Billy Joel - Q&A: Story Behind The Lyrics To "Piano Man"? (Harvard 1994)

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  • เผยแพร่เมื่อ 22 ต.ค. 2013
  • Throughout the years, Billy Joel has become known for his willingness to hold Q&A sessions with fans in settings across the globe. Here Billy is asked about story behind the song 'Piano Man' off the 1973 album of the same name at Harvard University in 1994.
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    Billy Joel's official TH-cam channel features music videos, live performances, interviews, TV appearances and more. Best known for his first hit song, 'Piano Man', in 1973, Billy has written and recorded thirty-three Top 40 hits in the United States. He is a six-time Grammy Award winner, a 23-time Grammy nominee and one of the world's best-selling artists of all time, having sold over 150 million records worldwide. Billy Joel is the sixth-best-selling recording artist and the third-best-selling solo artist in the United States.
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ความคิดเห็น • 157

  • @mimoochodom2684
    @mimoochodom2684 3 ปีที่แล้ว +54

    "The gig sucked but free drinks." LOL. Love this guy. No wonder he made it big.

  • @leokimvideo
    @leokimvideo 3 ปีที่แล้ว +121

    Billy should have a TV show, he's great as a have a chat funny guy.

    • @ethank4820
      @ethank4820 3 ปีที่แล้ว +4

      Wow I used to watch your channel.

    • @kathyp6403
      @kathyp6403 2 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      I .met Billy in st. Bart's1982...Christie brinkley was there we were at a little bar Lounge loulou's. Believe there met there that night...wow

  • @SaudDowaihy
    @SaudDowaihy 8 ปีที่แล้ว +309

    First two minutes in....... He had a career in stand up that he threw away

    • @deniseg812
      @deniseg812 6 ปีที่แล้ว +12

      That is so true! I saw him many times, the one time that stands out is ; the Glass Houses Tour, the New York Times critics panned him the first night, because they said everyone sang along with him and blah blah blah!. When he sang New York State of Mind, he took out the New York Times, and sang the New York Post , the Daily News.

    • @ELLIOT1311
      @ELLIOT1311 5 ปีที่แล้ว +13

      Think he turned out ok career wise lol

    • @Metalcomedienne
      @Metalcomedienne 6 หลายเดือนก่อน

      😂😂😂❤

    • @MortimerSnerdVideos
      @MortimerSnerdVideos 13 วันที่ผ่านมา

      He could have a whole routine explaining about how the sheet music in Just The Way You Are is wrong and how it actually

  • @bigwig5395
    @bigwig5395 6 ปีที่แล้ว +54

    Piano man makes me feel nostalgic about the 70s and i was born in the 80s

    • @bamabelle7075
      @bamabelle7075 4 ปีที่แล้ว +5

      Isn't it weird when you feel nostalgic for a time or place that you were never in? I was born in the mid 70's but I feel that way when I hear 60's pop/rock, when I see the clothes, especially the mod-style dresses from that era, the home decor, etc. It's as if I'm missing 'my old life'.

    • @scottkellogg2180
      @scottkellogg2180 2 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      Shoot I was born in 2000 and it gets me hella nostalgic for a time I never lived through.😂 That’s the magic of great artists.

  • @betteboop57
    @betteboop57 10 ปีที่แล้ว +189

    Geez....I saw him before he was "big". Grew up on Long Island listening to him locally.

    • @betteboop57
      @betteboop57 9 ปีที่แล้ว +8

      because he wasn't when we first saw him years & years & years ago on Long Island. He was a nobody!!

    • @ggabe2865
      @ggabe2865 6 ปีที่แล้ว

      betteboop57 do you remember what songs he did back then?

    • @anthonybaratta6152
      @anthonybaratta6152 3 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      I’d love to hear what your initial reactions were of him when you heard him perform?

    • @leonardodalongisland
      @leonardodalongisland หลายเดือนก่อน

      Fellow Islander here-trying to get Billy and Christie to star in a short film I wrote based upon Harry Chapin's Taxi.

  • @gracealexandre3381
    @gracealexandre3381 ปีที่แล้ว +19

    One musical artist who really talks to his fans as if they're ALL in the same level. That makes him even more admirable.

  • @nathanrico5701
    @nathanrico5701 6 ปีที่แล้ว +32

    He stepped onto a stage with a joke mask. What a legend.

  • @ryandatkinson
    @ryandatkinson 5 ปีที่แล้ว +65

    More time has passed between this video and now than had passed between the release of 'Piano Man' and this video.
    Time, man.

