"I Go to Extremes", a song describing the ups and downs of his emotional life, placed at #6. Other songs that placed in the top 100 were "And So It Goes" (#37), "The Downeaster 'Alexa'" (#57), and "That's Not Her Style" (#77). The cover depicts a storm warning flag.
That's Not Her Style
Billy Joel Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning | Line by Line Meaning
That she's one of those mink-coated ladies
They say she wakes up at one
And makes the paparazzi run till dawn
She wines and dines with Argentines and Kuwaitis
After she sips margaritas on the White House lawn
That's not her style I can tell you
That ain't my woman
It's just not her style I can tell you
Because I'm her man
The papers say
She was seen in L.A. with a stranger
She found a perfect body
With a Maserati right outside
And then she chartered a Lear
When she heard her career was in danger
And gave the pilot
Somethin' extra for a perfect ride
That's not her style I can tell you
That ain't my woman
It's just not her style I can tell you
Because I'm her man
Not that she's never d
One something crazy or done something wild
It's just that she's better
At doing whatever suits her style
And that's not her style
I've read where it's said
That she sleeps in a bed made of satin
She's had her face done in every place you can try
They say she gets a piece
Of every lease in Manhattan
And says she's thirty
When she's really pushing forty-five
That's not her style I can tell you
That ain't my woman
It's just not her style I can tell you
Because I'm her man
In Billy Joel's song "That's Not Her Style," the singer expresses his strong conviction that his lover is not the kind of woman the society portrays her to be. The song is written in the form of a defense by the male protagonist against the allegations that his lover belongs to a particular class of women. The lyrics have many references to glamour, wealth, and unease but offer a counter-narrative that reconstructs the image of the woman in question. The protagonist insists that she is not a mink-coated lady who parties with aristocrats and celebrities like other women of high status. Instead, she prefers to live her life the way she wants and live it true to her style, which is not defined by wealth, glamor, or status.
The protagonist also counters the claims made by the paparazzi and tabloids that he reads about his lover's behavior. According to them, she is seen in Los Angeles with strangers, charters a Learjet, and lives in satin sheets. The protagonist says that his lover had never done anything crazy or wild but rather lives a life that suits her style, which is different from what the society labels as desirable or aspirational.
The song implies that true individuality lies in a person's ability to live their life the way they want, without being influenced by societal norms or expectations. It highlights the importance of accepting people for who they are, regardless of how they live their lives.
Line by Line Meaning
Some people think
That she's one of those mink-coated ladies
There are people that assume she is a wealthy, glamorous woman.
They say she wakes up at one
And makes the paparazzi run till dawn
She wines and dines with Argentines and Kuwaitis
After she sips margaritas on the White House lawn
Rumors circulate that she parties all night, entertains with the wealthy and is allowed privileges like drinking margaritas at the White House.
That's not her style I can tell you
That ain't my woman
It's just not her style I can tell you
Because I'm her man
She doesn't behave that way because I know her and that's not who she is.
The papers say
She was seen in L.A. with a stranger
She found a perfect body
With a Maserati right outside
And then she chartered a Lear
When she heard her career was in danger
And gave the pilot
Somethin' extra for a perfect ride
The media reported that she was seen with a stranger, found a luxury car nearby and hired a private jet in order to avoid trouble with her career. She generously rewarded the pilot for a smooth ride.
Not that she's never done something crazy or done something wild
It's just that she's better
At doing whatever suits her style
And that's not her style
She's capable of occasional wild behavior, but her true style is to do what she wants in her own way, which is not as extravagant as some people think.
I've read where it's said
That she sleeps in a bed made of satin
She's had her face done in every place you can try
They say she gets a piece
Of every lease in Manhattan
And says she's thirty
When she's really pushing forty-five
Reports claim that she has lavish tastes, has had many plastic surgeries, is a savvy financial investor, and lies about her age. However, I know these things to not be true.
That's not her style I can tell you
That ain't my woman
It's just not her style I can tell you
Because I'm her man
I can confidently declare that she doesn't act in the ways that the media portrays her to because I'm in a relationship with her and know her true nature.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: BILLY JOEL
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Alexander Smith
Some people think
That she's one of those mink-coated ladies
They say she wakes up at one
And makes the paparazzi run till dawn
She wines and dines with Argentines and Kuwaitis
After she sips margaritas on the White House lawn
That's not her style I can tell you
That ain't my woman
It's just not her style I can tell you
Because I'm her man
The papers say
She was seen in L.A. with a stranger
She found a perfect body
With a Maserati right outside
And then she chartered a Lear
When she heard her career was in danger
And gave the pilot
Somethin' extra for a perfect ride
That's not her style I can tell you
That ain't my woman
It's just not her style I can tell you
Because I'm her man
Not that she's never d
One something crazy or done something wild
It's just that she's better
At doing whatever suits her style
And that's not her style
I've read where it's said
That she sleeps in a bed made of satin
She's had her face done in every place you can try
They say she gets a piece
Of every lease in Manhattan
And says she's thirty
When she's really pushing forty-five
That's not her style I can tell you
That ain't my woman
It's just not her style I can tell you
Because I'm her man
Sarah Smith
What is Billy’s secret to writing the catchiest songs? I keep telling myself “this is the LAST one” but I think I’ve found myself in a circle of Billy Joel.
Jake Klein
Intelligence
Dano1030
He's a rock n roll genius
James Edgar
I loved these occasional songs where Billy ventured into harder rock. He did it as well as he did with balads and pop sounds. BILLY ROCKS!
Not My Cup Of Tea
I've seen you around on the comments of a couple of Billy's songs now. I'm glad there are people out there like you and I who have some great taste in music
Ken Henderson
It is why Billy parted with producer Phil Ramone - Bill wanted a harder sound on his next album, while Ramone wanted to stick to the "old sound".
upstatenyphann
+James Edgar Mick Jones from Foreigner produced this record, wanted to get more of a "live" sense, after seeing Bill and the band, kick tires and light fires on the road.
Mike Dickerson
I bought this CD for" we didn't start the fire" and had no idea how good the entire thing would be! Money well spent!
Christian Hafer
The only song on the whole album that I don't overly care for is Shameless. The rest are superb.
Derp
@Steve R We had it made. Before we woke up.