(no subject)
So, when I was younger, I really liked Billy Joel. I'm talking like ages 3-12. I still think he a has a lot of good songs, and even though it's a cliche, a lot of his "early stuff" is really quite good. When I hit adolescence, however, I began to realize that a lot of his stuff is basically bar-music for baby boomers. I mean, it's all still really catchy, but it doesn't necessarily hold up well.
In any event, Oprah comes on after Jeopardy in St. Louis, so I just caught Billy Joel performing "Only The Good Die Young." I have to say, it was pretty terrible. I mean, it sounded like somebody at a Bar Mitzvah doing a cover of Billy Joel. If that were the case, you would say, "oh yeah, that kinda sounds like Billy Joel" except that this was the Real McCoy playing his own stuff. He can't hit any of the high notes, and is sort of half-assing the piano chords. I guess it's to be expected - the dude is 58 years old and was pretty much an alcoholic for the better part of 25 years. Life takes its toll. Even so, it's kind of sad.
Side note: Billy Joel is from Long Island and grew up there at the same time as my father, who was a friend of a friend of his. When I was younger and not really hip to these things, Billy Joel never really struck me as quintessentially "Long Island" (you have to know the type to know what I mean). Now, though, sitting on Oprah? Definitely Long Island. Finally, I was like 22 before I knew Billy Joel was Jewish and not Italian. Yeah, yeah, I know his last name is fucking "Joel." But I think he deliberately cultivated this faux-Italian persona because he thought it would market better. Maybe he was right. What do I know?
In any event, Oprah comes on after Jeopardy in St. Louis, so I just caught Billy Joel performing "Only The Good Die Young." I have to say, it was pretty terrible. I mean, it sounded like somebody at a Bar Mitzvah doing a cover of Billy Joel. If that were the case, you would say, "oh yeah, that kinda sounds like Billy Joel" except that this was the Real McCoy playing his own stuff. He can't hit any of the high notes, and is sort of half-assing the piano chords. I guess it's to be expected - the dude is 58 years old and was pretty much an alcoholic for the better part of 25 years. Life takes its toll. Even so, it's kind of sad.
Side note: Billy Joel is from Long Island and grew up there at the same time as my father, who was a friend of a friend of his. When I was younger and not really hip to these things, Billy Joel never really struck me as quintessentially "Long Island" (you have to know the type to know what I mean). Now, though, sitting on Oprah? Definitely Long Island. Finally, I was like 22 before I knew Billy Joel was Jewish and not Italian. Yeah, yeah, I know his last name is fucking "Joel." But I think he deliberately cultivated this faux-Italian persona because he thought it would market better. Maybe he was right. What do I know?