performed on September 4, 2010 and released on December 7, 2010 the live album of IS Multishow ao Vivo: Ivete Sangalo no Madison Square Garden.
The music made a suspense and after a few minutes the box was also lifted, with Ivete Sangalo inside, sitting on the piano, playing and singing Lionel Richie’s song "Easy".
| Preceded by "Best of My Love" by The Emotions |
Billboard's Hot Soul Singles number one single (The Commodores version) July 16, 1977 |
Succeeded by "Best of My Love" by The Emotions |
| Preceded by "Are You Gonna Go My Way" by Lenny Kravitz |
ARIA (Australia) number-one single (Faith No More Version) May 15–22, 1993 |
Succeeded by "That's the Way Love Goes" by Janet Jackson |
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