No Man's Land: The Legacy of Billy Joel
Posted at 3:52 PM on July 23, 2010
by Mac Wilson
(15 Comments)
It all started with the fingersnaps. The Gaslight Anthem's new song "The Diamond Church Street Choir" is constructed around a two-note guitar lick interspersed with snapping fingers; after listening to it several times, I've become convinced that the fingersnaps are as crucial to the song's essence as the whistling was to Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros' "Home." It also feels like a bit of a departure for the band. The Gaslight Anthem have been characterized as modern punk meets classic Americana bombast: Against Me! meets Bon Jovi, Dropkick Murphys crossed with Bryan Adams. For their tales of hard-luck losers in the heartland, the term "Springsteen-esque" has followed them since the 2008 release of The '59 Sound, to the point where Springsteen joined them onstage to perform the title track. Playing with Bruce Springsteen can be a risky proposition, as ESPN's Bill Simmons memorably explored in a 2006 column but the band's new album, American Slang, seems unafraid of Bruce's shadow, and instead blazes a trail to what is purportedly the sound of a band eschewing their classic rock influences and simply being themselves. Sounds great, but let's get back to those fingersnaps. I've heard that beat, that style of guitar lick, I've heard it before. Yep, it's Billy Joel's "Only the Good Die Young." Cease Spot-the Influence and add it to your CD review. But wait. Could you really say "Billy Joel-esque" just because one song shares sonic similarities with one of Joel's? Isn't that lazy criticism? And is there more than meets the ear, here? It was at this point that I got sucked down the Billy Joel rabbit hole and began to wonder what "Billy Joel-esque" means in the first place.
During the first half of my senior year of high school, Billy Joel was basically all I listened to. That fact seems as monumentally bizarre and foreign to me as it must to you, but I honestly felt like I was experiencing a revelation. This guy was trying on so many different musical hats, and the quality of his songwriting never lagged! Joel was the first artist whose back catalog I voraciously sunk myself into, even setting aside money from each of my paychecks for the express purpose of buying his albums; I even had a mental list of which albums to buy in which order. This may or may not have been influenced by the prevailing national mood after 9/11 (this was fall of 2001, after all) in which Joel's music produced its own levels of comfort, reliability, and non-threateningness. In November, I went to Best Buy to buy Turnstiles and they were sold out -- not just out-of-stock, mind you, but *sold out* (This was in no small part due to his memorable performances of "New York State of Mind" and "Miami 2017" on America: A Tribute to Heroes and The Concert for New York, respectively. It just happened to be my next album in line, and I had to wait another week, which is an eternity when you're a 17-year-old who owns literally more than 25 CDs).
My devout love for his music eventually waned (that particular spot in my heart was replaced by Fleetwood Mac) and as I left for college and started listening to more "alternative" music, my Billy Joel phase became an amusing footnote to my teenage years. Even as I started working for the Current, I hardly listened to Joel's music, not necessarily out of the "OMG Billy Joel is soooo uncool" sentiments, but rather out of the fact that in the world of 2000s indie/alternative music, it was difficult to draw a line back to his music. It's the same argument for why the Current doesn't play Steely Dan: for all their impeccable critical credentials, Steely Dan wrote themselves into their own cul-de-sac of music history. There's only one Steely Dan, and that's largely because no one else even tried.
For those looking for amusing yet thought-provoking examinations of the modern indie culture, I enjoy Pitchfork Reviews Reviewed from time to time. It's exactly what it sounds like, but it also raises some interesting questions about what we enjoy, why we enjoy it, why we enjoy enjoying, and so forth. It's basically Hipster Runoff without the nihilism. Anyway, PRR had an intriguing post a few months back where he made a list of artists who are currently not being ripped off by indie musicians. I remember the Cars were #1 on his list, and further down was Billy Joel. A modern Joel comparison that immediately jumps to mind is Ben Folds, who has made a career of the 'piano man' persona. I can't help but feel, though, that Folds is a perfect distillation of Joel at his worst: he's got the smugness and treacle down pat. Think of it this way: if we boil Billy Joel's music down to its parts, it should be possible to objectively identify the good and the bad. Whereas Folds winds up with all the bad parts left over, a la Danny DeVito in Twins, getting a handle of the good parts is more of an enigma.
