Billy Joel - Piano Man (Official HD Video) - First Time Reaction

[@dawgeral333]

This really happened...to Billy Joel. He was having disputes with a record company...so he went out on his own. He played in piano bars to make ends meet. The dispute was resolved eventually and the rest is history.

[@kevanbodsworth9868]

One of the best song writers of the age ,

[@legaljedi8415]

Billy Joel's "Just the Way You Are" Won Record of the Year and Song of the Year at the 21st Grammy Awards in 1978. The song was from Joel's album The Stranger. It beat out The Bee Gees Stayin Alive from Saturday Night Fever. It was an upset. You might do some reaction from the Stranger and that title song. That would be fantastic

[@carolmeindl9508]

You know it’s a great song when you want there to be more verses.

[@CaptainBakerJason]

The song is sung from the point of view of the Piano Man, Bill (Billy Joel). Your instinct is right though as the full version released in ‘73 if memory serves has additional verses. This video was made in about ‘85 when MTV was established and is an abbreviated more radio-friendly version.

[@jayarr961]

"when I wore a younger man's clothes' 'Sharing a drink they call loneliness, but it is better than drinking alone" 'To forget about life for awhile' Billy plants images with his words. We all know who he was talking about in each course, we have all met these people

[@griffinmeyerson9247]

I’ve seen Billy Joel twice in concert. Both times, once was a stadium set it was a sing a long! Thanks for this.

[@Laudon1228]

It takes a master singer/songwriter to create one of greatest songs, and biggest pop hits of the late 20th century. He tells an everyman story with the words of a poet, set to waltz time. Piano Man changed top 40 radio, it helped made it possible for Queen’s Bohemian Rhapsody to reach the audience it deserved. I really hope you check out his song “Scenes From An Italian Restaurant”, more amazing musical storytelling. Similarly, Jim Croce’s “Operqtor”.

[@lclark6854]

This is a classic. Genius lyrics, great tune, beautifully sung and played.

[@oldladylovesBruno]

One of his best songs! Thank you for not interrupting the song. I hate when "reactors" interrupt so much.

[@adjsoadhawuidbgiawd]

if you wanna listen to the song then don't watch a reaction video. reactors are supposed to interrupt to speak about what they think and actually REACT to it

[@jillmcilwain2633]

🎹🎵🎙💥 To me, Billy Joel, is and will always be, musical royalty. Can you believe this song was released 50 years ago!!! This was His finest, a great story wrapped around a beautiful melody. Most definitely the "Piano Man". ❤ I feel so fortunate to have seen him several times. Such a consummate performer/entertainer. Nice job parsing of the lyrics, Hap! Very enjoyable. 🎶 Thanks for the awesome choice Nanner! Peace J ✌ ☮ 💕🦂

[@VUM.M]

Oh, how fortunate Jill💕🙋🏻‍♀️

[@jillmcilwain2633]

@hap3speakz Since this was his first solo release and a new artist, perhaps he didn't yet belong, among the greats and was dreaming of becoming one of them, one day....

[@HAP3SPEAKZ]

that`s preety rad u got to c him :)

[@detlevschoen4753]

I have seen him live 2 times -- perfect 🥰

[@jillmcilwain2633]

@@detlevschoen4753 3 for me, once with Elton John. Such great experiences! We are very fortunate. Nothing like a LIVE show 💕🥳

[@bobwilliams1827]

I think the entire song is The Piano Man’s story. He plays at the bar night after night telling the stories of other people. While “They sit at the bar and put bread in my jar. And say man what are you doing here?” Implying that deep down even he wishes he was somewhere else.

[@MySerpentine]

I think that bit is more that having someone as good as Billy Joel in a random bar would be surprising as fuck :D

[@Johnny96ri]

It's true...Billy REALLY DID play in a piano bar for ~6 months. EVeryone in the song was a real person.

[@Dr_KAP]

Was about to say the exact same thing. Good call Bob Williams. No need for an extra verse, the song is his verse. This was his life story at this point in time. We see it, hear it, smell it and feel it. By the end of the song we almost know what it’s like to be him!

