Joel’s breakthrough album, Piano Man, is probably best remembered for the tune that gave it its title. ‘Piano Man‘ is indeed a great song, but it’s become a cliché. Has there been a write-up of Billy Joel in the past 36 years that hasn’t referred to him as a “piano man?”
In addition to that signature tune, though, Piano Man contains a treasure trove of beautifully written and played songs. Several, such as album opener ‘Travelin’ Prayer,’ ‘The Ballad of Billy the Kid’ and today’s song, have a strong country vibe. One of Joel’s greatest strengths is his ability to bring his own flavor to a wide range of genres and he proved that right out of the gate.
My latest theme week will be a special expanded edition that spans 12 days and covers all of Billy Joel’s studio albums. This should be a nice stretch for my regular readers — all big Billy Joel fans — especially after the Rufus Wainwright theme of a couple weeks back.