We all know the Joel story: angry young piano man writes a song about it, winds up with a hit, and proceeds to slowly build a career out of digging into various genres. Joel progressed from simple piano songs to westerns, Phil Spector spoofs, Tin Pan Alley, bossa nova, new wave, Beatles idol worship, doo wop, synthjazz, power balladry, culminating with the stupendously overblown River of Dreams, in which his songwriting career and marriage to Christie Brinkley both self-immolate in some of the most baffling music of his career -- and it went to #1 on the Billboard charts! There's also his whole foray into classical music, which is better left unexplored.
A look over his catalog proves Joel to be a relentless genre-hopper, immersing himself in a different songwriting style from record to record, basically just to show he can. Plenty of famous musicians have capitalized on the latest trends and shifted their music accordingly; David Bowie and Elvis Costello immediately jump to mind. But as Bowie found himself at the forefront of glam and postpunk, and Costello has been apparently drawing each new genre out of a hat for the last 30 years, Joel's progression is more calculated, and, some may say, cynical. He practically invited himself to the yacht rock table in 1977 and won a Grammy for "Just the Way You Are." Three years later, under allegations of unhipness, he released the new wave and punk-tinged (or so he thought) Glass Houses, complete with the holier-than-thou manifesto "It's Still Rock and Roll to Me," and still blew every new waver and punk off the charts. Joel made his fair share of enemies and was regularly savaged by the critics, but he sold a ton of records, and that was the deepest cut of all: the smartaleck from Long Island was beating everyone at their own game. In short, Billy Joel made a career out of being an impostor.
There is a vital point to be made about Joel's shifting styles, however. There were two things that Joel did that arguably allowed him to not only get away with changing his game every few years, but to thrive off of it: 1.) He went completely all out with each new move he made, and 2.) He did everything with a straight face. He was completely shameless, so to speak. The ability to treat different genres with equal seriousness and confidence allowed him to make each style his own, all while prospering at the record store. If you listen to "Piano Man," "You May Be Right," "Uptown Girl" or "We Didn't Start the Fire," you don't concentrate on the disparities; rather, it is the sound of an artist. They are all Billy Joel. He simply does what he does. That may be his ultimate musical trademark.
It now becomes possible to extend these standards to the music of the Gaslight Anthem. The '59 Sound was a deliberate encapsulation of the widescreen (this word has nonetheless become overused in music criticism) sentiments of the 1950s, crossed with the enormity of Springsteen and the ferociousness of modern punk. It also felt like a pigeonhole; would the band feel pressure to recapture the magic on the next album round? In interviews leading up to the release of American Slang, the band said they opted to move away from the explicitly old-school '59 Sound in favor of a more straightforward approach. Saying this was a brilliant move, one straight out of the Billy Joel playbook. As it turns out, American Slang is still dense with Americana, ripe with power chords and singalong choruses. They have developed a distinct sound of their own, but it's not merely a Springsteen rewrite anymore: it's the sound of the Gaslight Anthem. They have carved out their own mini-genre and made it their own. Their influence can already be seen in bands like Titus Andronicus, who covered similarly broad territory on their latest, The Monitor.
There are two points I'd like you to take away from this. First, we go back to "The Diamond Church Street Choir" with its fingersnaps and shuffling beat. Yes, it sounds like Billy Joel, but even more vitally, it is a continuation of the spirit of Joel's music. We owe it to ourselves as music listeners to dig deeper when listening to music, in drawing parallels between artists that aren't limited to "these two songs have similar guitar riffs." Identifying influences and antecedents is an ever-complicated and ever-evolving exercise that enhances our understanding of the artists, their music, and their place in the genealogy of pop music. Try it sometime; for instance: Who are the National like? Not who they sound like, who are they like? Will we find the answer in unexpected places?
