Posted on 07/23/2025 3:18:38 PM PDT by Rummyfan
The first episode of a two-part documentary, "Billy Joel: And So It Goes," dropped on HBO this week. Bill Maher interviewed the Piano Man about the project on his "Club Random" podcast, and they ultimately got around to the topic of wokeism.
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So much of his music has been about rebellion and pushing back against authority and conventions. In the documentary, it becomes clear that it wasn't just some schtick to sell records. It's who he is. Many of the songs were written in response to the events unfolding in his life at the time. "You May Be Right" came about at a time in life when he was drinking heavily, using drugs, and riding his motorcycle recklessly. "You May Be Right" is his critique of the music industry and its efforts to pigeonhole him into the latest fad.
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Asked if he would get involved in the 2020 election, he said, "I don’t think I’m going to be politically involved. I find a lot of people resent celebrities touting their candidate. That can actually turn more people off than it can bring more people in. I admire people like Springsteen, who gets up there and touts a candidate. He’s a citizen and he has a right to do that. My experience has always been that people resent it when they go to see you do a show and you get up on a soapbox and spout politics."
(Excerpt) Read more at pjmedia.com ...
I watched some of Part 1 of the documentary, it is well done. I had forgotten how big and popular Joel was in the late seventies /early eighties..
Saw him live in 1976 at Cooley's Electric Ballroom in Atlanta (which is now long gone). He put on a great show.
He is correctly singled out by Catholic radio hosts for Only the Good Die Young. Unabashedly anti Catholic.
That sentence is a non sequitur. Read it again. Billy, you are, were, great, but to idolize Springsteen, no way, you owe us an apology.
Billy votes for woke candidates. He can eff off. Plus how he hooked up with Christie Brinkley is beyond me. That boy is fugly.
He didn’t say he ‘idolized’ him. He said he admired him for his ability to stand up and say what he thinks, even though Joel doesn’t feel it’s what he himself finds useful.
I believe I’ve passed the age
Of consciousness and righteous rage
I found that just surviving was a noble fight.
I once believed in causes too,
I had my pointless point of view,
And life went on no matter who was wrong or right.
-Billy Joel “The Angry Young Man”
Only The Good Die Young - Billy Joel
https://www.iment.com/maida/tv/fk/video/FK-Only-the-Good-Die-Young-Billy-Joel.htm
i don’t know...we are Catholic and my mother grew up in a strict Catholic family and said that song was right on the money...
The song he did about the Vietnam vets was excellent- i saw him in concert in 1984 and it was great...he had was i though was a group of veterans singing the chorus with the helicopter effects...
“And so it goes”- song i listened to a lot during a busted romance 30+ years ago...
Why in the H
should normal people pay any attention to ‘not normal’
musicians and actors ?
Also— NETFLIX- movie Sunday Best-—Ed Sullivan show. I liked it a lot. First to show Black musicians on stage and showing Democrat reaction and they’re wanting separate schools, diners, rest rooms.
Some him twice at Madison Square Garden, sitting just feet away from him both times. The first recorded music of his that I had was car-cassette tapes.
He’s Rich-
Was married to a Hottie.
Has done more shiiite than you or I will ever get the chance to do.
He actually doesn’t give a shiiite what anybody thinks.
Never forget, for all of the polish, he’s still just a Mensch from Da Boogie Down.
fuggettaboutit!
I didn’t like him in the 1970s. But he has grown on me. He is pretty clearly a musical genius.
I was always so-so on him...some of his songs are good but i bought The Stranger when it came out on LP, listened to it once and i was bored...
He was good when i saw him in 1984...
I agree. Some unforgettable songs.
At the end of an overly long concert in the late 1980’s at the barely air conditioned Hollywood Sportatorium Billy Joel came back onstage for an encore. He looked exhausted. Sweaty.
He kicked off his sneakers into the audience and climbed on top of the grand piano. Then he laid down on it with his head towards the keyboard. He flopped his arms out...and then he reached over his head - while still on his back - and proceeded to play the introduction to Angry Young Man...
What have you done that millions of people value and remember?
He was very popular, and rightfully so. He had some great songs. Never knew or paid attention to his politics whatever they are/were.
He’s a freakin’ piano man playing good songs. The song is about a teen boy trying his best verbal judo to get a teen girl to get naked with him. That kind of thing actually happens ya know.
So what he supposed to do, sit around singing reverent songs about the RCC and exhorting the girl to remain a virgin until marriage?
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