    • @warrenjinks5134
      @warrenjinks5134 3 ปีที่แล้ว +3

      this song is timeless 😁

    • @EE-in7su
      @EE-in7su 3 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      It's even worse now!

    • @gracealexandre3381
      @gracealexandre3381 ปีที่แล้ว

      @@EE-in7su How on earth is it worse? Billy's become a SUPER LEGEND in music!

    • @EE-in7su
      @EE-in7su ปีที่แล้ว +1

      @@gracealexandre3381 I meant 'the length of time from the video and now'. The song is still one I will blast and belt along to!

    • @tmalone2530
      @tmalone2530 4 หลายเดือนก่อน

      And just think how it is now. Piano Man is a 50 year old song. I can’t wrap my head around it.

  • @DrakeMayeGlazer
    @DrakeMayeGlazer 5 ปีที่แล้ว +27

    Could’ve been the greatest comedian ever lol

  • @liamtg912
    @liamtg912 7 ปีที่แล้ว +154

    he could actually be a comedian

    • @pharb69
      @pharb69 6 ปีที่แล้ว +12

      I'm sure that he could be a movie star ;)

    • @victorsuarez9424
      @victorsuarez9424 6 ปีที่แล้ว +15

      If only he could get out of that place...

    • @italianhockeywall
      @italianhockeywall 5 ปีที่แล้ว +4

      liam in this day and age, where most comedians are not funny, yeah. Heck, he probably got more laughs out of me than Amy Schumer.

    • @ferv888
      @ferv888 4 ปีที่แล้ว

      The real john from John at the bar is actually john archer, a comedian. (i think)

  • @mrver3232
    @mrver3232 5 ปีที่แล้ว +47

    John at the bar....
    WAS A MAN NAMED JOHN
    HOLY CRAP

    • @Haights
      @Haights 4 ปีที่แล้ว +6

      And (and I cannot stress this enough) he was at the bar

    • @rats-oc3vv
      @rats-oc3vv 4 หลายเดือนก่อน

      OH MY GOD WHAT 🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯 MY LIFE IS A LIE 😭😭😢😭😭💀💀💀💀💀💀💀💀💀💀💀💀

  • @andrestabares4559
    @andrestabares4559 7 ปีที่แล้ว +269

    IS DAVID STILL IN THE NAVY?

    • @rufie83
      @rufie83 7 ปีที่แล้ว +18

      he probably will ;-)

    • @michellebrodeur3880
      @michellebrodeur3880 7 ปีที่แล้ว +19

      did John ever become a movie Star?

    • @jekblom123
      @jekblom123 7 ปีที่แล้ว +21

      Is Davy still "alive" is the more important question.

    • @brandonroth7926
      @brandonroth7926 7 ปีที่แล้ว +5

      Davey is still alive and he lives in Virginia Beach

    • @brandonroth7926
      @brandonroth7926 7 ปีที่แล้ว +12

      John died over ten years ago at the age of 81.

  • @thezombiecreeper
    @thezombiecreeper 3 ปีที่แล้ว +7

    4:53 - I love this part even though it has nothing to do with the song

  • @raran44
    @raran44 2 ปีที่แล้ว +3

    I fricken love Billy Joel

  • @AndrewKazmierski
    @AndrewKazmierski 6 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

    I can listen to this over and over, the audio was part of the 3 disc box set from the 90’s!

  • @lunamai5668
    @lunamai5668 8 ปีที่แล้ว +17

    Love piano man!!! he's so funny in this XD

  • @johnnystir9796
    @johnnystir9796 6 ปีที่แล้ว +16

    I'd watch a One Man Show on Broadway with Billy.

    • @katiekent8195
      @katiekent8195 3 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      Yes! Couple minutes into Billy's spiel, I kept thinking 'one man show on Broadway' -- funny, funny dude--- never knew!

  • @alexanderkelly7819
    @alexanderkelly7819 4 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    This song is so good. His favorite of mine and isn't even close.

  • @shannonnes8154
    @shannonnes8154 10 ปีที่แล้ว +6

    He will be playing just 4 miles from me... in Louisville.. I am hoping to get tickets! But this Q&A's are great!!

  • @manguera9
    @manguera9 8 ปีที่แล้ว +11

    piano man is one of my favorites songs,back in the 70 i worked as a musician in a cabaret..very smoky place ,,strip dancers, business people sitting with sailors having good time watching the show,the show usually started by 11 pm i played 3 sets until 4.30 am,, one night a man approaching me telling me " you are good player,MAN WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE..?

