By: Doug Valeri
A song is anything that walks by itself.
-Bob Dylan
Which is more musical: a truck passing by a factory or a truck passing by a music school?
-John Cage
When we separate music from life we get art
-John Cage

Friday, September 19, 2008

Billy Joel (Not Theme-Genre)

POETRY OF SONG - Info on the Go BILLY JOEL!
1. Top Ten Most Interesting Facts
-Greatest Hits Volume I and Volume II went 20x Platinum and is tied with the Beatles for the most Multi Platiunum Albums
- I, Myslef, can do less than six degrees of seperation with Billy Joel (Myself to my aunt, My aunt to Gretchen Monahan [freinds], Monahan to Joel [stylist to Joel])
- Before he decided to pursue music as a career, Joel boxed as a welterweight on the amateur circuit in the New York area.
- His daughter's middle name is a tribute to the late Ray Charles (Alexa Ray Joel)- Billy Joel was the voice of Dodger in Disney's "Oliver and Company"
- Billy Joel layed down every singing track to the hit single "For the Longest Time"
- Billy's song, "We Didn't Start The Fire" discusses notable events from the first forty years of his life, 1949-1989.
- Billy Joel tried to commit suicide when he was 21 by drinking furniture polish.- Billy is licensed to teach high school history.
- He has been a musical guest on SNL 4 times and his music has been used in dozens of TV shows and movies (see IMDB)
-Billy Joel got his High school diploma in 1992, he could not obtain it in 1967 due to excessive absence
2. Links
Official Billy Joel Website
Billy Joel on IMDB Database
Billy Joel Tracks on Last.fm
Billy Joel on Facebook
Billy Joel on Rhapsody
3. Photos
Joel and Ex Wife Brinkley
Joel on Rolling Stone
Joel and Daughter
Joel's House
Joel's Daughter Today
4. Song Analysis
Billy Joel was dubbed “The Piano Man” and is regarded as one of the greatest recording artists of all time. However, in 1984, Joel released a doo-wop song titled “The Longest Time”. Joel recorded every track individually and he is the only one featured singing in this song. The song is about a classic tale of a boy meeting the girl of his dreams, and getting a feeling inside him that he hasn’t felt before. The boy doesn’t know if it will work or not, until he decides to take the chance and ask her out, even if it may be the wrong choice.The chorus states on how he hasn’t felt the feeling “for the longest time”. This could mean that he had a relationship before that he had to get over. The reference to a previous relationship could be why he later thinks the decision could have a “consequence”.The first stanza starts at the end of the boy and girl’s date. He talks about if she left him now there would still be more that not everything had been done (music left to write). He talks about how he is inspired by her to write all his music. Since this is a classic doo-wop from the 60’s, it is likely that a boy would write a song for a girl like this, for example the song “My Girl”, by The Temptations.The narrator then talks about his innocence being gone. This probably is a reference to losing his virginity in the previous relationship. Once meeting this new love, he talks about his happiness starting up again when she hugs him. He continually talks about not being “there” for longest time. This could be a reference to cloud 9 (a cliché used when being in love), or it could just be him being in love.Joel then continues saying he is the voice she is hearing in the halls. This almost gives the allusion that he is stalking her. Then he talks about how he “needs her” and how she “needs him”. This could be a simple love story or, The reader could interpret it as something a bit more dark.The bridge adds to the dark allusions in the song, referring to the previous relations and the stalker-like attitude. The narrator talks about how he relationship may not last long. Which raises the question: If he wants the girl so bad, why wouldn’t the relationship go on for a long time? He starts to doubt the relationship at this point in the song saying how all his thoughts could be wrong.He continues to doubt himself in the next stanza. He doesn’t know if he will be sorry that he let her get away if he lets her go. Finally he decides to go for it and ask her out because it has been so long since he has felt love.The 2nd bridge he talks about the doubts that he had had before. He tells the girl, through song, that he decided to follow his heart and ask her out. He knows now from being with her that he made the right decision and he says it‘s, “more than I’d hoped for”. He also says the phrase “hold on to your heart”. He can’t literally hold on to his heart, showing the ________.Joel then goes back to the previous relationship and stalker attitude talking about the consequences. This may just be consequences of love, or they could hold a deeper meaning. He goes on to tell her how bad he wants her, which adds fuel to the fire.The music itself has the feeling of being in love. It has the feel of a 1950’s doo-wop such sung by an a capella group. You can tell that the boy/man has a lot of feeling for the girl and he decides to sing her this song telling her his feelings. As the listener, the mood is easily distinguishable. The man is in love and you know it from the minute he starts to sing.

