Piano Man turns 50!
Thank you Billy…
This timeless classic was released on November 2, 1973.
This is the cover art for the album Piano Man by the artist Billy Joel. The cover art copyright is believed to belong to the label, Family Productions/Columbia, or the graphic artist(s). The title track was the album’s second song.
"Piano Man" is a fictionalized retelling of Joel's own experience as a piano-lounge singer for six months in 1972–73 at the now defunct Executive Room bar in the Wilshire district of Los Angeles. In a talk on Inside the Actors Studio, Joel said that he had to get away from New York due to a conflict with his then recording company and hence lived in Los Angeles for three years with his first wife. Since he needed work to pay the bills, but could not use his better known name, he worked at the Executive Room bar as a piano player using the name "Bill Martin" (Joel's full name is William Martin Joel).
Joel has stated that all of the characters depicted in the song were based on real people. "John at the bar" was really the bartender who worked during Joel'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 is practicing politics" refers to Joel's first wife Elizabeth Weber, with whom he moved to Los Angeles from New York in 1972 and who worked at The Executive Room as a waitress while Joel played the piano.
Source: Wikipedia.org
“Every day, it seems like there is a new invention or scientific breakthrough; like we are driving (in the fast lane) while looking through binoculars. Late last year, one of our nation’s laboratories produced a nuclear fusion reaction that resulted in a net energy gain. This unexpected breakthrough was purported to be a life-altering, society-changing event (in a good way...). In reality, the way we interact, conduct business, essentially live, is now mostly digitized and ultimately, commoditized; contemporary music and the current music industry included. And, while technology and its related processes usually serve us well, especially with regards to time-sensitive operational items or high-volume transactions, human interaction, including conversation, empathy, and ultimately, understanding, should remain paramount in each of our lives. Like a ballad, each of our lives tells a story, many of which share a common thread. Conversation, empathy, and understanding are how we realize these connections, our connections.”
- Woodard, Anthony. “Driving with binoculars...”. Mar. 16, 2023
I was fortunate to see Billy Joel live in concert on a couple of occasions, most recently on September 21, 2018 at the venerable Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City.
Sing us the song, you're the piano man!
Photo Credit: Anthony Woodard
My dad also joined my wife and I for this memorable event. It was his last major concert; he died around three years after. I will always remember this show and all of us singing along to this timeless classic. Thank you Billy!
Sing us the 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 feelin' alright
Video Credit: Anthony Woodard
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