    • @Manzie1000
      @Manzie1000 8 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      I'm doing a divey gig right now...

    • @davidburrows8410
      @davidburrows8410 7 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      Piano tuition

  • @WhitewithBlue
    @WhitewithBlue 10 ปีที่แล้ว +7

    Nice to see footage of this masterclass!

  • @JeffK1980
    @JeffK1980 10 ปีที่แล้ว +7

    5:03-5:13... lol. Cracks me up 100%. Sounded like he was imitating Bronson Pinchot from Perfect Strangers. Two thumbs WAY up!

  • @adelineschuyler4842
    @adelineschuyler4842 7 ปีที่แล้ว +10

    he is a pure gem! where's his accent from?? i love it.

    • @dstein111
      @dstein111 7 ปีที่แล้ว +11

      Long Island baby!!

  • @johnlaccohee-joslin2113
    @johnlaccohee-joslin2113 7 ปีที่แล้ว +44

    Billy you can always become a stand up comic as well as being known world wide for your music.
    Your description and conception of Bathoven are so realistic, I just wonder if he would be able to be as constructive regarding your musical career.
    There are few who do not know at least most if not all the words to piano man, and all those who like you, have sat there doing really what they enjoy more than anything else in life, can honestly say that the words fit the job if you can ever call it a job.
    There are few in life who can say that they work doing their hobby, and there is a lot of inspirstion that comes from doing it.
    The description you gave concerning tge piano lessons and the end result of sticking with it regardless of the idiots who thougth you were soft in the head as well as a mis guided young child who did not understand how important football really would become to you later in
    life, boy did they get it wrong.
    I just wonder how many more of us actually met our wives because of what we did, sadly in most cases I have found that this was also to become the reason for breaking up as well, with the never ending line of groupies that follow you around, sad but nun the less true.
    I truly have to say that if ever there was a song that describes the life in music and the black and white line up be it the real thing or a kurzweil, they all have their magnetic atraction that says do not pass play!
    My hope is that you too will be remembered for your gift to the world a lot more than a couple of hundred years later.
    For me, the most shameful thing is those who never listen to what we say, being far to busy working out how to blow the world to bits than to be involved in just making life just that bit more interesting, and enjoyable.
    May you outlive those people by a long long way!!!!

    • @kai326
      @kai326 5 ปีที่แล้ว

      *Beethoven

    • @ferv888
      @ferv888 4 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      I didn't read your long message.
      But john archer is a comedian and he is actually john at the bar

    • @ppap9170
      @ppap9170 4 ปีที่แล้ว

      JoeJoe bathoven

  • @user-wn8iv1ve7d
    @user-wn8iv1ve7d 2 ปีที่แล้ว +2

    love billy☺️ he’s so funny😆

  • @shashwatkumar7718
    @shashwatkumar7718 7 ปีที่แล้ว +6

    The way he says producer is so much like Joey from friends!

  • @georgiethumbs2438
    @georgiethumbs2438 3 ปีที่แล้ว

    Wow this is awesome, thanks for posting

  • @thombendtsen399
    @thombendtsen399 3 ปีที่แล้ว +4

    He’s funny. Charismatic.

  • @largolegato
    @largolegato 7 ปีที่แล้ว +6

    The last thing he talked about, the "producer" thing is so true. I've encountered people like this, who claimed themselves "producers" or someone who has some kinda power and telling you that you're too good for this place, you deserve a better position, I can hook you up with ___, etc.

  • @jenette80
    @jenette80 7 ปีที่แล้ว +5

    i love billy joal piano man is great

  • @ronroberts1281
    @ronroberts1281 6 ปีที่แล้ว +2

    BILLY JOEL IS AN INTERESTING MAN!

  • @xxboonisbadfortnitexx1549
    @xxboonisbadfortnitexx1549 2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    Nice

  • @jamesmocket1825
    @jamesmocket1825 6 ปีที่แล้ว +7

    I feel like he must be a comedian on the side 😂😂

  • @xxboonisbadfortnitexx1549
    @xxboonisbadfortnitexx1549 2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    Cool

  • @blazerocker1734
    @blazerocker1734 4 ปีที่แล้ว +14

    Damn. I really wanted to know whether or not John actually became a movie star. : (

  • @kaminip
    @kaminip 3 ปีที่แล้ว +3

    Lockdown rediscovery WooHoo!

