Billy Joel
Billy Joel
William Martin "Billy" Joelis an American pianist, singer-songwriter and composer. Since releasing his first hit song, "Piano Man", in 1973, Joel has become the sixth best-selling recording artist and the third best-selling solo artist in the United States. His compilation album Greatest Hits Vol. 1 & 2 is one of the best-selling albums in the US...
NationalityAmerican
ProfessionRock Singer
Date of Birth9 May 1949
CityNew York City, NY
CountryUnited States of America
I always thought of myself as the piano player in the band. That, I suppose, I'm confident about, and I guess my songwriting developed as I went along and I got a certain amount of confidence in that. The songs are like my kids, I'm proud of all of them for one reason or another.
If you tell kids they can't have something, that's what they want.
My songs are like my kids.
There was an edge of, 'Go away kid, you're bothering me'. I've kicked myself a million times since. I could've discovered Whitney Houston.
I was drawn to boxing because I got beat up as a kid. I was the kid with the piano books in a New York neighbourhood.
From a town known as Wheeling, West Virginia Rode a boy with a six-gun in his hand And his daring life of crime made him a legend in his time East and west of the Rio Grande. Well, he started with a bank in Colorado In the pocket of his vest a Colt he hid. And his age and his size took the teller by surprise, And the word spread of Billy the Kid.
I compare songwriting to childbirth. How many kids can you have before your uterus explodes?
I've only felt content a few times in my life, and it never lasted. I'm very discontented right now. There are situations in my life that didn't pan out. I'm like most other human beings. I try and I fail.
I see the winos talking to themselvesAnd I can understand.
They all want your white body, and they await your reply.But, between you and me, and this Staten Island ferry... so do I...
And the word spread of Billy the Kid.
Rolling Stone magazine would not say anything positive about me, and they were the tastemakers at the time. There were people from the old guard who insisted I wasn't a real rock and roller. Well, O.K., fine -- I'm not a real rock and roller. You got me.
Some people sleep all alone every nightInstead of taking a lover to bedSome people find that it's easier to hateThan to wait anymore.
Don't go trying some new fashionDon't change the color of your hair. . . .I could not love you any betterI love you just the way you are.