Transcription
CAPTIONING MADE POSSIBLE BY BRAVO, THE FILM AND ARTS NETWORK AND U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION.
ONE OF THE CORNERSTONES OF THIS ACTORS STUDIO MASTERS DEGREE PROGR AT THE NEW SCHOOL IS THE DEDICATED STUDY OF VOICE AS BOTH A SPEAKING AND SINGING INSTRUMENT. IN THE 5 YEARS OF THIS SERIES, ONLY ONE EVENING HAS BEEN DEVOTED TO THE IMPORTANT SUBJECT OF WRITING FOR THE VOICE AND PERFORMING WITH IT. SINCE WHAT HAPPENS ON THIS STAGE IS A CLASS FOR OUR STUDENTS, TONIGHT IS DESIGNED TO REDRESS THAT BALANCE SPECTACULARLY.
23 GRAMMY NOMINATIONS-- 6 GRAMMY AWARDS FOR RECORD OF THE YEAR, SONG OF THE YEAR, ALBUM OF THE YEAR, BEST POP VOCAL--TWICE-- AND GRAMMY LEGEND AWARD. HE HAS RECEIVED 3 ASCAP AWARDS AND 16 B.M.I. AWARDS AND HAS WON 3 CABLE ACE AWARDS. A 1999 INDUCTEE INTO THE ROCK AND ROLL HALL OF FAME, HE HAS SOLD MORE THAN 100 MILLION ALBUMS WORLDWIDE, AND ONLY THE BEATLES EQUAL HIS RECORD OF MULTI-PLATINUM ALBUMS. AS COMPOSER, LYRICIST, AND PERFORMER, HE HAS TURNED MILLIONS OF ARENA AND STADIUM SPECTATORS INTO PARTICIPANTS. TONIGHT, WE ARE INVITED... TO PARTICIPATE IN THE ART OF BILLY JOEL. [CHEERS AND APPLAUSE]
NOW, WHEN MIKE NICHOLS WAS HERE, WE REFLECTED ON THE FACT THAT HE AND HIS PARENTS WERE AMONG THE LAST REFUGEES TO ESCAPE NAZI GERMANY. HAVE YOU EVER PAUSED TO CONSIDER THE FACT THAT YOUR EXISTENCE HINGES ON THE FACT THAT YOUR FATHER AND HIS PARENTS ESCAPED GERMANY IN 1939?
YES. I JUST STARTED PUTTING THIS ALL TOGETHER RECENTLY. MY FATHER'S FAMILY, UM... WAS THRIVING IN GERMANY BEFORE THE NAZIS CAME. MY GRANDFATHER HAD A MAIL-ORDER TEXTILE BUSINESS, MUCH LIKE SEARS ROEBUCK MAIL ORDER. IT WAS THE LARGEST IN GERMANY, WASN'T IT? IT WAS THE LARGEST IN GERMANY. IT WAS CALLED JOEL MACHT FABRIK, I THINK. THEY TOLD MY GRANDFATHER-- THEY SAID, "YOU'VE GOT TO SELL TO THIS INDUSTRIALIST," A GUY NAMED NECKERMANN, WHO WAS WITH THE NAZIS. AND THEY MADE A DEAL WHERE HE HAD TO SELL THE COMPANY FOR, LIKE, $1.50 OR SOMETHING. THEY LEFT AND WERE NOT ALLOWED TO COME INTO AMERICA. THERE WAS A QUOTA ON HOW MANY JEWISH IMMIGRANTS WERE ALLOWED TO COME IN AT A CERTAIN TIME, SO THEY WENT TO CUBA.
HOW DID YOUR FATHER AND HIS FAMILY FINALLY COME TO THE UNITED STATES? I THINK THEY FINALLY ALLOWED SOME PEOPLE TO COME FROM CUBA, RIGHT? SO THEY CAME TO AMERICA. YOU KNOW WHAT? I'M NOT REALLY CLEAR ON HOW THAT HAPPENED. HE SPENT A FEW YEARS IN CUBA AND THEN WAS ALLOWED TO COME TO THE STATES.
WHAT ARE YOUR CHILDHOOD MEMORIES OF HIM? HE WAS A PIANIST, WASN'T HE? HE WAS A CLASSICALLY TRAINED PIANIST. HE AND YOUR MOTHER MET, I THINK, THROUGH MUSIC, THROUGH GILBERT AND SULLIVAN. DID THEY MEET IN A PRODUCTION? THEY MET AT C.C.N.Y.-- THE CITY UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK, I THINK IT'S CALLED NOW. THEN IT WAS CALLED C.C.N.Y. I THINK IT WAS 1940-41, IN A PRODUCTION OF... I BELIEVE IT WAS THE MIKADO.
THERE MUST HAVE BEEN A LOT OF MUSIC IN YOUR HOUSEHOLD AS A CHILD. WAS THERE? THERE WAS ALWAYS MUSIC. WE WOULD LISTEN TO CLASSICAL MUSIC. WE LISTENED TO BROADWAY. WE LISTENED TO JAZZ. I LISTENED TO POP. I GOT MY MOM TO LISTEN TO POP MUSIC. I COULDN'T GET POP TO LISTEN TO POP. [LAUGHTER] THAT'S GOOD. IT WAS WELL-SAID.
WHEN STEVE SONDHEIM WAS IN THAT CHAIR, WE TALKED ABOUT THE FACT THAT MUSICAL AND MATHEMATICAL GIFTS SURFACE VERY EARLY. WHEN DID YOURS EMERGE? IT WAS BEFORE I WAS THE AGE OF 4. BECAUSE WE HAD AN OLD UPRIGHT PIANO IN THE HOUSE. I WOULD GO OVER TO THE PIANO, AND I WOULD PLAY THE TOP NOTES, WHICH ARE THE BRIGHT TOP PARTS OF THE NOTES, AND I WOULD MAKE RAIN HAPPEN. [SOFTLY] JINGLE, JINGLE, JINGLE, JINGLE. AND THEN I WOULD MAKE THUNDER HAPPEN ON THE BOTTOM NOTES. BOOM, BOOM, BOOM, BOOM. AND THEN PROBABLY AFTER 4 YEARS, MY MOM GOT SICK OF THAT ONE, YOU KNOW, "THE STORM SONG." RIGHT. [AUDIENCE LAUGHING] SO SHE DRAGGED ME, ACCORDING TO HER, KICKING AND SCREAMING DOWN THE STREET TO THE WOMAN WHO TAUGHT PIANO. MRS. FRANCIS. MISS FRANCIS. RIGHT. I REMEMBER THE FIRST SONG THAT I LEARNED. ANYONE WHO'S EVER TAKEN A PIANO COURSE. ANYBODY KNOW ABOUT THE JOHN THOMPSON PIANO COURSE? AUDIENCE: YES. YOU'VE HEARD OF JOHN THOMPSON. NOT I, BUT THEY HAVE. OK, IT'S AN ELEMENTARY, YOU KNOW, PIANO BEGINNERS' COURSE. AND THE FIRST SONG, I SHOULD PLAY IT. PLAY IT. ALL RIGHT. WE'LL PLAY IT. OK. [APPLAUSE]
♪ OFF WE GO ♪
♪ TO MUSIC LAND ♪
♪ COME WITH ME ♪
♪ AND HOLD MY HAND ♪
THAT WAS IT. HOW OLD WERE YOU WHEN YOUR FATHER WENT BACK TO EUROPE? MY PARENTS SPLIT UP AT THE END OF THE FIFTIES. DID YOUR FATHER'S DEPARTURE AFFECT YOUR LIFE? ABSOLUTELY. HOW? THERE WAS NO BREADWINNER, SO OUR SITUATION WENT DOWNHILL PRETTY FAST. AND FOR ME... I WAS DIFFERENT THAN THE OTHER KIDS BECAUSE THEY HAD DADS. I REMEMBER ESPECIALLY, LIKE, A LOT OF GUYS MY AGE-- THERE WAS A DYNAMIC GOING ON WITH THEIR FATHERS THAT I ACTUALLY DIDN'T HAVE. THERE WAS AN UPSIDE, TOO. I WAS BROUGHT UP BY A LOVING WOMAN AND MY SISTER, SO THERE WAS AN UPSIDE, TOO.
ONE OF THE HALLMARKS OF YOUR WORK IS A VERY STRONG SENSE OF PLACE, A SUBURBAN, OFTEN LOWER-MIDDLE-CLASS TO BLUE-COLLAR, CONFINING, SOMETIMES STIFLING, AMERICAN PORTRAIT. HOW MUCH OF LEVITTOWN REMAINS IN YOU AND YOUR WORK? THERE'S A LOT OF LEVITTOWN IN ME. WASN'T IT PREDOMINANTLY AROUND YOU IN ITALIAN NEIGHBORHOODS? A LOT OF ITALIANS. DIDN'T YOU ATTEND MASS AS A CHILD QUITE REGULARLY? ITALIANS AND IRISH AND POLISH-- A LOT OF CATHOLICS. AND ALL MY FRIENDS WENT TO MASS, SO I GOT UP ON SUNDAY AND MY FRIENDS WOULD GO TO CHURCH, SO I SAID, "I GUESS THAT'S WHERE I'M GOING," AND I WENT TO MASS.
DIDN'T YOU EVEN, AT ONE POINT, FIND YOURSELF IN A CONFESSIONAL BOOTH? I WENT TO CONFESSION. [LAUGHTER] HOW MUCH WOULD YOU GIVE TO HEAR BILLY JOEL'S CONFESSION? WHAT DID YOU CONFESS, FOR HEAVEN'S SAKE? I WENT AND I SAID, "IT'S BEEN... SINCE MY LAST CONFESSION." AND I MADE UP ALL THIS STUFF. "I HIT MY GRANDMOTHER." [LAUGHTER] "I ROBBED MY MOTHER. I FELT UP MY SISTER." YOU KNOW, YOU NAME IT. [CHUCKLES] AND THE PRIEST, SAID, "OK, YOU WILL SAY 15," YOU KNOW, "HAIL MARYS AND 10 OUR FATHERS, AND DO A NOVENA." AND I SAID, "THAT'S IT?" AND HE SAID, YEAH. I GO, "THAT'S PRETTY COOL." I CAN COME BACK AND DO THIS-- THE WHOLE THING-- AGAIN, YOU KNOW. AND TH HE SAID, "ARE YOU CATHOLIC?" I SAID, "WELL, ALL MY FRIENDS ARE." CHASED ME OUT OF THE CHURCH, AND THAT'S WHEN I REALIZED I WAS NOT ROMAN CATHOLIC. RIGHT. THAT'LL BRING IT HOME.
NOW, YOU AND ROCK AND ROLL WERE BORN AT JUST ABOUT THE SAME TIME. WHEN DID YOU BECOME AWARE OF IT? I BECAME AWARE OF ROCK AND ROLL... AROUND THE TIME ELVIS WAS STARTING TO BECOME POPULAR. THERE WAS ANOTHER ROCK AND ROLL THAT HAD BEEN AROUND. BILL HALEY AND THE COMETS PREDATED ELVIS, AS FAR AS HIT RECORDS GOES. BUT THERE WERE ALSO BLACK ARTISTS-- LITTLE RICHARD, CHUCK BERRY, FATS DOMINO, LLOYD PRICE-- WHO DIDN'T GET PLAYED ON THE WHITE RADIO STATIONS, BUT IF YOU FOUND THE RIGHT RADIO STATION, YOU COULD HEAR THIS STUFF.
DIDN'T YOU TAKE AN ELVIS PRESLEY IMITATION INTO YOUR SCHOOL AT A VERY YOUNG AGE? YEAH. I WENT ONSTAGE, AND I DID HOUND DOG, AND I WAS IN THIRD GRADE. HOW OLD ARE YOU IN THIRD GRADE? 8. ALL RIGHT.
♪ YOU AIN'T NOTHING BUT A HOUND DOG ♪
AND THE GIRLS IN THE FOURTH GRADE STARTED SCREAMING. [LAUGHTER] AND I WAS WIGGLING MY HIPS AND STUFF, AND I HAD A RED JACKET ON-- I REMEMBER THIS-- BECAUSE I KNEW THAT DAY I WAS GOING TO DO SOMETHING AT LUNCH. AND WHEN I SAW THE FOURTH GRADE GIRLS SCREAM, I SAID, THIS IS SOME HOT STUFF.
WHEN DID YOU DISCOVER THE BEATLES? AND WHERE? I HEARD THE BEATLES ON THE RADIO. BEFORE I SAW THEM ON TELEVISION, I HEARD THEM ON THE RADIO, AND I LOVED THEM THE INSTANT I HEARD-- I THINK IT WAS I WANT TO HOLD YOUR HAND. AND IT WAS DIFFERENT. WHAT THEY WERE DOING WAS DIFFERENT. AND I THOUGHT, THESE ARE, LIKE, GUYS I KNOW. THESE ARE WORKING-CLASS PEOPLE. AND IT AFFECTED ME PROFOUNDLY BECAUSE I REALIZED IT COULD BE DONE. IT CAN BE DONE. YOU DON'T HAVE TO LOOK LIKE FABIAN OR A MOVIE STAR, HOLLYWOOD-TYPE OF GUY. YOU COULD DO IT AND BE FROM, YOU KNOW, LEVITTOWN.
