Saturday, February 9, 2013

A Record a Week: Billy Joel - Piano Man




















SIDE 1.
TRAVELIN' PRAYER
PIANO MAN
AIN'T NO CRIME
YOU'RE MY HOME
BALLAD OF BILLY THE KID

SIDE 2.
WORSE COMES TO WORST
STOP IN NEVADA
IF I ONLY HAD THE WORDS (TO TELL YOU)
SOMEWHERE ALONG THE LINE
CAPTAIN JACK

Billy Joel is one of those artists that seems to have put out new music forever, but when you think of him, you think 'Why do I only know a handful of songs?' Well, this one happens to have my favourite song of his on it; the titular Piano Man. I allow for the fact that I may be too young to know most of his stuff, as well as accounting for the fact I also liked We Didn't Start The Fire.

When I was growing up, I always pictured myself being able to play this song on the piano. Other than the beginning and the solo, I'm not sure it's even that tough. I will pretend it is that, not the fact that my piano playing was not particularly ambitious or adventurous (or you know, good). Still I loved thinking that it could be me sitting at the piano and playing/singing the song.

The rest of the album is less like that song and a little more like other Joel material. Beatles-influenced rock music that is fairly generic. Travelin' Prayer, Piano Man and the other single Worse Comes to Worst are the best offerings, in my opinion.

This album/song was my reason to try out Gin and Tonic for the first time, though for rhyming sake, he calls in the 'tonic and gin'. Thank you for that, Billy Joel, it is a good drink. 

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