Captain Jack

Billy Joel

About Captain Jack

"Captain Jack" is a song by Billy Joel featured on his 1973 album Piano Man with a live version on his 1981 album Songs in the Attic. It is considered by some to be the most important and pivotal of his early compositions because his performance of the song at an April 15, 1972, live radio concert at Sigma Studios on WMMR in Philadelphia, and the subsequent airplay this live version received on the station, brought him to the attention of major record labels, including Columbia, with whom he would sign a recording contract in 1973.  


Year:
1976
23 
#1

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Saturday night and you're still hangin' around 
Tired of living in your one horse town 
you'd like to find a little hole in the ground
For awhile

So you go to the village in your tie dyed jeans 
And you stare at the junkies and the closet queens 
It's like some pornographic magazine 
And you smile 

Captain Jack will get you high tonight 
And take you to your special island 
Captain Jack will get you by tonight 
Just a little push, and you'll be smilin' 

Oh yeah

Your sister's gone out, she's on a date 
You just sit at home and masturbate 
Your phone is gonna ring soon, but you just can't wait 
For that call 

So you stand on the corner in your New English clothes 
and you look so polished from your hair down to your toes 
Ah but still your fingers gonna pick your nose 
After all,.. 

Captain Jack will get you high tonight 
And take you to your special island 
Captain Jack will get you by tonight 
Just a little push, and you'll be smilin' 

So you decide to take a holiday 
You got your tape deck and your brand new Chevrolet 
Ah, there ain't no place to go anyway 
What for? 

So you got everything, ah, but nothing's cool 
They just found your father in the swimming pool 
And you guess you won't be going back to school 
Anymore. 

Captain Jack will get you high tonight 
And take you to your special island 
Captain Jack will get you by tonight 
Just a little push, and you'll be smilin'  

So you play your albums, and you smoke your pot 
and you meet your girlfriend in the parking lot 
Oh but still you're aching for the things you haven't got 
What went wrong? 

And if you can't understand why your world is so dead, 
why you've got to keep in style and feed your head 
Well you're 21 and still your mother makes your bed, 
And that's too long 

Captain Jack will get you high tonight 
And take you to your special island 
Captain Jack will get you by tonight 
Just a little push, and you'll be smilin' 

Captain Jack will get you high tonight 
And take you to your special island 
Captain Jack will get you by tonight 
Just a little push, and you'll be smilin'

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Billy Joel

William Martin "Billy" Joel (born May 9, 1949) is an American pianist, singer-songwriter, and composer. Since releasing his first hit song, "Piano Man," in 1973, Joel has become the sixth best-selling recording artist and the third best-selling solo artist in the United States, according to the RIAA. He also has the third best-selling album in the United States with his Greatest Hits Vol. 1 & 2. more »

16 fans

Written by: Billy Joel

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind


14 facts about this song

Album Origin
"Captain Jack" is a song by American artist Billy Joel and it's featured on his 1973 album "Piano Man."
Live Recording
The version of "Captain Jack" that became popular on Philadelphia radio station WMMR was a live recording from Joel's concert at Sigma Sound Studios.
Hit in Philadelphia
The song rose to popularity in Philadelphia before spreading to other areas, adding to a surge in Joel's popularity early on in his career.
Song Lyrics
The lyrics of "Captain Jack" delve into topics of suburban disillusionment and the use of drugs as an escape.
Not a Single
Despite its popularity, "Captain Jack" was not released as an official single by Billy Joel.
Controversy
It earned some notoriety for its explicit lyrics about drug use at a time when public perceptions on drug use were changing.
Protesting a Reality
Joel wrote the song as a protest about the drug-ridden and lazy lifestyle that he saw among the aimless youth living in his town.
Inspiration
The song's title was inspired by a local drug dealer who went by the name "Captain Jack."
Cultural Impact
"Captain Jack" remains one of Joel's most popular songs and it's often played on classic rock radio stations.
Regular Concert Performance
The song has been a longtime staple of Billy Joel's live performances.
Long-form Style
With a runtime of 7 minutes and 15 seconds, "Captain Jack" showcases Joel's knack for longer, story-telling compositions.
Sheet Music Book
"Captain Jack" is featured in the Billy Joel keyboard book anthology. It provides notes and lyrics for the song, allowing fans to play it themselves.
Public Interpretation
Despite its explicit lyrics about drug use, Joel stated in an interview that the song is about the "indifference of my generation" rather than promoting drug use.
First Television Performance
Billy Joel performed "Captain Jack" live on the Old Grey Whistle Test, a British television music show, in 1975.

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