In this iconic ballad, Billy Joel captures the essence of a local bar scene, where various patrons come to escape their daily struggles and find solace in music. The song's narrator, the piano man, serves as a conduit for their emotions, playing tunes that resonate with their individual stories and collective desire for comfort. Each character—from the old man reminiscing about his past to the bartender dreaming of a different life—illustrates a facet of human longing and regret. Through poignant lyrics and a melancholic melody, Joel explores themes of loneliness, unfulfilled dreams, and the simple joy found in communal moments of music and storytelling. Ultimately, "Piano Man" is a reflective anthem on the power of music to bring people together and momentarily alleviate life's burdens.
Piano Man
Lyrics
It's nine o'clock on a Saturday
The regular crowd shuffles in
There's an old man sittin' next to me
Makin' love to his tonic and gin
He says, "Son, can you play me a memory?
I'm not really sure how it goes
But it's sad and it's sweet and I knew it complete
When I wore a younger man's clothes"
La, la-la, di-dee-da
La-la, di-dee-da, da-dum
Sing us a song, you're the piano man
Sing us a song tonight
Well, we're all in the mood for a melody
And you've got us feelin' alright
Now John at the bar is a friend of mine
He gets me my drinks for free
And he's quick with a joke or to light up your smoke
But there's some place that he'd rather be
He says, "Bill, I believe this is killing me"
As the smile ran away from his face
"Well, I'm sure that I could be a movie star
If I could get out of this place"
Oh, la, la-la, di-dee-da
La-la, di-dee-da, da-dum
Now Paul is a real estate novelist
Who never had time for a wife
And he's talkin' with Davy, who's still in the Navy
And probably will be for life
And the waitress is practicing politics
As the businessmen slowly get stoned
Yes, they're sharing a drink they call loneliness
But it's better than drinkin' alone
Sing us a song, you're the piano man
Sing us a song tonight
Well, we're all in the mood for a melody
And you've got us feelin' alright
It's a pretty good crowd for a Saturday
And the manager gives me a smile
'Cause he knows that it's me they've been comin' to see
To forget about life for a while
And the piano, it sounds like a carnival
And the microphone smells like a beer
And they sit at the bar and put bread in my jar
And say, "Man, what are you doin' here?"
Oh, la, la-la, di-dee-da
La-la, di-dee-da, da-dum
Sing us a song, you're the piano man
Sing us a song tonight
Well, we're all in the mood for a melody
And you've got us feelin' alright
Writer(s): Billy Joel
Copyright(s): Lyrics © CONSALAD CO., Ltd., Universal Music Publishing Group
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
What is the Meaning of Piano Man
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