Celebration for Joel in Times Square Billy Joel via Instagram
Throughout Billy Joel’s career, he has released 121 songs, with 33 of them being top 40 hits in the United States.
Amongst his large discography, there are five that rise above the rest, as well as one that is too good to not be mentioned.
Honorable mention: “Movin’ Out (Anthony’s Song)”
Released in 1977 from his album “The Stranger”, the song embodies working-class citizens everywhere who choose to work long hours to achieve their dreams of luxury.
However, none of the names mentioned in the song such as Anthony, Mama Leone, Sergeant O’Leary, and Mister Cacciatore are real people. They were simply made up in order to represent the working-class American citizens.
The reason I chose this as an honorable mention is because of how deeply this song applies to American society even 46 years after its release. Everybody wants to have some sort of power, and they want to lengthen their stays at work in order to gain this.
5. “Big Shot”
This song is always fun to listen to but describes someone who really outdid themself. Who is this person though? It turns out that this song is about a dinner with Mick and Bianca Jagger.
From his 1978 album “52nd Street”, the purpose of this song is to inform people that showing off everything you have isn’t important to people.
I place this at the fifth spot only because it is not as light-hearted as other songs. It deals with a topic that is very relevant, and many people can relate to this song.
4. “Pressure”
“Pressure” is from Joel’s eighth studio album, “The Nylon Curtain,” released in September 1982. The idea of needing to pace oneself is something that really relates to college students. Classes can be stressful at times, especially if you have work, sports, or even family matters to attend.
Sometimes things in life become too much to handle, and as the lyrics say, “You’re just like everybody else.” Everyone experiences pressure in different ways, and this is why I ranked it at fourth.
It is a topic that everyone can relate to no matter what, and the tune is a perfect way to represent the feeling, going from quiet to loud numerous times.
3. “My Life”
Also from “52nd Street,” this song is relevant to people who want to follow their dreams. The song speaks of independence, personal freedom, and the need to control our own lives. College allows people to live their lives and choose what they want to do with them.
The reason I place this in third is because the song is one that never gets old. It is always relevant and is more upbeat compared to other songs.
2. “We Didn’t Start the Fire”
This placement may come as a surprise to some, but I believe it is well deserved.
From Joel’s 1989 album, “Storm Front,” this song is a chronological recollection of widely-known global events that happened from 1949-1989. The song is one of the most iconic songs ever, and was even recently reimagined in a “sequel” by Fall Out Boy.
The goal of this song was to convey the idea that throughout each generation, the world continues to have problems, and issues of the past are even ignored. Although this is true, the song still is a fun tune to listen to.
The reason that I put this song as his second best is only because of the emotional factor. This song gives a sense of nostalgia, which the others do not. However, the next song deals with emotions that can be felt deeper.
1.“Piano Man”
What may arguably be his most popular song, “Piano Man” is one of the most beautiful songs ever.
From the 1973 album “Piano Man”, the song is based on the real life experiences that Joel had as a piano player in a bar. I believe this is his best song because of the fact that it is based on reality and people’s true feelings.
However, the purpose of the song is to convey that life has its disappointments, and it’s sometimes okay to relieve the stresses by going out.
The emotions of sadness and regret can be felt, especially with the harmonica playing. The lyrics also give off a sense of loneliness, and both the piano and vocals convey every emotion in the song.
Joel’s songs are very hard-hitting. Most of his songs are about topics that people are able to relate to in multiple ways, and that is why his music is still relevant to this day. This is what makes him the great artist that he is.
Here is the link to his Spotify profile: https://open.spotify.com/artist/6zFYqv1mOsgBRQbae3JJ9e