A Literalist Reaction to Billy Joel - Movin' Out (Anthony's Song)

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A little about us:
Dave (the 36-year-old with the impressive beard) was raised almost completely sheltered from pop culture by his strict military family. He was homeschooled K-12. He legitimately has very little knowledge of music and artists from before 2000.
John (the guy in disguise) has been a MUSIC LOVER since he was born in the 1960's. Problem is, he rarely knows the lyrics to the music he loves.
Dave, on the other hand, has never heard or rarely overheard the music that John chooses to play for him, but does an impressive job sussing out the meanings behind the lyrics, sometimes to unexpected ends.
John remains in the dark both as a wry play on the situation but also because of legal issues causing his attorney to recommend maintaining a low profile.
We did not write, nor do we own the Copyright for the song used in this Educational Reaction Video. This is a real, honest reaction to a song Dave have never consciously heard before and/or listened to with intent. Any "facts" offered by John "Doh" are based more on his remembrances than on any actual research. Please feel free to correct him. He loves it.
Fair use principles under Section 107 of the Copyright Act allow the unlicensed use of copyrighted materials for fair use purposes, such as commentary, criticism, teaching, and news reporting.

[@scottmoquin]

Billy Joel has the uncanny ability to make you feel like you are in New York City when you listen to his songs.

[@johnmorgan7262]

That album was inescapable in 77-78 in NYC. This was one of the first albums given to me as a youth.

[@CygnusBOB]

The album was released in 1977.

[@coils4foil537]

I’m retiring in a few weeks. Staying away from NJ.

[@ghiaman65]

Good reaction as usual - the vehicle driving away was one of the band member’s Corvette.

[@michaelbaucom4019]

Leadoff song of the masterpiece album The Stranger...great lyrics, musically superior, catchy. A day at the office for Billy Joel Squeezing the Charmin?! ROFLMAO

[@riccardoangeli802]

Non ho mai conosciuto un pezzo di Piano Man che non sia un autentico gioiello ... Talento tremendo ... Specialmente " live " ... Da giovane un portento ....

[@LiteralistReactions]

Sono d'accordo! - JD

[@jpirard]

PISSoff on that. New Jersey is a great state. Jersey is not all Newark. Lots of farmland and orchards, etc. And I lived in Hackensack. It is a really nice town.

[@LiteralistReactions]

I actually love South Jersey. Lived in Wildwood for a few years. More corn stalks than people down south! - JD

[@do0ranfrump260]

"Allentown", "Pressure" More Billy Joel. For story Stan Ridgeway, " "I Wanna Be a Boss", "Drive, She Said", "Camouflage", "The Big Heat"

[@stephanevilleneuve9450]

I think guys you’re ready for his great NewYork State of Mind 🤩.

[@LiteralistReactions]

Stephane! Long time. - JD

[@WayneWenthin]

YAY! We can hear John! Oh and Great Song too.

[@LiteralistReactions]

Yeah - and I uploaded the wrong versions of 2 songs in a row! This new step to record my audio separately is a pain in the neck but the end results are pretty good. I humbly think we have the best overall sound quality of any Reactioneer. - JD

[@Hockeytown19]

You missed the whole point of “making it” not being worth it. Sort of, is the juice worth the squeeze. The song is about whether busting your butt to make the extra dough is worth it, if your body is broken from it, or you pay it all in taxes etc, and him choosing to not follow that lifestyle. Instead of moving up (in the world, income etc), he is moving out (living for the now, etc.). Swing and a miss on that one.

[@mowerdan8133]

This song did NOT come out in 1980! The album was released in 1977. This single was a huge hit on the Pop Charts in early 1978. A quick Wikipedia search before your reviews would solve future issues with your dates.

[@LiteralistReactions]

I don't recall mentioning a release date on that one... sorry. - JD

[@mowerdan8133]

@LiteralistReactions You said it came out in 1980, sometime after the song was over.

[@djlaino]

Just great music. Billy Joel is an amazing talent and this is an example of that. And it has nice NYC references (which I have noted before in Joel songs), including Hackensack as mentioned, but also Sullivan Street which is the heart of Little Italy in Manhattan (hence Mister Cacciatore's). Billy's lyrics aren't typically too deep, so I am not sure I can think of one that would be a challenge for LD to dissect. I think you already did the ones I can think of (e.g. Scenes form an Italian Restaurant). Maybe try Captain Jack next.

