The following article discusses sensitive topics, including self-harm.
MusicianBilly Joelhas oftenbeen fairly opinionated about his art and artistry. Over the years, we’ve learned who Joel feels isthe greatest composer who ever lived, as well ashis Grammy-nominated song that he can’t stand. We’ve also gotten to know more about the singer-songwriter as of late, following strong reviewsfor the docuseriesAnd So It Goes.
The Joel-centric film presents an inside look at the artist affectionately nicknamed “The Piano Man” (after one of his most famous songs), and includes references to his many hit songs as well as significant events from his life and upbringing. There are also a number of reveals about Joelthat fans and casual listeners alike might not have previously known.
Billy Joel Attempted Suicide Twice In His 20s
Due To Being Involved With A Married Woman
When Joel was in his 20s, he was in a band called Attila with his best friend Jon Smalls. Over time, Joel became close with Smalls' wife, Elizabeth Weber, and the couple’s young son,which gradually led to an affair. Joel admitted his love for Weber and the affair to Smalls, leading to an altercation breaking up Attila for good.
Joel was in such dire circumstances and wracked with guilt for hurting his best friend,he attempted to overdose on sleeping pills and drink furniture polish on separate occasions. Thankfully, he survived, checked into an observation ward to recover, and was later even married to Weber from 1973 until 1982 (writing songs like “Just The Way You Are” for her).
A Wound That Never Truly Healed
In his earlier years, Joel talked about spending significant time trying to track down his father, Howard Joel,who had walked out on his family in the 1950s. Joel ultimately found Howard in Vienna in the ’70s (writing his song “Vienna” about the journey), in the process learning he had a half-brother, Alex, who was a classical music composer.
Despite their re-connection (and Howard’s appearance on-stage with Billy at a concert), he remained distant, andthe bond between father and son never grew.Billy referred to Howard as “the missing link” in his life, and while he ultimately forgave Howard for walking away, Joel never found the relationship he truly sought before Howard passed away.
Still, Joel was able to forge a bond with his half-brother, and later recorded a classical albumin a possible attempt to reach his father through Howard’s love of the art form. His father’s absence also made the musician more determined to be a present figure in the lives of his children.
“The Stranger” Was Joel’s Breakthrough Artistic Moment
It Was Now Or Never For Him
By the time Joel’s albumThe Strangercame out,it was a do-or-die moment for Joel’s career. His two prior LPs had underperformed, and the musician knew that if he didn’t have a hit record that Columbia Records would drop him. Luckily,The Strangerwould provide the spark Joel’s career needed, led by first single, “Just The Way You Are.”
Joel gives credit for that single choice to his then-wife Weber, who’d also become his manager by this time. She’d been a forceful presence for Joel behind the scenes,given the (perhaps not affectionate) nickname, “The General.”
Joel’s Songs “Piano Man” And “The Entertainer” Are Linked
Not So Much In Feeling As In Sequence
The first big hit song Joel had was 1973’s “Piano Man” (which gave him his nickname), and was inspired by some of the experiences he had working in lounge bar spaceswhile waiting to get out of a bad recording contract. This was followed up in 1974 by another Joel song dubbed “The Entertainer.”
According to the musician, “The Entertainer” was a sequel to “Piano Man,“revolving around the character’s frustration with being edited down for radio airplay now that he’s become famous. It was autobiographical, according to Joel, and was based on his being sensitive to “Piano Man” getting chopped up on the radio and complaining about it.
Billy Joel Has Several Famous Musical Admirers
Some Who Wish They Could Write Like Him
TheAnd So It Goesdocuseries has plenty of famous musical faces that appear, including Pink, Nas, Bruce Springsteen, Paul McCartney, and Garth Brooks. Many praise Joel’s output and career artistry, such as Springsteen, who saysthat Joel’s melodies are better-written than his own.
McCartney adds that whenever he’s asked in interviews about a song he wished he’d written,he always responds with Joel’s “Just The Way You Are.“He remembers hearing Joel for the first time and going, “Oh, who’s this? This is good. You know, your ears prick up.”
