Before ‘Piano Man’, Billy Joel heard one Beatles single in 1965 that would completely change his life

Billy Joel has said The Beatles’ “Yesterday” changed how he understood rock music, showing him that a pop song could be musically sophisticated and emotionally profound. The track’s effect on him helps explain why he later brought classical influences and more complex musical ideas into his own songwriting.

Joel recalled hearing the song when it was released in 1965 and being struck by its contrast with The Beatles’ earlier, happier material. He praised Paul McCartney’s melody and vocal performance, and singled out the song’s use of strings and its account of heartache as unlike anything he had heard before.