[@nickavenoso7851]

Everything is right except Hackensack is located in New Jersey.

[@1KING7AW]

2 suggestions for reactions: Captain Jack & The Ballad of Billy the Kid

[@LiteralistReactions]

We did Captain Jack - kzbin.info/www/bejne/i4qogHWKftCBd8U but Billy the Kid is a great choice... coming soon! - JD

[@1KING7AW]

@@LiteralistReactions my apology for having missed the Captain Jack reaction. Looking forward to hearing it! Appreciate your channel

[@popeyeone7479]

IF DAVE LIKES STORY SONGS TRY A HARRY CHAPIN SONG?

[@LiteralistReactions]

Hmmm... such as "30,000 Pounds of Bananas"? - JD

[@sfygzl5296]

Please reacting to BLACKPINK - KILL THIS LOVE

[@eckthtraetheth]

🤣

[@sfygzl5296]

​@@eckthtraetheth what's wrong with you?

[@LiteralistReactions]

@sfygzl5296 My guess would be that since you suggested a Korean teeny-bopper song on a page like ours, you were either joking or very confused. - JD

[@eckthtraetheth]

Billy jutht bringth it. You can't deny hith chopth! I think he moved up and out to the Hudthon Valley eventually. Retirement ith a newer conthept? Um, no. That'th jutht ignorant. Even the Roman military had retirement planth. I retired at 47 becauthe I buthted my ath to run a thucthethful bithneth WHILE contributing to thothiety. And thtill do. How doth Dave contribute again? Couch warmer?

[@LiteralistReactions]

Zing. Well done. - JD

[@eckthtraetheth]

@@LiteralistReactions Maybe I wath a bit hathty with bein nathty. Women have become the breadwinnerth thethe dayth. Bein a white dude ith the kith of death, Jon. Pluth, would YOU hire Dave? Hell to the NO! He'd thcare away the cuthtomerth.

[@LiteralistReactions]

I almost hate to say this, but I actually did hire Dave and he quickly became a crowd favorite. He's just a big lovable huggybear in person. - JD

[@eckthtraetheth]

@@LiteralistReactions He growth on you like a funguth. No thpank you!

[@LiteralistReactions]

Dave here, I LOVE that you pointed this out. I have had this exact conversation with a buddy of mine who teaches history. The problem with Roman army Retirment was that it was expected that your Retirment was to be funded by both literal slave labor and taxes from other countries you would have theoretically helped conquer. It was not something simply offered to all citizens, but those who spent their lives actively murdering and subjugating others who would then be actively robbed to pay for said Retirment. I could write a much longer diatribe on this but my (poorly worded) point was supposed to be Retirment both historically and in modern times is not a good thing. But while past retirement was predicated robbing and enslaving a group of fellow humans declared your enemies because of their birthplace or parentage, modern Retirment is new in that it is predicated on robbing your kids and grandkids. For a group of people to simply not work for an extended period of time, means another group of people must fund their lives. Whether that funding comes from slavery and taxing the conquered, or giving your kids and grandkids a much harder time and far fewer opportunities is what has changed. Despite the murder and enslavement, there is a part of me that feels that doing it in a more subtle way to your own offspring is somehow worse. As usual I will by no means claim to have explained this well. But I will ask this, take some honest time and start going over how much of your early Retirment was due to your in a bubble hard work, and how much was pure luck of the draw that most other people weren't given. I am not trying to discount the effort I'm sure you put in, but after my time in Bangladesh watching people pull a rickshaw on foot for 12 hours to earn 30 bucks a month when rent was 20 and the rental of the rickshaw was 5 definitely changed my perspective on hard work being the thing that makes you rich. Some of the hardest workers I have ever seen were the Guatemalans that I spent a summer with as we cut down trees along power lines. 10 hour days 6 to 7 days a week and the owner who started the company with a large loan from his dad and a good word to the city council from his mom... who was a board member... was none-stop talking about how hard he worked to get where he was. I'm not trying to say any of this is you, I have no idea what your experiences in life are. But someone who retires at 47 did not work as hard as dudes still cutting down trees in their late 50's. He got luckier than them. You crack me up regularly, I adore being called out on anything and you were right too. I did not clearly enunthiate my wordth because I'm a human who metheth up a whole lot. I guarantee it won't be the last time, and I don't even claim to be fully right here. Just where I am at right now in my journey in life. Davessssssss done typing now. Laterssssssss