Greatest Hits – Volume I & Volume II has been certified double diamond by the RIAA, selling over 11.5 million copies (23 million units) and is tied with Pink Floyd's The Wall and Led Zeppelin's Led Zeppelin IV for third most certified album of all time in the U.S.
Piano Man
Billy Joel Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning | Line by Line Meaning
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
The lyrics to Piano Man by Billy Joel describe the scene in a bar on a Saturday night, where the "regular crowd" comes in to drink and forget about their troubles. The speaker notes an "old man" sitting next to him who asks him to "play a memory." This old man is feeling nostalgic for a time in his past when he was happier and more carefree, represented by the line "but it's sad and it's sweet and I knew it complete when I wore a younger man's clothes."
The rest of the lyrics introduce other characters in the bar, including John who works at the bar, Bill who dreams of being a movie star, Paul who writes "real estate novels," and Davy who is in the Navy. All these characters have their own struggles and hardships but find solace in the bar and the music played by the piano man. The chorus repeats the request for the piano man to play a song, as the crowd is in the mood for a melody and the music makes them feel better.
Overall, the song is about the power of music to bring people together and provide a temporary escape from their problems. The bar and the piano man become a sort of refuge for the characters in the lyrics, a place where they can forget their troubles for a while and just enjoy the music and each other's company.
Line by Line Meaning
It's nine o'clock on a Saturday
It's the weekend and the bar is packed
The regular crowd shuffles in
The usual customers come and take their seats
There's an old man sittin' next to me
An elderly man is sitting beside the narrator
Makin' love to his tonic and gin
He's drinking and enjoying his drink
He says, "Son, can you play me a memory?
The old man asks the narrator to play a particular song from the past
I'm not really sure how it goes
He's unsure of the song's details
But it's sad and it's sweet and I knew it complete
It's a song that's both happy and sad, but he used to know it by heart
When I wore a younger man's clothes"
He knew the song back when he was younger
Sing us a song, you're the piano man
The patrons ask the pianist to play them a song
Sing us a song tonight
They want to hear some music tonight
Well, we're all in the mood for a melody
Everyone is ready to hear some good music
And you've got us feeling' alright
The music is making everyone feel good
Now John at the bar is a friend of mine
The narrator knows one of the customers named John
He gets me my drinks for free
John pays for the narrator's drinks
And he's quick with a joke or to light up your smoke
He's a funny guy who would light up someone's cigarette if asked for it
But there's someplace that he'd rather be
John isn't happy being at the bar
He says, "Bill, I believe this is killing me"
He doesn't like this lifestyle
As the smile ran away from his face
The mention of his dissatisfaction made him lose his smile
"Well, I'm sure that I could be a movie star
John thinks he has the potential to become a movie star
If I could get out of this place"
But he feels trapped
Now Paul is a real estate novelist
There's another customer named Paul who writes stories about real estate
Who never had time for a wife
Paul never got married
And he's talking with Davy, who's still in the Navy
Paul is having a conversation with Davy, who is still serving in the navy
And probably will be for life
Davy will likely be in the navy for the rest of his life
And the waitress is practicing politics
The waitress is talking about politics and practicing her beliefs
As the businessmen slowly get stoned
The businessmen at the bar are getting drunk
Yes, they're sharing a drink they call loneliness
They are drinking as a way to distract themselves from their feelings of loneliness
But it's better than drinking alone
They would rather be drinking together than by themselves
It's a pretty good crowd for a Saturday
There are a lot of people at the bar for a Saturday
And the manager gives me a smile
The manager is friendly with the narrator
'Cause he knows that it's me they've been comin' to see
The people are coming to hear the narrator play music on the piano
To forget about life for a while
The piano music is a way to escape from their problems for a little while
And the piano, it sounds like a carnival
The sound of the piano is like a celebration
And the microphone smells like a beer
The microphone smells like someone spilled beer on it
And they sit at the bar and put bread in my jar
The customers tip the narrator for playing music
And say, "Man, what are you doin' here?"
The tips they give make the narrator wonder why he plays piano at a bar
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Billy Joel
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
gilbert Oh sullivan
It's nine o'clock on a saturday
The regular crowd shuffles in
There's an old man sitting 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, de de da
La la, de de da da da
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, de de da
La la, de de da da da
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
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, de de da
La la, de de da da da
david vaughan
The lyrics of this song are what elevate it to another level. It starts off innocuously enough, set in a non-descript bar. But all the sudden early on the song immediately crescendoes and Billy Joel hits us with lyrics that stand with the most poignant and powerful in popular music:
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"
Holy Smoke, man. That is POETRY
From this point on, we are transfixed because we realize we are in the presence of a master storyteller.
LT pexrz
It's nine o'clock on a Saturday
The regular crowd shuffles in
There's an old man sitting 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 da da
La la, di da 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 da da
La la, di da 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 got us feeling 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 da da
La la, di da 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 got us feeling alright
そるーと
I’m 22 years old,from Japan. I like this song the best, and listening to this every day.
I wasn't born when this song was created, but it doesn't matter. Great songs are naturally passed down from generation to generation.
When you came Japan a few years ago, I was still a student and couldn't go. Hopefully one day you will come back again.
I hope Billy will see it.
Sing us a song , you’re the piano man ❗️
leokimvideo
How the hell did a 24 year old write one of the greatest songs of all time as his first single.
tiernee Bailey
ong
Hans Garcia
he don't know
Holy Man
Anyone can write a good song :D
JBofBrisbane
Where's yours?
King Kylie
This is not that impressive for a 24 year old? 24 year olds are capable young adults at that core part of their life where they have the accessibility to create great things thanks to the foundation theyve built over their years AND they make refined things
Jack Hernandez
This song gives me goosebumps. It reminds me about everything of life. The old man who's youth has run out. The man who wishes he could be a movie star. The girl learning politics while woring in a drinking hole. The lonely businessmen drinking together. The guy still in the navy, the guy who never had a wife. And they all feel great cheer to music, the piano man who feels it all, who knows all those feelings, and he sings their song for them in a big community spirit of a pub. And they all can forget about life for a while - the power of musc. I love it so much that I almost feel like crying, coz I need to forget about life for a while too.
Skeelo32
Yeah that sums It Up pretty nice
Jose B.
Yes, but also the big main question, “man what are you doing here?” The piano man himself, as great as he is, could be a super star because he’s talented and he’s stuck singing in the pub trying to make people feel better when he can make the whole world feel better if he’s famous. I see this song as a motivator in life when you need to get out of your comfort zone to succeed in life, quick escapes help to forget the routine but you really need to get out there to kill it!
T C
The waitress was "practicing politics," not learning politics. The analogy here is that, like a politician who goes around playing nice with people in order to win votes, the waitress must play nice with an increasingly intoxicated crowd of bar patrons in order to get bigger tips. For both of them, sometimes they have to put on a fake smile in order to deal with people.