Piano Man

Billy Joel

About Piano Man

"Piano Man" is a song written and performed by American singer-songwriter Billy Joel. His first single in North America, it was included on Joel's 1973 album of the same name and later released as a single on November 2, 1973. The song is sung from Joel's point-of-view as a piano player at a bar, reminiscing about his experiences there and the people he encountered. "Piano Man" is based on Joel's real-life experiences as a lounge musician in Los Angeles from 1972–73, which he had decided to pursue in an effort to escape his contracted New York-based record company at the time, Family Productions, following the poor commercial performance of the album Cold Spring Harbor. Joel describes various characters, including a bartender named John and a "real-estate novelist" named Paul, all based on real-life individuals. Joel's first major hit and his signature song, "Piano Man" peaked at #25 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in April 1974. Following Joel's breakthrough as a popular musician with the release of The Stranger, it became one of his most well-known songs. It is now a highlight of Joel's live shows, where he usually allows the audience to sing the chorus. In 2016, the Library of Congress selected "Piano Man" for preservation in the National Recording Registry for its "cultural, historic, or artistic significance." 


Year:
1973
5:38
14,791 
#31

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It's nine o'clock on a Saturday
The regular crowd shuffles in
There's an old man sitting next to me
Makin' 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"

La la la, di da da
La la, di da da da dum

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 feelin' 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 the 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"

Oh, la la la, di da da
La la, di da da da dum

Now Paul is a real estate novelist
Who never had time for a wife
And he's talkin' 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 drinkin' 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 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 comin' to see
To forget about life for a while
And the piano, it 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 doin' here?"

Oh, la la la, di da da
La la, di da da da dum

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 got us feeling alright

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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


16 facts about this song

Album Details
"Piano Man" is the title track of Billy Joel's second studio album, released in November 1973.
Inspiration
Billy Joel wrote the song based on his experiences working as a piano-lounge singer for six months in 1972 at the Executive Room bar, in Los Angeles.
Chart Performance
The song peaked at No. 25 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in April 1974.
Signature Tune
“Piano Man” has since become Joel’s signature song and it routinely closes his concerts.
Song Length
The original album version of "Piano Man" runs for 5 minutes and 37 seconds.
Storyline
The song illustrates a narrative about a piano player in a bar who observes the world around him and captures the stories of the bar's regulars.
Grammy Nomination
The song was nominated for two Grammy Awards in 1975—Song of the Year and Record of the Year, although it didn't win either category.
Harmonica Introduction
"Piano Man" is recognized worldwide for its distinctive harmonica introduction.
Legacy
Rolling Stone magazine ranked "Piano Man" at number 421 in their list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.
Cultural Impact
In 2015, the Library of Congress selected "Piano Man" for preservation in the National Recording Registry for its "cultural, historical, or artistic significance."
Parallels to Real-Life
Many of the characters depicted in the song were based on real-life individuals Billy Joel met while working at the Executive Room.
Certification
The song was certified Gold by the RIAA on July 13, 2015, and Platinum on September 24, 2021.
Music Video
Despite being released in an era before music videos became a common practice, a promotional film for the song was created in 1985, compiling clips from Joel's earlier promotional videos.
Influence on Other Artists
The song and its distinctive piano riff have influenced and been referenced by numerous other musicians.
Single Version
The single version, also included on his Greatest Hits Vol. 1 & 2 collection, is shorter in duration (4:30), omitting the second verse and the second chorus.
Unusual Song Structure
Unlike many pop songs, "Piano Man" doesn't possess a traditional chorus. Instead, it has a refrain following each verse and serves as a kind of anthem.

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    Piano Man

    189.3M
    1.2M     0

    Top Hot 100 Songs 1974

    Billboard #25


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