Most American cities have some form of a "Miracle Mile." In Chicago, it's Michigan Avenue. In Detroit, it's Woodward. On any given Saturday night, it's a place to show off your ride--to be seen, and to have your (often muscular) car stereo heard. With your choice of music (which, no matter what, is still R & R to Billy).
In the 60s it was NOT about stereos. It was Cruising the Main Drag and it meant driving slowly along the Main Street downtown from one end to the other. We never called it the miracle Mile but maybe they did so later. You greeted friends passing you going the other way. You showed off your ride. You showed off your Saturday night date. You did this for a while then moved on to other activities - like that date. In my town it was movies or roller skating for the most part with everyone I knew. It is exemplified in the movie American Graffiti which is set in 1963.
Been at quite a few of his concerts near the stage. Watching the video is like being there again. Under it all Rock and Roll has never really gone away.
While most of us love Billy Joel, those who list their profession as Rock Critic didn’t like him and this song is sort of his answer to them. It was his first number one song!
@@Memorylanemodelcars2 No, "Piano Man" was not a number one hit, but peaked at number 25 on the Billboard Hot 100 - 1974. He has produced 33 self-written Top 40 hits in the U.S., three of which ("It's Still Rock and Roll to Me", "Tell Her About It", and "We Didn't Start the Fire") topped the Billboard Hot 100.
"Miracle Mile," as mentioned in the line "Should I get a set of white wall tires? Are you gonna cruise a miracle mile?" is a stretch of road (about a mile long) full of various stores in Manhasset, Long Island near where Joel grew up. 😏
Fun and clever song! Billy grew up on Long Island in Nassau County, New York as did I and the Miracle Mile is a prominent shopping district in the town of Manhasset, Nassau County. A tab collar is one that has a tab that runs across the collar closure just below the top collar button it is useful when wearing a tie. It pushes the bottom of the tie knot away from the body.
I tried to stay objective when coming to this conclusion, but Billy has done many different genres and he nailed them all! I never listened to one of his songs of a different kind and thought, "Oh, that wasn't that good." I'm going to buymeacoffee right now to request what may be my favorite song of his. (I know you haven't done it.) Cheers
Tab collars had a bar connection that kept the collars in place and looking crisp. The bar was always worn under a tie, when men dressed in suits and took pride in looking sharp. A man in great suit ,Italian Leather shoes, a well crafted gold pinky ring & watch worn with confidence and grace never failed to turn the ladies heads . Man I’m old 😊
This is from his concert tour in the USSR, the first western rock act allowed under Gorbachev's glasnost initiative. If you ever get the chance, watch the documentary of the trip, it amazing.
Labels labels labels.... No matter what you call it you know it when your feel it in music. Without a doubt. Music either makes you *feel* or it doesn't and it really *is* just as simple as that. :)
Joel’s previous album 52nd street was pretty much a keyboard driven album. And even though it had some rockers. Critics were calling it a pop album. And so on his next album. Billy wanted to show those critics he can make music make hits without relying on the piano. And “It’s Still Rock & Roll to Me” is him telling the critics what he thinks of their critiques of his music
Yes, they changed “think” to “drink” in this performance. Such a fun song! I remember when there used to be all sorts of music-focused magazines (most with a key reader demographic of teenagers), they never really made much sense.
He does the same thing with Zanzibar. Instead of saying she’ll pull the curtain down for me, he says she pull her panties down for me. LOL ! Also, with I go to extremes, he says I go for ice cream! 😂
Many American cities have a Miracle Mile. In my hometown -- Chicago -- it might be State Street or Michigan Avenue (depending on the decade). Maybe another street before or after I lived there. It was THE place to see and be seen. In Chicago, walking made it easier to be seen. Hardly anyone looked at your car unless it was something unique or outstanding. Most young people in Chicago couldn't afford the outstanding. But Grant Park is on Michigan Avenue and there were free events at the Band shell there. I saw many free concerts there, including Chuck Berry with Keith Richards. Also on Michigan Avenue you would pass both the old historical water tower (that survived the Chicago Fire) and the more modern steel and glass Water Tower Place after you crossed the Chicago River. Michigan Ave was where there was a parade it seems every weekend to celebrate one of the ethnic groups in the city (green River for St. Paddy's Day). I think that's where the parade in the movie Ferris Bueller's Day Off was shot. And that's where the Bears paraded when they won the Super Bowl and where Chicago paraded the astronauts from Apollo 11 AND Apollo 13. The Miracle Mile was the place to see and be seen.
I think this was a concert he gave in Russia in the eighties. He took his wife and daughter . It was like a goodwill American entertaining Russians who seemed to be starved for American Rock and Roll.
Off his Glass Houses album, a number one hit! Has been an encore staple in his live shows to this day. Check out the studio version… here’s the official music video from 1980(studio version albeit with a re-recorded live vocal track). th-cam.com/video/5eAQa4MOGkE/w-d-xo.htmlsi=BStTgs9CFA_va5AC
"You can't get the sound from a story in magazine" could be a dig at rock critics lol, of which Billy Joel knows more about music theory and composing/lyrics than any of those condescending losers would ever hope to.
