Billy Joel, one of my favorite artists of all time, makes nothing but hits. From “Piano Man” to “We Didn’t Start The Fire” to “Uptown Girl”, everyone has heard at least one of his songs. His music has a certain authenticity to it that not many other artists have. His stardom began when his song “Piano Man” peaked on the Billboard’s Hot 100 chart at #25 in April of 1974. Since then, he’s been a well-known, household name. 

Personally, Billy Joel is one of those artists that I associate with my family, but more specifically, my dad. My dad is one of my biggest role models, he is hard-working, hilarious, and half responsible for my wit and personality (but if I am being honest I am him in female form, as many of my family members say.) The vivid memories I have of him singing “Only the Good Die Young” or “She’s Always a Woman” solidify the importance that Billy Joel’s music has in my life. Listening to any song by Billy Joel not only reminds me of my dad, but the good times that we shared; the memories I will cherish forever. 

Because of my relationship with my dad, I wanted to shed light on my favorite songs from one of our favorite artists. Thus, the following are my top three Billy Joel songs from his album The Stranger, along with my favorite line from each track. 

“Vienna”

One of Joel’s most popular songs, “Vienna” holds a special place in my heart. Not only is the message of the song deeply touching- something that I, as an eighteen-year-old overthinker, need to hear – but Billy Joel’s vocals have always been something I admired. 

 “Vienna” holds sentimental value to me because of him. I can always rely on Billy Joel’s music to remind me of my dad and boost my mood.  

The song explores taking life slowly; and how most people try to get everything they ever dreamed of so quickly that they burn themselves out. Joel touches on taking life at a regulated pace, taking in and appreciating each and every detail and moment. This song is one that most people need to hear- the lesson it touches on is crucial, especially for adolescents and young adults. 

My favorite lyric from “Vienna” is “You got your passion, you got your pride -/ But don’t you know that only fools are satisfied?”

“She’s Always a Woman”

“She’s Always a Woman” is such a beautifully crafted and sung song. The song tells of a perfectly imperfect woman from Joel’s perspective. While this woman undoubtedly has her flaws, she just as equally has her strengths. Joel explains that while this woman is flawed, she will always be a woman to him – at the end of the day she is the same woman he fell in love with, his ex-wife, Elizabeth Weber. 

Elizabeth Weber was a businesswoman who eventually became responsible for Joel’s financial success. Working in a male-dominated field, Weber was often seen as cold and ruthless. Thus, Joel wrote this song in response to her critics, defending her as a woman to him. Ultimately, this song empowers women who have careers in male-dominated fields.

Despite the two divorcing, the song is still wonderfully gratifying. Additionally, although Joel removed the song from his usual setlists in 1982, it eventually made a return in 2006 

“She’s Always A Woman” faced a lot of backlash after being seen as employing multiple sexist ideals and generalizations. However, in my viewpoint, the song is rather empowering as the lyrics describe a fearless and confident in herself. 

My favorite line from “She’s Always A Woman” is “She can do as she pleases, she’s nobody’s fool.”

“Get It Right the First Time”

“Get It Right the First Time” is Joel reflecting on taking advantage of first impressions and seizing life in the moment. The song pushes listeners to have a proactive and eager mindset and take control of their own destiny. The song emphasizes the importance of first impressions and making a good, lasting impression on those in your life with whom you come into contact with throughout your life.

The song has such a positive and motivational message, one of the many reasons I love to listen to it. This song promotes optimism, which is something I think everyone could use a little more of in their everyday life. 

Apart from the song’s meaning, the music itself is very catchy. With a complimenting, upbeat tune, listeners can’t help but adopt the happy vibes and feel a sense of warmth and inspiration. 

My favorite line from “Get It Right the First Time” is “ I’ve got to give it one good try-/ Gotta take my chance tonight.”

In Summary …

Billy Joel will always be one of my favorite artists. His lyricism and execution in his music are unmatched in my eyes. He makes such beautifully produced music and is quite honestly a musical genius. There is always a lesson to be learned from Joel’s music; whether it’s to take life slowly or simply to make good first impressions, there is always something that one can take away.