Commodores
The Commodores originated at Tuskegee University in 1968. The group was formed after two campus bands, the Mystics and the Jays, decided to merge. After playing at parties and nightclubs for several years, the Commodores rose to attention after manager Benny Ashburn successfully pitched the group as an opening act for the Jackson 5. In 1972, the Commodores signed with Motown Records.
Initially, the Commodores were a funk, soul, and R&B group. The group’s saxophonist and co-lead singer Lionel Richie, however, brought the group success with his sweet pop ballads. He wrote hits like “Just to Be Close to You”, “Three Times a Lady”, “Still”, and of course “Easy”.
Touring Schedule
While the lyrics of “Easy” clearly address a breakup, the initial inspiration behind the song was the Commodores’ busy touring schedule. “They just presented us with a tour schedule of a 366-page book with 365 pages of exactly where we’ll be for the next year,” Lionel Richie told GQ. “I wrote a little note down saying: ‘Why would anybody put chains on me / I paid my dues to make it / Everybody wants me to be / What they want me to be / I’m not happy when I try to fake it’.” The note would eventually become the second verse of the song.
The Meaning of the Song
In the song, the narrator reveals he’ll soon break up with his girlfriend. He admits that he tried everything he could to save the relationship, but recognizes that the relationship is not savable. The realization he will be relieved from the burden of the relationship makes him feel at ease like a Sunday morning.
The most iconic part of the lyrics is the phrase ‘Easy like Sunday morning’. In an interview with Spin magazine, Richie explained the inspiration behind the phrase. “‘Easy like Sunday morning’ applies to anybody who lives in a small Southern town. Small Southern towns die at 11:30 p.m. Saturday night. They roll up the sidewalk. So I kind of got that from my own experiences – that was Lionel Richie from Tuskegee, Alabama, where there is no such thing as four-in-the-morning partying.”
Release and Legacy of Easy
The Commodores released “Easy” as the lead single of their fifth self-titled studio album in March 1977. The song became a hit, reaching number 4 on the US chart and number 9 on the UK chart. The song topped the Hot Soul Singles chart in the US.
Read more: The Story Behind “You Can’t Hurry Love” by The Supremes
In 1992, American band Faith No More released a cover version of “Easy”. Their version was a big hit in Europe (where it reached the top 10 in multiple countries) and Australia (where it topped the charts). In the US the song was less successful, reaching number 58 on the US Billboard Hot 100. Lionel Richie stated he loved Faith No More’s cover.
“Easy” would eventually become one of the Commodores’ most celebrated songs. The song is by far the most popular Commodores song on Spotify, where it has amassed over 500 million plays. “Easy” was also a pivotal moment in Lionel Richie’s career, as it was one of his first successful ballads, a sound that would later define his solo career. “[‘Easy’] was the first song that actually gave me an opportunity to realize that I could write a song and people will walk up to you and go: ‘I feel the same way’. Perfect,” Richie stated.
