It’s not hard to smile when hearing Billy Joel sing one of his many classic songs, especially on a day when he celebrates his birthday.
Joel turned 75 on Thursday, May 9, and fans all over the world were sending him best wishes. Those fans have been finding their way to his concerts since the 1970s. You probably can either hum or sing one of Joel’s songs that you’ve heard on the radio.
When looking at Joel’s library of music, it’s hard to select just a special few to point out. Anyone who reads this article can come up with their own favorites from Billy. I can remember hearing him for the first time on 1977’s The Stranger album. Songs like Just the Way You Are, Only the Good Die Young, Vienna (a fan favorite), and the title number are still so good.
With a diverse library of music, picking three is definitely a challenge. Let’s see what I can come up with here.
You Just Can’t Leave Out ‘Piano Man’
As much as I’d like to ignore this classic, I just cannot do it. Piano Man was released in 1973, setting the stage for a lot of future success.
It’s nine o’clock on a SaturdayThe regular crowd shuffles inThere’s an old man sitting next to meMakin’ love to his tonic and gin
If you can’t paint a mental picture of sitting at a bar through this song, then try again. Joel’s impassioned pleas through this number offered listeners a view of future songs. Little did Billy Joel know that Piano Man would become such a standard.
When chatting with Howard Stern recently, Joel was asked if there were songs he tried to leave out from a concert. Billy Joel readily admitted that he tried just ignoring Piano Man. But fans at concerts would call out for the song, leaving him to pretty much say “we’re not doing it.”
Alas, he ultimately gave in to fans’ wishes. Piano Man was recently involved in a controversy caused by CBS. The network aired Joel’s last concert, another sold-out one, at Madison Square Garden. It was a wonderful two-hour special full of Billy’s best. Well, the show started airing a little after its scheduled time. Joel and his band rocked out the people.
When Joel was sitting at the piano, hitting those piano keys and blowing in his harmonica, CBS cut away from it. Viewers were denied this treat and, oh boy, did CBS hear about it. Their remedy was to find another two-hour spot on a Friday night to re-air the special. This time, they left plenty of time for Piano Man. It’s a Joel classic, worthy of its rightful place as a “must play” for the Piano Man himself.
Billy Joel Gives Fans A History Lesson With This Hit
Any singer and songwriter wants to provide fans with a catchy song. Billy Joel wants his fans to be tapping their toes when hearing his songs.
Sometimes, though, getting a little history lesson can be enlightening. Joel provided this in We Didn’t Start the Fire, off of his Storm Front album in 1989.
Harry Truman, Doris Day, Red China, Johnnie RaySouth Pacific, Walter Winchell, Joe DiMaggioJoe McCarthy, Richard Nixon, Studebaker, televisionNorth Korea, South Korea, Marilyn Monroe
And that’s just the first verse! Joel filled this tune with names, events, and situations that carry a societal meaning. If anyone wanted a 20th-century history lesson, then they can put on this song. Filled with references that make people reach for Google, Billy Joel also used the magic of video. He did this to use pictures and clips that fans can connect with the lyrics.
It’s an amazing piece of work that Joel does here. Looking at the Billy Joel library, sure, there are other songs to consider. But I believe this song is worth pointing out.
‘Goodnight Saigon’ Delivers A Powerful Message
When parsing through the Joel songbook, some of them stand out thanks to their message. Sure, Billy Joel doesn’t always write “message songs.” A lot of his music is in the “pop music” category. Yet those that make people think and reflect are powerful.
That’s the case for Goodnight Saigon, which appeared on 1982’s The Nylon Curtain album. Yes, the song is about the Vietnam War. Joel paints a rough picture for listeners to hear. This is the first verse.
We met as soul mates on Parris IslandWe left as inmates from an asylumAnd we were sharp as sharp as knivesAnd we were so gung ho to lay down our lives
In an article from the Daytona Beach Morning Journal, Joel said about this song, “Time has a way of healing wounds or making them easier to look at to see if they’ve scabbed up. The guys came home from Vietnam and that’s it? It doesn’t end until these guys are absorbed into the mainstream and we deal with our feelings about it.”
Over the years, Billy Joel has had Vietnam veterans and other war-time veterans come up on stage. He’s merged this song with paying honor to those who served. It’s a powerful song, one that his fans know quite well.
OK, so let me be honest. These are three Joel songs that stand out to me from his vast library. Sure, you will have your own and probably differ with these three. Yet I ask you to take a listen to these songs. See where they might fit among your Billy Joel favorites. While listening to them, wish the Piano Man a happy 75th birthday.
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