Secondly, we're left with Billy Joel himself. He is one of the top-selling artists in history, he still sells out his tours with Elton John, and everyone knows at least a dozen of his songs by heart. So why is it that he's never played on the Current except for the occasional No Apologies track? Joel is certainly representative of the ruthlessly corporate nature of popular music in the '70s and '80s, placing him at odds with core artists like Bowie and Costello. But as I alluded earlier, who else has shown Billy Joel to be a profound influence on their work? Fountains of Wayne and the Hold Steady have each made explicit Joel allusions in their lyrics, in "Strapped for Cash" and "Both Crosses," respectively. I'm intrigued by the new trends in indie towards emulating classic '60s boy/girl group pop: is it unreasonable to wonder whether a childhood spent exposed to six hit singles from An Innocent Man played at least some small part in shaping the sounds of Ariel Pink, Deerhunter, or Vivian Girls? Who knows, maybe Ben Folds actually IS the closest we'll get to a next Billy Joel, and someone will be writing an extended essay about him in 20 years. (Major difference: Joel had just one gratuitous curse in his career; the F-word in "Laura" is still best described as inexplicably bizarre. Folds, on the other hand, tosses out a dozen gratuitous F-bombs per album) I'm curious to see whether Joel's music one day becomes a sincere touchstone for burgeoning musicians, as has been the case for Fleetwood Mac, E.L.O., and yacht rock. Or perhaps he will wind up in the same wing of rock history as the Eagles: phenomenal cosmic success, yet minimal lasting influence. Just because Billy Joel may be the epitome of uncool, it doesn't mean we shouldn't attempt to address his legacy, or lack thereof.
Thanks for reading what will hopefully become a regular feature of the Current's website. I felt this would be a good chance for me to expound on various topics and expand on ideas that are difficult to give proper reverence through 15-second soundbites on weekend afternoons. - Mac
Comments (15)
Mac,
I never liked Billy Joel, I though his music was always very derivative and boring. And like you stated quite well.... an impostor of sorts.
I just wanted to state after reading this well written article, that is has reinforced why I never liked Ben Folds and The Gaslight Anthem.
Mac, like you, Billy Joel's catalog was my first musical quest. I spent my high school years (96-2000) saving up for the next album and eventually chasing bootlegs (you had to trade, not download them at that time). During late high school and early college I grew into more "hip" musical tastes, falling head over heals for Whiskeytown, Wilco, Radiohead and by the time the Current came into being my playlist mostly aligned with it's. In spite of the fact that I now spend far more time listening to the popular forefathers (the Mats, Dylan, Uncle Tupelo, Springsteen, etc.) than Joel, when I do reach for Piano Man, The Stranger, Turnstiles and especially Songs in the Attic I still find these album to have real teeth. Although I was thrilled that your article attempted to bridge the gap between my modern taste and the ghost of tastes past (and intrigued by our similar musical timeline) I still don't think that you are giving Joel enough credit. His albums may have been derivative and his genre jumping may make him hard to take seriously but the billy Joel song catalog is scarcely rivaled.
Billy Joel was in heavy rotation at my house in the early 80s (when I was about 6 or 7). And "Glass Houses" ended up being a family sing-along album. From "You May Be Right" to "Don't Ask Me Why", us kids and my parents just dug it completely.
Then I got "cool" and moved on to what I thought were bigger and better artists; while Joel languished in my memory hole.
A few years ago, I listened to "An Innocent Man" in its entirety on a road trip. And frankly, I was a little embarrassed. I don't know why.
But I like the comparisons you draw, especially with The Gaslight Anthem. There's something to be said for all of that music (do we dare call it "Guido-Rock"?).
Mac-Thank you for this essay. It is nice to see someone trying to fit Billy Joel's legacy into the cool music scene.
I grew up in New York, where Billy Joel and Bruce were part of everyone's childhoods and teenage years (I was in middle school when River of Dreams came out). When I left NY I found out that Billy Joel was decidedly uncool, but never understood. He is a true singer song writer whose music was around as the current generation of musicians grew up.
I have wondered why Bruce and Elton John are considered cool enough and Billy Joel is made fun off. Genre hoping or exploring new styles is common right now with popular and hip bands-- and they know they will sell their albums anyways or don't care. Sounds a lot like someone we already know.