@@SaeedReacts.a lot of cities have streets named miracle mile. In this instance it refers to a road to a host to many stores in Manhasset and Great Neck Long Island where he grew up.
The line, "Should I try to be a straight A student? If you are then you drink too much!", doesn't make any sense and the performance suffered from the silly change from "think too much".
In many cases, yes, but not always. I enjoyed this live version. Also, I absolutely love (and highly recommend) “Ballad of Billy the Kid” live from the River of Dreams tour.
@@scottNNJ yeah but many times all the subtle background sounds that were meticulously crafted in the studio unfortunately get lost. Thanks for the recommendation.
Tab collars were big in the 1920s and 30s, and briefly in the 60s. Too formal for the casual styles that have been popular since then. Fashions come and go. Chill out!
Most American cities have some form of a "Miracle Mile." In Chicago, it's Michigan Avenue. In Detroit, it's Woodward. On any given Saturday night, it's a place to show off your ride--to be seen, and to have your (often muscular) car stereo heard. With your choice of music (which, no matter what, is still R & R to Billy).
In the 60s it was NOT about stereos.
It was Cruising the Main Drag and it meant driving slowly along the Main Street downtown from one end to the other. We never called it the miracle Mile but maybe they did so later.
You greeted friends passing you going the other way.
You showed off your ride.
You showed off your Saturday night date.
You did this for a while then moved on to other activities - like that date.
In my town it was movies or roller skating for the most part with everyone I knew.
It is exemplified in the movie American Graffiti which is set in 1963.
A legend in his own time. A decent human being to boot! Long Live Billy Joel!!!
Yeah❤❤❤❤
Billy Joel had so many Great Hits, What a great Talent
Been at quite a few of his concerts near the stage. Watching the video is like being there again.
Under it all Rock and Roll has never really gone away.
A true Billy Joel classic 👌🏻👌🏻👌🏻👌🏻
Hey Saeed, I loved your reaction to this one! Keep on keepin' on!
This song is so very awesome! Billy Joel is an Icon! Love your reaction!
Billy Joel and Freddie Mercury will always live in my heart ..... never get bored of listening to them
Oh you gotta check out his banger a matter of trust official video next please, thanks!
It’s still Billy Joel, a legend!!❤❤
While most of us love Billy Joel, those who list their profession as Rock Critic didn’t like him and this song is sort of his answer to them. It was his first number one song!
BS Piano Man in 73 Was First #1 Hit😢😢😢
@ no, Piano Man was not a Billboard number one. It should have been, but it wasn’t.
@@Memorylanemodelcars2
No, "Piano Man" was not a number one hit, but peaked at number 25 on the Billboard Hot 100 - 1974.
He has produced 33 self-written Top 40 hits in the U.S., three of which ("It's Still Rock and Roll to Me", "Tell Her About It", and "We Didn't Start the Fire") topped the Billboard Hot 100.
"Miracle Mile," as mentioned in the line "Should I get a set of white wall tires? Are you gonna cruise a miracle mile?" is a stretch of road (about a mile long) full of various stores in Manhasset, Long Island near where Joel grew up. 😏
Wow flashback of hearing this in Salt Hill, Galway Ireland in 1980s 👍
Hi love Billy Saeed! Hugs and love!❤😊❤
Keeping the Faith and Innocent Man are two you will love!
He is truly magical…his catalog of magnificent songs is so deep…they touch everyone! ❤
The saxophone player has been with him pretty much his entire career, and is with him still. :)
He has alot of great songs
Looking forward to more! I have really enjoyed all the songs i have reacted to so far.
Fun and clever song! Billy grew up on Long Island in Nassau County, New York as did I and the Miracle Mile is a prominent shopping district in the town of Manhasset, Nassau County. A tab collar is one that has a tab that runs across the collar closure just below the top collar button it is useful when wearing a tie. It pushes the bottom of the tie knot away from the body.
Great song and great reaction. You will love "Big Shot" and "You May Be Right" by Billy Joel. His catalog of great music is extensive!
I tried to stay objective when coming to this conclusion, but Billy has done many different genres and he nailed them all! I never listened to one of his songs of a different kind and thought, "Oh, that wasn't that good."
I'm going to buymeacoffee right now to request what may be my favorite song of his. (I know you haven't done it.)
Cheers
Great reaction. Thanks! A Matter of Trust is an amazing song to react to. There are some great words of wisdom in that one
2:49 - He said "white wall tires". Tires with a white stripe around the sides. They were popular for a while :)
Thanks for letting me know about that!
Tab collars had a bar connection that kept the collars in place and looking crisp. The bar was always worn under a tie, when men dressed in suits and took pride in looking sharp. A man in great suit ,Italian Leather shoes, a well crafted gold pinky ring & watch worn with confidence and grace never failed to turn the ladies heads . Man I’m old 😊
Yes, you(we) are!
The miracle mile I know is an antique car show on a mile of Woodward Avenue in Detroit Michigan, home of the assembly line.
Piano Man eccelle in ogni tipo di musica ... Talento Totale
Piano Man is amazing!
