A pseudonym, a bar and a last attempt: this is how Billy Joel composed “Piano Man”

Billy Joel He is one of the best-known musicians of all time. successes like “Uptown Girl”, “Vienna” and “Just The Way You Are” They established him as one of the most prolific composers of the popular genre. However, before all these hits came “Piano Man”the last bullet left for the pianist, who was in a difficult moment in his life.

And it is that the triumphs did not come in Joel’s careerwho had tried everything. “He was a rock critic, but he hated criticizing other people’s music. He was a typist, a sweeper, a lawnmower, a house painter, an oyster collector. He even had a band and put it together, but nothing came out“explained Hank Bordowitz, author of Billy Joel, life and times of an Angry Young Mana piece that tells of Joel’s first steps in music.

The story behind “Piano Man”, Billy Joel’s first hit

There are several parts to understanding the background of “Piano Man”, and Elizabeth Weber is the first name in this story. She was instrumental in the musician’s beginnings in his career, becoming your manager and emotional support. She was also the wife of Jon Smallbest friend of Joel and drummer of Attilaa progressive heavy metal duo that the two had formed before the pianist went solo. Clearly this band was not successful. “It was the late ’70s. We did a dozen shows and no one could stay in the room when we were playing“, explained Joel. In fact, they released an album that was considered one of the worst in rock history.

The failed project led to can’t pay the renthence moved in with Elizabeth and Jon, a complete womanizer. She knew it, so when Jon went to work, Elizabeth stayed with Billy. Thus began a secret romancewhich ended up eating away at the musician with guilt, so he sought to come clean. She, who had a son with Jon, denied him, threatening to leave them both. This led Billy to binge drink and even attempt suicide by drinking furniture polish. Fortunately, he was intervened quickly and the moment did not escalate.

However, that caused a change in the pianist, who finally confessed to his friend what was happening. Jon responded with a blow that broke Billy’s nose. After the violent episode, Elizabeth abandoned her husband and stayed with her new love.

His first contract was with an independent company and it didn’t end very well. In fact, that arrangement ended up eating into his sales percentage until the early 80s, and on top of that they released his first album (Cold Spring Harbor 1971) at a faster speed than what had originally been recorded, a decision that made the project unlistenable.

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The series of frustrations made Joel make a decision: move to Los Angeles with Elizabeth. That’s how it came to Executive Rooma bar in which he served as pianist to entertain the regulars. And a no small detail was that his name was changed to a pseudonym. became Bill Martinon the one hand to escape the contract that had ruined him, and on the other to clear his head. What I didn’t know was that there his first success would take place.

And it is that “Piano Man” it is nothing more than images that the musician collected during his time at the bar. The song begins with a piano that improvises in a jazz style and gives rise to the descending chords that set the tone of the song. The sensation is strange, as if it were a victory of nostalgia. The main instrument is accompanied by a harmonica.

The piece, in the key of waltzportrays the classic characters of a bar: the waitress, the old man who asks for a song, the manager and those at the bar, each one immersed in their own demons. “They are all true stories and I knew it while I was living it. I said to myself: ‘I have to make a song out of all this.'”

“Piano Man” climaxes in the chorus, which goes: “Sing us a song, you are the pianist. Sing us a song tonight. We’re in the mood for a tune and you have to make us feel good“. That was what Bill Martin felt, that alter ego of the pianist who was drowning in his own misery.

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The topic was released a November 2, 1973 and then it was part of the pianist’s second album, which was named after the hit. Shortly after, he signed a contract with Columbia Records. Although the song did well, it was not as successful as it was when it came out. The Strangerthe 1977 album that finally catapulted Joel to fame. There, “Piano Man” regained its strength and became an instant classic.

However, Billy Joel, true to his self-critical style, reflected: “I honestly have no idea why this song became so popular.”. If you think about it, it’s like a karaoke favorite. The melody doesn’t seem so good to me and if you play it without lyrics, it’s a bit repetitive. But my songs are like my children and when I look at this one in particular I think: ‘Well, he did pretty well after all, didn’t he?’“.