Oof sorry this took longer to write then I thought and I still am not sure it is any good.
So what exactly about Billy Joel’s music makes people hate it? I think it is the complete lack of irony in his music. He is direct and honest. With any of his songs you can guarantee he felt that way when writing it. When he wrote “Piano Man” he was just one more lonely person in a bar of losers at a dead end in life (at the time he was working at the piano bar to wait out a bad contract). When he wrote “Allentown” he was concerned about the working class of those steel and coal towns that were facing difficulties. The hipsters of today can’t believe that people can be so direct without being ironic. You can’t be a balladeer with out mocking the form. You need to be a Bruce Springsteen who hides his mockery of the working class and chest beating patriotism behind a sound and image that makes him THE working class hero. You need to be John Lennon’s “Imagine” and not Paul McCarthy’s “Silly Love Song” or George Harrison’s “My Sweet Lord”.
Romanticism is a big part of understanding Joel’s music. His music is not here to analyze but to just be understood upon listening. “River of Dreams” is a very religious sounding song and includes lines about the “Jungle of doubt” and Mountains of Faith”. Now these are not actual references they are just there to give the feel of spirituality. Joel is not a literary master like Nick Cave so he doesn’t try and be. It is not surprising that he writes his music first and then writes the lyrics (the exception being “We Didn’t Start the Fire” which is why the melody on that one is pretty much nonexistent).
Okay I need to take some time out here to address something that has been bugging as I do research about why people hate Billy Joel. Stop talking about “She’s Always a Woman to Me”, just stop! Have you ever actually listened to the song? You are trying to do it in a critical way and you say you don’t like it and that is fine but seriously stop calling it misogynist. If you are going to analyze the music that is very subjective and emotional but if you are going to start commenting on the lyrics it is time to show you actually understand what is being said. We live in a world were there are traits that are feminine and masculine, and a lot of these things are not based on society but on some preprogramming in our brains. This song is telling a woman who many consider a bitch that she isn’t; that she still can be successful without sacrificing her feminine traits for masculine ones. (I could write an essay on the way most feminist act and how they are actually hurting the cause of making feminine and masculine equal and are instead discarding feminine and making themselves masculine but this is about Billy Joel not that so lets move on).
Another thing I have heard against Billy Joel is how much they don’t like his voice. Well I find that a little hard to believe because he doesn’t have “a voice” he shapes his voice to the song he wants to sing. (Here is a great clip of him talking about how everyone is trying to sing like Ray Charles). He is a great interpreter of musical styles, as seen on the album An Innocent Man and the incorporation of Beethoven’s “Sonata Pathétique” into “This Night”.
His music is also a snap shot of his life and mind set something that makes him very accessible. It is fascinating and real instead of abstract and far away. I am going to mention a song of each of his albums and what they show us
On “Tomorrow is Today” he is a suicidal (was actually a suicide note he wrote) early twenty something that is deciding if it is worth it all
On “Piano Man” he is lounge player Bill Martin who keeps getting told he is to good to be here but knows this is the only way he can get out
On “The Entertainer” he is a traveling musician that knows what needs to be done to make it and has no illusion about how fickle fame is
Then you get to Turnstiles with “Say Goodbye to Hollywood” and “New York State of Mind” and you see this estranged son of New York ready to come home.
With “Vienna” we get a man who realizes that growing old isn’t something to be scared of as long as there is a place we can still be useful (inspired by him seeing an old woman sweeping the streets when visiting his Dad in Vienna and upon asking why this old woman was sweeping the street being told “She has a job and feels useful and needed”)
“It’s Still Rock and Roll to Me” again finds him thinking about his relevance and trying to stay up to date without sacrificing what he likes about music
On Nylon Curtain Billy Joel shows his sympathy for those he can’t fully relate to anymore but still wants to try and understand on both “Allentown” and “Goodnight Saigon”
All of An Innocent Man is nostalgic to the nth degree, recreating sounds of Joel’s youth by the likes of Frankie Valli and Smokie Robinson
The Bridge is Joel in a creative dry spell needing to bring on guest stars such as his hero Ray Charles on “Baby Grand”
“We Didn’t Start The Fire” is Joel looking over his life and realizing how much has happened since he was born
And Finally we have what I think is the most touching song Joel every wrote “Lullaby (Goodnight My Angel)” a lullaby he wrote for his daughter Alexa after she asked him about death when Joel was putting her to bed.
This isn’t the best thing I have ever written, there was no way it could be. I am here to defend how I feel about Billy Joel’s music and I doubt I will ever be able to convince those that don’t like him to come over to my way of thinking. So who knows if this is convincing, or relevant, or even coherent but it is all I can do. Just do me a favor, before you judge Joel put on something besides his Greatest Hits. Listen to the second half of Glass Houses, 52nd Street or Cold Spring Harbor. Don’t judge after “Just the Way You Are” listen to “Falling of the Rain”, “Half a Mile Away”, “All for Leyna”, “Vienna” and “Lullaby”. If you still don’t like him then leave him but he is my favorite and expect to see his music show up here again.
