# In 1973, Billy Joel wrote a song he can never escape. Five decades later, he is still embarrassed by it

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/in-1973-billy-joel-wrote-a-song-he-can-never-escape-five-decades-later-he-is-still-embarrassed-by-it/
- Published: 2026-11-03T14:02:45+00:00
- Updated: 2026-11-03T14:27:49+00:00
- Original publisher: Far Out
- Original article: https://faroutmagazine.co.uk/1973-song-billy-joel-will-always-be-embarrassed-by/
- Topics: Entertainment, Music

## Key points

- ‘Piano Man’ was inspired by Joel’s Los Angeles bar job.
- Joel has criticised its melody and lyrics.
- The song became a crowd-singing favourite.

## Summary

Billy Joel wrote ‘Piano Man’ in 1973, drawing on his six months playing piano at a Los Angeles bar while trying to escape a record contract. The song’s characters were based on people he knew there, and its popularity helped define his career and earned him a lasting nickname.

Joel has said he is embarrassed by the hit, criticising its repetitive melody and lyrics he likened to limericks, and wondering why it became so popular. Yet audiences have made it a karaoke favourite, and he and his band have sometimes stopped playing near the end so crowds can sing the rest.

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