Every musician who performs in an ordinary bar or cafe dreams of writing a hit song that elevates them into stardom. It sort of happened that way for Billy Joel, but it wasn’t overnight that his success began.
In his early days, Joel pursued band life and signed a record deal that turned out to be a nightmare. He left New York and escaped to Los Angeles, hiding in the lounge scene under a different name, Bill Martin. He played piano in a bar, helped people forget their troubles, and met some unforgettable characters. It was all good material for a song.
“It’s what really went on when I was a piano man in this piano bar,” Joel shared. “All the characters have the same name: there was John at the bar, the bartender; Davy wasin the Navy; a guy named Paul, who wasa 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.”
Joel felt his song reflected the sadness and loneliness of the bar visitors, and he didn’t expect the song to become 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.”
“Piano Man” does, in fact, speak to the human struggle, of everyday people trying to get by, looking for a song to help them feel better. It connects us in our love for music, despite the loneliness of our individual struggles.
Billy Joel became a revered storyteller and songwriter with the recognition of “Piano Man,” which has since become a beloved classic and continues to resonate with each generation.
The song is a waltz, written in 3/4 time, with chord changes on the first beat of each measure. It has an upbeat dance quality despite its melancholy lyrics. The song is in the key of C and is comprised of common chords found in pop music: I, IV, ii7, V, V7, vi.
“Piano Man” is a great song for every pianist to know, and this arrangement is easy even for beginners!