WHAT WAS HAPPENING TO YOUR MUSICAL TRAINING DURING THIS TIME? WELL, THIS WAS 1964. I HAD BEEN TAKING PIANO LESSONS... GOING ON 11 YEARS AT THAT POINT. I WAS STARTING TO REBEL AGAINST HAVING TO READ THE DOTS. I HATED OTHER PEOPLE'S DOTS. I WAS HAVING TO LEARN SOME DIFFICULT PIECES-- THE BEETHOVEN SONATAS, AND THEY WERE HELLISHLY DIFFICULT FOR ME, AND I JUST STOPPED LEARNING THEM, AND I WOULD MAKE UP MY OWN BEETHOVEN IN THE ROOM. MY MOTHER WOULD BE LISTENING IN THE OTHER ROOM, AND INSTEAD OF PLAYING BEETHOVEN'S BEETHOVEN, I'D PLAY BILLY'S BEETHOVEN. AND MY MOTHER THOUGHT, YOU KNOW, IT SOUNDS PRETTY GOOD. AND I THOUGHT, "THIS ONE'S EASY." BUT I WAS STOPPING LEARNING. I GOT THESE LITTLE FINGERS. I DON'T HAVE, YOU KNOW, THE RACHMANINOFF HANDS. I KNEW AT A YOUNG AGE I WAS NOT GOING TO BE A CONCERT PIANIST. I JUST WANTED TO PLAY MUSIC IN MY OWN WAY.
WHAT WAS HAPPENING TO YOU IN HIGH SCHOOL DURING THIS TIME? WERE YOU DOING OK THERE? WELL, I WAS IN HIGH SCHOOL, BEGINNING TO LOSE INTEREST IN SCHOOL. I WAS IN KIND OF A BEATNIK STAGE. I DIDN'T HAVE A TELEVISION WHEN I GREW UP. THE TELEVISION BROKE WHEN I WAS ABOUT 4 YEARS OLD, AND WE NEVER GOT IT FIXED, SO I READ, AND I READ, AND I READ, AND I READ. I GOT AN INTEREST IN READING FROM MY GRANDFATHER, BUT THERE WERE BOOKS. THERE WAS NO TV, SO I READ. I WOULD READ ENCYCLOPEDIAS. I READ EVERYTHING.
BUT WEREN'T YOU ALSO BEGINNING TO PLAY AT NIGHT? WHO WERE THE ECHOES? THE ECHOES WAS THE FIRST BAND I WAS IN. I WAS ASKED TO JOIN A BAND. A COUPLE OF GUYS WERE PLAYING GUITARS AND DRUMS. 2 GUITAR PLAYERS, A BASS PLAYER, AND A DRUMMER. AND THEY DIDN'T HAVE VERY GOOD MICROPHONES OR P.A. SYSTEMS IN THOSE DAYS. AND PEOPLE WERE PLAYING, LIKE, SURF MUSIC. RIGHT. LIKE, I'M FROM LEVITTOWN. LIKE I KNOW FROM SURFING, RIGHT? [LAUGHTER] [IMITATES SURF GUITAR] PIPELINE. WE THOUGHT PIPELINE WAS, LIKE, SEWER PIPES, YOU KNOW? YEAH, PIPELINE. [HUMS PIPELINE] WE DIDN'T KNOW. SO THEY ASKED ME TO JOIN A BAND, SO I SAID, "WELL, GREAT. WHAT AM I GOING TO PLAY? YOU KNOW, I'M A PIANO PLAYER." "WELL, WE'LL FIGURE SOMETHING OUT. YOU KNOW, MAYBE THERE'S, LIKE, AN ORGAN OR SOMETHING YOU CAN GET." AND MY MOTHER GOT ME THIS THING. LIKE, SHE COULDN'T AFFORD MUCH. SHE COULDN'T GET A GOOD JOB. SHE WAS AN INTELLIGENT WOMAN, AND THEY DIDN'T GIVE WOMEN GOOD JOBS IN THOSE DAYS. SHE COULDN'T GET GOOD WORK. SHE HAD TO TAKE A BOOKKEEPING JOB OR A SECRETARIAL... WHATEVER SHE COULD GET, AND SHE GOT ME THIS ESTEY ORGAN, WHICH WAS BASED ON KIND OF LIKE A LITTLE FAN THAT BLEW THROUGH A HARMONICA REED, AND YOU PRESSED THE KEYS, AND IT WENT... [IMITATES DEEP DRONE] [LAUGHTER] BUT I COULD SING. THEY ASKED ME TO SING. THEY SAID, "YOU'RE THE BEST SINGER IN THE BAND, SO YOU SING THIS SONG." WE WOULD DO BEATLES SONGS, EARLY STONES, THE KINKS, THE ZOMBIES, SAM THE SHAM AND THE PHARAOHS.
DID YOU GRADUATE FROM HIGH SCHOOL? NO, I DID NOT GRADUATE FROM HIGH SCHOOL. BUT YOU MADE THE YEARBOOK. WELL, THERE ARE PICTURES OF ME. OH, NO. [LAUGHTER] OH, BOY. OH, YEAH. [LAUGHTER] THAT WAS SOME SCARF MY OLD MAN BROUGHT BACK FROM LATIN AMERICA AND A BERET. YEAH. THE '67 COMET. '67 COMET. YUP. THERE'S ALSO IN HERE THE LAST WILL AND TESTAMENT OF THIS GRADUATING CLASS. AND IT SAYS, "HOMEROOM 319 WILLS TO MRS. GALLEGOS "A LIFE-SIZE PICTURE OF STEVE KAMAN "SHAKING HANDS WITH LEON KAPRINSKY AND BILLY JOEL." THAT WAS THE LAST WILL AND TESTAMENT. AND JUST FOR THE HELL OF IT, WILL STEVE KAMAN PLEASE STAND UP? THERE HE IS. HEY. [APPLAUSE]
TRY ROCHER. THE EUROPEAN SPECIALITY YOUR GUESTS WILL ADORE. SMOOTH CHOCOLATE, CRUNCHY HAZELNUT... A LUXURIOUS TASTE SENSATION. IT'S MORE OF A PARTY WITH ROCHER. A COMPLETE PAIR OF GREAT LOOKING GLASSES FOR ONLY $99. IN YOUR CHOICE OF HUNDREDS OF THE LATEST STYLES. THE LENSCRAFTERS $99 COMPLETE PAIR SALE. ONLY $99. YOU CAN'T AFFORD TO MISS AN OFFER LIKE THIS. LIPTON: WE'RE INTO THE MUSIC. HERE WE GO.
NOW, YOU JOINED THE HASSLES WHILE YOU WERE STILL IN HIGH SCHOOL. HOW MANY ALBUMS DID THEY RECORD? BILLY JOEL: THE HASSLES RECORDED 2 ALBUMS. EVENTUALLY, YOU AND ONE OF THOSE MUSICIANS, JON SMALL, FORMED A GROUP CALLED WHAT? ATTILA. ATTILA. HEAVY METAL. A 2-MAN BAND. [LAUGHTER] HOW THE HELL DID YOU MANAGE TO BE HEAVY WHEN THERE WERE 2 GUYS UP THERE? WHAT DID YOU DO? IT WAS LOUD. WE FELL IN LOVE WITH LED ZEPPELIN. THE DRUMMER AND I DECIDED, WE'RE GOING TO MAKE A HEAVY METAL ALBUM. AND I WIRED UP A HAMMOND ORGAN THROUGH 10 CUSTOM AMPLIFIERS-- THESE BIG, LOUD GUITAR AMPS-- AND IT WAS TOTALLY DISTORTED. I PLAYED A KEYBOARD BASS. IT WAS MADE BY A COMPANY CALLED REEM, WHICH WAS WELL-NAMED, ACTUALLY. RIGHT, RIGHT, RIGHT. AND HE PLAYED THE DRUMS, AND WE PLAYED... [HUMS DRAMATICALLY] YOU KNOW, A LOT OF MINOR THIRDS. ♪ DA DA DA DA... ♪ YOU KNOW, THE ESSENCE OF HEAVY METAL IN THOSE DAYS-- MINOR THIRDS-- WHICH THE GERMANS FIGURED OUT, LIKE, A FEW CENTURIES BEFORE ALREADY, YOU KNOW? YOU KNOW, STURM UND DRANG. AND WE WERE THE LOUDEST, LOUDEST BAND. IT WAS JUST 2 GUYS, AND WE MADE SO MUCH NOISE. AND WE KNEW WE WERE LOUD BECAUSE GOOD FRIENDS WOULD COME TO SEE US IN THESE SMALL CLUBS, AND THEY WOULD RUN AWAY. BY THE END OF THE NIGHT, THERE WOULD BE, LIKE, NOBODY LEFT IN THE CLUB EXCEPT REALLY ANGRY BARTENDERS, YOU KNOW. [AUDIENCE LAUGHING] AND WE MADE ONE ALBUM THAT WAS MADE FOR EPIC RECORDS. IT WAS CALLED ATTILA. IT WAS A PICTURE OF US IN A MEAT LOCKER WITH CARCASSES OF BEEF. YOU WERE DRESSED AS HUNS, THOUGH. YOU WERE DRESSED AS HUNS. WE WERE DRESSED AS BARBARIANS, YES. HUNS. AND THE SHAME-- I HATED THIS COVER. I DIDN'T WANT TO DO THIS, BUT THE ART DIRECTOR OF EPIC TALKED ME INTO IT, AND THAT WAS THE LAST TIME THAT HAPPENED.
COLD SPRING HARBOR. AND IT BEGINS YOUR SOLO CAREER, BOTH AS A WRITER AND SINGER. THAT'S A HUGE STEP. HOW DID COLD SPRING HARBOR HAPPEN TO YOU? I SAID, "OK, I WANT TO BE A SONGWRITER. "I JUST WANT TO WRITE MUSIC. "I DON'T WANT TO BE A ROCK STAR. "I DON'T WANT TO GO ONSTAGE AND GO ON TOUR. I JUST WANT TO WRITE." IT JUST SO HAPPENED THAT THIS COINCIDED WITH THE ERA OF THE SINGER/SONGWRITER. SO, I WAS TOLD BY ALL THE PEOPLE THAT I HAD KNOWN IN THE MUSIC BUSINESS FROM THE CONNECTIONS I'D HAD IN THESE OTHER BANDS THAT "YOU SHOULD MAKE YOUR OWN RECORD. "YOU SHOULD DO YOUR OWN RECORDING, BECAUSE THIS WAY PEOPLE WILL HEAR YOUR MATERIAL."
YOU TOURED FOR COLD SPRING HARBOR, RIGHT? AND FINALLY, AS I UNDERSTAND IT, YOU JUST SORT OF GAVE UP ON THE WHOLE THING AND HEADED FOR L.A. I KNEW I HAD TO GET OUT OF THIS DEAL THAT I WAS IN. THE RECORD DIDN'T GET ANY DISTRIBUTION. IT DIDN'T GET ANY AIRPLAY. IT HAD BEEN TERRIBLY PRODUCED. I REALIZED THAT I HAD SIGNED AWAY PUBLISHING RIGHTS, LICENSING RIGHTS, COPYRIGHTS, MECHANICALS. FOR HOW MANY YEARS? THE REST OF MY LIFE. EVERYTHING. SO I DECIDED THE ONLY WAY I WAS GOING TO GET OUT OF THIS DEAL WAS TO-- I HAD NO LEVERAGE, SO I HAD TO DISAPPEAR. I HAD TO DROP OFF THE FACE OF THE EARTH. I WENT TO LOS ANGELES AND MOVED--LOCK, STOCK, AND BARREL-- WITH MY GIRLFRIEND AT THE TIME, WHO LATER BECAME MY FIRST WIFE, FIRST EX-WIFE. [AUDIENCE CHUCKLES] AND GOT A JOB PLAYING IN A PIANO BAR, BECAUSE I HAD TO PAY THE RENT SOMEHOW, AND I USED MY MIDDLE NAME, WHICH IS MARTIN. MY REAL NAME IS WILLIAM MARTIN JOEL, SO I CALLED MYSELF BILL MARTIN AT THE KEYBOARDS.
