Piano Man

The breakthrough album born from legal strife that introduced the world to the piano-slinging storyteller.

Piano Man, Billy Joel's second studio album, was released on November 9, 1973, by Columbia Records. Born out of legal battles with his former label, Family Productions, this record served as the artist's true breakthrough. The title track offers a semi-autobiographical account of Joel's time as a lounge singer in Los Angeles, capturing the lives of people he encountered there. While initially planned for a UK release in May 1974 by Philips, it ultimately arrived there in April 1975 via CBS.

Quick Facts

Artist

Billy Joel

Released

14 November 1973

Recorded

September 1973

Studio

Devonshire
Los Angeles
California

Genre

Pop rock
soft rock
country rock
folk rock

Length

42:51

Label

Family Productions/Columbia

Producer

Michael Stewart

Lore & Background

The album's title track is a semi-autobiographical account of Joel's experiences as a lounge singer in Los Angeles, where he observed the patrons and staff who populate the song. This specific perspective shifted the focus from standard romance to character sketches, grounding the music in the reality of a dimly lit bar. The single 'Piano Man' peaked at No. 25 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and reached No. 4 on the Adult Contemporary chart. Other tracks like 'Travelin' Prayer' and 'Worse Comes to Worst' also found radio success, hitting No. 77 and No. 80 respectively on the Hot 100. Despite the album's eventual legacy, Joel received only $8,000 in royalties upon its initial gold certification by the RIAA in 1975.

Reader's Guide

The 2011 Legacy Edition expands the original tracklist with live recordings from Philadelphia on April 15, 1972. Key moments include the introduction by Ed Sciaky and extended performances of 'The Ballad of Billy the Kid' (5:36) and 'Captain Jack' (6:56). The session also features unique tracks like 'Rosalinda' (3:03) and 'Tomorrow Is Today' (5:11), alongside studio versions of songs not found elsewhere. Production credits for these live tracks include Dennis Wilen as producer, while the original album production lists Michael Stewart as producer and Ron Malo as engineer. The album peaked at No. 27 on the US Billboard 200. Critical reception was positive early on; Rolling Stone noted a 'new seriousness and flexibility' comparing Joel to Elton John, while Billboard praised his potential as a 'consistent quality AM artist.'

Track listing

No.	Title	Length
1	Travelin' Prayer	4:16
2	Piano Man	5:37
3	Ain't No Crime	3:20
4	You're My Home	3:14
5	The Ballad of Billy the Kid	5:35

Did You Know?

The live broadcast of 'Captain Jack' on WMMR FM became the most requested song in the station's history.
Three tracks on the Legacy Edition—'Long, Long Time', 'Josephine', and 'Rosalinda'—do not appear on any of Joel's studio albums.

Frequently Asked Questions

When was Piano Man released?

Billy Joel issued this second studio album to the public on November 14, 1973. Columbia Records handled the distribution for this pivotal entry in his discography.

What real-life events inspired the title song?

The lyrics reflect Joel's own history performing as a lounge musician in Los Angeles clubs. He drew inspiration from the various patrons he observed while playing piano there.