[@vargr198]

@@Dr_KAP This was my instant impulse as well. :) That line says it all. He's not different from anyone in the crowd. He's trading away his dreams for his daily bread in the jar as everyone else. And I'm typing this while sipping wine straight from the bottle on Saturday night alone. :))))

[@Dr_KAP]

@@vargr198 Sunday morning here I’m about to make a coffee, the cockatoos are squawking, kookaburras laughing and lots of colourful parrots singing good morning!!

[@rubyleuty9417]

Billy Joel was a piano bar singer. He knew everyone he is singing about.

[@rosec1933]

You get Billy. So hear his other songs and listen to his talent through the year.

[@MN_Cozy]

👏👏👏Love Billy Joel!! Think of the time, I remember, no cell phones, no calls, no text, just people living live, no distractions from outside of the room!

[@dgator3599]

He is a phenomenal writer.

[@thomasfreeman2088]

This was inspired by his job when he was hiding from his first record producer for about 6 months. Professor of Rock has a great episode where he dives into all the details. Great song and performer

[@tombanaski3251]

Check out Billy Joel’s appearance on “Inside the Actor’s Studio” on KZbin as well-its pretty long but he goes through a lot of his greatest son*s and what went into writing them, and he even plays the piano a bit as well. He truly is a genius and we are all lucky to have lived during his lifetime.

[@Adameia_]

If i remember correctly he was going from bar to bar working while hiding because he didn't want to write the last song in his contract for them, and that these stories are not all from the same place.

[@chelz1972]

A classic, unforgettable nice song.. quite popular donkeys years ago. 😉

[@jeffkistler6600]

Seen him 5 times , it's amazing as he plays the piano and harmonica at the same time. He sings the verses and the crowd sings the chorus. Imagine 50,000 singing together ❤️

[@elizabethrodriguez1095]

This may be his most popular song and he's definitely the piano man!

[@26shedan]

what a storyteller, even without the video he paints the picture-beautiful.

[@RealDrunkenMaster]

One of the few songs we have in America that can be a sing along...

[@phughes4224]

The line ... "man, what are you doing here" was his story i.e. he'd rather be somewhere else too ... same as the others.

[@fairydust-weepthewildwinds]

Love your reaction ♥️👍🎶 you pay attention to the song/story without stopping the music…. Absolutely Love it♥️🎶👍. Billy Joel has epic songs, great song writer. Thank you for sharing

[@kimking6036]

The song is what he's thinking. This is a true story. It's how he got started.

[@jughtful]

just some of My favorite Billy Joel songs ''Scenes from an Italian Restaurant'', ''Uptown Girl'', ''The Longest Time'', ''river of dreams'', ''You're Only Human'' (Second Wind)

[@melliehobson8299]

Maybe one of the best of all time.

[@TechyMantis]

I have had the pleasure of seeing Billy Joel live in London and it was one of the best concerts I have had seen

[@jimfrederick3907]

Everyone knows every word, and sings along at every show he's ever done! Also, Any bar will erupt in song if this played!

[@patticrichton1135]

we DID sing along to this! I saw him live in concert several times and "Piano Man" was always the highlight. He would have the entire arena sing the last chorus on our own, and it was such an event. We all are swaying back and forth through the whole song. LOVE BILLY JOEL he has SO many GREAT songs and a lot of great videos to go along with many of them. I hope you will check them out! In this song, the lyrics I love BEST, is "as a smile RAN AWAY from his face" and "it's sad and it's sweet and I knew it complete when I WORE A YOUNGER MAN'S CLOTHES." Love how he describes a smile disappearing, by "ran away from his face" and then describing the way an old man talks about when he was younger. Love it.

[@barbarabisson2551]

Yes, the title of the song would suggest it's about the piano man, but it's less narcistic. He obviously cares more about the others and their reasons for being there.

[@jodibennett-bradshawrbtmph836]

I don't think he can or he would break apart. He's holding it together as best he can. Also, that wedding ring was zoomed in on purpose, missing his wife at home

[@Johnny96ri]

Wife wasn't at home. When Billy played in the piano bar, his wife Libby was a waitress.

[@marvalstith2749]

Perfect music; perfect lyrics; perfect video; wonderful performance art. Yes fantastic diversion. Glad I stumbled onto it tonight. (The ending, the piano man let us into his mind when he told us they asked him "what are you doing here? That's his angst.