AND WOULD YOU PLAY STANDARDS AND POPULAR MUSIC? YEAH. I PLAYED THE STUFF I KNEW. PEOPLE WOULD ASK ME FOR SONGS I DIDN'T KNOW. WHAT WOULD YOU DO WHEN THEY DID? I'LL SHOW YOU WHAT I PLAYED. THIS IS THE KIND OF THING. [APPLAUSE] JOEL: UM, THIS IS A MAJOR 7. NOW, IF YOU PLAY ENOUGH CHORDS LIKE THAT, IT STARTS TO SOUND LIKE ALMOST EVERY STANDARD THAT YOU KNOW. AND THEY, YOU KNOW, PUT A BUCK IN THE BRANDY GLASS, YOU KNOW. AND SOME PEOPLE WOULD ASK FOR STANDARDS. EVERYBODY--YOU REALIZED AFTER A CERTAIN HOUR, THEY WERE SO BLITZED, THEY DIDN'T KNOW WHAT THE HELL I WAS PLAYING. AND I WOULD SAY, SURE. AND I WOULD JUST PLAY-- LIPTON: MAJOR SEVENTHS. A LOT OF MAJOR SEVENTHS. [PLAYING UPBEAT PIECE] OR... [IMITATES DRUNK] THANK YOU VERY MUCH. [NORMAL VOICE] AND THEY THROW IT IN THE GLASS. [APPLAUSE] THAT IS AMAZING. WHICH TO THIS DAY, ALWAYS AMAZES ME, BECAUSE I KEEP READING ABOUT, LIKE, WHAT A STUDENT OF, YOU KNOW, THESE TIN PIN ALLEY SONGWRITERS I WAS, AND I REALLY DON'T KNOW THEIR STUFF, BUT I DO KNOW THE MAJOR SEVENTH. THAT'S RIGHT.
NOW, TELL ME, HOW DID CLIVE DAVIS AND COLUMBIA RECORDS COME INTO YOUR LIFE? DIDN'T CAPTAIN JACK HAVE SOMETHING TO DO WITH THAT? DURING THIS TOUR THAT I HAD DONE, WE PLAYED IN PHILADELPHIA, AND WE DID A RADIO CONCERT. WE PLAYED AT-- I THINK IT WAS SIGMA SOUND STUDIOS, AND THEY RECORDED US PLAYING A SHOW LIVE. ONE OF THE SONGS WE PLAYED WAS CAPTAIN JACK. NOW, A RADIO STATION CALLED WMMR-- BACK IN THE EARLY SEVENTIES IN PHILLY, A COUPLE OF DISC JOCKEYS ON THIS STATION WOULD PLAY THIS SONG CAPTAIN JACK, AND IT BECAME THE MOST REQUESTED SONG IN THE HISTORY OF WMMR. AND NOBODY KNEW WHO THIS GUY BILLY JOEL WAS. RIGHT. SOMEBODY AT COLUMBIA WHO WAS A LOCAL PROMOTION MAN OR SOMEBODY LIKE HERB GORDON OR SOMEBODY MIGHT HAVE TOLD THE PEOPLE BACK IN NEW YORK. I NEVER REALLY GOT THE STORY STRAIGHT.
CAPTAIN JACK IS NEARLY 7 MINUTES LONG, AND IT SETS A TONE OF, REALLY, SOMETIMES SCORNFUL SOCIAL CRITICISM THAT WILL MARK YOUR CAREER FROM THAT MOMENT TO THIS. IT ALSO SETS ANOTHER PATTERN, WHICH IS ALTERNATING CHORUSES AND REFRAIN. IN THIS CASE, THE RECURRING REFRAIN IS A VERY MAJESTIC MELODY, COMPARED TO THE SIMPLE VERSES THAT PRECEDE IT AND SURROUND IT. AND YOU'RE PLAYING A SOARING ORGAN IN IT. DO YOU LOOK FOR THAT KIND OF CONTRAST IN THE MUSIC THAT YOU WRITE? IT HAPPENS FREQUENTLY, I THINK. I LOVE DYNAMICS. THE THING THAT'S DIFFERENT ABOUT CAPTAIN JACK AND OTHER SONGS THAT I'VE WRITTEN AND A LOT OF OTHER SONGS IS THAT THE LINE-- [DEEP VOICE] ♪ BOM BOM ♪ ♪ BOM BOM BOM BOM ♪ IS IN THE LEFT HAND. USUALLY, GUITAR PLAYERS PLAY THAT UP HIGH. [HIGH-PITCHED VOICE] ♪ DO DOO DO DOO DO ♪ THAT KIND OF LINE WOULD BE LIKE SUNSHINE OF YOUR LOVE. ♪ DO DOO DO DOO... ♪ LINEAR. ♪ DO DOO BOM BOM BOM BOM ♪ AND EVERYTHING ELSE WAS AN ACCOMPANIMENT. WELL, THIS WAS AN ACCOMPANIMENT. IT WASN'T PLAYED AS A MELODY LINE. IT'S PLAYED IN THE BASS, WHICH I LEARNED FROM BEETHOVEN. BEETHOVEN DID THAT. NOW, CHECK THIS OUT. YOU DON'T HEAR IT, BUT YOU HEAR IT.
♪ SO YOU GO TO THE VILLAGE ♪
♪ IN YOUR TIE-DYE JEANS ♪
♪ AND YOU STARE AT THE JUNKIES ♪
♪ AND THE CLOSET QUEENS ♪
♪ IT'S LIKE SOME PORNOGRAPHIC MAGAZINE ♪
♪ AND YOU SMILE ♪
♪ MMM MMM MMM ♪
♪ CAPTAIN JACK WILL GET YOU HIGH TONIGHT ♪
♪ AND TAKE YOU TO YOUR SPECIAL ISLAND... ♪
LIPTON: HERE WE GO. PIANO MAN. [APPLAUSE] THIS IS THE FIRST TIME, AT LEAST TO MY KNOWLEDGE, THAT CHARACTERS APPEAR IN A BILLY JOEL SONG. IT ISN'T JUST A PERSON SINGING TO ANOTHER PERSON OR SINGING ABOUT HIMSELF. ARE THOSE CHARACTERS IN PIANO MAN REAL? DO THEY DATE FROM THE BILL MARTIN DAYS? THOSE WERE REAL CHARACTERS. EVEN THEIR NAMES WERE THE SAME NAMES. JOHN WAS THE BARTENDER. RIGHT. DAVY WAS THE GUY IN THE NAVY, WHICH JUST HAPPENED TO WORK TERRIFIC. LUCKY FOR YOU. [LAUGHTER]
HERE IS A SONG ON A ROCK AND ROLL ALBUM WITH AN UNEXPECTED TIME SIGNATURE. PIANO MAN IS 3/4. IT'S A WALTZ. 3/4 TIME. RIGHT. IT'S A WALTZ AND AN ABSOLUTELY WONDERFUL SONG. [APPLAUSE] IT ALWAYS AMAZES ME HOW POPULAR THAT SONG IS. SEE, IT'S MUSICALLY THE SAME MELODY GOING OVER AND OVER AND OVER AGAIN. I JUST JUMP AN OCTAVE. YOU'VE SAID YOU DON'T LIKE THE MELODY VERY MUCH. I DON'T THINK IT'S THAT GREAT A MELODY. IT'S A GOOD ENOUGH SING-ALONG MELODY. AND, YOU KNOW, IF I GO TO A PUB IN ENGLAND, PEOPLE ARE, [BRITISH ACCENT] "OH, BILLY, GIVE US A SONG. "COME ON. YOU'RE THE PIANO MAN. BILLY, COME ON. ♪ SING US A SONG, YOU'RE THE PIANO MAN ♪" [NORMAL VOICE] AND NOBODY KNOWS THE WORDS. [SINGS GIBBERISH] SO I DO IT, AND THEN THERE'S THAT LITTLE RELEASE PART... ♪ LA DA DA DEE LA DA DA DA ♪ WHICH EVERYBODY KNOWS THE WORDS TO. AND THE LYRIC, IT TELLS A GOOD STORY. I'LL GIVE YOU THAT. IT TELLS A GOOD STORY. BUT IT'S NOT REALLY A LYRIC AS MUCH AS A LIMERICK. "JOHN AT THE BAR IS A FRIEND OF MINE. "HE GETS ME MY DRINKS FOR FREE. "HE'S QUICK WITH A JOKE OR TO LIGHT UP YOUR SMOKE, BUT THERE'S SOMEPLACE THAT HE'D RATHER BE." I'LL SHOW YOU WHAT HAPPENS. I WALK INTO A PLACE, AND THERE'S A PIANO BAR GUY. HE SEES ME. WHAT DOES HE DO? HE STARTS PLAYING PIANO MAN. OK, HERE'S WHAT HAPPENS. NOW, EVEN IF HE'S NEVER PLAYED THE SONG BEFORE, IT'S PRETTY EASY TO FIGURE OUT. IT DOESN'T HIT THE GUY UNTIL HE'S INTO THE SONG FOR A BIT, IT DOESN'T GO ANYWHERE. HE GOES... [PLAYING PIANO MAN RAPIDLY] LIPTON: OH, GOD. [STOPS ABRUPTLY] [LAUGHTER] [PLAYING SLOWLY] [PLAYING RAPIDLY] AND THEN, THANK GOD THERE'S THAT LITTLE RELEASE PART. [PLAYING BRIDGE] AND THEN IT STARTS TO HIT HIM. [PLAYING CHORUS AWKWARDLY] AND ABOUT THAT TIME, OUR EYES MEET, AND I WENT. SOMETIMES, YOU DO NEED WORDS.
HOW MUCH DID YOU, BILLY JOEL, NET ON THE PIANO MAN ALBUM? WHEN IT WAS THE BIG HIT ALBUM AND HAD GONE GOLD AND WAS CONSIDERED A BIG SUCCESS, I NETTED OUT ABOUT 7,000 BUCKS. MAN: OH.
KEEP YOUR WITS ABOUT YOU. THERE WAS ANOTHER CALIFORNIA ALBUM, STREETLIFE SERENADE, WHICH IS BEST KNOWN FOR A SONG, WHICH I THINK IS BRILLIANT, CALLED THE ENTERTAINER. [APPLAUSE] I WAS YELLING AT THE MUSIC BUSINESS AND TELEVISION, TOO. THEY HAD THESE SHOWS ON THE MIDNIGHT SPECIAL. [IMITATES WOLFMAN JACK] THE MIDNIGHT SPECIAL WITH WOLFMAN JACK AND ALL THIS. IT'S LIKE, IT WAS TRIVIALIZING ROCK AND ROLL, AND I GOT MAD. I GO DOWN. I SAW ONE BAND AFTER ANOTHER COME ON AND GO OFF. AND I SAID, "I GOT TO WRITE A SONG ABOUT THIS."
♪ I AM THE ENTERTAINER ♪
♪ AND I KNOW JUST WHERE I STAND ♪
♪ ANOTHER SERENADER ♪
♪ AND ANOTHER LONG-HAIRED BAND ♪
♪ TODAY I AM THE CHAMPION ♪
♪ I MAY HAVE WON YOUR HEARTS ♪
♪ BUT I KNOW THE GAME, AND YOU'LL FORGET MY NAME ♪
♪ AND I WON'T BE HERE IN ANOTHER YEAR ♪
♪ IF I DON'T STAY ON THE CHARTS ♪
♪♪ WE ALL DO DUMB THINGS. ♪♪
FORTUNATELY, PAYING TOO MUCH FOR CAR INSURANCE DOESN'T HAVE TO BE ONE OF THEM. A 15-MINUTE CALL COULD SAVE YOU 15% OR MORE ON CAR INSURANCE. LIPTON: TURNSTILES. [APPLAUSE] ONE OF THE OUTSTANDING VIRTUES OF THIS ALBUM IS THAT A--IT WAS NOT RECORDED IN LOS ANGELES. B--IT WAS RECORDED IN HEMPSTEAD, LONG ISLAND. AND C--IT ASSEMBLED THE MUSICIANS WHO WOULD BECOME YOUR BAND FOR A VERY LONG TIME. WHO WERE THOSE GUYS WHO JOINED YOU AT THAT POINT? THEY ARE REALLY AN IMPORTANT PART OF THIS STORY. AT THAT POINT, THE BAND WAS RICHIE CANNATA ON THE SAXOPHONE, FROM GLEN CLOVE, DOUG STEGMEYER ON THE BASS, FROM SYOSSET, LIBERTY DeVITTO, FROM SEAFORD, ON THE DRUMS. RUSSELL JAVORS WAS ON THE GUITAR, ME ON THE PIANO.
WHEN YOU MOVED BACK, YOU DIDN'T LIVE IN NEW YORK CITY IN THE BEGINNING. YOU LIVED UP IN HIGHLAND FALLS. AND YOU WROTE A SONG CALLED SUMMER, HIGHLAND FALLS. [APPLAUSE] OBVIOUSLY, A LOT OF MANIC DEPRESSIVES HERE. WELL, THERE'S A LINE IN IT THAT SAYS, "NOW WE ARE FORCED TO RECOGNIZE OUR INHUMANITY, AND REASON COEXISTS WITH OUR INSANITY."
