Billy Joel Turns 70
My personal salute to the Piano Man
Happy 70th Birthday to this guy over here. Mr. Billy Joel.
The fella who hit on my mom once at Buttles in East Meadow.
The dude who knew my Great Aunt and Uncle through family friends as lifelong residents of Hicksville.
The songwriter whose biggest hit, “Scenes From An Italian Restaurant,” was partially about an area of Newbridge Rd. where I used to go swimming in the town pool and get Smurf figurines at the stationery store in the adjacent shopping strip plaza.
The man who wrote the song “My Life,” which I first heard when it was played on WPLJ back in kindergarten ’78 and turned on a light in my little mind for piano pop that continues to grow as I approach 46.
The cat who I still aspire to sit down with one day to talk about music and Nassau County nostalgia in an extensive interview I hope to conduct later this year when one of my favorite albums of his, the mighty Storm Front turns 30.
The person who makes me proud to be a Long Island native, even though I live in the woods of New Jersey in 2019.
Billy Joel, you are still the fucking king, man.
Please make another pop album.
VIDEO: Billy Joel live in Syracuse, 1990
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Not a terribly long article, Ron, and I am coming to it late. But thanks for the sale it’s to one of the greatest singer-songwriters, musicians, and live performers of all time.
Billy is the fucking king. Right there with The Beatles for me.
But two things: “Scenes From an Italian Resturant” is his biggest hit??
Um, the song was never a single. It was — and still is — a popular album track. One of his best, and most beloved, songs. But calling it his “biggest hit” isn’t accurate at all. Three #1 singles, and a bunch more made the top 10, and the non-single “Scenes” wasn’t one of them.
Also, you can’t tease us with mention of him hitting on your mom without more details. When, and what’s the backstory? Spill, man!
Finally, did this interview with him ever happen? I too would love to sit down and just talk music with the guy. He’s a smart, funny guy. Would love to pick his brain for a few hours.
Weird typo… “Thanks for the sale”? Not what I meant to type. Stupid autocorrect!
I think meant to say “Thanks for the shoutout to…” or something like that.