Showing posts with label Billy Joel. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Billy Joel. Show all posts
Sunday, February 21, 2010
Monday, February 8, 2010
An Explaination Part 1
“Some people hear my greatest hits and say they don’t like Billy Joel. If I only heard my hits I might not like Billy Joel either.”
-Billy Joel
Billy Joel is my favorite musician of all time. Just plain and simple I would rather listen to him then anything else and I get a bit of flack for it. So here I am to defend my love of his music; to defend the fan favorite and critically hated “Piano Man”.
Billy Joel was the first discography I ever completed. The first CD I bought with my own money was Billy Joel’s Greatest Hits Vol III. So before I get into the more universal defense let me explain the special relationship I have with this music. Every person who listens to music intensely will have a story about the album or song that was their musical awakening. Mine was with Billy Joel. Growing up I mostly remember listening to music in the car, The Beatles 1 and the Once Upon A Song compilation are two of the ones that I remember being played the most regularly. Of all the CDs my favorite was Billy Joel’s Greatest Hits Vol I & II. Now it wasn’t with these songs that I had that “AH HA” moment. It was after being a little sick of listening to the same CDs over and over I went looking through my parent’s collection and found their copies of The Stranger and Glass Houses.
First I decided to listen to The Stranger; it had more songs that I already knew so I figured I should finish it first. The first four songs I listened to again even though I had heard them hundreds of times on Greatest
I listened to the first four songs with only Sometimes a Fantasy (a ridiculous and fun song that is about phone sex) to distract from the songs I already knew. Then I got to track five, All for Leyna. I finished it and instead of proceeding to the next song I hit back and listened to it again, and again, and again, and again… My mind was blown and so much clicked. I all of a sudden was thinking about music in a whole different way. It was no longer a passive entertainment that I did while playing video games or while on a family trip. Before this people would ask what type of music I liked and I would say “I don’t know. I don’t really listen to music that much” this song changed all that. I was captivated the piano, by the bass, by the synth, by the singing (lyrics not so much it would take me years to realize my favorite song ever was about obsessing over a one night stand) just completely captivated by the music.
I have listened to every recording by Billy Joel and have not disliked a single one. I want the reader to understand why I am here to defend. I want those who will still hate Billy Joel after I expose you to some of his less known works that it is ok to still hate because I doubt most can love this music like I do. I want everyone to understand where I stand and that I will always be a champion for this music. I also want people to understand that just because I like all the songs doesn’t mean I think they are all great. I will be examining why others may be repulsed by his music while other are drawn to it.
So tune in Wednesday folks to see part two of my explanation of why I like Billy Joel
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
Shake It Up
In this feature I will put my ipod on shuffle and will comment on the first ten songs that come up.
1) Kiss Me, Son of God – They Might Be Giants
This is They Might Be Giants at their best. A shot song that last less then 2 minutes and packs more social commentary then the average Rage Against the Machine song. Sarcastic, quirky and catchy; what more do you want?
2) God Is In The Radio – Queens of The Stone Age
From short and catchy to long and plodding. It is pretty easy to see that this is fronted by the same guy who fronts Them Crooked Vultures. Queens of the Stone Age are all about being a mid-tempo, semi-loud, monotonous beast and this song is no exception. The guitar solo is really classy though.
3) Somewhere – Soundgarden
What is wrong with grunge as a genre? Soundgarden. Needlessly sloppy and full of pointless angst; it is almost impossible to imagine that the same people who did such a great song as Blackhole Sun could also come out with all this horrible mediocre bullshit music. This one isn’t that bad but it sure isn’t good.
4) Memories Are Made Of This – Johnny Cash
What is wrong with county as a genre? Well it sure isn’t Johnny Cash. Avoiding all the common pitfalls of country Cash always delivers. He can be the most depressed person on the planet one moment, but when he is happy nothing in the world can bring him down. And he takes you with him on this cover of a Dean Martin song as he talks about all the pleasant things that make up the memories we chose to keep.
5) Mr. Pitiful – Otis Redding
Oh boy do I love me some Otis Redding. Redding is one of the greatest singers ever and one of the true romantics in music. He always put 120% of himself into his songs and especially live he would be up there dancing and singing and dancing even when the audience was ready to collapse. Mr. Pitiful is one of his best.
6) 10:1 – Rogue Wave
I don’t have a lot to say about this one. A decent tune that is catchy and dreamy but not much else. Rogue Wave has better.