THE ALBUM TURNSTILES-- THE TITLE TELLS YOU THAT IT'S NEW YORK, BECAUSE, AFTER ALL, WE HAVE SUBWAYS AND TURNSTILES, AND THE ALBUM COVER INDICATES THAT, TOO. NOW, THERE HAVE BEEN A LOT OF GREAT NEW YORK SONGS. I WOULD LIKE TO GO ON RECORD ONCE AND FOR ALL THAT MY FAVORITE NEW YORK SONG IS, WITHOUT QUESTION, NEW YORK STATE OF MIND. [APPLAUSE] WHERE DID YOU WRITE IT? TO THE BEST OF MY RECOLLECTION, I WAS MOVING BACK TO NEW YORK. I LANDED AT-- I DON'T REMEMBER WHETHER IT WAS LAGUARDIA OR J.F.K. I HAD TO TAKE A BUS TO GET UP TO HIGHLAND FALLS, WHICH IS A SMALL TOWN JUST SOUTH OF WEST POINT ON THE WEST SIDE OF THE HUDSON RIVER. AND IT WAS A GREYHOUND BUS-- THE HUDSON RIVER LINE. AND THE IDEA STARTED TO COME TO ME AS "I'M IN A NEW YORK STATE OF MIND. I'M TAKING A GREYHOUND." AND IT'S STARTING, AND THERE, IT'S GOING. IT'S GOING. AND I GET TO THE HOUSE THAT MY WIFE AT THE TIME HAD FOUND FOR US TO RENT. AND I GOT INTO THIS HOUSE, AND SHE SAID, "WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THIS HOUSE?" AND, "GREAT. IT'S GREAT. WHERE'S THE PIANO? WHERE'S THE PIANO? WHERE'S THE PIANO?" RAN UP THE STAIRS AND STARTED WRITING THIS SONG, AND ABOUT AN HOUR LATER HAD THE WHOLE SONG DONE. MUSIC? MUSIC AND LYRICS. AND LYRICS? AND LYRICS. I WAS SO GLAD TO BE THERE, AND THEN JUST, BANG. THERE IT WAS. AND I SAID, "WELL, HOW DO YOU LIKE THAT?" I WAS SO OVERJOYED. IT WAS ONE OF THOSE TIMES WHEN A HAPPY FEELING WORKS. A LOT OF TIMES, SAD IS REALLY GOOD FOR WRITING. YOU KNOW, HAPPY DOESN'T ALWAYS WORK. YOU KNOW... ♪ I'M HAPPY, I'M HAPPY ♪ ♪ I'M PEPPY AND BURSTING WITH LOVE ♪ YOU KNOW, IT DOESN'T ALWAYS WORK. SAD WORKS GOOD, BUT THAT WAS ONE OF THOSE TIMES HAPPY WORKED. AND HAPPY WORKED, AND YOU WROTE IT AND ASKED FOR A BLUES FEELING. IT'S A BLUES. IT'S A VERY THIRTIES OR FORTIES KIND OF BLUES. I WANTED TO SAY, I'VE BEEN GONE. I'VE BEEN DOWN, BUT I'M BACK. AND YOU SURE DID.
NOW, NEW YORK STATE OF MIND, LIKE MANY OF YOUR SONGS, IS IN A CLASSIC AMERICAN FORM CALLED BINARY. A-A-B-A. MAKE A STATEMENT, A MUSICAL STATEMENT. YOU REPEAT THE STATEMENT, AND THEN "B" IS CALLED THE BRIDGE OR THE RELEASE. IT TAKES YOU AWAY FROM IT. AND THEN REFRESHED, THE PALETTE COMPLETELY REFRESHED, YOU COME BACK FOR A CODA, WHICH IS THE "A" AGAIN. AND YOU USE THAT FORM VERY, VERY OFTEN. I HAPPEN TO LIKE BRIDGES, AND I THINK THAT YOU WRITE BRIDGES ABOUT AS WELL AS ANYBODY I CAN THINK OF. BUT OFTEN, YOU FEAR THEM, DON'T YOU? SOMETIMES, I'M TOLD, WHEN YOU GO INTO THE STUDIO WITH YOUR MUSICIANS WITHOUT THE BRIDGE, BECAUSE YOU WANT TO FIND OUT WHETHER THEY'RE GOING TO LIKE THE SONG BEFORE YOU BOTHER TO WRITE THE BEAT. THAT'S HAPPENED OFTEN. I'VE WORKED WITH MUSICIANS WHOSE OPINION I RESPECT, AND IF THEY DON'T LIKE SOMETHING, THEY DON'TOLD BACK. THEY SAY, "THAT REALLY SUCKS." AND "YOU'VE LOST IT," AND "YOU'RE NO GOOD ANYMORE." [AUDIENCE LAUGHING] AND I CRAWL AWAY WITH MY TAIL BETWEEN MY LEGS, AND I FEAR THAT KIND OF RIDICULE. BUT, YOU KNOW, I WANT THEIR OPINION, AND I WANT THEM TO LIKE THE MUSIC THAT I'M BRINGING TO THEM. SO, THE BRIDGE, IT'S FUNNY YOU SAY THAT BECAUSE I'M A FAN OF BRIDGES. I THINK SOME OF MY FAVORITE PARTS OF SONGS THAT I LOVE ARE THE BRIDGE, BECAUSE YOU TOUCH ON IT, AND IT GOES AWAY. YOU DON'T HEAR IT ALL THAT MUCH-- THESE LITTLE GEMS. IT'S A LITTLE MINI-SONG ON ITS OWN. THAT'S RIGHT. IT JUST GOES AWAY. YOU GOT TO GET AWAY? OK, I GOT SOME PASTA. I'LL HAVE SOME MORE PASTA. I WANT TO TASTE SOME OF THAT SCAMPI FOR A SECOND. EXACTLY, EXACTLY. AND THEN YOU HAVE THE SCAMPI, AND YOU GO, "MMM. THAT WAS GOOD. I THINK I'LL GO BACK TO THE PASTA NOW." AND THEN THEY TOOK AWAY THE SCAMPI, AND YOU GO, OH. WELL, WHAT HAPPENED? WELL, IT'S GONE. WELL, OK. BUT THE PASTA TASTES BETTER. BUT NOW THE PASTA TASTES BETTER BECAUSE YOU'RE COMING HOME... YEAH. THAT'S IT. YOU'VE BEEN AWAY. YOU'RE COMING HOME. AND I'VE BEEN EATING A LOT OF PASTA LATELY. DO YOU LIKE NEW YORK STATE OF MIND? DO YOU LIKE THAT BRIDGE? YES, I LOVE THAT BRIDGE. I DO. WOULD YOU CONSIDER ILLUSTRATING IT? YEAH. SURE. YEAH. [AUDIENCE CHEERING]
JOEL: SO, AS YOU SAID, A-A-B-A. SO THE "A" IS...
♪ SOME FOLKS LIKE TO GET AWAY ♪
♪ TAKE A HOLIDAY FROM THE NEIGHBORHOOD ♪
♪ HOP A FLIGHT TO MIAMI BEACH ♪
♪ OR TO HOLLYWOOD ♪
♪ ME, I'M TAKING A GREYHOUND ♪
♪ ON THE HUDSON RIVER LINE ♪
♪ I'M IN A NEW YORK STATE OF MIND ♪
HERE COMES "B."
♪ I'VE SEEN ALL THE MOVIE STARS ♪
♪ IN THEIR FANCY CARS AND THEIR LIMOUSINES ♪
♪ I'VE BEEN HIGH IN THE ROCKIES ♪
♪ UNDER THE EVERGREENS ♪
♪ BUT I KNOW WHAT I'M NEEDIN' ♪
♪ AND I DON'T WANT TO WASTE MORE TIME ♪
♪ I'M IN A NEW YORK STATE OF MIND ♪
HERE COMES "B."
♪ IT WAS SO EASY LIVIN' ♪
♪ DAY BY DAY ♪
♪ OUT OF TOUCH ♪
♪ OUT OF TOUCH WITH THE RHYTHM AND BLUES ♪
♪ BUT NOW I NEED ♪
♪ A LITTLE GIVE AND TAKE ♪
♪ THE NEW YORK TIMES ♪
♪ THE DAILY NEWS ♪
♪ OH, OH, OH ♪
BACK TO "A."
♪ COMES DOWN TO REALITY ♪
♪ AND IT'S FINE WITH ME ♪
♪ 'CAUSE I'VE LET IT SLIDE ♪
♪ I DON'T CARE IF IT'S IN CHINATOWN ♪
♪ OR ON RIVERSIDE ♪
♪ I DON'T HAVE ANY REASONS ♪
♪ I LEFT THEM ALL BEHIND ♪
♪ I'M IN A NEW YORK STATE OF MIND ♪
AND THEN THE CODA.
♪ I'M JUST TAKIN' A GREYHOUND ♪
♪ ON THE HUDSON RIVER LINE ♪
♪ 'CAUSE I'M IN A ♪
♪ I'M IN A NEW YORK STATE OF MIND ♪
♪ OOH, OOH, OOH ♪
THEY LIKED THE MUSIC. THEY LIKED THE MUSIC. LIPTON: IN POP MUSIC PARLANCE, THERE ARE HITS, AND THERE ARE MONSTERS. THE STRANGER IS A MONSTER. [APPLAUSE] FROM 1977 UNTIL 1985, IT WAS THE BIGGEST SELLING ALBUM IN THE HISTORY OF COLUMBIA RECORDS, AND TO DATE, IT HAS BEEN CERTIFIED PLATINUM 9 TIMES. I SUSPECT THAT IT'S NO COINCIDENCE THAT THE STRANGER MARKS THE BEGINNING OF YOUR COLLABORATION WITH A GENTLEMAN NAMED PHIL RAMONE. I WORKED WITH PHIL IN THE JIMMY CARTER INAUGURAL GALA. I HAVE GREAT RESPECT FOR HIM. IT STRIKES ME THAT HE HAD A GREAT RESPECT FOR YOUR OLD BAND. HE LOVED THE SYNERGY WE HAD. THE BAND WAS NOT THE MOST FINESSED GROUP OF MUSICIANS, AND PHIL HAD BEEN USED TO WORKING WITH SOME OF THE GREATEST SESSION MEN. SURE. AND PHIL SAID, "I LOVE YOUR BAND." AND I SAID, "THANK YOU." YOU KNOW, "YOU'RE THE GUY." LET'S DO IT.
WHAT DOES A RECORD PRODUCER PROVIDE FOR? WHAT DOES HE DO? FIRST AND FOREMOST UNDERSTANDS THE TECHNOLOGY OF RECORDING. THAT HAS TO BE A BASIC. HOW TO WORK WITH THE DIFFERENT MUSICIANS AND GET OUT OF THE MUSICIANS WHAT WE ALL NEED TO PUT IN. WHEN TO SAY SOMETHING, WHEN NOT TO SAY SOMETHING. WHEN TO ALLOW US TO MESS AROUND, WHEN TO TELL US TO SHUT UP, WHEN IT'S TIME TO GET CHINESE FOOD, WHEN IT'S TIME TO PLAY, WHEN IT'S TIME TO WORK. HE'S GOT A VISION, AND HIS VISION IS REALLY WHAT MY VISION IS. I JUST DON'T ALWAYS SEE IT. I GO INTO THE STUDIO, AND I DON'T THINK LIKE A ROCK STAR. I DON'T THINK LIKE A RECORDING ARTIST. I THINK LIKE A WRITER. I LAY DOWN A TRACK, AND I SAY, "OK, CLOSE ENOUGH FOR ME." YOU KNOW, AND I ONLY DO IT ONCE, AND I STILL LIKE THE THING, YOU KNOW? THEN IF I GOT TO DO IT TWICE, I GO, "OK, I STILL LIKE THE THING. "NOW, YOU WANT ME TO DO IT HOW MANY TIMES, 3, 4, 5, 6?" HOW ARE YOU GOING TO GET ME TO KEEP LIKING THE THING AND KEEP WANTING TO DO IT? WELL, THERE'S ALL KINDS OF LITTLE TRICKS AND PLOYS, AND PRODUCERS CAN DO THAT. A GOOD PRODUCER KNOWS HOW TO GET YOU TO DO IT. "TRY CHANGING THE TEMPO. CHANGE THE PATTERN. CHANGE THE KEY. MOVE POINT "A" TO POINT "B." HE IS RESPONSIBLE FOR A LOT OF HIT RECORDS.
