I read an excellent interview with Billy Joel the other day in which he finally opened up about why he hasn't recorded any new material in 25 years. Being a huge fan of his when I was growing up, it's a question I've wanted a proper answer to for ages. Summing it up: he wasn't particularly pleased with the reaction to his last album, 1993's River of Dreams; he felt the music industry was leaving him behind; he felt he'd done what he had to and was getting frustrated that he couldn't "be as good" as he wanted to be; he reckoned The Beatles did 12 albums, then called it a day... why should he carry on slogging his heart out writing and recording new material if all it meant was diminishing returns artistically?
Now I know some of you share my love for Mr. Joel... and others think he's an MOR joke. But you've got to admire his integrity in making the decision to call it a day when he did. One quote summed it up for me...
Elton [John] would say to me, “Why don’t you put out more albums?” I would say, “Why don’t you put out less albums?” I didn’t want to come out and say, “You’re dragging down your legacy.”After reading that interview, I dug out Billy's aforementioned 12th and final album and gave it a spin. It's a record I bought the week it came out in 1993, Billy meant that much to me back then, but I haven't listened to it a whole lot since and I don't consider it one of his best. There's some good songs on there though, and I was surprised by how many of the lyrics appear now to be announcing his departure... we had no idea at the time, but maybe he suspected it, even when he was writing it. The last track's even called Famous Last Words... but this is the one I've chosen to play today.
Billy was 44 when he wrote these lyrics, two years younger than me. See, it's OK to be a Grumpy Old Man in your mid-40s. It really is...
Some things were perfectly clear, seen with the vision of youth
No doubts and nothing to fear, I claimed the corner on truth
These days it's harder to say I know what I'm fighting for
My faith is falling away
I'm not that sure anymore
Shades of grey wherever I go
The more I find out the less that I know
Black and white is how it should be
But shades of grey are the colours I see
Billy has just gone up in my estimation
ReplyDeleteYou've got to know when to fold 'em as Kenny Rogers once sang
Maybe Kenny should have followed his own advice too.
DeleteCouldn't remember this song at all, so read the lyrics and tried to imagine the music that would accompany them. I was a million miles away.
ReplyDeleteNo, it's a lot heavier than you expect from Billy... and the lyrics do suggest a pensive piano ballad, don't they?
DeleteBilly made the right decision. Wish Elton had taken heed of what he said/implied.
ReplyDeleteI think Elton would be far more respected as an artist if he'd stopped... well, let's say just before the Candle In The Wind remake.
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