Al Wilson – "Listen To Me" (1973)

You can’t tell by what he wears

If he’s good or bad

The scriptwriters for Billions – the Showtime TV series whose seventh and final season aired in 2023 – aren’t stupid.  

They are smart enough to know that it’s a b*tch to write naturalistic dialogue.  So instead of even trying to do that, they filled up their scripts for Billions with references to movies, books, recording artists, athletes, and other TV shows.  

In the last 2 or 3 lines, I gave you some examples of those references – some of which are pretty obscure.

Like this one:

(Who the hell is Russell Ziskey?  He’s the character portrayed by the late Harold Ramis in the 1981 comedy movie, Stripes.

*     *     *     *     *

How many of the following Billions references do you recognize?

Let’s start with a relatively easy movie reference:

(The late Henry Hill was a mobster whose life story was the basis for the 1990 Martin Scorsese film, Goodfellas.  In 1967, Hill and an associate walked into the Air France cargo terminal at JFK Airport and walked out with $420,000 in cash.)

*     *     *     *     *

Do you know what classic rock record is being referred to here?  (Hint: it’s a member of the 2 OR 3 LINES “GOLDEN DECADE” ALBUM TRACKS HALL OF FAME.)

(“Ooh, a storm is threatening” is the opening line of The Rolling Stones’ 1969 masterpiece, “Let It Bleed.”  Click here to read more about that G.O.A.T. recording.)

*     *     *     *     *

Finally, do you know what truly terrifying movie is being referenced in the following three screenshots:

(Forget Psycho, Night of the Living Dead, and The Shining.  The scariest movie of all time – at least for males – is Deliverance, John Boorman’s 1972 adaptation of James Dickey’s 1970 novel.  However much they paid Ned Beatty to appear in that movie wasn’t enough.) 

*     *     *     *     *

“Listen to Me” is the B side of the late Al Wilson’s hit single, “Show and Tell,” which took over the #1 spot on the Billboard “Hot 100” 51 years ago this week.

Click here to listen to “Listen to Me.”

Click here to buy that recording from Amazon.