  • @york8757
    @york8757 5 ปีที่แล้ว +3

    I wish we could hear the tune of 8:08 more than we did

  • @rodolfogiraldi5040
    @rodolfogiraldi5040 3 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    He must have been a comedian too, super funny

  • @stephancastonguay1405
    @stephancastonguay1405 6 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    billy..........your a funy guy........

  • @m_tias
    @m_tias 6 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    "Not a song, yet reminiscent of a song" -God

  • @dcworld1076
    @dcworld1076 5 หลายเดือนก่อน

    i love billys humour

  • @qweasdzcxc3655
    @qweasdzcxc3655 7 หลายเดือนก่อน

    Really funny guy

  • @notadweeb1074
    @notadweeb1074 4 ปีที่แล้ว

    YEAA "VE RI TAS"

  • @andreashoppe1969
    @andreashoppe1969 7 ปีที่แล้ว +24

    Back in the day, when the people in the crowd actually paid attention instead of looking at their phones every 10 seconds

  • @dandillinger23
    @dandillinger23 5 ปีที่แล้ว +2

    🎶"bill joel" 🤣

  • @drdolittle7419
    @drdolittle7419 3 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    HIS INTRO LOL

  • @bherber
    @bherber 7 ปีที่แล้ว +2

    Funny how Billy says that these masterclasses are meant to impart knowledge about the music business for aspiring musicians, but it's always just questions about stories behind the songs. I don't think I've ever heard a question in any of these about the actual music business..... Contracts, strategic business decisions, etc......

  • @Badlands26
    @Badlands26 2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    Is there a full video of this Q&A?? If so I’d love a link thanks

  • @gracealexandre3381
    @gracealexandre3381 2 ปีที่แล้ว

    Billy moonlights as a comedian.

  • @ElvarMasson
    @ElvarMasson ปีที่แล้ว

    1:42

  • @ferv888
    @ferv888 4 ปีที่แล้ว

    John at the bar is actually john archer?

  • @leonardodalongisland
    @leonardodalongisland หลายเดือนก่อน

    It's the MOST self-explanatory song in history! Duh!

  • @hamirthapar6788
    @hamirthapar6788 8 ปีที่แล้ว +3

    WHAT?!?! BILL MARTIN?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!

  • @eddy0043
    @eddy0043 5 ปีที่แล้ว

    Half of that crowd is rich now

  • @chrisb1010
    @chrisb1010 2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    7:39 - What song is that or is it just an improv?

  • @rogerdat45
    @rogerdat45 7 ปีที่แล้ว

    what a sad soul

  • @ocalyy
    @ocalyy 4 ปีที่แล้ว

    whos here?

  • @nsj9509
    @nsj9509 4 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    Genius 20 years ago lol

  • @studentoftheword6115
    @studentoftheword6115 3 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    He's making all this up.

  • @beautifulloser75
    @beautifulloser75 6 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    Billy Joel is just Neil Diamond with an 8ball and an attitude.😀

    • @suzanmann2480
      @suzanmann2480 6 ปีที่แล้ว

      your taste will change as you age honey.

  • @dannysmith9217
    @dannysmith9217 10 หลายเดือนก่อน

    American Prodigy.

  • @jenniferlawrence9652
    @jenniferlawrence9652 7 ปีที่แล้ว +8

    I hope everyone who loves him loves all Jewish people..he is one of the best Jewish songwriter's alone with Bob Dylan and Paul Simon

    • @andrewwagner9901
      @andrewwagner9901 6 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      Jennifer Lawrence Neil diamond has gotta be on that quick list

    • @creativesource3514
      @creativesource3514 4 ปีที่แล้ว

      I Billy Joel and Cat Stevens.

  • @untruelies
    @untruelies 7 ปีที่แล้ว +3

    I have two ex-wives as well-it is funny. Great musician.

  • @superamishguy
    @superamishguy 8 ปีที่แล้ว +5

    funny guy

  • @JakeRanney
    @JakeRanney 3 ปีที่แล้ว +2

    bodily byproducts lmao

  • @fahdchoudry7763
    @fahdchoudry7763 4 ปีที่แล้ว +3

    Hallo. Why he no explanation for bread in the jar. Why they put the bread in the jar? It make no sense please. Bread get squishy and hard to get bread out of jar

    • @annelivalkama7451
      @annelivalkama7451 3 ปีที่แล้ว +4

      I think Billy meant "bread" by putting money in his jar, like tips.

