Before there was "Money for Nothing" by Mark Knopfler/Sting in the '80s, there was "Easy Livin'" by Ken Hensley in the '70s. The song was inspired by the idea some people have that being a rock star is an easy life that involves not doing much and having money dumped in your lap. Uriah Heep was struggling to record "Demons and Wizards" and in a taxi ride home joked about this new "easy life" they had found which was in reality not easy and actually required a lot of hard work.
That conversation stuck in Ken Hensley's head that night as he wrestled with the meaning of it all. The idea that the goal of life is to get to the point where you have it easy and don't have to do much was foreign to him. He was doing what he was doing because he had a passion for creating music. It was hard work but he loved it. Had he gotten it all wrong? Was he just doing something to keep him busy until the day that his happiness would arrive in the form of an easy, carefree life?
"Easy Livin'" was Ken Hensley's way of saying "Nonsense!" to those ideas. How many of us slave away at something with the thought that one day life will be easy and then we'll have it made? How many of us are postponing our happiness for something that doesn't really exist? The song has religious overtones but it seems to me that they are used in a tongue in cheek way. Ken puts himself on a path seeking after "Easy Livin'" and then once he finds it, he is forgiven for not having pursued it sooner and more earnestly. Then, he can be at rest without a care in the world because he has arrived. Ken is saying that this is a ridiculous idea because nothing that's worth anything is easy.
Some have said that Ken is talking about finding Jesus in this song. Though he intentionally uses religious imagery, I don't think that's what he's getting at but his message does also apply to the Christian life. Jesus said that following Him would not be easy but it would be worth it. The idea that being a Christian puts you on easy street is as incorrect as thinking that Ken had it easy playing in a rock 'n' roll band.
The ultimate message of the song is to work hard and enjoy life and seek meaning rather than "Easy Livin'".
Before there was "Money for Nothing" by Mark Knopfler/Sting in the '80s, there was "Easy Livin'" by Ken Hensley in the '70s. The song was inspired by the idea some people have that being a rock star is an easy life that involves not doing much and having money dumped in your lap. Uriah Heep was struggling to record "Demons and Wizards" and in a taxi ride home joked about this new "easy life" they had found which was in reality not easy and actually required a lot of hard work.
That conversation stuck in Ken Hensley's head that night as he wrestled with the meaning of it all. The idea that the goal of life is to get to the point where you have it easy and don't have to do much was foreign to him. He was doing what he was doing because he had a passion for creating music. It was hard work but he loved it. Had he gotten it all wrong? Was he just doing something to keep him busy until the day that his happiness would arrive in the form of an easy, carefree life?
"Easy Livin'" was Ken Hensley's way of saying "Nonsense!" to those ideas. How many of us slave away at something with the thought that one day life will be easy and then we'll have it made? How many of us are postponing our happiness for something that doesn't really exist? The song has religious overtones but it seems to me that they are used in a tongue in cheek way. Ken puts himself on a path seeking after "Easy Livin'" and then once he finds it, he is forgiven for not having pursued it sooner and more earnestly. Then, he can be at rest without a care in the world because he has arrived. Ken is saying that this is a ridiculous idea because nothing that's worth anything is easy.
Some have said that Ken is talking about finding Jesus in this song. Though he intentionally uses religious imagery, I don't think that's what he's getting at but his message does also apply to the Christian life. Jesus said that following Him would not be easy but it would be worth it. The idea that being a Christian puts you on easy street is as incorrect as thinking that Ken had it easy playing in a rock 'n' roll band.
The ultimate message of the song is to work hard and enjoy life and seek meaning rather than "Easy Livin'".