Tale – Billy Squier

Tale Of The Tape © 1980 Capitol Records, Inc.
Produced by Eddy Offord & Billy Squier

Recorded & Mixed at: Eddy Offord Remote Studio, Woodstock, New York by Rob Davis & Eddy Offord
Mastered by Wally Traugot at Capitol Studios, Los Angeles

Musicians:
Billy Squier: lead vocals, electric & acoustic guitars, percussion
Bruce Kulick: guitars, appears courtesy of Polydor Incorporated
Bucky Ballard: bass
Bobby Chouinard: drums
David Sancious: keyboard & synthesizers, appears courtesy of Arista Records
Richard T. Bear: keyboards, appears courtesy of RCA Records
Ernest Carter: percussion

Background Vocals: Billy Squier & Alex Ligertwood … the Woodstock Children’s Chorus (“Billy’s choir”) under the direction of Ellen Todd

Management Co-ordination: Mitchell Kanner

Photography: Dick Kranzler

Art Direction & Design: Bob Heimall (AGI)

All songs written by Billy Squier, except “Who Knows What A Love Can Do” written by B. Squier & F. St. John, and “You Should Be High, Love” written by B. Squier & D. Child

Where to start? At the beginning…it was, after all, the beginning. I had no inkling that some 30 years later, “The Big Beat” would become the most sampled record in history…and link me to a progressive genre of music that barely existed when I penned the song. Of course, “The Big Beat” is much more than a beat—it’s Track One on “The Tale of the Tape,” the beginning of the Billy Squier solo musical odyssey.

After 18 months of wandering in the wilderness—having left the relative security of Piper, A&M Records and Aucoin Management—I’d finally secured a deal with Capitol Records, and found myself in Woodstock, NY. with English producer/engineer Eddie Offord. He was ensconced in Levon Helm’s house and had set his mobile studio up in the main living quarters. Everyone was in one big room, including Eddie and his Midas console…which made for quite a unique recording experience. I’d put together a great core band: Bobby “Mr. Big Feet” Chouinard on drums, bassist Bucky Ballard (from a NYC band called The Werewolves, who were managed by former Stones impresario Andrew Oldham), and fellow guitar-slinger Bruce Kulick. Throughout the sessions, various luminaries from the Woodstock community and points beyond filed through to lend support, and sessions were pretty lively. I’d rented a house just outside of town, and was generally digging the post-hippie vibe that had allowed Woodstock to remain an artist haven.

I’d always envisioned “The Big Beat” leading off “The Tale of the Tape” with the BIGGEST drum beat the rock world had ever heard. BC laid down the basic track in his own inimitable fashion. I then set out to expand on his parts without obscuring the power and simplicity of the original recording. I roamed about the studio, banging on anything that might give up a sound I could incorporate into my grand plan…and I found it. In a moment of absolute musical synchronicity, I…well, I’m not going to tell you exactly what I did, as that would spoil the fun for the producers, drummers and engineers who are still trying to figure out how to cop the magic…

Suffice to say, my noodling worked, and the now legendary ‘Big Beat’ sound was born. I knew I had something good…but I had no idea just how good.

While “Tale of the Tape” was characterized by the high-flying radio track, “You Should Be High Love,” when the record first dropped, it’s “The Big Beat” that’s really made its mark over time, having been sampled nearly one-hundred times to date. Most unexpected, very gratifying…and very humbling. Wow! Thanks to all the artists who’ve taken my vision and made it part of theirs.

“I got the big beat…I’ll show you how
I got the big beat…You got it now”

Lyrics

The Big Beat
Billy Squier, © 1980 by Songs Of The Knight (BMI)

I got the big beat
I hear the sound
I got the big beat
I get on down

I hear the big beat
All through the town
I got the big beat
I get around

There’s no time for hesitation
We got all we need to know
Don’t deny the situation
Find it everywhere you go

Life it’s the big beat
Roll to the sound
I got the big beat
Oh gather ’round

I got the big beat
Down in my shoes
I got the big beat
I’m gonna give it to you

It’s the line of fascination
It’s the rage both near and far
Synchronize a generation – yeah
It don’t matter who you are – oh yeah