[@cdfdesantis699]

Very perceptive of you. Note how he sings, "La la la di di da", after he tells about the various people's boring, humdrum lives. Then, he sings the same thing at the end, when he says they all ask, "Man, what're you doin' here?". He implies being the "piano man" is boring & humdrum, & he has dreams, as well. Brilliant poet/songwriter. Thanks for your reaction.

[@Ecstatic_Alchemy]

I love this perspective! This written based on his life, I believe when moved to LA and worked at the piano bar. And I suspect, for people who heard it for the first time when it was released, you got to see what happened to the piano man….he did get out of the bar. 😊

[@nanner3200]

Billy is a trip. Everything from deep, well written stories to a few pop type songs. He's done several "Face to Face tours" with Elton where it's their two piano's on stage. EPIC concerts! Like others here, I have seen Billy solo and twice with Sir Elton. He's very much a New Yorker and some of his performances around 9/11 are very meaningful. His catalog is long and most are story type songs. He semi retired for a while but now back to touring at age 73! He did, for a while just Madison Square Garden ever so often. Yes. He can still fill it! Of course he has Grammy's (6 of them), received the Kennedy Center Honor, People choice award, Grammy Legend award and even a Tony award. Good point about "The Piano Man" Never thought of that!

[@Ira88881]

The entire song WAS about him. You have to know the timeline: His first album never sold and never got any radio play because they mastered it to play back too fast. He sounds like a soprano. The album is called “Cold Spring Harbor.” He split with the record company, got all depressed over the disaster, and he moved to LA and had to resort to playing in piano bars. When he finally regrouped, he produced the album “Piano Man,” this song being the title song. The song was a monster hit, although he didn’t become a monster star until his third album, “The Stranger.” (I was 17 in 1973 when “Piano Man” came out.) Anyway… One of his final lines in this song is “Man, what are you doing here,” which is the customers saying he’s too talented to just be playing in bars. It’s also his way of saying… “I’m too talented, too determined, too motivated and I have to leave this shit behind me for bigger and better things, for stardom.” And this song is his way of saying that to the world.

[@sumerfluffy]

Billy Joel is Epic! This is what I consider his anthem song for me. He has so many great songs! Loved your reaction! 🥰🔥🥰

[@HAP3SPEAKZ]

Thanks Sumer :)

[@Hipnosis65]

The Piano Man is in the song. Everyone in the song wishes they were somewhere else, or is trapped in one way or another. John at the bar, Paul the real estate novelist, Davy in the navy, the waitress practising politics, the businessmen sharing a drink they call loneliness, but it's better than drinking alone. Then there is Billy... everyone is coming to see him and saying... Man what are you doing here!? He's stuck with the rest of them in the bar. Billy is my favourite, I've been listening since I turned 12... 46 years ago.

[@jenniferwood7577]

I grew up with this as one of my favorite songs, especially as a Long Island kid.

[@ericpohlmeyer4116]

Fantastic! Reaction! Perfect my Bro!

[@HAP3SPEAKZ]

Thanks 💯

[@seanscanlon9067]

What was going through Billy Joel's head was: "I'm gonna get a song out of this".

[@yambo59]

This is Billy Joels masterpiece, the perfect tale of a piano bar on saturday nite.

[@sannaolsson9106]

This is my favorite storytelling song ❤️

[@zimjun7]

Billy Joel is thinking how we would be thinking and how they are feeling. He's commiserating with them.

[@dawnburris6412]

This is one of my favorite songs!❤

[@SaintJoi]

I love Billy Joel because so much of his music requires some life experience to appreciate. Most teens won't see "Honesty" as a love song, but when you've been lied to a few times, it can move you to tears. When I heard Piano Man during my growing up years, I liked the tune, but lines like "They're sharing a drink they call loneliness, but it's better than drinking alone" just totally missed me.

[@katemcbride8715]

The great thing about this song is that it is a story and it makes you think about the people. You become philosophical. The observations of the pianoman setting the scene of his professional life. The irony of people thinking he is mesnt for greater things while he does what they all do. He works for a living and looks for meaning. Also, he's good enough and plays well enough thst he has all this time to think, while playing. You might like "The entertainer" for similar commentary on life with great music. "Goodnight Saigon" "New York state of mind" are also good off tge top of my head. 😁

[@detlevschoen4753]

Perfect...Billy Joel & band in perfection: you all must have to look at the DVD: "Live in Leningrad". This overwhelmes everybody !!! 👍😉

[@jameshaberkorn8728]

Good song, and a good/ interesting reaction. Thanks for another one.