I knew I liked you, Mac!
What a wonderfully written article! My mother's always been a huge Billy Joel fan, and as a result, I kind of was as well. One of those "can't beat 'em" types of fandoms. We even went to the Billy Joel/Elton John concert at the Xcel as my big "Happy 18th Birthday" gift.
I have my days where I spend my time flipping through music on my hard drive, and my computer decides it's "Billy Joel Day" and I can't stand listening to that voice again, but most days, the occasional listen filters through and brightens my day. As a karaoke singer, I've grown a particular enmity for "Piano Man," but I can't stop myself from doing my rendition of "Movin' Out" every time I find a new residence.
"The Stranger" remains one of my favorite albums as a whole, and I have vowed to my parents that someday - somehow - when my turntable has a needle again - I will steal their copy.
This really explains why I love The Gaslight Anthem and Ben Folds so much - they sound very similar to the kind of music I've grown up with, the kind of music that pretty much forms the backbone of my tastes.
Nicely done!
Nicely stated. I get the same sort of feeling when I listen to the Hold Steady with anything close to a critical ear ... it feels very forced and fabricated. You vindicate my sense that Craig Finn has less in common with Twin Cities' icons Paul Westerberg, Bob Mould, or even Dave Pirner than he does with Billy Joel, John Mellencamp, and Springsteen.
I loved this article. I think it explains why I try so hard to get my formerly Billy Joel-obsessed sister into The Current. (Since we shared a room growing up, most of my Joel knowledge comes from her listening habits.) She doesn't see the connection, but I do on some level.
What about Spoon? Not the yacht-rock Billy Joel, but "Only the Good Die Young"? "It's Still Rock and Roll to Me"? Sure, it's in there.
Considering that I get violently ill just thinking about Piano Man, I very much enjoyed this piece. More like this.
Read this great post this morning, and just now heard Spoon's "The Underdog" streaming on the Current. That song is so Joelish I had to check that it wasn't actually written by him. Britt Daniel denies it, but apparently I'm not the only one with that thought: http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/ent/music/5258688.html
There are lots of really great points here, but two jumped out at me.
Caren's comment: "When I left NY I found out that Billy Joel was decidedly uncool..."
If not with Joel, I think everyone has had a moment of cognitive dissonance just like this -- finding out that what you liked all along is considered 'uncool'. Once this revelation is made to us, where do we go from there?
Steven W. & Sarah: The Spoon comparison is really good. I read in a review years ago (I Googled it but couldn't find the source) that described Spoon as 'Billy Joel meets Wire'. The direct Spoon/Joel comparisons are well outlined in Steven's link, but I think all three artists share tendencies to rely on formalism in their music. One could argue that Spoon, Wire, and Joel each have internally consistent songwriting styles, and are distinguished from record to record via the way they are presented.
I have nothing profound to say except that I LOVE Billy Joel, despite his "uncool"ness. Or maybe because of it...? His music is inextricably linked in my mind to high school swing choir performances and thus always remind me of my geek roots!
I'm 32 and I only got into Billy Joel last year. I think he's very akin to Paul McCartney, who definitely has his own taste/self-editing issues, but they both have an unmistakable gift for melody.
It's fascinating that these once talented but now cheesy singer/songwriters are hailed as inspirations to indie rock today. Joel and Springsteen sound so *dated* too often. But indie rock has become undeniably cheesy of late, and I love it. Will it also sound dated 20 years from now? We'll have to see.
Great analysis and article, Mac! Thanks for writing!
I'm self-proclaimed "uncool," so I guess this almost makes me prouder to declare my love of Billy Joel. I was at the Gaslight Anthem concert last night and may have found my new favorite band. I'll definitely keep your critique in mind the next time I listen to either of these artists.
Billy Joels first few albums were great but they stated it perfectly in Step Brothers: "80's Billy Joel doo-wop sucks!!!" Still i gotta say I think he doesnt get the respect he deserves for some of his work.
i was a Joel addict during my formative years as well and I must thank you for this article. Brilliantly written with amazing insight. You really brought up such great points that my thoughts are very provoked as it were. Thanks again, sir.
Jason
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