Piano Man by Billy Joel: A Nostalgic Hit from 1973

The Piano Man by Billy Joel was released in 1973 as the lead single of his second studio album with the same title. It was a significant hit, reaching the twenty-fifth spot on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. Joel wrote the song during his time playing piano at the Executive Room bar in Los Angeles, where he had a regular audience of patrons who inspired the lyrics of the song. It has since become one of Joel's signature songs and a fan favorite.

• Piano Man was released in 1973 as the lead single from Billy Joel's second studio album of the same name.

• The harmonica solo in Piano Man was performed by Robert Popwell, one of the members of Joel's band at the time.

• The lyrics of Piano Man were inspired by the experiences Joel had while performing at a piano bar in Los Angeles.

It's nine o'clock on a Saturday

The regular crowd shuffles in

There's an old man sitting next to me

Making love to his tonic and gin

He says, "Son can you play me a memory

I'm not really sure how it goes

But it's sad and it's sweet

And I knew it complete

When I wore a younger man's clothes."

Sing us a song you're the piano man

Sing us a song tonight

Well we're all in the mood for a melody

And you've got us feeling alright

Now John at the bar is a friend of mine

He gets me my drinks for free

And he's quick with a joke or to light up your smoke

But there's someplace that he'd rather be

He says, "Bill, I believe this is killing me."

As a smile ran away from his face

"Well, I'm sure that I could be a movie star

If I could get out of this place."

Now Paul is a real estate novelist

Who never had time for a wife

And he's talking with Davy, who's still in the Navy

And probably will be for life

And the waitress is practicing politics

As the businessmen slowly get stoned

Yes they're sharing a drink they call "Loneliness"

But it's better than drinking alone

Sing us a song you're the piano man

Sing us a song tonight

Well we're all in the mood for a melody

And you've got us feeling alright

It's a pretty good crowd for a Saturday

And the manager gives me a smile

'Cause he knows that it's me they've been coming to see

To forget about life for a while

And the piano it sounds like a carnival

And the microphone smells like a beer

And they sit at the bar and put bread in my jar

And say, "Man, what are you doing here?"

Sing us a song you're the piano man

Sing us a song tonight

Well we're all in the mood for a melody

And you've got us feeling alright