Top 10 Anthems: Billy Joel
The Piano Man.
The Entertainer.
Billy Joel has gone by many names over the years, and for good reason. A seasoned musician, Joel is one of the most popular recording artists of all time, and he is the only person to ever have a residency at Madison Square Garden.
I decided to rank the Piano Man’s top 10 songs, here they are:
- “The Entertainer” (Streetlife Serenade, 1974)
An iconic Billy Joel song, “The Entertainer” is a happy mix of guitar and piano, making a perfect formula for a song. Being one of his catchiest songs, many can sing along.
- “Miami 2017″ (Seen the Lights go out on Broadway) (Turnstiles, 1976)
Often a concert opener, “Miami 2017″ shows off Joel’s impressive piano skills while also giving us a showing of the band. It’s simple. Fans love when he opens a concert with this song.
- “Only the Good Die Young” (The Stranger, 1977)
With the instantly recognizable piano intro, “Only the Good Die Young” is certainly one of Joel’s most popular songs. It has memorable lyrics and is in good company on the very famous album, The Stranger.
- “Uptown Girl” (An Innocent Man, 1983)
Paired with the iconic music video, “Uptown Girl” is yet another sing-along song. Certainly, this famous hit is a memorable song paired with its iconic video at the car repair shop.
- “We Didn’t Start the Fire” (Storm Front, 1989)
Providing fans with entertainment and a history lesson, “We Didn’t Start the Fire” is one of my personal favorites and is certainly some of Joel’s best work. The sunglasses and black suit were indeed trademarked in this music video.
- “Captain Jack” (Piano Man, 1972)
People may not know the name, but “Captain Jack” is a very memorable tune by Joel. Certainly, a rare and great song to hear live these days, Joel created a great tune worthy of multiple replays.
- “Vienna” (The Stranger, 1977)
A masterpiece in many senses, “Vienna” takes you on an Italian journey (like other songs on the list) and is one of Joel’s top tunes. It’s another song that is simply fantastic live.
- “Piano Man” (Piano Man, 1973)
When it’s “9 o’clock on a Saturday” any person should know what song to listen to. In possibly his most popular song, Joel becomes the “Piano Man” and tells his story of playing in bars. Any fan at a Billy Joel concert will most definitely sing this song.
- “New York State of Mind” (Turnstiles, 1976)
“Nothing beats hearing “New York State of Mind” in New York.” -Mrs. Heite
My mom could not have said it any better. In arguably his most replayable song, Billy Joel brings the pride of New York into a song. It is certainly the best song to hear at Madison Square Garden.
- “Scenes from an Italian Restaurant” (The Stranger, 1977)
In a perfect mix of fast and slow-moving music, Billy Joel performs arguably one of the greatest songs of all time. It tells the story of a couple that hangs around an Italian restaurant. Expert storytelling and a perfect melody make “Scenes from an Italian Restaurant” number one on this list.
Honorable Mentions:
–“My Life”
–“It’s Still Rock and Roll to Me”
–“Everybody Loves You Now”
–“The River of Dreams”
–“You May Be Right”
–“Allentown”
–“Pressure”
–“Big Shot”
–“Don’t Ask Me Why”
Billy Joel is still doing his historic residency at the garden, and I’m definitely not the only one who doesn’t want it to end.
(Photo via Billboard.com)
