Eric recorded his debut album as a solo artist in 1988 for Nova Records called “First Impressions” and 13 albums later he is still making music that moves; that captures the imagination…that touches the emotions. But it is his last three recordings that are particularly revealing and personal, giving the listener an up close look at the man behind the music and the place he calls home.
Home is Birmingham. Eric grew up there in the midst of the turbulent 1960’s and, after an initial introduction to the guitar by the Beatles, got his start as a performer in the church. Today gospel music still informs and influences everything he does, however, early exposure to Wes Montgomery, Miles Davis and Jimi Hendrix greatly contributed to Eric’s sound and style as a guitarist. His trademark “southerness” is evident on the new CD which highlights some of the people and experiences from the city of his birth.
Biography:
Eric Essix began his career as a recording artist in 1988 with his debut recording, First Impressions followed by Second Thoughts in 1989 on the Los Angeles based contemporary jazz label, Nova Records. While pursuing a degree at the prestigious Berklee College of Music in Boston, Nova Records folded leaving Eric without a outlet for the amazing new band he had just assembled called Modern Man made up of longtime bassist, Sean Michael Ray and new classmates Matt Rohde on keyboards, Melvin Butler on sax and a young, up and coming phenom, Lil’ John Roberts on drums. So he financed and produced Eric Essix & Modern Man, Third Degree Burn, releasing it nationally on his own S6 Records label in 1993. Five years of nearly constant touring and three albums later (Eric Essix and Modern Man, LIVE! and two more on Ben Tankard’s , Spirit Jazz Label ; Just Like You and Beautiful Music: Guitar), Eric got the break that had eluded him for more than a decade. He was signed by legendary Warner Brothers Vice President Ricky Schultz who formed the careers of artists like Pat Metheny, Al Jarreau, David Sanborn, Larry Carlton, Fourplay, Boney James, Joshua Redman and the Yellowjackets. Ricky liked the guitarist’s latest self produced CD, Small Talk and released it on his new Warner distributed indie label, Zebra Records. Soon after, Eric had his his first taste of real success on a national playing field with the single, For Real which maintained a steady chart presence all the way up to the top five for more than 25 weeks establishing him as a solid artist in the heyday of the very popular “smooth jazz” genre. The second release on Zebra, Southbound, saw Eric making a shift towards the southern roots music he grew up playing and listening to living in his native Alabama. He also recorded 6 cover songs – something he had never done before – and the album’s instrumental interpretation of the classic, soul ballad, Rainy Night In Georgia became Eric’s next big hit also enjoying an extended run on the charts.
Eric left Zebra in 2002 to restart his own indie label with a new name; Essential Recordings, and in April 2004, he celebrated his first release on the label (distributed nationally by Selectohits), Somewhere In Alabama, which continued his exploration of southern themes. The single, Sweet Tea, spent some time on the charts and Eric continued to tour and maintain a presence in the industry. Everything came to a screeching halt, however, when in October of that same year, he lost his Mother, Imogene Essix, to heart failure.
Easy
Eric Essix Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
But, I just can't stand the pain
Girl, I'm leaving you tomorrow
Seems to me girl
You know I've done all I can
You see I begged, stole, and I borrowed! (yeah)
Ooh that's why I'm easy
That's why I'm easy
I'm easy like Sunday morning!
Why in the world would anybody put chains on me?
I've 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! no!
Ooh that's why I'm easy
I'm easy like Sunday morning
That's why I'm easy
I'm easy like Sunday morning!
I wanna be high, so high
I wanna be free to know
The things I do are right
I wanna be free
Just me! Whoa, oh! Babe!
That's why I'm easy
I'm easy like Sunday morning, yeah
That's why I'm easy
I'm easy like Sunday morning, whoa
'Cause I'm easy
Easy like Sunday morning, yeah
'Cause I'm easy
Easy like Sunday morning
The lyrics to Eric Essix's song "Easy" are about a man who is unhappy in his relationship and is leaving his partner. He has tried everything he can to make the relationship work, including begging, stealing, and borrowing, but ultimately realizes that he can no longer stand the pain and must leave. The chorus emphasizes how easy he feels now that the relationship is over, comparing his ease to the calmness of a Sunday morning.
The lyrics continue with the man expressing his frustration with how others want him to be something he's not. He has paid his dues to get where he is and doesn't want to fake it anymore just to please others. The chorus repeats, emphasizing his feeling of ease and freedom now that he's not pretending to be someone he's not.
In the final verse, the man expresses his desire to be truly free and to know that the things he does are right. He wants to be himself and not have anyone else's expectations or opinions weigh him down. The chorus repeats for a final time, emphasizing his newfound freedom and ease.
Overall, the lyrics to "Easy" express the relief and ease that come with leaving a relationship that isn't working and being true to oneself, rather than living up to the expectations of others.
Line by Line Meaning
Know it sounds funny
I understand this may seem humorous
But, I just can't stand the pain
However, I cannot tolerate the emotional distress I am experiencing
Girl, I'm leaving you tomorrow
I am informing you that I will be ending our relationship soon
Seems to me girl
It appears as if you understand my efforts
You know I've done all I can
You are aware that I have put forth all of my effort
You see I begged, stole, and I borrowed! (yeah)
I resorted to extreme measures, such as pleading, stealing, and borrowing, to try and make things work
Ooh that's why I'm easy
This is why I am at ease with my decision
I'm easy like Sunday morning
I am completely relaxed and carefree, like a Sunday morning
Why in the world would anybody put chains on me?
I do not understand why someone would want to restrict me in any way
I've paid my dues to make it
I have put in the necessary effort to succeed
Everybody wants me to be
Everyone has their own desired version of who I should be
What they want me to be
They want me to be what they envision, not who I truly am
I'm not happy when I try to fake it! no!
However, I am unhappy when I pretend to be someone I'm not
I wanna be high, so high
I desire to be elevated and achieve great heights
I wanna be free to know
I want the freedom to explore and understand different concepts and ideas
The things I do are right
I want to be confident that my actions are justified
I wanna be free
Overall, I desire true freedom to simply be myself
Just me! Whoa, oh! Babe!
I want to be exclusively and unapologetically myself
That's why I'm easy
Hence, I am at ease with who I am
Cause I'm easy
Due to my acceptance of my true self
Easy like Sunday morning
I am effortlessly relaxed and carefree like a Sunday morning
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, MUSIC.INFO FINLAND OY
Written by: Lionel Richie
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind