The Sound Track To Your Life Challenge

Piano Man-Day 4

Piano Man-Billy Joel

Piano Man is the first single released by Billy Joel on November 2, 1973. This is Billy's first major hit and signature song which peaked #25 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in April 1974. The song is a fictionalized retelling of Billy's experience as a piano-lounge singer for six months in 1972 at the now named the Executive Room bar in Los Angeles. Billy has stated that the people he sings about in this song is about real people. 'John at the bar' was really the bartender who worked during Billy's shift at the piano bar. 'Paul is a real estate novelist' refers to a real estate agent named Paul who would sit at the bar each night working on what he believed would be the next Great American novel. 'The waitress practicing politics' refers to Billy's first wife, Elizabeth Weber, who he met at the Executive Room. Billy ran into some problems with his first record deal and he decided to sign with someone else which caused some problems. Until these matters were settled Billy was 'hiding out' under the name Bill Martin until the lawyers straightened everything out.

I have always loved this song with its words describing about the Piano Man to help the crowd to forget about their woes even if it is just for a little while. When I was in high school for an act in one of our talent shows, I remember someone playing this song with a group of eight guys surrounding the piano and singing. They were quite good and the piano player was excellent as well. I can always picture these guys at the piano when I hear the song and it makes me smile to see the inspiration that Billy Joel has inspired in others in music.

"Piano Man"

It's nine o'clock on a Saturday
The regular crowd shuffles in
There's an old man sitting next to me
Making love to his tonic and gin

He says, "Son can you play me a memory
I'm not really sure how it goes
But it's sad and it's sweet
And I knew it complete
When I wore a younger man's clothes"

Sing us a song you're the piano man
Sing us a song tonight
Well we're all in the mood for a melody
And you've got us feeling alright

Now John at the bar is a friend of mine
He gets me my drinks for free
And he's quick with a joke or to light up your smoke
But there's someplace that he'd rather be

He says, "Bill, I believe this is killing me"
As a smile ran away from his face
"Well, I'm sure that I could be a movie star
If I could get out of this place"

Now Paul is a real estate novelist
Who never had time for a wife
And he's talking with Davy, who's still in the Navy
And probably will be for life

And the waitress is practicing politics
As the businessmen slowly get stoned
Yes they're sharing a drink they call loneliness
But it's better than drinking alone

Sing us a song you're the piano man
Sing us a song tonight
Well we're all in the mood for a melody
And you've got us feeling alright

It's a pretty good crowd for a Saturday
And the manager gives me a smile
'Cause he knows that it's me they've been coming to see
To forget about life for a while

And the piano sounds like a carnival
And the microphone smells like a beer
And they sit at the bar and put bread in my jar
And say "Man what are you doing here?"

Sing us a song you're the piano man
Sing us a song tonight
Well we're all in the mood for a melody
And you've got us feeling alright