"The Ballad of Billy the Kid" | The Odyssey Online
Start writing a post
Entertainment

14 Billy Joel Lyrics That Prove He's Still 'The Entertainer' Of Our Lifetime

From "The Stranger" to "An Innocent Man" to "The River of Dreams," Billy Joel has been releasing albums filled with lyrical genius.

8998
14 Billy Joel Lyrics That Prove He's Still 'The Entertainer' Of Our Lifetime

Everyone knows the classic Billy Joel songs. "Uptown Girl," "Piano Man," "Only the Good Die Young," etc. But have you ever taken a moment to truly listen to a Billy Joel song and appreciate the lyrics? His lyrics are incomparable to any other artist. Joel takes inspiration from prominent real-world events and things that he witnesses in his own life and neighborhood and turns them into beautiful poems set to beautiful melodies.

Here are 14 lyrics that prove that Billy Joel is the ultimate king of songwriting.

"We Didn't Start the Fire"

The entire song, really.

"Honesty"

"I can always find someone

To say they sympathize

If I wear my heart out on my sleeve

But I don't want some pretty face

To tell me pretty lies

All I want is someone to believe"

"Piano Man"

"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 drinkin' alone"

"The River of Dreams"

"I don't know why I go walking at night

But now I'm tired and I don't want to walk anymore

I hope it doesn't take the rest of my life

Until I find what it is that I've been looking for"

"She's Always a Woman"

"She can do as she pleases, she's nobody's fool

But she can't be convicted, she's earned her degree

And the most she will do is throw shadows at you

But she's always a woman to me"

"Goodnight Saigon"

"We came in spastic

Like tameless horses

We left in plastic

As numbered corpses"

"Just The Way You Are"

"I wouldn't leave you in times of trouble

We never could have come this far

I took the good times; I'll take the bad times

I'll take you just the way you are"

"New York State of Mind"

"It was so easy livin' day by day

Out of touch with the rhythym and blues

But now I need a little give and take

The New York Times, the Daily News"

"You're My Home"

"If I travel all my life

And I never get stop and settle down

Long as I have you by my side

There's a roof above and good walls all around

You're my castle, you're my cabin

And my instant pleasure dome

I need you in my house

'Cause you're my home"

"Only the Good Die Young"

"The stained-glass curtain you're hiding behind

Never lets in the sun

Darlin' only the good die young"

"It's Still Rock and Roll To Me"

"Oh, what's the matter with the crowd I'm seeing?

'Don't you know that they're out of touch?'

Well, should I try to be a straight-A student?

'If you are then you think too much'"

"You May Be Right"

"Remember how I found you there

Alone in your electric chair

I told you dirty jokes until you smiled

You were lonely for a man

I said take me as I am

'Cause you might enjoy some madness for a while"

"The Ballad of Billy the Kid"

"Well he never traveled heavy

yes he always rode alone

and he soon put many older guns to shame

and he never had a sweetheart

but he finally found a home

under the boothill grave that bears his name."

"Vienna"

"You've got your passion, you've got your pride

But don't you know that only fools are satisfied?

Dream on, but don't imagine they'll all come true

When will you realize, Vienna waits for you?"

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
Entertainment

Most Epic Aurora Borealis Photos: October 2024

As if May wasn't enough, a truly spectacular Northern Lights show lit up the sky on Oct. 10, 2024

1713
stunning aurora borealis display over a forest of trees and lake
StableDiffusion

From sea to shining sea, the United States was uniquely positioned for an incredible Aurora Borealis display on Thursday, Oct. 10, 2024, going into Friday, Oct. 11.

It was the second time this year after an historic geomagnetic storm in May 2024. Those Northern Lights were visible in Europe and North America, just like this latest rendition.

Keep Reading...Show less
 silhouette of a woman on the beach at sunrise
StableDiffusion

Content warning: This article contains descriptions of suicide/suicidal thoughts.

When you are feeling down, please know that there are many reasons to keep living.

Keep Reading...Show less
Relationships

Power of Love Letters

I don't think I say it enough...

448261
Illistrated image of a letter with 2 red hearts
StableDiffusion

To My Loving Boyfriend,

  • Thank you for all that you do for me
  • Thank you for working through disagreements with me
  • Thank you for always supporting me
  • I appreciate you more than words can express
  • You have helped me grow and become a better person
  • I can't wait to see where life takes us next
  • I promise to cherish every moment with you
  • Thank you for being my best friend and confidante
  • I love you and everything you do

To start off, here's something I don't say nearly enough: thank you. Thank you, thank you, thank you from the bottom of my heart. You do so much for me that I can't even put into words how much I appreciate everything you do - and have done - for me over the course of our relationship so far. While every couple has their fair share of tiffs and disagreements, thank you for getting through all of them with me and making us a better couple at the other end. With any argument, we don't just throw in the towel and say we're done, but we work towards a solution that puts us in a greater place each day. Thank you for always working with me and never giving up on us.

Keep Reading...Show less
Lifestyle

11 Signs You Grew Up In Hauppauge, NY

Because no one ever really leaves.

20964
Map of Hauppauge, New York
Google

Ah, yes, good old Hauppauge. We are that town in the dead center of Long Island that barely anyone knows how to pronounce unless they're from the town itself or live in a nearby area. Hauppauge is home to people of all kinds. We always have new families joining the community but honestly, the majority of the town is filled with people who never leave (high school alumni) and elders who have raised their kids here. Around the town, there are some just some landmarks and places that only the people of Hauppauge will ever understand the importance or even the annoyance of.

Keep Reading...Show less
Lifestyle

Moana's Top 10 Life Tips

"Moana" is filled with life lessons that involve far more than finding true love as many other Disney movies do.

44092
Animated image of a woman with long dark hair and tattoos
StableDiffusion

1. It's easy to be fooled by shiny things.

Digital image of shiny gemstones in cased in gold. shiny things StableDiffusion

Tamatoa created a liar filled with shiny things simply for the purpose of tricking fish to enter and become his food. He too experiences a lesson in how easy it is to be tricked by shiny things when Moana distracts him by covering herself in glowing algae so Maui can grab his hook.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments