A potential superstar who becomes a piano man in an ordinary bar sounds like a script for a Hollywood movie, but it’s the real story behind Billy Joel’s signature song “Piano Man”. And what better way to share your experiences than by writing an iconic song about it? In this article, we will dive into the story, meaning, and legacy behind Billy Joel’s classic.
Piano Man ‘Bill Martin’
When Billy Joel’s first album Cold Spring Harbor flopped and he discovered that the record deal he had signed with Family Productions was highly unfavorable, Joel decided to pack his bags and leave New York for Los Angeles. There, under the alias Bill Martin to fly under the radar, he shortly worked as a piano man in The Executive Room (bar) to pay his rent.
Besides the tips and free drinks, Joel despised the job. Later, Joel even admitted he no longer feels self-pity as a musician, knowing there are pianists out there who have to work these kinds of jobs their entire lives. Thankfully, Joel himself chose the songwriting path, and shared his brief experiences as a piano man via a song.
The Meaning of the Song
“Piano Man” describes Billy Joel’s experiences of working as a piano man in The Executive Room. The song is set on a typical Saturday night, with Joel describing the bar’s regular crowd, as well as his important role to make the visitors forget about life for a while.
“It’s what really went on when I was a piano man in this piano bar,” Joel reflected. “All the characters have the same name: there was John at the bar, the bartender; Davy was in the Navy; a guy named Paul, who was a real estate agent and was trying to write the great American novel, and the waitress (practicing politics), who was my girlfriend at the time and then became my wife.”
Despite the song’s cheerful chorus, the verses of “Piano Man” reveal that the bar is filled with a sad atmosphere. The visitors are all dreamers who’d rather be somewhere else, and visit the bar to share their dreams – and loneliness – with others. Therefore, Billy Joel was flabbergasted when the song became a hit. “It’s kind of a depressing song: a bunch of people drinking their troubles away, asking the piano man to make them feel better. I was surprised it became so well-known.”
What was Billy Joel’s Repertoire as a Piano Man?
As the regular crowd shuffles in at the beginning of the song, an old man sitting next to Joel requests an old song. After “Piano Man” became popular, many people wondered what Joel’s repertoire was in the Executive Room. “I didn’t really have a pat list. I just played whatever popped into my head at the time,” Joel stated. “It was probably a combination of Hoagy Carmichael, the Beatles, and whatever big pop hit there was at the time.” Joel didn’t play his own repertoire, as he was disguised.
Harmonica
A distinctive feature of “Piano Man” is its harmonica part. When asked if Joel was inspired by Bob Dylan for the harmonica part, Billy Joel admitted the influence. “Of course I was. I remember I saw Bob Dylan when he played in the Village in the early ’60s. He was wearing that harmonica holder. The first thought was, ‘Oh, this guy’s been in a car accident’ — I thought it was some kind of neck brace. I always loved Dylan’s style of harmonica playing: he breathes in, he breathes out. And if his lips happen to hit the right notes, great.”
Read more: The 10 Best Billy Joel Songs of All Time
Release and Legacy
After six months of playing as Bill Martin in The Executive Room, it was time for Billy Joel to release music under his real name again. However, he still had that unfavorable contract with Family Productions. In exchange for 4 percent of each sale of Joel’s first ten albums – another unfavorable deal – Family Productions’ owner Artie Ripp allowed Billy Joel to sign with Columbia Records (In 1978, Columbia Records’ president Walter Yetnikoff eventually bought back Joel’s publishing rights as a birthday gift).
With Columbia Records, Billy Joel released his second studio album Piano Man. The title song was released as the album’s lead single on November 2, 1973. “Piano Man” became Billy Joel’s first hit, peaking at number 25 on the US Billboard Hot 100.
After Billy Joel had his big commercial breakthrough in 1977 with his iconic studio album The Stranger, “Piano Man” regained popularity. Over the years, “Piano Man” became Joel’s signature song and nickname, selling over 5 million single copies in the United States alone.
Sometime around 1970, a guy very much like Billy Joel played a few sets one night at the LIU Student Coffee House in the Brooklyn Center. We were making an effort to establish an on campus entertainment venue for the students. He may have been there as Billy Martin since the timing is approximate to his keeping a low profile; or it may have been someone else working a similar piano player gig. Anyway, this was long ago before Piano Man became a hit. I would like to know if it was him.