7) Mr. Richland’s Favorite Song – Harry Nilsson
Oh man I love this song. The low but kind of repressed swing of the horns are the basis of a great story about a teen idol as both his fans and the singer himself out grow his fame. The vocal wah wahs at the end are great and a common device used by Nilsson; man you really have to have confidence in your voice to do that.
8) Stiletto – Billy Joel
Not one of Billy Joel’s better known songs which is a shame. Jazzy and driven with a solid rhythm section and some soulful saxophones. When I saw him do it live he introduced by saying “Now this song isn’t what people call “politically correct” but I don’t give a shit I am doing it anyways”. Just a cool song.
9) Say You Love Me – Fleetwood Mac
Fleetwood Mac has some of the most inventive pop hooks ever conceived attached to their name. This song isn’t one of them but it is a still good. Say You Love Me has a pretty basic bass pattern, pretty basic country twang to the backing guitars and pianos. The only thing that really makes this song worth its fame is the guitar solo and lead guitar licks when they show up.
10) Magic Power – Triumph
Triumph is often considered the poor man’s Rush. Well if that is true call me a poor man because, while they are similar, they lack the pretentiousness and seriousness of Rush. This song is a souring anthem, a stadium song (but in the good sense). And while I would never treat this like a great piece of art it certainly is a great piece of fun.
1) Kiss Me, Son of God – They Might Be Giants
found at bomb-mp3 search engine
This is They Might Be Giants at their best. A shot song that last less then 2 minutes and packs more social commentary then the average Rage Against the Machine song. Sarcastic, quirky and catchy; what more do you want?
2) God Is In The Radio – Queens of The Stone Age
found at bomb-mp3 search engine
From short and catchy to long and plodding. It is pretty easy to see that this is fronted by the same guy who fronts Them Crooked Vultures. Queens of the Stone Age are all about being a mid-tempo, semi-loud, monotonous beast and this song is no exception. The guitar solo is really classy though.
3) Somewhere – Soundgarden
found at bomb-mp3 search engine
What is wrong with grunge as a genre? Soundgarden. Needlessly sloppy and full of pointless angst; it is almost impossible to imagine that the same people who did such a great song as Blackhole Sun could also come out with all this horrible mediocre bullshit music. This one isn’t that bad but it sure isn’t good.
4) Memories Are Made Of This – Johnny Cash
What is wrong with county as a genre? Well it sure isn’t Johnny Cash. Avoiding all the common pitfalls of country Cash always delivers. He can be the most depressed person on the planet one moment, but when he is happy nothing in the world can bring him down. And he takes you with him on this cover of a Dean Martin song as he talks about all the pleasant things that make up the memories we chose to keep.
5) Mr. Pitiful – Otis Redding
found at bomb-mp3 search engine
Oh boy do I love me some Otis Redding. Redding is one of the greatest singers ever and one of the true romantics in music. He always put 120% of himself into his songs and especially live he would be up there dancing and singing and dancing even when the audience was ready to collapse. Mr. Pitiful is one of his best.
6) 10:1 – Rogue Wave
I don’t have a lot to say about this one. A decent tune that is catchy and dreamy but not much else. Rogue Wave has better.
7) Mr. Richland’s Favorite Song – Harry Nilsson
Oh man I love this song. The low but kind of repressed swing of the horns are the basis of a great story about a teen idol as both his fans and the singer himself out grow his fame. The vocal wah wahs at the end are great and a common device used by Nilsson; man you really have to have confidence in your voice to do that.
8) Stiletto – Billy Joel
Not one of Billy Joel’s better known songs which is a shame. Jazzy and driven with a solid rhythm section and some soulful saxophones. When I saw him do it live he introduced by saying “Now this song isn’t what people call “politically correct” but I don’t give a shit I am doing it anyways”. Just a cool song.
9) Say You Love Me – Fleetwood Mac
found at bomb-mp3 search engine
Fleetwood Mac has some of the most inventive pop hooks ever conceived attached to their name. This song isn’t one of them but it is a still good. Say You Love Me has a pretty basic bass pattern, pretty basic country twang to the backing guitars and pianos. The only thing that really makes this song worth its fame is the guitar solo and lead guitar licks when they show up.
10) Magic Power – Triumph
found at bomb-mp3 search engine
Triumph is often considered the poor man’s Rush. Well if that is true call me a poor man because, while they are similar, they lack the pretentiousness and seriousness of Rush. This song is a souring anthem, a stadium song (but in the good sense). And while I would never treat this like a great piece of art it certainly is a great piece of fun.
Thursday, December 31, 2009
5 "Best" Wost albums ever
There are some albums that are so bad that transcend to a new level. They will never be good, not by a long shot and one of these may very well be the worst music ever created on a either an artistic of technical scale. But there is a little something in these that make them special. Something that makes them worth being heard or maybe even revered, but they are not great or good or ok. They are bad and all the more important because of it.
