Eddie Money: Two Tickets to Paradise

Remarks:

For me, this is easily one of the best rock songs of the 1970s. And it is not just me: it has become a classic of classic rock. But in 1978, when it first came out, it only went to #22 in the US, #86 in Australia and did not even chart in the UK. It did not fit the pop-music strictures of the time. It did not even rhyme (paradise/tonight). As it was, he had to shorten the song and mess it up just to get it on the radio.

He wrote the song as a struggling rock musician. He could not afford to take his girlfriend to Aruba, so the two tickets in question were for a six hour bus ride to the Redwood Forest.

Eddie Money passed away on Friday at age 70.

Requiescat in pace. 

See also:

• songs: the 1970s
  • Diana Ross: Love Hangover – the sound track of the late 1970s in the AVU
  • L.T.D.: Love Ballad – the best song of the 1970s, if not ever.
• WWSD: What Would Sade Do? – another purveyor of non-formulaic music

Lyrics: 

Got a surprise especially for you,
Something that both of us have always wanted to do
Waited so long, waited so long
Waited so long, waited so long

I’m gonna take you on a trip so far from here,
I’ve got two tickets in my pocket, now baby, we’re gonna disappear
Waited so long, waited so long
Waited so long, waited so long

I’ve got two tickets to paradise,
Won’t you pack your bags, we’ll leave tonight,
I’ve got two tickets to paradise,
I’ve got two tickets to paradise

Oh oh oh oh
Oh oh oh oh
I’m gonna take you on a trip so far from here,
I’ve got two tickets in my pocket, baby, we’ll disappear (you know why?)
Waited so long, waited so long
Waited so long, waited so long

I’ve got two tickets to paradise,
Won’t you pack your bags, we’ll leave tonight,
I’ve got two tickets to paradise,
Won’t you pack your bags, we’ll leave tonight,
I’ve got two tickets to paradise
Won’t you pack your bags, we’ll leave tonight,
I’ve got two tickets to paradise
I’ve got two tickets to paradise