[@HAP3SPEAKZ]

Thank you too!

[@jewely9757]

Billy started out in piano bars in New York City. I think his story is where he started his career who became a major star.

[@Terri6868]

He is the piano man. Just saw him in concert with Stevie Nicks in August. 💯🔥🔥

[@Vmcf1968]

love me some billy joel

[@jimmythetout109]

Thia song is one of many Billy Joel autobiographical tunes ......Joel spent several years playing in NYC piano bars .......his " Uptown Girl " tune was his opus to his former wife , top model Christie Brinkley .....

[@stuckinchaselandia6427]

Nice reaction. I will say, he does speak of himself. He says theyve been coming to see him and they put bread in his jar in the last verse.

[@WildLifeDrummer]

Great art always makes you want more...

[@horstschafer1839]

I think, his feelings can be heard between the lines. It's in the melancholic melody.

[@angelafranzin6792]

Thats why I always come back to your channel - your honest thoughts - hugs from Germany - I will never forget your visit at Freddies home when the tree fell down 😱😱❤❤

[@HAP3SPEAKZ]

ahhhh !! What are the odds of that ? that moment, at that time ! & I had happend to be streaming on a LIVE. Thanks for supporting the channel :) - we keep going !

[@angelafranzin6792]

@@HAP3SPEAKZ ❤❤once in a lifetime - now memories

[@jessicaleblanc-nh1yl]

As, others stated...this is a classic. Singing this one since I was little. He has a whole gamut of beautiful wonders. Check them out. One to possibly listen to is: We Didn't Start the Fire. Thank you for sharing this one.

[@texaz58]

I loved singing along with this song. Years ago it came on the radio and I was listening to it and when it ended I realized that something was missing. i did not figure it out until I heard it a few more times. They cut out part of the song due to time constraints. I was like WTH, you do not mess with The Piano Man!

[@etc7070]

So glad you came back to Billy Joel, and as usual, I enjoyed your enjoyment of it and your insights. If you think this is a song for singing along to, imagine STADIUMS filled to capacity singing the chorus in perfect unison, because that's what still happens to this day since he still does concerts in his 70s. I hope you react to more of his songs! He is a storytelling genius and I think you might have a lot of interesting things to say about his lyrics and musicality. Might I recommend Scenes From an Italian Restaurant? One could say it's Billy's own Bohemian Rhapsody or A Day in the Life.

[@debjorgo]

One of Billy's greats. I like his rockin' songs, but he does Pop and Classical as well. My favorites are Scenes from an Italian Restaurant, The Stranger, My Life and Still Rock and Roll to Me.

[@jodibennett-bradshawrbtmph836]

You're right about Davy & the Navy relationship. He was speaking for them too

[@marygriffiths2950]

Billy Joel is one of the best singer / songwriters of my lifetime. Thank you HAP35SPEAKZ

[@joannleaf8118]

I feel like this song was about him. Maybe how he started out. He has been the piano man as long as I have known him.❤

[@terridostal1348]

You just took me back to 1976 when I use to go to a piano bar. I did go to see the good looking piano player. He got asked to play this song a lot and of course my favorite Your Song.

[@melissabrooke1146]

Excellent reaction and analysis 😃

[@Marrero79]

Please react to more Billy Joel songs. Some great ones are: You’re My Home, Captain Jack, The Entertainer, Movin’ Out, Only The Good Die Young, Just the Way You Are, My Life, It’s Still Rock and Roll to Me, You May Be Right, Goodnight Saigon, An Innocent Man, I Go To Extremes, Leningrad, The Downeaster “Alexa”, And So It Goes, and The River of Dreams. As you already know, Billy is a fabulous lyricist. The lyrics on these songs are great. 💕💜💕💜💕💜

[@joymaxs2874]

Awesome music here. Awesome reaction Hap!

[@VUM.M]

💯🙋🏻‍♀️

[@antichoice1]

I like your take.

