While he may have been a choirboy in real life (and good singers belong in the church choir), Eddie Money’s public persona always made him seem as if he were half musician and half underworld figure. Hence he was especially popular in Chicago in the late 70s, a time and a place when the culture and the neighborhoods were literally crawling with organized crime (and music). His creepy arrogance and unearned toughness seemed perfectly natural among white ethnics in the Windy City.
For Rock historian Tom Kipp, Money’s good looks and origin story set him apart. “Goin’ from son of a cop, to cop for a brief spell (or was it just attending the police academy?), to Pop Hitmaker, was certainly a one-of-a-kind Rock Star trajectory!” says Kipp. “He also had some of that adorably sad-eyed “bad boy” thang goin’ on, not unlike a less glamorous Tony Curtis, though for a much less glamorous time (1978 ’til whenever)!”
The largest denominations of Money’s career were minted in the 1970s. By the time “Take Me Home Tonight” came out in 1986, he hadn’t issued specie in a while, and his career had long since devalued. Thus the tune was a comeback song, not just for Ronnie Spector, but for the adorable Mr. Greenback as well. Fortunately for him, her and us, it turned out to be a great one, a dramatic 80s classic and certainly the magnum opus for which he should be remembered.
More from Tom Kipp:
This LETTERMAN clip is what I had in mind. I remember watching it in the MONTANA KAIMIN newsroom (at UM in Missoula) late one night while finishing up a music piece, and being struck by the graciously hypnotic way Eddie deferred to Ronnie for chorus after chorus at the end!
In addition to Paul Shaffer, that’s David Sanborn himself taking the famous sax solo!
Not sure whether it’s Sanborn on the original recording, but I wouldn’t be shocked….
I believe the clip was broadcast during Fall 1986, though there’s no specific date included with the YouTube video. I know it has to be prior to my departure from Missoula the following Summer.
“Take Me Home Tonight” was released on 6 August 1986 and entered the BILLBOARD Top 40 on 27 September, so the timeline seems right.
On the night of the telecast Ronnie was 43 and Eddie 37 years old!
As they say nowadays, she was a “smokeshow”!
Here ’tis:
