Billy Joel - Root Beer Rag (from Old Grey Whistle Test)

[@ukuleletoast3292]

What’s even more amazing is he is playing the song even faster than he recorded it, it is truly amazing how he played that so fast

[@EricMartinSmithOfficial]

The band is like dammit Billy

[@danielmarra1555]

Eric Martin Smith , got to give credit to the band too for keep up! That was a tight band!

[@EricMartinSmithOfficial]

@@danielmarra1555 Yep!!

[@pacifist1360]

Well, Billy Joel without a doubt, is one of the greatest pianists that ever existed outside the classical world. He is an absolute genius but he also had an incredible classical training as well, where he studied classical piano with one of the greatest pianist of the twentieth century, Morton Estrin. Estrin was presumably the greatest piano teacher who ever resided on Long Island. That's where Billy Joel got all the technical fluidity and incredible musicality from. It's clear cut that Billy Joel is an incredible songwriter, but I am not sure if we would have known Billy Joel as a great virtuoso/the outstanding concert pianist that he has become, had he not studied with Morton Estrin.

[@billvill61]

You know it's fast when the drummer is struggling to keep up.

[@HaydenKinsmanMusic]

Holy hell that is some precise, agile and well trained finger movement. Unbelievable talent!

[@pianoman423]

Ladies and gentlemen, the piano man.

[@ohwni]

Used to think Elton was the piano man but shit! Billy sure proved me wrong.

[@MsGrockle]

When I got the album Streetlife Serenade, I played this track to my Dad. He said that it was speeded up. Then this came on the telly and he just sat there amazed!

[@joshuataylor6475]

Am I the only one that thinks this is absolutely incredible? I am a pianist myself, but I can't play like that. One of the most impressive piano pieces I have seen. And if you read the backstory about it you'll find that Billy Joel just kind of "came up with it" while messing around with his new synthesizer. Legendary.

[@grannyhellyeah6160]

Cocaine helps

[@christianhafer9819]

You're not as good as Billy Joel? Lol. Most people aren't. Lol.

[@franmosconi4680]

And he wrote/first performed it at freakin' age 25!!!!!

[@danbergen5503]

Holy shit. Flicking amazing. Don't even see his fingers

[@geraldbasso1782]

You're not the only one!

[@emmbeesea]

A legendary performance. I am consistently in awe of not only his technical and virtuoso mastery over the piano, but also his songwriting ability. I can only imagine how many full days of his life it took sitting at a piano to write this piece, let only perform it to perfection. The Piano Man will forever be my biggest musical inspiration.

[@xXTomokoKurokiXx]

Fancy seeing you here. ...fantastic taste. Of the Piano Man's work, this is easily his technical masterpeice.

[@thebritishpig]

Wow I didn't expect to see you here

[@GeorgeCollier]

oh you're here

[@kirksmith2051]

Faster isn't always better. There's a point at which blazing speed can mask the subtleties of the melody.

[@momojoflo]

I heard he kind of threw it together because he needed more songs for an upcoming album. He'd been busy on tour and came up with this super fast rag. Heard it on Billy Joel xm radio, love it!

[@FreeSpiritinLightandLove]

When I was college (70’s) a group of my friends and I were going to a Beach Boys concert in Charleston, WV. As we found our seats someone said, “Who’s opening for them?” And someone else said “Billy Joel”. None of us were familiar with him. The huge lights came on with the first notes of “Root Beer Rag” and the rest is history. I remember we were all looking at one another with our mouths hanging open. Lol. He was the one we were talking about when we got back to the dorm. Someone on the floor had his first album and we played that thing for days. What a memory. ❤

[@MollyT119]

I play piano and can play Stiletto (including the bridge portion) to tempo, but the speed that he plays Root Beer Rag here is absolutely freaking insane. It's mind blowing just how talented this man actually is.

[@matthewfarmer6830]

He's definitely the piano man, he's rockin' that piano, like a badass. Those fingers just dances on the keys he can even do it in his sleep.🎹🎶🤘

[@EricMartinSmithOfficial]

Hes punking his bandmates playing double time lol...they are like...I hate it when he does this

[@joejames5932]

Amen! 😂

[@Wookie8058]

You are absolutely correct!! and gawd forbid if you miss, He doesn't!!! lolol

[@EricMartinSmithOfficial]

@@Wookie8058 The looks on their faces 🤣

[@bwisnieski1335]

the most talented rock musician of all time.

