The verses to Piano Man were composed by the famous American vocalist musician Billy Joel, and it was delivered as a solitary in 1973. This classic ballad, based on Joel’s own experiences, describes his life as a piano player in a bar, the people he met, and their lives full of dreams and disappointments. A tender but catchy tune Piano Man is one of Joels most famous songs about following your dreams when they are beginning to fade before your eyes.
Piano Man Lyrics By Billy Joel
Aspect | Details |
Song Title | Piano Man |
Artist | Billy Joel |
Album | Piano Man |
Release Date | November 2, 1973 |
Genre | Soft rock, Pop rock |
Label | Columbia Records |
Songwriter | Billy Joel |
Producer | Michael Stewart |
Inspiration | Billy Joel’s experience playing piano at the Executive Room bar in Los Angeles, California |
Themes | Loneliness, dreams, struggles, camaraderie |
Key Instruments | Piano, Harmonica |
Chart Performance | Reached #25 on the Billboard Hot 100 (1974) |
Signature Line | “Sing us a song; you’re the piano man.” |
Notable Recognition | Inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame (2016) |
Cultural Impact | Frequently performed at Billy Joel’s concerts and widely recognized as his signature song |
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 someplace 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
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