THIS ALBUM IS AMAZING FOR THE NUMBER OF SONGS IN IT THAT YOU WILL ALL KNOW. MOVING OUT IS CALLED (ANTHONY'S SONG). WHO'S ANTHONY? HE'S AN ITALIAN KID. YOU KNOW. HIS MOTHER'S ALWAYS CALLING HIM. "ANTHONY!" DIDN'T EVERY NEIGHBORHOOD HAVE THE "ANTHONY?" AND YOU'RE THINKING, ANTHONY, JUST GO HOME. I'M SICK OF HEARING YOUR MOTHER. [LAUGHTER] THAT'S ANTHONY. THIS SONG IS A NARRATIVE. YOU'RE WRITING STORIES HERE, AREN'T YOU? YOU'RE WRITING LITTLE MOVIES WITH THIS SONG. YEAH. THERE WERE CHARACTERS. THERE WERE MORE DEVELOPED CHARACTERS. I WAS FEELING MORE CONFIDENT IN THE STUDIO. I UNDERSTAND. I WAS FEELING MORE CONFIDENT ABOUT MY SONGWRITING. IN THE SONG THE STRANGER, I HAD WRITTEN THE BODY OF THE SONG WITHOUT THE INTRODUCTION. I HAD WRITTEN ABOUT OUR HIDDEN INNER DEMONS. THE STRANGER-- THE PERSON THAT YOU DON'T EVEN SHOW TO YOUR CLOSEST SOUL MATES SOMETIMES-- THAT, WE ALL HAVE IT. WE ALL HAVE THIS OTHER SIDE OF OUR PERSONALITY. AND I REALIZED AFTER I WROTE THIS SONG, I NEEDED A THEME. I NEED TO THEME THIS PERSON OUT. THIS ISN'T JUST A SONG. THIS IS A LITTLE MOVIE, LIKE YOU SAID. YES, IT IS. YES, IT IS. SO, WELL, WHAT'S GOING TO EXPRESS THIS KIND OF HIDDEN SPIRIT? AND I THOUGHT, SOMETHING ATMOSPHERIC, [FRENCH ACCENT] SOMETHING VERY FRENCH. THE FRENCH, THEY DO THIS ALL THE TIME, YOU KNOW. THE MUSIC, THEY HAVE THAT ATMOSPHERE. [NORMAL VOICE] SO, OK, I SAID... [PLAYING THE STRANGER] THEN I WANTED ANOTHER INSTRUMENT TO PLAY IT, SO I WHISTLED. [WHISTLING] I SAID TO PHIL, "NOW, WHAT KIND OF INSTRUMENT SHOULD WE USE TO CARRY THE MELODY?" HE GOES, "YOU JUST DID IT." I SAID, "WHAT DO YOU MEAN?" HE GOES, "YOUR WHISTLING," WHICH HAD NEVER EVEN OCCURRED TO ME FOR THAT TO BE THE SOUND THAT WOULD CARRY THE MELODY. THAT'S A GOOD PRODUCER. YES, IT IS. BUT WITH ALSO A GOOD WHISTLER AND A GOOD WRITER.
I STOPPED DOING THAT SONG FOR A LONG TIME BECAUSE, ALL RIGHT, IT'S A VERY DRAMATIC MOMENT. WE START THE SONG, AND THERE'S THIS PIANO THING, AND THEN THERE'S THIS WHISTLING. [WHISTLES] AND THE BAND NOW, THEY KNOW HOW TO GET TO ME. THEY TURN AROUND, AND THEY STARTED DOING FUNNY THINGS. [AUDIENCE LAUGHING] IT'S LIKE SUCKING A LEMON IN FRONT OF A TRUMPET PLAYER, YEAH. IT'S HARD ENOUGH TO WHISTLE IN THE FIRST PLACE. ONE NIGHT, THEY TURN AROUND. ALL THEIR FRONT TEETH ARE BLACKED OUT. [AUDIENCE LAUGHING] THE DRAMATIC MOMENT IS RUINED. I START LAUGHING MY HEAD OFF. AND FROM THEN ON, IT BECAME A RUNNING JOKE. "HOW ARE WE GOING TO SCREW UP BILLY AT THE BEGINNING OF THE STRANGER?" SO, I HAD TO PUT THE SONG AWAY.
♪ MAMA, IF THAT'S MOVIN' UP ♪
♪ THEN I'M MOVIN' OUT ♪
I'M ELMER FUDD. BIG NEWS. AMERICA'S GOING CRAZY FOR MCI 5¢ EVERYDAY. NOW IT'S 5¢ A MINUTE EVERY EVENING AND ALL WEEKEND LONG. NOW, OUR WOVING WEPAWTER. LET'S FIND OUT HOW A TYPICAL AMERICAN FEELS ABOUT MCI 5¢ EVERYDAY OFFER. I'M THP-EECHLESS. I'M SOAKED. AND I'M MICHAEL. JUST TTY# 1-800-374-4833 TO JOIN. TTY 1-800-374-4833 IS THAT A WAP? TTY 1-800-374-4833 THAT'S A WAP. MALE VOICE: EVERYBODY TAKE YOUR SEATS. OK, CLASS, LET'S TRY SOME BASIC PHRASES. REPEAT AFTER ME. KATRINA, DOES THIS BUS GO DOWNTOWN? OK, MAYBE NOT. PHIL. HOW MANY STOPS TO WALL STREET? AH, THE STOCK MARKET! I'M PRAYING FOR A RALLY, YOU KNOW. WHAT IS THE STORY WITH CYCLICALS? CYCLICALS, SHMYCLICALS. CYCLICAL, SHMYCLICAL. ON AMERITRADE I SAW... YOU TRADE WITH AMERITRADE? I TRADA WITH AMERITRADA. I LIVE FOR AMERITRADE. ALL RIGHT! OK, CLASS. WHAT IS THIS AMERITRADE? YOU TRADE STOCKS ON YOUR COMPUTER. ONE TRADE, $8.00. LOG ON AMERITRADE. [GENERAL CHATTER] TEACHER: SO HOW DO I PICK A STOCK? YOU DO THE RESEARCH. IT'S FREE. FREE? IT MEANS NO CHARGE. PRO BONO. AMERITRADE IS A GREAT AND WONDERFUL THING. AND THEY SAID CAPITALISM WOULD NEVER WORK. CALL TOLL FREE 1-...
LIPTON: I'M NOW GOING TO TALK ABOUT A SONG THAT HE'S NOT THAT CRAZY ABOUT AS A SINGLE. HE LIKES IT AS PART OF THE ALBUM. BUT THE WORLD LOVES IT, AND IT'S CALLED JUST THE WAY YOU ARE. AUDIENCE: AW. LISTEN TO THAT SIGH. I THINK IT'S YOUR MOST POPULAR SONG, ISN'T IT, PROBABLY? IT'S THE MOST COVERED. I THINK IT'S THE MOST COVERED. THE SHEET MUSIC IS WRONG, BY THE WAY. REALLY? YEAH. THE BEGINNING-- THIS IS ANOTHER ONE OF THOSE WHERE THE GUY AT THE PIANO BAR SEES ME. THAT'S THE OTHER ONE THAT THEY PLAY. [CHEERING] LIPTON: I THINK THEY WANT TO HEAR IT RIGHT AS WELL AS WRONG. I WALK IN... NOW, THE SHEET MUSIC, I THINK, STATES THIS. [PLAYING JUST THE WAY YOU ARE] [PLAYS CHORDS SHARPLY] [AUDIENCE LAUGHING] WRONG. SO THEY GO... [PLAYING CHORDS QUICKLY] SO AT THE END OF THE NIGHT, I PULL THE GUY ASIDE, AND I GO, IT'S... [SUSTAINS MAIN CHORDS] WHICH IS A SUSPENSION, AN UNRESOLVED SUSPENSION, WHICH GIVES IT A LITTLE BIT OF TENSION, BUT... [PLAYS CHORDS SHARPLY] SO MAYBE THAT'S WHY I'M NOT SO NUTS ABOUT IT. [APPLAUSE] IT IS MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THAT SONG ALMOST DIDN'T MAKE THE ALBUM BECAUSE THE BAND JUST HATED IT. LIBERTY THREW HIS STICKS AT ME. HE SAID, "I AM NO COCKTAIL LOUNGE DRUMMER." BECAUSE WE COULDN'T COME UP WITH A DRUM BEAT. WE WERE PLAYING CHA-CHAS. 1, 2, CHA-CHA-CHA. YOU KNOW... [HUMS JUST THE WAY YOU ARE] ♪ CHA-CHA-CHA ♪ ♪ DA DA DA DA ♪ HOW DO WE DO... ♪ DA DA DA DA ♪ SO, PHIL CAME UP WITH THIS THING THAT LIBERTY PLAYED. ♪ BOOM, PA-TOOM ♪ ♪ BOOM, PA-TOOM ♪ AND LIBERTY IS A ROCK AND ROLL DRUMMER. LIBERTY USED TO PLAY WITH MITCH RYDER AND THE DETROIT WHEELS, YOU KNOW. ♪ JENNY, JENNY, JENNY, WON'T YOU COME HOME WITH ME? ♪ ♪ JENNY, JENNY, WOO, JENNY, JENNY ♪ FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO HAVEN'T SEEN HIM, LIBERTY DeVITTO, OFTEN AT CONCERTS, LOOKS LIKE-- REMEMBER THE DRUMMER ON THE MUPPETS? THE ONE WHO WOULD OPEN-- THAT'S WHAT LIBERTY DeVITTO LOOKS LIKE, RIGHT? I THINK THAT'S WHERE THEY GOT IT FROM. FROM LIBERTY? WAIT REALLY? I THINK SO. LINDA RONSTADT, PHOEBE SNOW HAPPENED TO BE WALKING THROUGH THE STUDIO DURING THIS PARTICULAR TIME PERIOD. THEY HEAR THE SONG, AND THEY'RE LIKE, "YOU'VE GOT TO PUT THAT ON THE ALBUM!" [AUDIENCE LAUGHING] AND WE SAID, "REALLY?" "YOU'RE NOT GOING TO PUT THAT ON THE ALBUM?" "WELL, WE DON'T LIKE--" "YOU'RE STUPID GUYS." AND SO WE SAID, "OH, WELL, OK." AND PHIL WAS FOR IT. AND WE WERE FIGHTING WITH PHIL ABOUT PUTTING IT ON. SO THAT'S HOW IT ENDED UP ON THE ALBUM. WHO CAME UP WITH THAT SORT OF BACKWARDS SAMBA BEAT? PHIL RAMONE. IT WAS HIS. IT WAS HIS IDEA. LIBERTY STILL HATES IT. DOES HE? OH, YEAH.