[@robertlittlejohn7394]

And THAT'S why he's the UNDISPUTED PIANO MAN!!!!!!!!!!

[@stuartturner1188]

That just shows how absolutely phenomenal Billy is on the piano. I so can’t wait to see him at Wembley in June.

[@SeraphsWitness]

He ain't this fast anymore, sorry to say.

[@johnferguson4089]

What a jaw-dropping tempo! And what a technique! Just phenomenal!

[@Shlockrock1]

That was just the most unbelievable song to watch! Thanks for putting it up!!!

[@stone.durfey5862]

Amazing and clear shots of Billy's hands at the keys..my dream come true

[@filsgreen]

The epitome of muscle memory, Mr Pianoman, himself.

[@jwpetros7065]

This is why you practise your scales!

[@groofoot]

lol when you have That kind of talent you don't really even Need to practice ... 8-D

[@jamesmathai1138]

@@groofoot he was classically trained, certainly there is an element of talent to it but most people can get remarkably good at anything if they put in the work (and a good teacher helps too).

[@incognitojon902]

This shit made me think ab giving up piano after 3 years of playing. I have no hope of ever getting this good

[@DennisKovacich]

@@incognitojon902, if you enjoy playing piano, it doesn’t matter if you ever get this good. It’s not a competition. Play because it brings you joy. If it brings others joy as well, so much the better.

[@jerickson725]

@@incognitojon902 I'm guessing the majority of piano players have no hope of ever getting this good 😂. I am currently self-teaching myself, 47 years after I took lessons on and off when I was a 9-11 year old kid, and I'm having fun with it. Certainly not aspiring to be anything remotely close to Billy Joel or Elton John status 🤣🤣.

[@VincentDeBellis224]

Genius at work

[@lunamai5668]

Thats some wicked piano playing...

[@nitathegooglegiggler.439]

Practice, practice,practice. ❤😊

[@terrorbilly4707]

The one and only Piano Man

[@bo007duke4]

I really hope this blows up on the youtubes, cause man he is good! ;) lova ya billy

[@kamandi1362]

I could no more play like that than levitate. Amazing!

[@helenhoronzy9296]

Nothing he does suprises me. This man has so much talent it’s unbelievable. His music & song writing! Bronx NY FAN 1975. #Root Beer Rags

[@monalisa2703]

How that fingers fly and dance...amazing!

[@ChrisB-wh2yw]

Thank you for the music billy joel

[@Hertog_von_Berkshire]

That was a SESSION. Wish I'd been there.

[@Mikeychest]

Brilliant artistry and talent...

[@SissyShamrock]

And he doesn't even break a sweat... incredible!

[@paulburchell1762]

At that tempo,its impossible for us mere mortals. Mind is blown....x

[@Chucktea23]

Ends it with the walk away... What a badass!

[@johnnyxmusic]

Pretty awesome… And I must send out some love to the drummer.

[@angrysilence1234....]

Only a person who truly loves the piano, could, even years later, still play it even half as well as Mr. Joel does. I can totally understand loving something (or someone) that thoroughly, and that deeply. I may not, when it comes to ppl, understand, "why THAT PERSON?", however, I CAN understand the DEPTH of emotion involved, regardless of who it is aimed at or wtf it is about the individual that would make them so "love-worthy", which, unfortunately is, sometimes, NOTHING!! My confusion would, then, lie much more with the lover than with the beloved. But, some people love some other ppl without true reason or wit, let alone thought. Which, is what makes love a fearfully powerful force. LOVE is a great power of the lover and is empowering to the receiver. And, those who receive it, especially regardless of "worth" should be EVER-GRATEFUL AND HUMBLE, LOVING IN RETURN (or, as much as they possibly can be), and in sheer AWE of the power that love can have in life, especially theirs. I can NEVER SEE "wasting" my love on someone not deserving (in my own opinion) of it. But, "angelic" love is just that, loving that which most ppl cannot or do not. That's why I treat MY LOVE LIKE GD GOLD!! RARE, EXPENSIVE, AND WORTHY OF SAFEGUARDING EVEN TO MY DEATH!! OMG! Sorry, but sometimes, long, philisophical thoughts take me over. Believe me, when I say, this is pretty short compared to some of the shit that I can think up. No wonder I take anti-depressants, huh?! I can literally drown in my own thoughts, sometimes. So, if you for whatever gd reason, plan to "explore" my gd mind? You best put on a gd lifevest, or scuba gear, and also swallow some "flu"-fighting (crazy flu) antidepressants!! Otherwise, it could be a LONG, BUMPY, SCARY, LIFE-HARROWING GD RIDE!! Just sayin'. 🤪😷😁

