Eddie Money - "Shakin'" (forgotten song)

Eddie Money died this week.  A continuing staple of classic rock radio, I often wondered why he was famous.  I like his songs, always sang along when they come on the radio, etc.  But as this Rolling Stone article points out, he always seemed an unlikely rock star.  Why did he make it and not any of the hundreds of artists that toil in anonymity that are at least as good if not better?

After his death was announced, I put this question to my friends and Terry and Scott pointed to at least a partial answer: after he moved to San Francisco, he caught the attention of promoter extraordinaire Bill Graham.  Scott also revealed that he had a personal connection with Eddie Money (his wife's cousin married Money's niece). 

One of my first LPs was 1982's "No Control", which featured my favorite song of his, "Shakin'".  Many of his other songs remain more popular (e.g., "Two Tickets to Paradise"), but this one is arguably his heaviest, featuring great work from guitarist Jimmy Lyon.  I also fondly recall the cheesy video, which features drag racing and a pre-Purple Rain Apollonia (I did not realize that until this week).  The modish lyrics reflect an archaic attitude to drunken driving (see also: "Trashed"), but *he* didn't steal or drive the car, *Roseanne* did, so at least there's a feminist angle.  Right?  Regardless, it's still a fun song, and I'll still enjoy his other songs as well even though he'll always be an unlikely rock star.

Eddie Money - "Shakin'"

Scott, Eddie, Ro, 2013.