I got the big beat
I’ll show you how
I got the big beat
You got it now – oh yeah

Calley Oh
Billy Squier, © 1980 by Songs Of The Knight (BMI)

I thought I knew the story
I thought I’d seen it all
Those days of love and glory
But now I hear you call

Calley Oh – Say there’s nowhere to hide
Calley Oh – I can feel you inside don’tcha know
That I can’t hold back – I keep on comin’ after you

You never compromise me
You never find it hard
You never recognize me
You throw me off my gaurd

Calley Oh – With the roles that you play
Calley Oh – You can have it your way don’tcha know
That I can’t hold back – I keep on comin’ after you

I go chasin’ moonshine racin’… you may wonder why
If I find my true love there – I will never
I will never say goodbye

I’m past the point of caring
It’s just your point of view
I’m past the point of sharing
I gave it all to you

Calley Oh – You can see through my eyes
Calley Oh – I could never disguise what you know
Now I can’t hold back – I keep on comin’ after you
Calley Oh – You’re my nights and my days
Calley Oh – I’m a fool in my ways don’tcha know
That I can’t hold back – I keep on comin’ after you

Keep me comin’ baby

Tell me where have you been so long…

Rich Kid
Billy Squier, © 1980 by Songs Of The Knight (BMI)

The rich kids got the money
The rich kids play the stars
Walk around in fancy clothes
And drive them flashy cars

The rich girls get the jewelery
The rich boys get the girls
Playin’ “Mr. Romeo”
They think they own the world

Breakdown you can lose control
They don’t think nothin’ of you
Not unless you’re a rich kid too

Rich kid – I wanna be a rich kid too
Rich kid – I wanna be a rich like you

I ain’t got no money – and I ain’t got a home
I hang around the parking lot when all the cars are gone
I don’t read the papers – the news is all the same
Tell you it’s a rich man’s world –
And you play the rich man’s game

Come ’round to the judgement day there won’t be nothin’ for you
Not unless you’re a rich kid too
You’re a rich kid too

Rich kid – I wanna be a rich kid too
Rich kid – I wanna be a rich like you

Don’t care what price I pay
I ain’t got nothin’ to lose
I wanna be rich like you
I won’t be shot down when I get my way
I won’t be comin’ to you
Cause I’ll be a rich kid too

Rich kid – I wanna be a rich kid too
Rich kid – I wanna be a rich like you…

Like I’m Lovin’ You
Billy Squier, © 1980 by Songs Of The Knight (BMI)

I been thinkin’ a lot ’bout you lately
Sittin’ here wasting my time
You know that my dreams don’t come easy
I lost them before it’s no lie

It isn’t so hard when you know me
To see where my thoughts go astray
My feelings for you they control me
I’m lost in your world night and day

And I want you to feel that way too
Love me like I’m lovin’ you
Pick me up when I’m blue
Know in your heart that it’s true

I been seein’ a lot of you lately
Not as much as I want to sometimes
We both have our lives to be leading
And I can’t always be by your side

If you see insecurity showing
Don’t turn me out in the rain
I have nowhere else to be going
And it’s here that I want to remain

And I want you to feel that way too
Love me like I’m lovin’ you
Pick me up when I’m blue
Know in your heart that it’s true

Have I told you – how I want you
Now I told you – and I want you today

And I want you to feel that way too
Love me like I’m lovin’ you
Pick me up when I’m bluer than blue
Love me like I’m lovin’ you

Who Knows What A Love Can Do
Billy Squier & F. St. John, © 1980 by Songs Of The Knight (BMI)

It’s a wrong side of town kinda love
We let ourselves get into
People try to change this world
Around me and you

We gotta try – try a bit harder
If what they say is true
And who knows what a love can do

Who knows what a love can do
Who knows what a love can do

Now we’re left standing here all alone
Outside lookin’ in
And I can tell from the things I see it’s no way to begin
But I don’t care what the people say as long as I got you
‘Cause who knows what a love can do

