Prelude/Angry Young Man

Billy Joel

About Prelude/Angry Young Man

"Prelude/Angry Young Man" is a song written by Billy Joel which appeared as the sixth song on the album Turnstiles in 1976. Live versions have been released as the second track of KOHЦEPT, the 11th track of the first disc of 2000 Years: The Millennium Concert, and the opening track on the first disc of 12 Gardens Live and Live at Shea Stadium: The Concert. It is also included in the Broadway show Movin' Out. The instrumental "Prelude" lasts approximately a minute and 43 seconds, starting with a rapid-fire hammered piano riff on the middle-C piano key, joined by various instruments, swinging through styles such an Aaron Copland-styled ballad to funk to a Southwestern beat. According to Joel in an interview with Howard Stern, the rhythm of the fast-paced piano riff was meant to pay homage to the drum part in the song "Wipe Out" by The Surfaris. When performing live, Joel plays the fast-paced prelude himself, but performs the song early in the setlist, largely because the prelude section was easiest to manage during the adrenaline moments of starting a show, as opposed to being attempted after he had already expended much of his energy for other songs. 


Year:
2011
#1

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There's a place in the world for the angry young man
With his working class ties and his radical plans
He refuses to bend, he refuses to crawl
He's always at home with his back to the wall
And he's proud of his scars and the battles he's lost
And he struggles and bleeds as he hangs on the cross
And he likes to be known as the angry young man

Give a moment or two to the angry young man
With his foot in his mouth and his heart in his hand
He's been stabbed in the back, he's been misunderstood
It's a comfort to know his intentions are good
And he sits in a room with a lock on the door
With his maps and his medals laid out on the floor
And he likes to be known as the angry young man

I believe I've passed the age of consciousness and righteous rage
I found that just surviving was a noble fight
I once believed in causes too
I had my pointless point of view
And life went on no matter who was wrong or right

And there's always a place for the angry young man
With his fist in the air and his head in the sand
And he's never been able to learn from mistakes
So he can't understand why his heart always breaks
But his honor is pure and his courage as well
And he's fair and he's true and he's boring as hell
And he'll go to the grave as an angry old man

There's a place in the world for the angry young man
With his working class ties and his radical plans
He refuses to bend, he refuses to crawl
He's always at home with his back to the wall
And he's proud of his scars and the battles he's lost
And he struggles and bleeds as he hangs on the cross
And he likes to be known as the angry young man

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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


12 facts about this song

Genre Classification
The song "Prelude/Angry Young Man" by Billy Joel belongs to the rock genre, with elements of progressive rock infused within the composition.
Album Inclusion
This song is part of Billy Joel's 4th studio album, "Turnstiles" which was released in 1976.
Live Performances
The percussive piano solos make "Prelude/Angry Young Man" a crowd favorite at Billy Joel concerts. Despite its length and complexity, Joel performs it regularly at his live concerts.
Instrumental Complexity
The introductory prelude section is known for its fast, repetitive piano part that involves intricate beating of single piano keys, producing a rhythmically complex and technically demanding melody.
Song Theme
"Prelude/Angry Young Man" is a satirical song, which lightly mocks the passionate idealism of youth. It reflects on young people with highly critical attitudes who are eager to change the world but are often misunderstood.
Writing Credits
Billy Joel is the sole writer of the song. The lyrics indicate a mix of cynicism and empathy towards the titular "Angry Young Man".
Legendary Piano Solo
The song's intro is one of the most famous piano pieces in rock music, noted for its fast and repetitive nature which showcases Joel's impressive piano skills.
Length of Song
In its album form, "Prelude/Angry Young Man" clocks in at just over 5 minutes long. This makes it one of the longer songs on the "Turnstiles" album.
Not a Chart Topper
Despite its popularity among fans, "Prelude/Angry Young Man" was never released as a single and hence didn't make it to the Billboard charts.
Song Inspiration
The song is often perceived as a semi-autobiographical reflection of Joel's own experiences as a young man in the music industry, dealing with skepticism and criticism.
First Appearance
"Prelude/Angry Young Man" first appeared live in Billy Joel's concert setlists years before the release of the album "Turnstiles". Over the years, the song has undergone several changes in its live rendition.
Unique Song Structure
The song is unique in that it has a 'song within a song' structure. The lengthy piano-driven prelude leads into the main body of the song, the "Angry Young Man" section.

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