NOW, HERE'S A SONG THAT I ADMIRE HUGELY. AND IT'S CALLED SCENES FROM AN ITALIAN RESTAURANT. [AUDIENCE CHEERING] THIS HAS A SYMPHONIC SHAPE TO IT, ABSOLUTELY. AND IT'S WRITTEN IN DISTINCT MOVEMENTS. IT HAS THE DRAMATIC STRUCTURE OF A PLAY. IT TELLS THE DRAMATIC STORY OF BRENDA AND EDDIE. HOW DID THOSE 3 PARTS ASSEMBLE? THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION. IT STARTED OUT AS ONE SONG, IN THE MIDDLE PIECE, WHICH I CALLED ORIGINALLY THE BALLAD OF BRENDA AND EDDIE. WHICH IS ESSENTIALLY ABOUT PEOPLE WE ALL KNOW-- THE ONES WHO WERE THE KING AND THE QUEEN OF THE HIGH SCHOOL, PEOPLE WHO PEAKED A LITTLE TOO EARLY IN LIFE. [AUDIENCE LAUGHING] AND WE SAID, "OK, OK, WELL, WE GOT THIS THING. NOW WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO WITH IT?" WELL, IT WASN'T ENOUGH. IT WAS SOMEHOW THE CENTER OF THE SANDWICH, BUT WE NEEDED OTHER COURSES TO GO WITH THIS MEAL. AND IT WAS OPERATIC, YOU KNOW, I THINK, IN ITS AMBITIONS. SO HOW DO I LEAD UP TO IT? I'M SITTING IN LITTLE ITALY, AND I'M SITTING AT A TABLE. AND I THINK IT WAS IL CORTILE OR SOMETHING, ONE OF THOSE PLACES DOWN ON MULBERRY. AND I'M SITTING THERE, AND I GOT MY NOTEBOOK, AND THE WAITER COMES UP AND HE GOES, "A BOTTLE OF WHITE? A BOTTLE OF RED?" [AUDIENCE LAUGHING] AND I SAID, "THANK YOU." AND IT SPUN OUT FROM THERE. THEN I HAD THAT FIRST PART. ♪ DA DA DA DEE ♪ ♪ YA BA DA DEE ♪ AND I'LL DO IT-- SCENES FROM AN ITALIAN RESTAURANT. [AUDIENCE CHEERING] [PLAYING SCENES FROM AN ITALIAN RESTAURANT]
♪ A BOTTLE OF WHITE ♪
♪ A BOTTLE OF RED ♪
♪ PERHAPS A BOTTLE OF ROSé INSTEAD ♪
♪ WE'LL GET A TABLE NEAR THE STREET ♪
♪ IN OUR OLD FAMILIAR PLACE ♪
♪ YOU AND I ♪
♪ FACE-TO-FACE ♪
♪ MMM MMM ♪
♪ A BOTTLE OF RED ♪
♪ A BOTTLE OF WHITE ♪
♪ IT ALL DEPENDS UPON YOUR APPETITE ♪
♪ I'LL MEET YOU ANYTIME YOU WANT ♪
♪ IN OUR ITALIAN RESTAURANT ♪
NOW I NEED A TIME TRANSITION. ONE OF THOSE-- [IMITATES TV FLASHBACK MUSIC] ♪ AH WAH WAH ♪ ♪ BA DA DA ♪ WE MAKE A VERY DENSE ORCHESTRATION. ♪ AH DA DA DA ♪ ♪ DEE DEE DEE ♪ ♪ DA DA DA ♪ A TRANSITORY PHRASE. ♪ DA DA DA DA WAH ♪ TIME'S PASSING. ♪ DA DA DA DA DEE ♪ WE'RE REMINISCING. ♪ NA YA BA DA BA DEE ♪ ♪ BA DA DEE DEE DA ♪ ♪ NA NA NAY DO DO ♪ [HIGH PITCHED] ♪ BA DA DAY DA NA NA NA ♪ NOW WHAT? NOW WHERE DO I GO? NOW, I HAD A PIECE OF MUSIC I WROTE YEARS BEFORE THAT CALLED THINGS ARE OK IN OYSTER BAY. [LAUGHTER] AND IT WAS ONE OF THESE DOPEY LYRICS. I WAS JUST IN A GOOD MOOD. ♪ THINGS ARE OK IN OYSTER BAY ♪ AND I HAD A FRIEND CALLED BOB. ♪ ME AND BOB AND A MEATBALL HERO ♪ ♪ FISHING POLES AND ONION ROLLS ♪ ♪ PLAYIN' ON A PIANO ALL DAY ♪ AND NOW, BRIAN IS IN THE SONG. ♪ THERE'S A YELL AT THE OLD DOORBELL ♪ ♪ BRIAN IS THERE WITH A BOTTLE OF WHISKY ♪ ♪ EVERYTHING'S FINE, WE DRINK UP THE WINE ♪ ♪ YABBA-DABBA-DOO, BOBAY, BOOM BOOM ♪ SO I SAID, WHAT ABOUT THAT THING THAT GOES... ♪ DA DA DA DA ♪ ♪ DA DA DA DA ♪ "THINGS ARE OK," INSTEAD OF "OYSTER BAY," "WITH ME THESE DAYS." ♪ THINGS ARE OK WITH ME THESE DAYS ♪ ♪ GOT A GOOD JOB, I GOT A GOOD OFFICE ♪ ♪ GOT A NEW WIFE ♪ ACTUALLY, I HAD A NEW WIFE. ♪ GOT A NEW LIFE ♪ ♪ AND THE FAMILY'S FINE ♪ AND THEN IT SPUN ITSELF OUT. IT TURNED INTO THIS DIXIELAND THING, ALL RIGHT? ♪ BA DA NA NA NAY YAP BOP BA-BOP ♪ BECAUSE I SAID, NEW ORLEANS, WHICH KICKED OFF, YOU KNOW... [IMITATES TROMBONE] A DIXIELAND THING. AND THEN IT WENT INTO THE... [PLAYING BRIDGE] [APPLAUSE]
♪ BRENDA AND EDDIE WERE THE POPULAR STEADIES ♪
♪ THE KING AND THE QUEEN OF THE PROM ♪
♪ RIDING AROUND WITH THE CAR TOP DOWN ♪
♪ AND THE RADIO ON ♪
♪ NOBODY LOOKED ANY FINER ♪
♪ OR WAS MORE OF A HIT AT THE PARKWAY DINER ♪
♪ WE NEVER KNEW WE COULD WANT MORE THAN THAT OUT OF LIFE ♪
♪ SURELY BRENDA AND EDDIE ♪
♪ WOULD ALWAYS KNOW HOW TO SURVIVE ♪
♪ WHO-OH, OH-OH ♪
AND IT'S ALMOST GILBERT AND SULLIVAN. ♪ OH-OH, OH-OH, OH-OH ♪ I COULD JUST DO... [IMITATES THEATRICAL SINGER] ♪ BRENDA AND EDDIE ♪ ♪ WERE THE POPULAR STEADIES ♪ ♪ IN THEIR... ♪ [CHEERING]
YOU'VE DESCRIBED THE WRITING PROCESS AS PAINTING YOURSELF OUT OF A CORNER. YOU PAINT YOURSELF INTO A CORNER MUSICALLY OR LYRICALLY AND THEN PAINT YOURSELF OUT OF IT. IS THAT AN APT DESCRIPTION? YES. DO YOU ENJOY THE WRITING PROCESS? I ENJOY THE INITIAL MOMENT OF CREATION, THE PROMETHEAN MOMENT, THE BIRTH... BUT NOT THE LABOR AND NOT ALL THE PUSH, PUSH, PUSH AND THE POSTPARTUM DEPRESSION AND THE CHILD REARING AND ALL THE TOILET TRAINING AND ALL THE THINGS THAT GO WITH IT. NO.
YOU'VE DESCRIBED YOUR WRITING PROCESS. YOU SAID, "I WRITE IN HOT BLOOD." CORRECT? YEAH. SOMETIMES I FEEL THE PIANO IS THIS HUGE BEAST. AND IT'S A BIG THING, AND IT'S GOT 88 TEETH, AND THEY WANT TO BITE MY FINGERS OFF SOMETIMES. YES. GOTCHA.
HERE IS THE QUESTION THAT'S ALWAYS ASKED TO EVERY COMPOSER, EVERY LYRICIST. FOR YOU, BILLY, WHICH COMES FIRST, THE MUSIC OR THE LYRIC? WHATEVER EMOTION HAS INSPIRED ME TO WRITE A SONG IS ALWAYS MORE NATURALLY EXPRESSED FOR ME MUSICALLY BEFORE A LYRIC EVEN COMES TO MIND. SOMETIMES I HAVE A FEELING, AND I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT THAT FEELING IS. AND I DREAM IT A LOT. IT COMES TO ME IN DREAMS. I DREAM MUSIC CONSTANTLY. I DREAM GORGEOUS MUSIC THAT SOMETIMES I DON'T REMEMBER. AND SOMETIMES, IT OCCURS TO ME. AND I KNOW THAT THIS HAPPENS TO WRITERS A LOT--COMPOSERS. ALWAYS, ALWAYS, ALWAYS. AND THEN THEY HAVE THIS FEAR THAT SOMEBODY'S DONE THIS BEFORE. THEY SAY THAT IT CAME TOO EASILY. "I WAS TOO INSPIRED. SOMEWHERE I HEARD THIS BEFORE." AND I SAY, "YEAH, YOU HEARD IT BEFORE. "YOU HEARD IT IN YOUR OWN SUBCONSCIOUS. "YOU CREATED IT IN YOUR DREAM. YOU JUST REMEMBERED IT."
YOU HAVE SAID THAT YOU SUBSCRIBE TO THE KEITH RICHARDS THEORY OF SONGWRITING-- VOWEL MOVEMENT. VOWEL MOVEMENTS. WHAT IS IT? VOWEL MOVEMENTS. KEITH RICHARDS EXPLAINED ONCE HOW THEY COME UP WITH THE LYRICS. HIM AND MICK, I THINK, KICK AROUND RIFFS. NOW, THE STONES, A LOT OF THEIR GREAT STUFF COMES OUT OF RIFFS. IT DOESN'T WORK ON THE PIANO. IT SOUNDS DOPEY ON THE PIANO. START ME UP. [PLAYING START ME UP] NOW THAT, AND IT BECAME...
♪ START ME UP ♪
♪ ONCE YOU START ME UP, I'LL NEVER STOP ♪
♪ WELL, I CAN'T COMPETE ♪
♪ YOU GOT ME TICKING ♪
♪ NEVER STOP, NEVER STOP ♪
♪ NEVER, NEVER, NEVER STOP ♪
AND THEN...
♪ YOU MAKE A GROWN MAN CRY-Y ♪
NOW, IT HAD TO BE...
♪ START ME UP ♪
IT COULDN'T BE... IT COULDN'T BE...
♪ A PIZZA PIE ♪
YOU KNOW? [TO TUNE OF START ME UP]
♪ I SAID, A PIZZA PIE ♪
♪ IS WHAT ♪
I WANT ♪ ♪ I WANT A PIZZA PIE ♪ IT DOESN'T... START ME UP. UP, UP, UP, AH, AH... THE VOWELS SOUNDED RIGHT. [TO TUNE OF START ME UP] ♪ AH, EE, UP ♪ ♪ AH, OOH, AH, OOH, AH, OOH ♪ ♪ EECHA-OH ♪ RIGHT? [APPLAUSE] VOWEL--VOWEL MOVEMENTS. TRUST YOUR VOWELS. [AUDIENCE LAUGHING] KEEP YOUR VOWELS CLEAN, YOU KNOW? OPEN UP YOUR VOWELS AND LET THE SUN SHINE IN. EXACTLY.
♪ MM MM ♪ ♪ A BOTTLE OF RED ♪ ♪ A BOTTLE OF WHITE ♪ A■ WAIT! WANT A QUICK BITE? FRUIT? CHIPS? ROAST CORNISH GAME HEN WITH BAKED POTATOES? T-BONE STEAK? CLAMS ON THE HALF SHELL? All: HUH? INTRODUCING A WHOLE NEW WAY TO COOK. THE ADVANTIUM OVEN FROM GE. IT USES THE POWER OF LIGHT TO COOK IN A FRACTION OF THE TIME. FOOD THAT USED TO TAKE OVER AN HOUR NOW TAKES 15 MINUTES. BAKED POTATOES...10. AND UNLIKE WITH MICROWAVE OVENS, IT'S CRISPY AND JUICY. THE NEW ADVANTIUM FROM GE... I THINK WE'RE A LITTLE EARLY. COOKING AT THE SPEED OF LIFE.
THOUGHT I'D LET MY FRIENDS HERE HELP DEMONSTRATE A FEW KEY POINTS OF THE SUBARU FORESTER. GO AHEAD, BOYS. FIRST, THERE'S THE ADDED TRACTION OF FULL-TIME ALL-WHEEL DRIVE. BETTER CORNERING THAN A LEXUS RX300. AND DID I MENTION IT GOT THE HIGHEST RATING IN ITS CLASS IN RECENT... CRASH TESTS? ( GROANING AND MOANING ) ( WHISTLE BLOWING ) WHOO, THAT'S GOTTA HURT. WOMAN: SUBARU FORESTER. SPORT-UTILITY TOUGH. CAR EASY.
STEVE SONDHEIM SAID HERE THAT THE FLAT KEYS ARE THE WRITER'S FRIENDS AND THE SHARP KEYS ARE HIS ENEMIES. DO YOU HAVE FAVORITE AND NON-FAVORITE KEYS? YES, I DO. WHAT ARE YOUR FAVORITES AND NON-FAVORITES? UH...I THINK "A" IS COLD, VERY COLD. I RARELY WRITE IN "A." UM...YOU KNOW, "C" IS EASY, BUT "C" IS LIKE EATING A SANDWICH WITH WONDER BREAD, YOU KNOW? IT'S WHITE, IT'S FLUFFY... IT'S REALLY NO NUTRITION. [LAUGHTER] BUT IT'S ALWAYS THERE IF YOU NEED IT. I LOVE "B" FLAT. AND "B" FLAT... I'M NOT ALL THAT FAMILIAR WITH SOME KEYS. SOMETIMES I FEEL LIKE I'M GOING TO EGYPT AND I DON'T SPEAK THE LANGUAGE, SO I LOOK FOR RELATIVES. OK. SO LET'S... AND I LOVE "E" FLAT. SO WHEN I'M IN "E" FLAT, UM... YOU KNOW, THE FOURTH OF "E" FLAT IS "A" FLAT. AND THEN YOU'RE STARTING TO GET INTO SOME HEAVY STUFF. THEN YOU GOT TO TALK ARABIC, YOU KNOW? SO I'M IN "E" FLAT. NOW, WHAT'S...LET'S SEE. THERE'S "B" FLAT. NOW, THAT'S A COUSIN OF "F," WHO'S, UM...RELATED TO THE "C" FAMILY, THOSE WONDER BREAD PEOPLE WE ALL KNOW... YES, AND WE NOW KNOW THEM WELL. AND I THINK OF WRITING SOMETIMES IN TERMS OF, YOU KNOW, I GOT TO FIND A RELATIVE SOMEWHERE. AND I PULL CHORDS OUT OF THE KEYS THAT REALLY DON'T NECESSARILY BELONG THERE ONLY BECAUSE I'M IN EGYPT, AND I GOT TO TALK TO SOMEBODY WHO SPEAKS ENGLISH. SO I'LL SOMEHOW TRY TO MAKE MY WAY TO "C" OR "F" OUT OF "E" FLAT. UH, IT'S NOT THE MOST SCIENTIFIC METHOD OF WRITING, BUT IT SURE HELPS ME TO, YOU KNOW, DO A PROGRESSION.