    • @katiekent8195
      @katiekent8195 3 ปีที่แล้ว +5

      "bread" is american slang for "money"

  • @ECWnWWF
    @ECWnWWF 3 ปีที่แล้ว

    he didn't mention why they put bread in his jar

  • @oma15
    @oma15 6 ปีที่แล้ว

    its a good song but it's no vienna

  • @BardiaSaeedi
    @BardiaSaeedi 7 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    Wow, these people are clapping and laughing too much.

  • @bobsmith-ov3kn
    @bobsmith-ov3kn 7 ปีที่แล้ว +6

    he seriously put his glass of... whatever... on the piano? I don't care if he's Billy Joel, that's likely a $100,000+ piano there...

    • @bobsmith-ov3kn
      @bobsmith-ov3kn 7 ปีที่แล้ว

      djjazzyjeff123
      ...uhh first off, that's definitely a real piano, not some pseudo piano that you seem to think exists (what are you even trying to describe, acoustic pianos with digital output??)
      2nd off, the reason that's a gigantic no-no has nothing to do with how I think the cup of water will affect the freaking acoustics, it's because you might SPILL THE FREAKING WATER AND RUIN THE PIANO... which is only even more-so true if it's some kind of digital.

    • @bkb6156
      @bkb6156 7 ปีที่แล้ว +4

      bob smith it's definitely not a real piano. He has been using the shell of a grand piano with a keyboard in it for years.

    • @h0lly_blue
      @h0lly_blue 6 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      some artists do use keyboards in the form of grand/upright piano shells - Chris Martin of Coldplay uses one of those sorts of pianos, as does Paul McCartney IIRC
      nice attempt Bob, have a muffin and chill

  • @superretrobros.5801
    @superretrobros.5801 6 ปีที่แล้ว

    who's this guy? just doin his job I guess. hahah

  • @jameswatters8281
    @jameswatters8281 ปีที่แล้ว

    Really. kind of doesn’t. Know lyrics

  • @cody8804
    @cody8804 6 ปีที่แล้ว +22

    The laughs are annoying. He's just explaining the lyrics it's not a comedy routine

    • @scottcoulter2365
      @scottcoulter2365 6 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      cody8804 my name is Cody :)

    • @gracealexandre3381
      @gracealexandre3381 ปีที่แล้ว

      It's not a comedy routine, but some answers from Billy are very laughable. It makes you wonder, does he moonlight as a comedian?

    • @rc....
      @rc.... หลายเดือนก่อน +1

      Easy Cody... Billy Joel wasn't annoyed, why would you be???

  • @heleneschenbacher8512
    @heleneschenbacher8512 6 ปีที่แล้ว

    Wow! 100% of the people are white! How amazing! These children (students) have NO idea how LUCKY they are....born to a father and mother and lived in a home...didn’t run out of food halfway through the month. Minimum wage is so low that even working full time keeps one below the poverty line. Not a minority, not born in Africa where AIDS is decimating the continent. Not Ethiopia....not living in Afghanistan where major powers used the Middle East as a killing field.
    Does anyone KNOW or CARE that two million Vietnamese people died from the 1950s to the 1970s? Ahh no one here cares...

    • @oneway4667
      @oneway4667 6 ปีที่แล้ว +9

      Helen Eschenbacher wrong video

    • @calebharmon9066
      @calebharmon9066 6 ปีที่แล้ว +8

      Bro what are you talking about

    • @ziggywhiteduke9276
      @ziggywhiteduke9276 6 ปีที่แล้ว +4

      ...Bad day?

    • @heleneschenbacher8512
      @heleneschenbacher8512 6 ปีที่แล้ว

      Bad day?
      How about 14 months of worry and desperation watching the United States slip into corporatocracy. A nation I love and served as I approach 70 years of age.
      I’m a kama’aina a resident of Hawaii. Yes I was here when we got the text message that a nuclear warhead was heading our way. Living on an island of one million ppl there is nothing you can is say goodbye to your Ohana-your family and friends. We live on volcanic rock. You can’t build a basement much less dig a bomb shelter so yeah POTUS calling a vicious dictator who has slaughtered tens of thousands of his own ppl “little rocket man is bad.
      We love our country here. We hate this administration! They are cruel mean bigoted hateful ppl.

    • @ziggywhiteduke9276
      @ziggywhiteduke9276 6 ปีที่แล้ว +3

      Helen Eschenbacher Ok...calm down.
      I understand the turmoil and thank you for your service, Its just that your comment is so out of place in this video.