[@gerobrauer4599]

Nothing and nobody can beat this!!!

[@matthatter2849]

This is the point where you have been at an instrument for so long that you simply become ONE with it. Like Hendrix, Buddy Rich, or any other amazing musician that has come down the pike.

[@weareopen24hours]

Keyboard freak! Bravo!

[@KeisukeJapon]

I love this song! And thanks for your great performance! From Japan😊

[@gbesq5554]

A musical genius. Enough said.

[@howtodoitdude1662]

So humble when he says he’s not that good on the piano.

[@seanscanlon9067]

Or false modesty when he knows that he is good. Although in fairness, I have only heard him say he is not that good at classical piano.

[@DennisKovacich]

@@seanscanlon9067, this video starts off with him saying, “People call me the Piano Man. Well, I ain’t that good.” kzbin.info/www/bejne/qn2wl2xjjLuinK8

[@seanscanlon9067]

@@DennisKovacich Yeah that is the false modesty I was on about.

[@garethharrison5797]

He knows exactly how good he is. He is one of the elite musicians in the history of popular music and many, many levels below the absolute elite musicians in the history of Classical and Jazz. He isn't being modest. He's comparing himself to the best.

[@heretemporarily9657]

Forevermore known as “Dad, play the cheerleader song!” in my household. Wonderful!

[@justinherbert9146]

Wow brilliant playing and he became one of the greatest songwriters ever. Pretty amazing and still selling out stadiums around the world in 2023.

[@angiemelanie]

You're the best!! ❤

[@GeauxWyatt]

Talk about tickling the ivory’s

[@groofoot]

un - Freaking -believable!

[@johngist3761]

Good Lordt! 😲🔥

[@ZoeSummers1701A]

You've been my musical inspiration, hero and maestro since I was 15. The one and only Piano Man. Thank you for your music.

[@bethmcardle3769]

He is amazing

[@CCandD]

Faster than the album!? I had never seen this! So particularly practiced, fame-fiending and zealous in his megastar infancy! 🎹💪🏼 I'm glad they don't test for performance enhancing substances, but that is a white hot excessively extreme killer tempo performance of what was already done at a daunting pace! He seems like he could also be totally sober 🤔🎱❄🌨⛄🏔⛷🎿🏂🏼☃🍧

[@masterchiefer25]

No doubt his early career was cocaine-fueled

[@michaelj.r457]

Just a reminder, this is a man who has often called himself "competent"

[@ameliatempleton1286]

the hand eye coordination necessary for this holy root beer

[@rogerramirez266]

Nice , greetings from Peru. :D

[@friendly9387]

Nice

[@Wookie8058]

That piano will NEVER be played that fast again... FAAAACK Billy is amazing to watch!

[@ScottlandShaffner0423]

This... and also KZbin pianist 'Bud Powell, Hallucinations', among many other he did at SPEED...

[@kahp2332]

this must be an alien - no human can play so fast

[@fuuumika]

I love it !

[@nolanboles8492]

WOW!!! He managed, somehow, play that even faster than he played it on the album. Billy Joel was a god!

[@casteaver]

It’s got so catchy

[@jamesdominguez7685]

This is SO MUCH FASTER than the album version! Insane!

[@DrakeMayeGlazer]

Lyrics:

[@ActorKevinOlson]

Clip it Gaming This doesn't have lyrics. It's Root Beer Rag.