[@VUM.M]

Oh I love Billy Joel and this song for me is one of his finest. An interesting point of view from you HAP. I’ve never thought about that. But you're right, the Piano Man never spoke about himself or his feelings. A little of escapism is sometimes all we need. A chance and a moment to forget, no matter who you are or what background you come from. This is what I feel with this channel. Whenever I need a distraction, I just come over here and listen to one of the many reactions. Something for every mood. So yes I just can recommend, like and subscribe 👍. Great analysis HAP and wonderful choice Nanner🥰🙋🏻‍♀️.

[@cnatview]

Thanks for your reaction to this song with this video. Another Billy Joel song that will blow your mind is, "Scenes from an Italian Restaurant". He takes you on a journey with that song too. If you can find the live performance, Live from Long Island, his performance of the song will even blow your mind...along with the song. Enjoyed this a lot. Take care and be well, Haps. Peace.

[@YummyBrummy]

Its how he started in the clubs. Under his original name if you look at the promotion poster. Shear Brilliance

[@thomastimlin1724]

When we first heard this 1973 or so, it was only the radio no video. We didn't need a farkin video to envision the story Billy was telling in our heads. We listened with our ears and our imagination, not our eyes. This is really a story about Billy being a pianist in bars like this before he became famous. This is the song that launched him but it would be 4 years before he really did an album, the Stranger that made him a superstar. He really knew his music theory and musicianship. The George Gershwin of his era really. if you don't know who Gershwin was, get musically educated at least online.

[@maryl1785]

Billy Joel's verse, I believe, are all his songs that he has since written, performed and published.

[@maryhuhnke4706]

He's from my neighborhood on Long Island New York. Super nice guy!

[@ben1ben]

Really really enjoyed this reaction, you spoke a lot of things out of my mind with your thoughts. Its truly a masterpiece of a song, lyrically and instrumentally. Very interesting though that you think it misses a verse, I can see that now lol. This song is based on a true story, Billy was a bar pianist. Great reaction. Changing to something different, you like UK Drill and grime right? have you heard of Pete and Bas? if not I would love to see you react to them, the ''Pete and Bas Plugged in with Fumez'' is amazing lol.

[@larryparker8677]

The piano man was quite popular during the 1950's and sixties. This is a beautiful rendition of the way it was. People would flock to your upscale hotels on a Saturday night and join in with the piano man in song.

[@stellarpod]

Oh, but he DID talk about himself. "...and they sit at the bar and put bread in my jar and say, 'man, what are you doing here?". And that's the question that haunts the Piano Man. He's making the statement that we all share our happiness, our sadness, and yes, sometimes our questioning of where we are on the path of life, the "what if's" that honestly roll through all of our minds from time to time. "Man, what are you doing here?" I really appreciated your reaction. Piano Man is a personal favorite for this 68-year old man, and someday I might indeed lament forgetting its lyrics, like the old man in the song, "it's sad, and it's sweet and I knew it complete when I wore a younger man's clothes". Again, and as always, thanks so much for sharing. Steve

[@julierodda5826]

@HAPS3SPEAKZ The whole song is about the piano man. Watching people in the bar. They put bread in my jar (little known now how little musicians got paid...if they were good they got tips and free drinks). This is Billys personal story and his breakthrough song towards stardom. 50 years ago.

[@cameltanker1286]

We've been singing along with song since 1973 and guess what? No autotune.

[@Drake844221]

In a lot of ways, the point where the mirror gets turned around to himself is when everyone is saying "Man, what are you doing here?" It is just the whole sense that... they're looking at each other and saying, "We're the dead-end misfits... but you've got what it takes." But yeah, this is, 100% _his_ song. Billy Joel _is_ the Piano Man. But, if you want his verse, I highly recommend his song The Last Words. It is _literally_ the last song that he wrote, and it is _very_ much him kind of... stacking the chairs on the tabletops and hanging the sheets on the chandeliers of his career. It slows down, but it never stops, and it's sweet after all these years.

[@cheryljohnson733]

He will be known as one of the greatest song writers and performers. He is a classically trained pianist and has a very interesting background. His parents immigrated to the US but his father returned to Germany. His mother discouraged his from music bui it couldn't be denied. When he met his estranged father he also discovered his step brother was the conductor for the Vienesse Opera House.

[@kennethmartin7214]

Billy's story is in the line: "and they sit at the bar and put bread in my jar and say what are YOU doing here. It is total irony. Very clever lyrics.