5.Timeline
>Born in the Bronx - 1949>He began studying piano - 1953>Joined the band "The Echoes" - 1963>Joined the band "The Hassles" - 1967>Forms a heavy metal duo "Attila" - 1970>Goes Solo - 1970>'Captain Jack' gets radio time on WMMR-FM - 1971(Before Pirates of the Car.)>Preforms in piano bars under name Bill Martin - 1971>Signs to Columbia Records, records 'Piano Man' - 1973>'Piano Man' becomes first Top 20 single and his first gold album - 1974>Plays to sell-out crowd in Carnegie Hall - 1975>'Just the Way You Are' Wins 2 Grammys: Record and Song of the year - 1977>'52nd St.' becomes Joel's first #1 album - 1978>Wins American Music Award Album of the Year - 1980>First live album - 1981>Injured in motorcycle accident - 1982>Marries Brinkley, Alexa Ray is born - 1985>Brings full rock production to the Soviet Union - 1987>Wins Grammy Legend Award - 1989>Preforms at Yankee Stadium - 1990>4 Grammy Nods - 1993>Tours with Elton John - 1993>Divorce Brinkley - 1994>Presented Billboard Century Award - 1994>Ties Beatles for most multiplatinum albums - 1994>Presented with American Music Award of Merit - 1998>Worldwide sales top 100 million units - 1998>Ray Charles inducts Joel into Rock and Roll Hall of Fame - 1999>Preforms 'Goodbye Yellow Brick Road' with Elton John at Madison Square Garden - 2000>Preforms National Anthem at Super Bowl XLI - 2002>The Broadway Musical 'Movin Out' opens - 2002
6.Video
Billy Joel Live

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Songs to Remember for Rest of Project

  • 99 Luftballons - Nena
  • A Fifth of Beethoven - Walter Murphy and the Big Apple Band
  • Afternoon Delight - Starland Vocal Band
  • Axel F - Harold Faltermeyer
  • Baby Got Back - Sir Mix-a-Lot
  • Breakfast at Tiffany's - Deep Blue Something
  • Closing Time - Semisonic
  • Come On Eileen - Dexys Midnight Runners
  • Funkytown - Lipps Inc.
  • Here Comes the Hotstepper - Ini Kamoze
  • How Bizarre - OMC
  • I'm Too Sexy - Right Said Fred (R*S*F)
  • In The Summertime - Mungo Jerry
  • Jump Around - House of Pain
  • Lovefool - The Cardigans
  • Mambo No. 5 - Lou Bega
  • Missing (Terry Todd Mix) - Everything but the Girl
  • Mr. Big Stuff - Jean Knight
  • Pac-Man Fever - Buckner and Garcia
  • Play That Funky Music - Wild Cherry
  • Pop Muzik - M
  • Puttin' on the Ritz - Taco
  • Relax - Frankie Goes to Hollywood
  • Ring My Bell - Anita Ward
  • Save Tonight - Eagle-Eye Cherry
  • She's So High - Tal Bachman
  • Standing Outside a Broken Phone Booth with Money in My Hand - Primitive Radio Gods
  • Tainted Love - Soft Cell
  • The Night Chicago Died - Paper Lace
  • Theme from Greatest American Hero (Believe It or Not) - Joey Scarbury
  • Tubthumping - Chumbawamba
  • What is Love - Haddaway