WHEN YOU'RE WRITING FOR BILLY JOEL THE SINGER, DO YOU TRY TO STAY AWAY FROM ROUND NOTES? I DON'T WRITE WELL FOR BILLY JOEL THE SINGER. REALLY? WHY? YEAH. I DON'T THINK OF MYSELF AS A SINGER. OH, GOD. I JUST DON'T. FIRST DUMB THING YOU'VE SAID ON THIS STAGE TONIGHT. [LAUGHTER] I KNOW. AND PEOPLE HAVE SAID, "OH, I LIKE YOUR VOICE." I PARTICULAR-- JUST MY PERSONAL-- IT'S ALL SUBJECTIVE. I DON'T LIKE MY OWN VOICE. I'M ALWAYS TRYING TO SOUND LIKE SOMEBODY ELSE. I'M TRYING TO SOUND LIKE LITTLE RICHARD. I'M TRYING TO SOUND LIKE RAY CHARLES. I'M TRYING TO SOUND LIKE THE BEATLES. I'M TRYING TO SOUND LIKE ANYBODY BUT THAT LITTLE SHNOOK FROM LEVITTOWN. I DON'T LIKE HIS VOICE. BUT IN A WAY, IT'S MADE ME A MORE INVENTIVE WRITER, BECAUSE I CAN THINK OF BEING ANYBODY. I'M NOT JUST GOING TO WRITE FOR ME. I GET TIRED OF ME. I LIKE OTHER PEOPLE. HOW DO YOU CATEGORIZE YOUR MUSIC-- ECLECTIC, ROCK, POP, NONE OF THE ABOVE, WHAT? EVERYTHING. THERE'S ELEMENTS OF CLASSICAL MUSIC IN SONGS. IF I TAKE ALMOST ANY, UH... WELL-KNOWN SONG, SAY, UM... [PLAYING CHORDS] ♪ UPTOWN GIRL ♪ ♪ NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA ♪ IF YOU GO... [PLAYING UPTOWN GIRL IN CLASSICAL STYLE] OR, UH... ♪ WHOA-OH-OH-OH ♪ ♪ FOR THE LONGEST TIME ♪ ♪ WHOA-OH... ♪ IT COULD BE, UM... [PLAYING THE LONGEST TIME IN CLASSICAL STYLE] [LAUGHTER] I... [CHEERS AND APPLAUSE] UNBELIEVABLE. THE...THE VERNACULAR THAT WAS POPULAR WHEN I GREW UP WAS ROCK AND ROLL. I GREW UP WITH... I WAS BORN AT THE PERFECT TIME. POPULAR MUSIC-- ROCK AND ROLL-- CAME OUT. IT WAS MUSIC FOR EVERYBODY.
HOW DOES THE FACT THAT YOU AND ELTON JOHN AND A FEW OTHERS ARE PIANISTS DIFFERENTIATE YOU FROM THE MAJORITY OF CONTEMPORARY POPULAR COMPOSERS WHO WRITE ON AND FOR THE GUITAR? DOES IT MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN THE WRITING? SURE IT MAKES A DIFFERENCE. THE PHYSICS OF THE INSTRUMENT ARE DIFFERENT. A GUITAR HAS RHYTHMS WHICH ARE DICTATED BY ARM MOVEMENTS. UH, CHUCK BERRY. YOU KNOW? [IMITATING GUITAR] [IMITATING PIANO] IT'S AWKWARD ON THE PIANO. IT'S--THE PHYSICS ARE COMPLETELY DIFFERENT. UM... SO YOU WRITE A DIFFERENT KIND OF MUSIC. WITHOUT QUESTION. ABSOLUTELY. THEY'RE 2 COMPLETELY DIFFERENT INSTRUMENTS. UM...BUT, YOU KNOW, LET US NOT FORGET THAT THERE WERE SEMINAL ROCK AND ROLL ARTISTS-- JERRY LEE LEWIS... OH, YEAH. LITTLE RICHARD, FATS DOMINO. THESE WERE PIANO PLAYERS. EVEN ELVIS PLAYED THE PIANO. YEAH.
I THINK ONE OF YOUR MOST BEAUTIFUL AND ENIGMATIC SONGS, WITHOUT QUESTION, IS VIENNA WAITS FOR YOU. [APPLAUSE] WHAT IS THE SIGNIFICANCE OF "VIENNA" FOR YOU? IT'S A VERY MYSTERIOUS THING TO SAY. MY FATHER LIVES IN VIENNA. I HAVE A HALF-BROTHER WHO LIVES IN VIENNA AND IS A CLASSICAL CONDUCTOR. I REDISCOVERED MY FATHER WHEN I WAS IN MY EARLY 20s, AND I WENT TO VISIT HIM IN VIENNA. I'D NEVER BEEN TO VIENNA BEFORE. I SAW AN OLD LADY SWEEPING THE STREET. SHE MUST HAVE BEEN 90 YEARS OLD. THIS WOMAN WAS ACTUALLY MAKING A LIVING PERFORMING A PUBLIC SERVICE, AND I THOUGHT, "THIS IS COOL. THIS IS--SHE'S BEING PRODUCTIVE." AND I USED THAT AS A METAPHOR FOR A WHOLE LIFE TO BE LIVED. THAT'S A VERY BEAUTIFUL SONG. DO YOU LIKE THAT SONG? I LOVE THAT SONG. YEAH. SO DO I. ANYBODY ELSE JOIN ME IN THAT? [CHEERS AND APPLAUSE] REMIND ME AT THE END. OK. OK. I'M SURE THAT WE'LL HEAR SOMETHING NOW THAT WILL TELL US, "THIS IS ONE WE SHOULD NOT HAVE MISSED." AND THAT, OF COURSE, IS ONLY THE GOOD DIE YOUNG. [APPLAUSE] CERTAINLY ONE OF YOUR MOST CONTROVERSIAL SONGS, CALLING UPON YOUR CATHOLIC UPBRINGING, UM...AND INFURIATING THE CATHOLIC CHURCH. YOU WERE LUCKY ENOUGH FOR THAT SONG TO BE BANNED, WEREN'T YOU? THAT WAS A STROKE OF LUCK, YES. SENT IT RIGHT UP THE CHARTS, HUH?
NOW, LIKE, THE GIRL I WAS THINKING ABOUT IS IN THE BOOK. I KNOW. SHE HAS A PICTURE OF HER IN THERE. THIS IS THE FIRST-- WHAT'S HER LAST NAME? VIRGINIA CALLAHAN. RIGHT. AND, UH, THE FIRST GIRL I EVER HAD A CRUSH ON. SHE DIDN'T EVEN KNOW IT. I WAS TOO SHY TO EVEN SAY ANYTHING TO HER. YOU WERE PLAYING IN A BAND, WEREN'T YOU, AND SHE LOOKED AT YOU? THAT WAS WHEN I KNEW I WAS GOING TO BE IN MUSIC. SOMEHOW, THE FIRST TIME I EVER GOT ON A STAGE AND PLAYED IN THE BAND... IT WAS A CHURCH... CHURCH DANCE-- HOLY FAMILY CHURCH IN HICKSVILLE. AND WE'RE PLAYING, AND I'M LOOKING DOWN, AND VIRGINIA CALLAHAN WAS THERE, AND SHE WAS ACTUALLY LOOKING AT ME. AND I THOUGHT, "THIS IS WAY COOL." [LAUGHTER] "I AM SO IN. I'M IN." UM...BUT, UM, SHE WAS, YOU KNOW-- YOU MEMORIALIZED HER. HAS SHE EVER-- HAVE YOU EVER DISCUSSED THIS WITH HER? I MET HER AGAIN LATER IN LIFE, YOU KNOW? AND I WAS MARRIED, AND SHE WAS MARRIED, AND WHATEVER. UH, SHE... IT WAS LIKE THAT CHARLIE BROWN THING. HE HAD A CRUSH ON THE LITTLE RED-HEADED GIRL. AND EVER SINCE THEN, IT'S ALWAYS BEEN... YOU KNOW, THE RED-HEADED GIRL. NOW, IT'S... MY GIRLFRIEND IS LIKE A TALL RED-HEADED GIRL. YES. AND A BEAUTIFUL ONE.
I DON'T KNOW. WHEN YOU RECORD, YOU'RE RECORDING AT THE KEYBOARD, AND YOU'RE SINGING AS YOU PLAY. THAT MEANS THERE'S GOING TO BE LEAKAGE BETWEEN THOSE MIKES. LOT OF LEAKAGE. THAT MEANS THAT YOU CAN NEVER GET SEPARATION, AND THAT MEANS THAT YOU'RE ALWAYS GOING TO GET A LIVE SOUND. IS THAT WHY YOU DO IT? I DON'T DO IT FOR THE LEAKAGE. I DO IT BECAUSE WHEN I PLAY, I PHRASE BASED ON HOW I'M SINGING. I SEE. AND MY DRUMMER NEEDS TO HEAR THE LYRICS, BECAUSE THAT'S HOW HE KNOWS WHERE HE IS. AND THERE'S NOTHING THAT FEELS AS GOOD AS TRYING TO GET IT ALL DONE AT ONE SHOT.