[@debra7105]

Such a great song! So many Greats! Enjoyed it. Cheers!

[@thesweetone8968]

The last verse is about the piano man. He's so talented and he's just a piano man. "Man, what are you doing here".

[@williamjones6031]

This was his break-out hit that started his journey to stardom. The story is about the people he met working dive bars and honky tonks in New York city. My name's not Davy, but I stayed in the Navy for life. To me the video takes a little from my imagination.

[@kauntykiki]

I love singing along to this. When I was a kid my dad would play records of Billy Joel and Bob Segar and me and my sister would dance with him in the living room. Now he is almost 80 and I am 52 so you really are playing me a memory.

[@snjezanasiklic8934]

Surprisingly, although I love Billy Joel, I have never heard this song before! Love, love the lyrics, a simple poetry! It reminded me of "Cheers" sitcom and that intro theme... And I was also wondering about the piano man's story, it's inevitable, it's expected. But, perhaps, by avoiding that info (obviously on purpose), he wanted to leave us puzzled in our thoughts, thinking deeply about the song. Like you have. Very clever, Billy Joel! 🙂 Music is a way to escape reality for us sometimes and this song captures that feeling by describing just few people's lives in a bar with witt and sympathy at the same time. And you are right, subscribing here doesn't cost a dime :-) But we can get a lot in return - another way of enjoyable escapism. So, in a way, you are our "piano man" 👍🎶

[@VUM.M]

Like that Zana. HAP - our Piano Man 🎹🥰

[@HAP3SPEAKZ]

:)

[@Bob-pw7rf]

He did say something about himself, he said most of the crowd thought he was too good to be playing in a little bar!

[@SueProv]

Billy Joel is one of the greatest ever. There's so much to his body of work. The waitress practicing politics is how she's being nice to the men who grab at her so she gets a good tip.

[@seanscanlon9067]

The waitress was his wife at the time too.

[@Adameia_]

The waitress gave him a look, the professional smile, and then poored a drink on his pants....

[@rubyleuty9417]

In the 70’s and 80’s Piano bars were very popular. They were called lounge singers.

[@mamabear9325]

Everyone there is wanting to chase their dreams, but they are stalling for different reasons, maybe even hiding for fear of some form of rejection, including the guy who "never had time for a wife", but probably wanted someone who was in the Navy. Including the "piano player" who wanted to be much more than a carnival sideshow or wind-ùp monkey who just collects tips. Just my take on this marvelous song that has kept me listening for over 50 years. Thank you. ❤

[@carrielaliberte3255]

Wow, so love the piano, harmonica and the lyrics! ❤

[@slimdzl6275]

Just found your channel and I am glad to see a reactor actual listen to this song rather than just hearing it. Great vid mate

[@nanner3200]

Welcome! Hope you stay around for awhile! Check out the playlist. A lot of great songs here!

[@BClarke]

He has many many amazing songs, but this is one of those rare cases where an artist’s signature song is also his best.

[@peggyh8937]

Billy Joel is a classic. So many hits. I'm surprised you had not heard this tune. It's a signature tune for him. Loved the reaction, Hap, thanks!

[@dodjer]

Here's the Piano Man's Story: True Story: Billy Joel had issues with his recording company (who owned his songs AND his name) and had get away from NY so he, and his wife, went to live in Los Angeles for a few years until things were sorted. Since he needed work to pay the bills, but could not use his common name, he worked at a bar as a piano player using the name "Bill Martin" - which you see a poster at the end of the video. So this is his story of working as a piano player at a bar, and when he sings the line "they say what are you doing here" - well, that actually happened. Can you imagine going to a lounge and getting the calibre of this "Piano Man" while you're out drinking not wanting to be alone. All the stories on the song are based on people he met and observation while working at the bar.

[@TomGorham]

When they said, "Man what are you doing here?" was when he sang about himself. He was comparing himself to the bartender. I could be more. And of course he did become ultra-famous. You were right at the beginning that would be a deep meaning to this song.

[@wolfstar024]

@8:40 "a good sing along song" - you should watch some live performances of this, for the last round of the chorus he and most of the band (only the drummer keeps a simple beat going) completely drop out letting the audience (who has usually been singing along the entire time anyway) carry it - asking the piano man to sing them a song