Who knows what a love can do
Who knows what a love can do

Don’t care if they knock on me
Ain’t no way I can give
The kinda things they want from me
Ain’t the way I want to live

We gotta try – try a bit harder
You know we might make it through
And who knows what a love can do

Who knows what a love can do
Who knows what a love can do

You Should Be High Love
Billy Squier / Desmond Child, © 1980 by Songs Of The Knight (BMI)

Some say love is borrowed time
A lonely loan only lovers find
It’s got you down – you’re on the line
I can read you like a book
Say I can read your mind

You been holdin’ back the hands of time
Heavensakes you know you should be flyin’

You should be high love – You should be my love
You should be high love – You should be my love

You’ve been left to your own devices
Hand out, tongue out, compromises
You’re the first to go but the last in line
And if you lose your love you can lose your mind

You been runnin’ outta borrowed time
Heavensakes you know you should be flyin’

You should be high love – You should be my love
You should be high love – You should be my love
If shadows should find you
Put ’em behind you
You should be high love – You should be my love
You should be high love – You should be my love

It’s all behind you
Let the spirit find you
And the love light blind you

Another day with nothin’ to do
Spend my time lookin’ for you
Who’s your boyfriend
Who’s your boyfriend now
I asked around but nobody knows
Where you’ve gone in all your fine clothes
Who’s your boyfriend
Who’s your boyfriend now

Not since the day you first caught my eye
Has anything moved me – my heart’s on the fly, uh huh
And I got a feelin’

Spend my time out on the street
I’m so tired I can’t feel my feet
Who’s your boyfriend
Who’s your boyfriend now

People say I’m tryin’ too hard
But if I knew the way – I’d be in your backyard
Who’s your boyfriend
Who’s your boyfriend now

Don’t say I’m crazy – I already know
I picked up the pieces – I got nothin’ to show
And I got a feelin’

I never could see
Why women could do these things to me

Another day I’m out on my own
I don’t know if I’m comin’ or goin’
Who’s your boyfriend
Who’s your boyfriend now
You got style – I just can’t ignore
But if I had a key I’d be in your front door
Who’s your boyfriend
Who’s your boyfriend now

How does it happen – you’re so hard to find
I can’t seem to reach you – I’m losin’ my mind
And I got a feelin’
Who’s your boyfriend now
Who’s your boyfriend

Now I know – that life can be unkind
I know – that love is hard to find
When I’m breakin’ down inside I know
Oh I know, I know that if I don’t despair
I know – that there’s a world out there
Somethin’ tells me down inside – I know – oh I know

That the music’s all right
Say the music’s all right
The music’s all right wherever I go

Now I know that friends can let you down
I know – we all been passed around
When I need a place to hide – I know
Yes I know

That the music’s all right
Say the music’s all right
The music’s all right wherever I go
Say the music’s all right
Say the music’s all right
The music’s all right wherever I go

Now I know that when my hope is gone
I know – that I can carry on
I go searchin’ down inside – I know
Oh I know, I know, I know

That the music’s all right
Say the music’s all right
The music’s all right wherever I go – oh I know, I know, I know
Say the music’s all right
Say the music’s all right
The music’s all right wherever I go

I could love you where you lie whatcha want me to do
You don’t even have to try always somebody new
Never sure what your talkin’ about
Never wantin’ to be left out

Cause you’re a live wire but you’ve lots to learn
Live wire your fuse will burn

Young girls you talk so loud
Move fast now you act so proud
Young girls ya talk so bold
You wont find much when you get old

Livin’ in the past is so easy to do
Ah but nothin’ seems to last you can never be true
Now you talk of all those places you’ve been
All along you been makin’ the scene

Cause you’re a live wire but you don’t understand
I ain’t your ticket to to the promised land

Young girls you talk so loud
Move fast now you act so proud
Young girls you talk so bold
You won’t find much when you get old

Every woman in her time’s known a young girl like you
Though she may be hard to find there’s a woman in you
Come and see me when you’ve grown a few years
Come the time you’ll be changin’ your gears

Cause your a live wire but you don’t understand
I ain’t your ticket to a one night stand