52nd STREET WAS A HUGELY SUCCESSFUL ALBUM IN THE WAKE OF THE STRANGER, WHICH WAS HISTORY-MAKING. IT WENT UP TO NUMBER ONE ON THE CHARTS. WHO IS THE "BIG SHOT" THAT YOU'RE TALKING TO? OH... BIG SHOT WAS A COMBINATION OF PEOPLE, MYSELF INCLUDED. HOW MANY MORNINGS HAVE I WOKEN UP, LOOKED IN THE MIRROR, AND SAID, "YOU HAD TO BE A BIG SHOT. "YOU HAD TO OPEN UP YOUR MOUTH. "YOU COULDN'T JUST KEEP YOUR MOUTH SHUT. NO. YOU STUPID IDIOT." BELIEVE ME, I'VE RESEARCHED THAT SONG A GREAT DEAL. [LAUGHTER]
WHAT WAS LIBERTY DeVITTO'S ORIGINAL TITLE FOR HONESTY? I HAD THIS BRAINSTORM. I SAID, "LOOK, I HAVE THIS MUSICAL IDEA. "WE GOT THE SESSION BOOKED. "I DON'T HAVE ANY LYRICS WRITTEN FOR THIS THING. "WHY DON'T WE GO IN AND JUST TRY TO CUT THE TRACK WITHOUT LYRICS? AND LET'S JUST SEE HOW WE COME ABOUT IT." NOW, LIBERTY DOESN'T HAVE WORDS TO KNOW WHERE HE IS. SO LIBERTY'S GOING TO MAKE UP HIS OWN LYRICS AS WE'RE GOING ALONG, RIGHT? SO...I GOT... I GOT LIBERTY IN MY HEADPHONES, AND HE DOESN'T HAVE A VOICE MIKE... [NOTE PLAYS] HOW DID THAT HAPPEN? ANYWAY, SO I'M HEARING LIBERTY... ♪ OOH ♪ SO LIBERTY'S SINGING TO HIMSELF WITH THESE DRUM MIKES. SO IT WAS... [MUMBLING INAUDIBLY] AND I'M HEARING-- IT WAS... ♪ LA LA LA DA DA NA NA ♪ ♪ NA NA NA NA NA ♪ UH... ♪ DA DA DA DA DA ♪ ♪ NA NA NA NA ♪ AND I HEAR... ♪ SODOMY ♪ ♪ SUCH A MANLY WORD ♪ ♪ NA NA NA ♪ ♪ I'M BUGGERING YOU ♪ ♪ SOD-- ♪ AND I REALIZED, "I REALLY GOT TO COME UP WITH WORDS VERY FAST." [LAUGHTER] [APPLAUSE] AND I CAME UP WITH HONESTY. IT WAS SOMETHING. ♪ NO, NO, NO, NO, NO, NO, YOU HAD TO BE A BIG SHOT ♪ ♪ DIDN'T YOU? ♪ ♪ YOU HAD TO OPEN UP YOUR MOUTH ♪
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MANY PEOPLE CONSIDER THE NYLON CURTAIN THE MASTERPIECE OF BILLY'S ALBUMS. [APPLAUSE] I'D LIKE TO ASK YOU ABOUT ONLY 2 SONGS FROM IT. ONE, OF COURSE, IS ALLENTOWN. [CHEERS AND APPLAUSE] UH...I WAS THINKING OF THE GUITAR, AGAIN, THE PHYSICS OF THE GUITAR. [IMITATING GUITAR] I WANTED TO WRITE KIND OF A WOODY GUTHRIE KIND OF SONG. THE SONG WAS ORIGINALLY... IT WAS TITLED-- AND IT TOOK YEARS TO COME UP WITH ALLENTOWN-- IT WAS ORIGINALLY TITLED LEVITTOWN. AND I TRIED TO WRITE A SONG ABOUT LEVITTOWN. SO IT GOES... UH... [PLAYING ALLENTOWN] ♪ WELL, WE'RE LIVING HERE IN LEVITTOWN ♪ ♪ AND THERE'S REALLY NOT MUCH GOING DOWN ♪ ♪ AND I DON'T SEE MUCH WHEN I LOOK AROUND ♪ ♪ THE TREES ARE GREEN ♪ ♪ THE DIRT IS BROWN ♪ ♪ AND I'M LIVING HERE IN LEVITTOWN ♪ THEN IN 1982, WHEN THE RUST BELT KICKED INTO HIGH GEAR AND THE STEEL INDUSTRY TOOK A BIG DUMP, WE PLAYED IN ALLENTOWN, AND I SAID, "ALLENTOWN. ALLENTOWN. "THAT'S, LIKE, AN AMERICAN NAME. "IT'S LIKE JIMMYTOWN, BOBBYTOWN, YOU KNOW? TOMMYTOWN." ♪ LIVING HERE IN ALLENTOWN ♪ SO... [APPLAUSE]
THERE'S ANOTHER POWERFUL STATEMENT IN THAT ALBUM, AND IT'S, OF COURSE, GOODNIGHT SAIGON. [APPLAUSE] UM, AND THIS WAS BACK IN '82. NOBODY WAS TALKING ABOUT NAM AT THAT TIME. THE VETERANS HAD NEVER BEEN WELCOMED HOME. A LOT OF MY FRIENDS WERE ALL SCREWED UP ABOUT IT, AND THEY SAT ME DOWN ONE NIGHT TO TALK TO ME. AND THEY SAID, "THIS IS WHAT HAPPENED." AND THEY SAID, "WE WANT YOU TO WRITE A SONG ABOUT IT." I SAID, "I CAN'T. I WASN'T THERE." AND I SAID, "ALL RIGHT. YOU TELL ME WHAT I SHOULD SAY," AND THEY TOLD ME. AND THOSE LYRICS ARE NOT VERBATIM, BUT THOSE LYRICS ARE PRETTY MUCH VERY CLOSE TO THE NARRATIVE THAT THEY TOLD ME. AND WHAT IT ALL CAME DOWN TO WAS THE SAME THING AS ALL QUIET ON THE WESTERN FRONT. IT...OK. WE'RE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER. ALL WE HAVE IS EACH OTHER. ♪ WE HAD NO HOME FRONT ♪ ♪ WE HAD NO SOFT SOAP ♪ ♪ THEY SENT US PLAYBOY ♪ ♪ THEY GAVE US BOB HOPE ♪ ♪ WE DUG IN DEEP ♪ ♪ AND SHOT ON SIGHT ♪ ♪ AND PRAYED TO JESUS CHRIST WITH ALL OF OUR MIGHT ♪ ♪ WE HAD NO CAMERAS ♪ ♪ TO SHOOT THE LANDSCAPE ♪ ♪ WE PASSED THE HASH PIPE ♪ ♪ AND PLAYED OUR DOORS TAPES ♪ ♪ AND IT WAS DARK ♪ ♪ SO DARK AT NIGHT ♪ ♪ AND WE HELD ON TO EACH OTHER ♪ ♪ LIKE BROTHER TO BROTHER ♪ ♪ WE PROMISED OUR MOTHERS WE'D WRITE ♪ ♪ AND WE WOULD ALL GO DOWN TOGETHER ♪ ♪ WE SAID WE'D ALL GO DOWN TOGETHER ♪ ♪ YES, WE WOULD ALL GO DOWN TOGETHER ♪
I WOULD LIKE TO ASK YOU ABOUT ONE MORE SONG, AND THAT IS BECAUSE I THINK THIS SONG COMBINES 3 OF YOUR PASSIONS. THAT SONG IS THE DOWNEASTER ALEXA. [APPLAUSE] THE FIRST PASSION IS YOUR PASSION TO PAY TRIBUTE TO OTHER ARTISTS. THIS IS AN HOMAGE, IS IT NOT, TO WHOM? I THINK I WAS THINKING OF PETE SEEGER. WERE YOU? YEAH. PETE SEEGER. GORDON LIGHTFOOT. YEAH. AND THE SECOND THING IS THAT IT DEALS WITH A SUBJECT VERY DEAR TO YOUR HEART. THIS SONG IS WRITTEN FOR AND ABOUT THE LONG ISLAND BAY MEN, ISN'T IT? YEAH. IT'S ABOUT THE COMMERCIAL FISHERMEN ON LONG ISLAND WHO ARE DISAPPEARING MUCH LIKE THE WHALERS. AND I'M WATCHING MY NATIVE LONG ISLAND DISAPPEAR, BECAUSE PEOPLE DON'T LIKE THE SMELL OF THE BAIT. BECAUSE THEY BOUGHT A CONDO NEXT TO THE DOCK, AND THEY DON'T WANT STINKY DIESEL ENGINES OR FISH BAIT SITTING ON THE DOCK. OR THEY WANT TO FERTILIZE THEIR LAWNS AND LET THE RUNOFF GO INTO THE BAY. FINALLY, THE THIRD PASSION OF THAT SONG IS THE NAME OF THAT BOAT, IS IT NOT? MY DAUGHTER ALEXA. ALEXA. YEAH.
TELL ME, WHAT IS THE ORIGIN AND INTENT OF A SONG, A BEAUTIFUL SONG CALLED LULLABYE? [APPLAUSE] OH, GOD. MY DAUGHTER HAD ASKED ME... THIS WAS AROUND THE TIME THAT... MY SECOND EX-WIFE AND I WERE GOING TO SPLIT UP. MY DAUGHTER HAD FEARS ABOUT THAT, BUT SHE ALSO HAD FEARS ABOUT HER OWN MORTALITY AND ASKED ME THAT QUESTION THAT ALL CHILDREN ASK THEIR PARENTS-- "WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU DIE?" AND I HAD THIS MELODY. I HAD THIS PIECE OF MUSIC THAT I HAD WRITTEN, WHICH WAS, UM... [PLAYING LULLABYE] AND THEN I ORIGINALLY ENDED IT WITH THIS GRIEG ENDING. ♪ DA DA DA DEE DA DA DEE DA ♪ AND, UH, I THINK IT'S FROM THE GRIEG PIANO CONCERTO. AND MY FRIEND, MY BEST FRIEND BILLY ZAMPINO SAID, "YOU CAN'T DO THAT. THAT'S GRIEG." AND I SAID, "WELL, HE'S DEAD." [LAUGHTER] "WHO WILL KNOW?" HE GOES, "I KNOW." AND I GO, "SO, IT'S GRIEG, BUT IT WORKS SO GREAT." [PLAYING GRIEG] AND HE GOES, "NOW YOU KNOW." I SAID, "OH..." YOU KNOW? "NOW I KNOW." SO I HAD TO COME UP WITH A DIFFERENT ENDING, AND THEN... [PLAYING LULLABYE ENDING] WHICH ACTUALLY ENDED UP BEING A DAMN GOOD ENDING. AND, UM, I SAID, "THIS IS THE SONG THAT I SHOULD WRITE "WHAT I REALLY FEEL ABOUT WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU DIE, DADDY?" AND IT WAS A DOUBLE MEANING. IT WASN'T JUST WHAT I BELIEVE, WHICH IS, I BELIEVE YOU GO INTO OTHER PEOPLE'S HEARTS. WHEN YOU PASS, YOU PASS INTO OTHER PEOPLE'S HEARTS, AND YOU ARE TAKEN INTO THEIR LIVES FOR THE REST OF THEIR LIVES, AND THEY PASS THAT ON, JUST LIKE MUSIC. IT NEVER ENDS. IT GOES ON AND ON. BUT I WANTED ALSO TO TELL HER, "YOU KNOW, I THINK I KNOW WHAT YOU'VE BEEN TRYING TO SAY." THIS IS, LIKE, A LITTLE KEY PHRASE THERE. "I THINK YOU KNOW WHAT I'VE BEEN SAYING. I THINK YOU KNOW WHAT I'VE BEEN TRYING TO SAY," WHICH IS, "YOU KNOW YOUR MOM AND I ARE GOING TO GO LIKE THAT." AND I WANTED TO SAY, "I'LL NEVER LEAVE YOU. I'LL NEVER LEAVE YOU." [APPLAUSE] ♪ GOODNIGHT, MY ANGEL ♪ ♪ TIME TO CLOSE YOUR EYES ♪ ♪ AND SAVE THESE QUESTIONS FOR ANOTHER DAY ♪
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THE RIVER OF DREAMS ALBUM ENDS WITH A SONG CALLED FAMOUS LAST WORDS. OH, YEAH. DID YOU MEAN THAT? UH, YEAH. I GUESS AT THE TIME I GOT TO THAT SONG, I KNEW I WAS CLOSING... NOT THE BOOK, BUT A WHOLE BUNCH OF CHAPTERS. I REALLY LIKE THAT SONG. THAT'S ONE OF MY FAVORITE SONGS. UH...I'LL PLAY A LITTLE BIT OF THAT SONG. [APPLAUSE] THIS IN A HIGH KEY, AND I WROTE THIS IN '93. [PLAYING FAMOUS LAST WORDS] ♪ OH ♪ ♪ SITTING HERE IN AVALON ♪ ♪ LOOKING AT THE POURING RAIN ♪ ♪ SUMMERTIME HAS COME AND GONE ♪ ♪ AND EVERYBODY'S HOME AGAIN ♪ ♪ CLOSING DOWN FOR THE SEASON ♪ ♪ I FOUND THE LAST OF THE SOUVENIRS ♪ ♪ I CAN STILL TASTE THE WEDDING CAKE ♪ ♪ AND IT'S SWEET AFTER ALL THESE YEARS ♪ ♪ THESE ARE THE LAST WORDS I HAVE TO SAY ♪ ♪ THAT'S WHY THIS TOOK SO LONG TO WRITE ♪ ♪ THERE WILL BE OTHER WORDS SOME OTHER DAY ♪ ♪ BUT THAT'S THE STORY OF MY LIFE ♪ ♪ THERE'S COMFORT IN MY COFFEE CUP ♪ ♪ AND APPLES IN THE EARLY FALL ♪ ♪ THEY'RE PULLING ALL THE MOORINGS UP ♪ ♪ AND GATHERING AT THE LEGION HALL ♪ ♪ THEY SWEPT AWAY ALL THE STREAMERS ♪ ♪ AFTER THE LABOR DAY PARADE ♪ ♪ THERE'S NOTHING LEFT FOR A DREAMER NOW ♪ ♪ ONLY ONE FINAL SERENADE ♪ ♪ THESE ARE THE LAST WORDS I HAVE TO SAY ♪ ♪ BEFORE ANOTHER AGE GOES BY ♪ ♪ WITH ALL THOSE OTHER SONGS I HAVE TO PLAY ♪ ♪ BUT THAT'S THE STORY OF MY LIFE ♪ ♪ AND IT'S SO CLEAR STANDING HERE WHERE I AM ♪ ♪ AIN'T THAT WHAT JUSTICE IS FOR? ♪ ♪ FRANKLY, MY DEAR, I DON'T GIVE A DAMN ♪ ♪ ANYMORE ♪ ♪ OH ♪ ♪ STACK THE CHAIRS ON THE TABLE TOPS ♪ ♪ HANG THE SHEETS ON THE CHANDELIERS ♪ ♪ SLOWS DOWN BUT IT NEVER STOPS ♪ ♪ AIN'T IT SWEET AFTER ALL THESE YEARS? ♪ ♪ THESE ARE THE LAST WORDS I HAVE TO SAY ♪ ♪ IT'S ALWAYS HARD TO SAY GOOD-BYE ♪ ♪ BUT NOW IT'S TIME TO PUT THIS BOOK AWAY ♪ ♪ AIN'T THAT THE STORY OF MY LIFE? ♪ ♪ OH ♪ ♪ THESE ARE THE LAST WORDS I HAVE TO SAY ♪ [CHEERS AND APPLAUSE] THANK YOU. THANK YOU.
AND THAT WAS IT. BUT...BUT YOU HAVE BEEN WRITING FOR THE LAST 3 YEARS. I'VE BEEN WRITING INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC SINCE 1993, REALLY. REALLY. UH, 6 YEARS AGO I STARTED TO WRITE...MUSIC. I STARTED TO WRITE A SONG, AND IT TURNED INTO AN INSTRUMENTAL PIECE, A PIANO PIECE, AND I JUST COULDN'T STOP MYSELF, AND I WROTE ANOTHER PIECE AFTER THAT. AND I NOW HAVE A REPERTOIRE. I'VE GOT ABOUT A DOZEN PIECES. AND I REALLY FEEL LIKE THIS IS WHAT I SHOULD BE DOING. [APPLAUSE] AND IT'S NOT LATE-20th-CENTURY, ATONAL, MODERN, 12-TONE MUSIC.