Billy Joel C/D?

I think that's "Scenes from An Italian Restaurant" from The Stranger. But that's not why I'm responding to this. I think all Billy Joel songs should from here on be referred to as BJ songs. That's hilarious.

I'm coming in late to this thread, and rading it in pieces, so forgive if my responses are out of order of importance.

Did he really say that? When? Because that's perfect. If he can sum himself up in such an astute way, my respect for him has just jumped three notches.

He said it on Tuesday night's episode of American Idol, for which he provided the "music" (ie, they all just sang his songs). I thought it was a pretty honest self-assessment, actually. I still don't like him tho.

I wouldn't be so sure about that. And as for that quote, it says nothing. I don't care if he's competent, for fuck's sake, I care if he (or anybody) does something that interests me, and he interests me only in the sense that I wouldn't mind browbeating him for all his albums-worth o' crap.

And "Uptown Girl" has this Nazi-step march ham-fisted oppression that top none other. I had his greatest hits I & II when I was in 7th grade, but just because I learned to play "She's got a way" for this girl I had a crush on. He is a miserable sod, on top of everything. He must hate life. He has his few, few moments, but on the whole, the most abhorrent artist I can bring to mind. Sorry.

see: Elvis Costello

Anyone seen "Movin' Out" yet?

WTF? Have you ever heard Elvis Costello?

Joel's addiction to WINE is also a bit sad. I mean, Christie won't even let him near the kids.

And that song "River Of Dreams"?

>quiver<

i've own all those "great" records he's made and really really tried to like him. really. i tried. i failed.

Maybe BJ can help me out here:

I must be looking for something
Something sacred I lost
But the river is wide
And it's too hard to cross

indeed.

I have a soft spot in my heart for "Pressure," "It's Still Rock n' Roll...," and the ultimate (wait for it)...

..."It's My Life." How can a guy who's song was used as the theme for "Bosom Buddies" be a dud?

I wish I had it. W!nterb3rg has like two copies, the bastard.

Ask Joey Scarbury.

hey d!390, we could always ask ol' W. if we could burn a copy...

Agree 100%. Hate Costello w/ a passion. He makes my skin crawl.

Naming your greatest hits collection, which was only ever released as a single package, Greatest Hits, Vols. 1 & 2 - Classic or Dud?

Lonesome, lonesome men always inspire devotion, silly.

Mr.Diamond will be glad to know that since the first message of his that caught my attention was him posting several of his album covers in the smuggest covers ever thread, my mental image of him is Elvis Costello.

Until fairly recently, I took a pretty hard line against Billy Joel, but I have to admit that I like some of his songs. I also hate an awful lot of them, certainly more of them than I like. I find his persona a big problem much of the time. I don't trust him, and I'm certainly not interested in his advice. Most of his talen is wasted. "Just the Way You Are" and "Honesty" are two other songs I like. Maybe because I heard it shortly before I transformed into an adolescent music snob, but I think I wouldn't mind hearing 52nd Street occasionally, or at least maybe half of it. I wouldn't want to defend it, but I kind of like "She's Always a Woman."

But the songs that annoy me, annoy me overwhelmingly and unequivocally.

Good Billy Joel songs: "Allentown"

Good Cure songs: all of them except "Push", "A Thousand Hours", "Closedown", "Return" and "Mint Car"

Anyway, yes, the song about the high school sweethearts is Scenes From An Italian Restaurant, which is a great song for the bizarre oopmah music middle bit about his sweet romantic teenage nights. The fast part is reminiscent of certain Ben Folds songs, take as you will.

The best Billy Joel song is Only The Good Die Young.

Strange but true!

See now, I consider this song to be full of threatening spite and anger. A perfect example of why Joel really rubs me the wrong way. On the surface is this snappin' beat, but closer examination reveals a real sinister meanness.

I mean look at these lyrics:

"The demon in your mind will rape you in your bed at night?"
"The moon is red and bleeding?"
"All the evil seem to live forever?"
"Only the good die young?"

waitaminit, that's iron maiden... here we go:

"don't let me wait"
"locked you away"
"Only the good die young"
"I run with a dangerous crowd"
"Only the good die young"
"You didn't count on me"
"they say there's a heaven"
"Some say it's better but I say it ain't"
"The sinners are much more fun"
"Don't let me wait"

I mean, it's this threat, really, couched in this kind of Greaser back-story vernacular. Liek West Side Story, on via some long-island wino. Like "Uptown Girl," which for me is the most henious of his songs.

Obviously, I have little bit of a complex with this. And I'm intentionally going over the top. But even "Always A Woman" makes me uncomfortable now, that stereotypically "fragile" song about women "changing their minds," gives me the chills just thinking about it.

missed the "Leonard Joel" / "Billy Coen" link JiC posted - thumbs up!

always nice to see a proud father giving away his daughter's hand in marriage

― balls, Monday, September 14, 2015 10:34 PM bookmarkflaglink

lol wait holy shit it really is. And I didn't even see the harmonica pic.

― on entre O.K. on sort K.O. (man alive), Monday, September 14, 2015 10:35 PM bookmarkflaglink

always nice to see a proud father giving away his daughter's hand in marriage

― balls,

and eating the rest of her

― The burrito of ennui (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Monday, September 14, 2015 10:35 PM bookmarkflaglink

great billy joel performing cunnilingus, thx for that scenario soto

― balls, Monday, September 14, 2015 10:36 PM bookmarkflaglink

cunnilinguini at our Italian restaurant

― skateboards are the new combover (Dr Morbius), Monday, September 14, 2015 10:37 PM bookmarkflaglink

Billy Joel Biopic ‘Piano Man’ Greenlit by Michael Jai White’s Jaigantic Studios

writer/director: adam ripp, son of artie ripp, the producer who signed young billy to an awful contract and then fucked up cold spring harbor

producer: a dude who believes "Billy Joel is the key figure on the Mount Rushmore of American Music.”

billy: "is not involved with this film project, and no rights in music, name/likeness or life story will be granted."

the hassles: are mentioned

i: assume this can't be any worse than rocketman or bohemian rhapsody?

I didn't see either of those, but I will be seeing this.

Also, finally a movie that should have been directed by Hal Needham.

no rights in music, name/likeness or life story will be granted

All the characters are going to directly address the camera as "William" or "Mr. J.", and whenever the unseen protagonist sits down at the keyboard to play something, another character will run into the room to interrupt.

Billy Joel should have played himself, with or without digital de-aging

they're gonna call him Captain Jack the entire film, with zero variation

Billie Jorp-Jomp, I believe

They're going to put all his songs in the movie anyway, and then fight a legal battle that they do not formally count as "music".

so .....how is this going to work?

they're going to name him Jilly Bowl, and he's going to sing songs like "Maintaining the Belief", "For a Lot of Time", and "Shit That Happened at a Fazoli's"?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f1QqMxXfaw0

This is going to be like "The Linda McCartney Story" where Wings plays "Kansas City" about a half a million times.

Starring new upstart singer Mikey Jim

Also, finally a movie that should have been directed by Hal Needham.

Exactly; skip all the music stuff and just write a movie about a Long Island neighborhood where some guy keeps crashing his car into people's houses.

give me a call, I'm the insurance man

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eXISPB6c1pw

my mom and i don't agree on everything, but the woman just detests billy joel. that's how i know she's all right