We actually had a 'Miracle Mile' shopping center in the city where I grew up. It was all the rage. For a few years, lol.
Good evening from 🇨🇦 again! You are my new fave channel! Thanks again Saeed!
❤❤❤
This is from his concert tour in the USSR, the first western rock act allowed under Gorbachev's glasnost initiative. If you ever get the chance, watch the documentary of the trip, it amazing.
Labels labels labels.... No matter what you call it you know it when your feel it in music. Without a doubt. Music either makes you *feel* or it doesn't and it really *is* just as simple as that. :)
You, sir, are absolutely correct on that change of lyric from "think" to "drink". Maybe it was a joke for somebody in the audience. :)
Wow, what an intense live performance, I never saw that before, thanks for the reaction. Billy goes full Tom Jones here as it seems!
Saaed, you have the coolest shirts and sweaters!!! Exactly like what I wear here in the US.
Gotta love Marc Rivera on the Sax!! He played for Hall and Oates, Foreigner just to name a few! ❤
You maybe right is an actual rock song of his. I love the video when he was young singing/dancing. He still does it at his concerts w/o the dancing
I heard drink and NEVER heard that in the hundreds of times I have heard this song. I had the album and played it a LOT.
Joel’s previous album 52nd street was pretty much a keyboard driven album. And even though it had some rockers. Critics were calling it a pop album. And so on his next album. Billy wanted to show those critics he can make music make hits without relying on the piano. And “It’s Still Rock & Roll to Me” is him telling the critics what he thinks of their critiques of his music
The studio version is a bit faster
My guess is he slowed it down for this USSR tour so the lyrics would be a little easier for concert-goers to follow.
Yes, they changed “think” to “drink” in this performance. Such a fun song! I remember when there used to be all sorts of music-focused magazines (most with a key reader demographic of teenagers), they never really made much sense.
He does the same thing with Zanzibar. Instead of saying she’ll pull the curtain down for me, he says she pull her panties down for me. LOL ! Also, with I go to extremes, he says I go for ice cream! 😂
Have you yet heard Scenes from an Italian Restaurant, New York State of Mind, Vienna, or Captain Jack?
Many American cities have a Miracle Mile. In my hometown -- Chicago -- it might be State Street or Michigan Avenue (depending on the decade). Maybe another street before or after I lived there. It was THE place to see and be seen. In Chicago, walking made it easier to be seen. Hardly anyone looked at your car unless it was something unique or outstanding. Most young people in Chicago couldn't afford the outstanding.
But Grant Park is on Michigan Avenue and there were free events at the Band shell there. I saw many free concerts there, including Chuck Berry with Keith Richards. Also on Michigan Avenue you would pass both the old historical water tower (that survived the Chicago Fire) and the more modern steel and glass Water Tower Place after you crossed the Chicago River. Michigan Ave was where there was a parade it seems every weekend to celebrate one of the ethnic groups in the city (green River for St. Paddy's Day). I think that's where the parade in the movie Ferris Bueller's Day Off was shot. And that's where the Bears paraded when they won the Super Bowl and where Chicago paraded the astronauts from Apollo 11 AND Apollo 13. The Miracle Mile was the place to see and be seen.
I did not know that. Thanks for taking the time to share this.
I think this was a concert he gave in Russia in the eighties. He took his wife and daughter . It was like a goodwill American entertaining Russians who seemed to be starved for American
Rock and Roll.
Off his Glass Houses album, a number one hit! Has been an encore staple in his live shows to this day. Check out the studio version… here’s the official music video from 1980(studio version albeit with a re-recorded live vocal track). th-cam.com/video/5eAQa4MOGkE/w-d-xo.htmlsi=BStTgs9CFA_va5AC
🌸 good evening, saeed! (did I get the time frame right this time??lol)
"You can't get the sound from a story in magazine" could be a dig at rock critics lol, of which Billy Joel knows more about music theory and composing/lyrics than any of those condescending losers would ever hope to.
Miracle Mile is a street in Los Angeles California.
Ooh! Thanks for letting me know about that!
@@SaeedReacts.a lot of cities have streets named miracle mile. In this instance it refers to a road to a host to many stores in Manhasset and Great Neck Long Island where he grew up.
'Miracle Mile' was a street or shopping center in hundreds of US cities, back in the day.
The line, "Should I try to be a straight A student? If you are then you drink too much!", doesn't make any sense and the performance suffered from the silly change from "think too much".
Studio versions are much better suited for reactions imho A lot of the sound is lost in live shows.
In many cases, yes, but not always. I enjoyed this live version. Also, I absolutely love (and highly recommend) “Ballad of Billy the Kid” live from the River of Dreams tour.
@@scottNNJ yeah but many times all the subtle background sounds that were meticulously crafted in the studio unfortunately get lost. Thanks for the recommendation.
Tab collars were big in the 1920s and 30s, and briefly in the 60s. Too formal for the casual styles that have been popular since then.
Fashions come and go. Chill out!
Have to say the studio version was better than this particular version.
They did change it to drink, it makes less sense.
Love Joel and this song, but this is probably the worst version of it. Sad that was your first exposure to it.
I agree. The video is so much better.