The 1994 song Billy Joel immediately fell in love with: “I always liked playing that”
Elton John and Billy Joel have a storied history together. For many years, they were buddies on the road, playing stadiums all across the globe and making memories to last a lifetime. It was even rumoured Joel would join Elton for his farewell performance at Glastonbury Festival in 2023.
However, sadly, it seems their last joint appearance has already occurred. When their long-running Face to Face tour ended in 2009, a few heated words were exchanged between the pair in public. John had also urged Joel to get sober, which he didn’t react kindly to, although he eventually quit drinking for good in 2021. Thankfully, those crossed words are now water under the bridge, and their friendship has been resumed.
“We’re good. I think the press likes to make it like there’s a feud going on. There isn’t, really. We respect each other, and we love each other,” Joel confirmed on New Zealand radio after the reported falling out was mentioned on air.
Since beginning in 1994, the Face to Face tour allowed the pair of musicians to make musical history and play at the world’s biggest venues. While in the eyes of some, the idea of pairing them up for the tour could be seen as an opportunistic cash grab, those attending the shows and singing their hearts out didn’t care.
“I really loved that song from the first time I ever heard it.”
Billy Joel
Every night, they’d begin the show by duetting on a handful of songs, which started the evening in a jubilant fashion. For Joel, it was an honour to share the stage with one of his musical favourites and close friend. He also regularly performed his favourite Elton John song ‘Goodbye Yellow Brick Road’.
To celebrate Elton’s 75th birthday in 2022, Joel spoke about his love of the track and reminisced about their days of performing it together. “I really loved that song from the first time I ever heard it. We used to play it together during the shows while we were on the ‘Face to Face Tours’ – for 16 years,” he explained.
Joel continued: “I always liked playing that unorthodox chord progression and singing the soaring melody in that song. It was a particularly special moment in those shows that I always looked forward to. I still do it from time to time on my own — but it’s not the same without Elton there, too. Rock on, old friend!”
‘Goodbye Yellow Brick Road’ was released in 1973 and became an international super-hit for Elton as his star continued to spiral. Although they no longer tour together, Joel’s decision to occasionally perform it during his solo shows instead of a track from his immensely strong back catalogue highlights the pianist’s strong affinity to the classic creation.
Part of what made the Face to Face tour so enduringly popular was how naturally the two artists complemented each other on stage. Although their songwriting styles were distinct, both Elton John and Billy Joel built their reputations around piano-driven storytelling, soaring melodies and an ability to connect with enormous audiences without sacrificing personality.
Watching them swap verses and harmonies on songs like ‘Goodbye Yellow Brick Road’ felt less like a novelty and more like two old-school craftsmen celebrating each other’s work in real time.
The emotional attachment Joel has to the song also speaks volumes about Elton John’s influence on his peers. While Joel has one of the strongest catalogues in popular music himself, he still views ‘Goodbye Yellow Brick Road’ with the same admiration as any lifelong fan. Even after their touring partnership ended, the song remained a reminder of a unique musical friendship that survived industry pressures, public disagreements and decades spent under the spotlight.
