Download Instrumental   “Get off your seats and on your feets” is what we used as an introduction to one of the greatest rock dance tunes ever.  If this one doesn’t get ’em on your dance floor, you might as well pack up your amps and go home.

This is old time, head-bashing rock’n’roll – the same three chords played over and over again (in this case C, Bb, and F).  But the drum breaks and the guitar solos are fun and guaranteed to get the crowd going.  “Taking Care of Business” was written by Randy Bachman of Bachman-Turner Overdrive fame in 1967.  Bachman was inspired to write the song from a Beatles recording called “Paperback Writer”, a musical story about a man writing paperback novels for a living.  “Business” may initially seem like an ode to the working man, but was really more of a slam against people who actually do work for a living.  “I love to work at nothing all day” is a great line for musicians who, as everybody knows, don’t have to labor for their money.  Right.  Let me tell you something…. oh, never mind.

The piano track was played by a guy delivering pizza to the studio where BTO was struggling to get this song recorded.  He told them it needed piano and he just happened to be a piano player.  They laughed, tipped him, and sent him on his way.  Hours later, still trying to figure out what to add to those three endless chords, they tracked him down and he got his 15 minutes of fame (except nobody knows his name).  The piano saved the day… as it always does.

I’ve seen pictures of Elvis wearing a “TCB” necklace.  Makes me wonder if those letters have anything to do with this song.  I mean, if anybody “took care of business”, it was “The King”.