Zanzibar
Billy Joel Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Though he's bathed in sweat he hasn't lost his style
Ali don't you go downtown
You gave away another round for free
Me, I'm just another face at Zanzibar
But the waitress always serves a secret smile
She's waiting out in Shantytown
She's gonna pull the curtains down for me, for me
I've got the old man's car
I've got a jazz guitar
I've got a tab at Zanzibar
Tonight that's where I'll be, I'll be
Rose, he knows he's such a credit to the game
But the Yankees grab the headline every time
Melodrama's so much fun
In black and white for everyone to see
Me, I'm trying just to get to second base
And I'd steal it if she only gave the sign
She's gonna give the go head
The inning isn't over yet for me, for me
I've got the old man's car
I've got a jazz guitar
I've got a tab at Zanzibar
Tonight that's where I'll be
Tell the waitress I'll come back to Zanzibar
I'll be hiding in the darkness with my beer
She's waiting out in Shantytown
She's gonna pull the curtains down for me, for me
I've got the old man's car
I've got a jazz guitar
I've got a tab at Zanzibar
Tonight that's where I'll be
The lyrics of Billy Joel's Zanzibar tell the story of two men who find themselves in a place called Zanzibar. Ali has just finished a dance performance and is being applauded by the audience while the singer is just one of the faces in the bar. The singer is attracted to the waitress who always serves him with a secret smile. She lives in Shantytown, and the singer imagines her pulling the curtains down for them to be alone. He has the old man's car and a jazz guitar which he'll play at the bar that night where he intends to spend his time.
In the second verse, the singer talks about Rose, a sportsman who's good at his game but always loses the spotlight to the Yankees. The singer is interested in a girl and is trying to make a move on her. If she gave him the sign, he'd steal second base. He tells the waitress to wait for him, and he'll come back to Zanzibar, where they'll be united in passion in the darkness with a beer.
The song is about the fantasy and escapism that people seek when they go to the bar. While Ali is bathed in sweat from dancing, the singer's imaginations of the waitress pulling the curtains down for him, and stealing second base with the girl, keep him entertained. It shows the power of the mind in transporting oneself out of reality, even if it's just for a moment.
Line by Line Meaning
Ali dances and the audience applauds
Even though he's tired, people appreciate Ali's performance
Though he's bathed in sweat he hasn't lost his style
Ali is still able to maintain his dancing prowess despite being exhausted
Ali don't you go downtown
Joel is addressing Ali and asking him not to take any unnecessary risks
You gave away another round for free
Ali is being too generous and giving away his skill for free, which is not good for him
Me, I'm just another face at Zanzibar
Joel is a regular at Zanzibar and is nothing special
But the waitress always serves a secret smile
The waitress at Zanzibar always gives Joel a special smile, which he finds intriguing
She's waiting out in Shantytown
The waitress lives in a less affluent area, but Joel is willing to visit her there
She's gonna pull the curtains down for me, for me
The waitress is going to give Joel special attention when he visits her
I've got the old man's car
Joel is driving his father's car
I've got a jazz guitar
Joel is a musician and owns a jazz guitar
I've got a tab at Zanzibar
Joel has a running tab at Zanzibar
Tonight that's where I'll be, I'll be
Joel plans to spend his evening at Zanzibar
Rose, he knows he's such a credit to the game
Rose is aware of his own skill as a baseball player
But the Yankees grab the headline every time
Despite Rose's talent, the Yankees always get more attention
Melodrama's so much fun
People enjoy drama and over-the-top theatrics
In black and white for everyone to see
These dramatic events are often presented in an exaggerated and simplistic manner to the public
Me, I'm trying just to get to second base
Joel is trying to make progress in a romantic relationship
And I'd steal it if she only gave the sign
Joel would take advantage of an opportunity to further his romantic relationship
She's gonna give the go head
Joel's romantic interest is going to give him permission to proceed
The inning isn't over yet for me, for me
There's still hope for Joel to make progress in his romantic relationship
Tell the waitress I'll come back to Zanzibar
Joel wants the waitress to know that he plans to return to Zanzibar
I'll be hiding in the darkness with my beer
Joel plans to have a drink in a quiet, dark corner of Zanzibar
She's waiting out in Shantytown
The waitress lives in a less affluent area, but Joel is willing to visit her there
She's gonna pull the curtains down for me, for me
The waitress is going to give Joel special attention when he visits her
I've got the old man's car
Joel is driving his father's car
I've got a jazz guitar
Joel is a musician and owns a jazz guitar
I've got a tab at Zanzibar
Joel has a running tab at Zanzibar
Tonight that's where I'll be
Joel plans to spend his evening at Zanzibar
Lyrics © TONIGHT MUSIC, BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: BILLY JOEL
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@smokinjz
Ali dances and the audience applauds
Though he's bathed in sweat he hasn't lost his style
Ali don't you go downtown
You gave away another round for free
Me, I'm just another face at Zanzibar
But the waitress always serves a secret smile
She's waiting out in Shantytown
She's gonna pull the curtains down for me, for me
I've got the old man's car
I've got a jazz guitar
I've got a tab at Zanzibar
Tonight that's where I'll be, I'll be
Rose, he knows he's such a credit to the game
But the Yankees grab the headline every time
Melodrama's so much fun
In black and white for everyone to see
Me, I'm trying just to get to second base
And I'd steal it if she only gave the sign
She's gonna give the go head
The inning isn't over yet for me, for me
I've got the old man's car
I've got a jazz guitar
I've got a tab at Zanzibar
Tonight that's where I'll be
Tell the waitress I'll come back to Zanzibar
I'll be hiding in the darkness with my beer
She's waiting out in Shantytown
She's gonna pull the curtains down for me, for me
I've got the old man's car
I've got a jazz guitar
I've got a tab at Zanzibar
Tonight that's where I'll be
@JuanJDuenas
regardless of how people find this song, the important thing is that billy joel’s music is reaching younger generations
@-maya-6498
TY lmao there’s a whole bunch of gatekeepers 😐
@ElizA-ne6rv
Yep, but I didn’t learn billy Joel from TikTok. My dad taught me when I was 6.
@layladylowlands
yupp, my dad was in a blues band and he loved this song
@snowfish7294
I agree
@codygroome5294
This girl I really like said it matched her energy abt. To listen
@zinatra1887
When I do eventually get the old mans car, this’ll be the first song to be played
@sleepyscare3782
You are a legend, truly.
@hellfire8371
When I got my grandfather's 1943 mgtd this was the song I played
@miaboyd3242
i am too high to understand that