5.) Peter and the Wolf- Weird Al Yankovic
Weird Al does "Peter and the Wolf" and "Carnival of Animals". Of course Peter and the Wolf is filled with some juvenile humor that rarely hits the mark and Carnival of Animals is about animals such as Aardvark, Amoeba, Unicorns, and Poodle. The reason it is so bad that it is fun is the Carnival of Animals part two. The silly openings to the short motifs are smile worthy.
can't find the music but here is Al's spoken intro to all the Carnival of Animals parts
4.) Mad Cap Laughs- Syd Barret
This album has a cult following and is truly fascinating. But with out the knowledge that Syd Barret was going mad at the time this album would just sound like a pretentious anti-music statement that would leave me cold. As it is it is one of the most brilliantly disjointed albums that makes you marvel at the poor state of Barret’s mind as he switches tempo forcing his backing band to change to and even though they didn’t do it right keeping it on the record.
No Good Trying
3.) Attila – Attila
Now this one is really obscure. It is one of Billy Joel’s early bands and as he himself called it, the music is “psychedelic bullshit”. And it sure sounds like the average garage psychedelic crap of the time until you realize something. There are NO guitars. Just Joel on organ (feeding it through wah-wahs and feedback) and Jon Small on drums. This was Billy Joel’s only truly revolutionary work and unfortunately it didn’t workout. Billy Joel could have been the Hendrix of piano, it just so happened that Hendrix isn’t for everywhere
Holy Moses
2.) The Transformed Man-William Shatner
You listen to this album and you think, is he serious or is this a joke? Let me tell you it sure seems like a joke when he is doing “Mr. Tambourine Man” but during the spoken word reading of classic monologues over psychedelic backing makes him seem deathly serious…which in turn makes the album all the more ridiculous. It is beatnick at it's worst.
Mr. Tambourine Man
1.) Philosophy of the world- The Shaggs
Ah the band Frank Zappa called “Better then the Beatles”. (of course knowing Zappa he was probably both joking and deadly serious at the same time.) Before you listen to this album, or any song by The Shaggs, read there story here (or read it in this Octopus Pie storyline that introduced me to them). These girls could not write and could not play. They had a total talent pool of zero. Their story is heartbreaking and kind of creepy. But I dare you to read how this band came to be and then listen to the horribleness that is “Who are Parents” without feeling something.
Who are Parents
5.) Peter and the Wolf- Weird Al Yankovic
Weird Al does "Peter and the Wolf" and "Carnival of Animals". Of course Peter and the Wolf is filled with some juvenile humor that rarely hits the mark and Carnival of Animals is about animals such as Aardvark, Amoeba, Unicorns, and Poodle. The reason it is so bad that it is fun is the Carnival of Animals part two. The silly openings to the short motifs are smile worthy.
can't find the music but here is Al's spoken intro to all the Carnival of Animals parts
4.) Mad Cap Laughs- Syd Barret
This album has a cult following and is truly fascinating. But with out the knowledge that Syd Barret was going mad at the time this album would just sound like a pretentious anti-music statement that would leave me cold. As it is it is one of the most brilliantly disjointed albums that makes you marvel at the poor state of Barret’s mind as he switches tempo forcing his backing band to change to and even though they didn’t do it right keeping it on the record.
No Good Trying
3.) Attila – Attila
Now this one is really obscure. It is one of Billy Joel’s early bands and as he himself called it, the music is “psychedelic bullshit”. And it sure sounds like the average garage psychedelic crap of the time until you realize something. There are NO guitars. Just Joel on organ (feeding it through wah-wahs and feedback) and Jon Small on drums. This was Billy Joel’s only truly revolutionary work and unfortunately it didn’t workout. Billy Joel could have been the Hendrix of piano, it just so happened that Hendrix isn’t for everywhere
Holy Moses
2.) The Transformed Man-William Shatner
You listen to this album and you think, is he serious or is this a joke? Let me tell you it sure seems like a joke when he is doing “Mr. Tambourine Man” but during the spoken word reading of classic monologues over psychedelic backing makes him seem deathly serious…which in turn makes the album all the more ridiculous. It is beatnick at it's worst.
Mr. Tambourine Man
1.) Philosophy of the world- The Shaggs
Ah the band Frank Zappa called “Better then the Beatles”. (of course knowing Zappa he was probably both joking and deadly serious at the same time.) Before you listen to this album, or any song by The Shaggs, read there story here (or read it in this Octopus Pie storyline that introduced me to them). These girls could not write and could not play. They had a total talent pool of zero. Their story is heartbreaking and kind of creepy. But I dare you to read how this band came to be and then listen to the horribleness that is “Who are Parents” without feeling something.
Who are Parents
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