[@keithlucero3638]

@@ActorKevinOlson you got played like a fiddle

[@fr3ddyvf787]

ActorKevinOlson r/whoooosh

[@zerotwogaming6924]

@@fr3ddyvf787 STFU

[@m_tias]

Not all hero’s wear capes

[@kurtkufner6769]

He was high by playing this Concert. Absolutely high...a Genius.

[@vicentecostantini]

Amazing!

[@eddiemoney1093]

Billy is playing so fast so well that even his own keyboard player seems to get lost at 1:20 ish

[@lindastartutoring5991]

This live performance he is definitely playing it faster then on the album. There is another video on KZbin from 2013 when BJ is in New Orleans and he is playing it a lot slower, maybe half the speed of this performance. 40 years later, he can still play it!

[@muffledbobcat6767]

this is reason he's called "the piano man"

[@yankeeladee02]

🤍🎹 GENIUS 🖤

[@luisariel.musicYT]

Insane

[@karlaakemann3268]

Fabulous

[@danger2374]

The speed of lightning!!!!

[@barbaralewis2964]

WOW !!!!!!!!

[@vertex1933]

Billy: *playing as fast as humanly possible* His bandmates: -_-

[@ayokay123]

Love the Mini-Moog next to him. Oh, and his playing too. ;)

[@brunokoch672]

Who's this guy, he is talented? ;-)

[@glennc100]

People people people, let's bring this back down to earth. Yes it's fast but this aint the Rach No. 2. in terms of complexity. What's more impressive is the band keeping it tight.

[@Paulinho-cv8si]

Straordinario Billy Joel

[@garylobo348]

Well you're just showing off now ;)

[@baylen2187]

If there’s a piano competition,Billy Joel would win the championship

[@SeeSoldier1]

Agree

[@ameliatempleton1286]

yes

[@coolmacatrain9434]

This tune was used for a British (or Irish?) TV show as either the theme tune or as part of the programme (like maybe a movie review section) back in the late 1970s, early 1980s ..can anybody out there remember what it was?

[@euanevans8486]

Billy Butler used it as a theme for his Sunday Morning radio show on Radio Merseyside in early 80s

[@notagreatname3710]

This is so much better than the albums version tbh

[@bwilliams463]

He sounds more than a bit like Country legend pianist Floyd Cramer, at this speed. This song in particular reminds me of Cramer's 'Corn Crib Symphony.'

[@sithlordmikeyp]

I just noticed @1:20 Canatta does a little gesture with the piano

[@tigerking8138]

Can I listen this version of this song on Spotify? Please tell me.

[@isabellad365]

Without billy Joel 👿 with billy Joel music 😊

[@ohwni]

Two words. _Holy Fuck._

[@trishaurvan9439]

DAYUM!

[@NewYorker613]

Man that is fast.

[@johannesscharff7811]

Krass

[@Fox121102]

His wife is very lucky

[@DinaBeeNYC]

It almost seems like the band is struggling in keeping up with him. And why he ever let Richie Cannata go is a mystery. What a talent!

[@miketemple812]

Its like watching "THING" ! X2.5

[@ernestomartinez4090]

Holly fuckin' sheeeeeeeeeeeet

[@erickbala4022]

Like en 2019

[@michellekatz1023]

Hey Piano Man!! You are welcome to come visit Israel again. It’s been a while. Come do an intimate solo gig!

[@smugdoug4924]

Does he ever use that moog synth on any of the songs during this concert?

[@JLVideo99]

Angry Young Man

[@miami2017]

Yep. He used this for The Entertainer, Angry Young Man, Movin' Out, Miami 2017 (for the sirin's effect in the intro). But for this show, I think it's for Movin' Out.

[@ironflazambat5815]

Watch it again at x2

[@alexandrahall-chen3948]

I thought I'd left my KZbin player on 2x speed and went to change it... nope, it's just the piano man at his best!

[@lidijaherceg1773]

🎵💙🎵

[@gartenmensch1895]

had to check if i had the Playback speed at 2x.. i didnt..

[@italianhockeywall]

Putting it on 2x is insane though.

[@VixNoelopan]

Isn't this Jon Camp (R.I.P.) of Renaissance fame playing the Hammond C-3?

[@elimgarak3597]

Gosh, pop music bar is so low right now compared to back then