The song Billy Joel will always be embarrassed by: “Bullshitted my way through it”
If there’s one thing you can count on from Billy Joel, it’s that his songs have always been delivered with a sense of earnestness. Of course, he also possesses incredible songwriting chops, a gorgeous voice and sublime piano playing ability, but if it wasn’t for the touching lyrics that accompanied his songs, then the most vital element of his work would have been absent.
However, much like many other musicians, Joel was a huge critic of his own output, and often felt a sense of shame about being so candid in his lyrics that he developed a sense of embarrassment from them being so adored by the public. It’s understandable that some artists, even the most acclaimed ones, feel an element of fear about being so perceived by the public, but when it comes to Joel’s work, you could potentially argue that there was little to be afraid of.
This reaction, of course, can’t be helped regardless of how successful you are, but you’ve also got to recognise that you possess a talent that is going to be admired by the masses, and you have to accept that part of your role as an entertainer is to put even the songs you’re terrified of releasing out for public observation. There wouldn’t be any point in being a performer if you simply weren’t willing to take the leap of faith into performing for your fans..
However, when it comes to the song that Joel was most embarrassed by, he didn’t just feel disappointed by the lyrical content of the song. In fact, he had far more bones to pick with other aspects of his performance, despite it being one of his most career-defining songs that has gone on to be hugely successful around the world.
His 1973 hit ‘Piano Man’ is not only one of the first songs that people think of when you mention Billy Joel, but it’s also provided him with the nickname that has followed him around ever since. It was in The Executive Room in Los Angeles where he initially conceived the idea, basing the track on his experiences of playing at the venue.
“It was a gig I did for about six months just to pay rent,” Joel explained of the song’s inspiration. “I was living in LA and trying to get out of a bad record contract I’d signed. I worked under an assumed name, the Piano Stylings of Bill Martin, and just bullshitted my way through it.”
Because of its origins stemming from a time in his life when he was struggling, he remains bewildered by its popularity and doesn’t understand why people are able to overlook what he sees as glaring faults. “I have no idea why that song became so popular,” Joel continued. “It’s like a karaoke favourite. The melody is not very good and very repetitious, while the lyrics are like limericks. I was shocked and embarrassed when it became a hit. But my songs are like my kids, and I look at that song and think: ‘My kid did pretty well’”.
No matter how good the song actually is, there’s no real way to stop him from feeling this way about his artistry, but at least he knows that he has to respect each of his songs like his kin, either way. Hopefully, his songs are just as thankful for the respect, too.
