"Well we're all in the mood for a melody...and you've got us feeling alright." This is found in the second half of the chorus in "Piano Man", the legendary hit by the a legendary artist: Billy Joel.
This song is not just any song. It is an accumulation of deep and well-thought-out lyrics alongside incredible pianistic talent. It tells the story of a pianist and the variety of people with a variety of backgrounds and current issues he observes through playing the piano at a bar. But it is much more than that.
The lyrics look at several different people and their predominanty depressing life stories. For example, he opens the song with an old man asking Billy (himself) to play him a sad yet sweet song to remind him of his younger days as he drinks. He goes on to discuss the bartender John who may appear jolly while really he wants to do more with his life. Other characters show up in his lyrics, including the real estate novelist who never found time for love, the man who has been in the Navy and "probably will be for life", and the lonely businessman and waitress that drink together in their loneliness. But, once again, this song is much more than that.
According to Fairclough's model, Billy Joel uses many lyrical techniques in his song. One of these is micro texts, or words or phrases with much more underlying meaning. One example of this is when he discusses the bartender's extinguished hopes and dreams, saying, "Well, I'm sure that I could be a movie star...if I could get out of this place". Specifically, the use of the phrase "this place" means much more than so appears. It addresses all the unfortunate places around the world where talent is overlooked, where people who could be much more live a life unrecognized, where people's hopes and dreams never takes flight. Another aspect of Fairclough's model this song pertains to is discourse practices, which is when words and overall themes are used to express more than what they literally say. The idea that this song seems to express is one regarding the misfortunes of people and the misjudgment of said people. The song discusses characters that can be found in real life who people would usually think little of, and then the lyrics also point out the struggles and sadness in their lives that would ordinarily be concealed by stereotypes. This song also applies to the third part of Fairclough's model in that it analyzes social practices. The song analyzes the typical practice of many members of society: going out to drink at bars in order to wash away sorrows. The song also sheds light on the dark assumptions of people who would judge the people that appear in the bar in "Piano Man". Many would look down on the "Davy who's still in the Navy", the reminiscent old man, and the whole gamut of lonely people at this bar before hearing this song. After hearing this song, however, one could become more open-minded, as the song gives each person's back story and evokes feelings of sympathy for the poor bar-goers.
The use of these many lyrical techniques is also used to establish, in accordance with Bakhtin's studies, a certain genre. This genre could definitely fall under the category of dialogical. There are many direct and indirect references in the songs, and these are definitely open to interpretation (to some degree) rather than being absolute or authoritative. Billy Joel never comes out and directly states his recognition of the world's shortcomings as a harshly judgmental society. Rather, he uses stories to imply these criticisms.
This song is certainly lyrically and musically impressive...How did Billy Joel do it, then? The answer to that question is a matter of whether the talent Billy Joel clearly possesses is natural or developed. Billy Joel started studying the piano at age four. So how did he get from that to the piano riffs multiple of his songs, including "Piano Man"? It seems as though in this case, raw talent gave him the advantage to reach greater heights in pianistic ability than others. Yes, this raw talent was developed over many years, but it probably would not have become as great as it did if not for the early foundations of natural ability.
(To find out more about Billy Joel's life, read his biography through this link: http://www.billyjoel.com/biography)
On top of all that, what does this song really say? About Billy Joel himself? It could perhaps say that he has found himself in these characters' situations and wants others to feel sympathy for them as he has. Or perhaps he wants to draw attention to not the flaws of those who are criticized in society but rather the story behind their shortcomings that can lead to more sympathy and less unfair misjudgments as well. About the individual listeners of this song? Perhaps that they are looking for a melofy that will tell a "sad and...sweet" story that illicts a response of not only sadness but desire for change. About the collective audience of the song? This song seems to say that all the listeners really need to do is...listen. To not just hear but listen to the sad stories of these people and to learn a thing or two about life and its simply inevitable hardships. About the spirit of the age? This song seems to say that the world not only at the time this song was written but also the world before, the current world, and the future world is filled with people who see in others what they want to see. That all people need to do is dig only a foot or so deeper to really see the whole picture, not just a small and insignificant part of it.
(For the full lyrics to "Piano Man", use this link: http://www.billyjoel.com/music/piano-man/piano-man)
"Sing us a song you're the piano man...Sing us a song tonight. Well we're all in the mood for a melody...and you've got us feeling alright." Thank you, Billy Joel. Your song has certainly been sung.
Friday, February 21, 2014
More Than a Piano Man
"Well we're all in the mood for a melody...and you've got us feeling alright." This is found in the second half of the chorus in "Piano Man", the legendary hit by the a legendary artist: Billy Joel.
This song is not just any song. It is an accumulation of deep and well-thought-out lyrics alongside incredible pianistic talent. It tells the story of a pianist and the variety of people with a variety of backgrounds and current issues he observes through playing the piano at a bar. But it is much more than that.
The lyrics look at several different people and their predominanty depressing life stories. For example, he opens the song with an old man asking Billy (himself) to play him a sad yet sweet song to remind him of his younger days as he drinks. He goes on to discuss the bartender John who may appear jolly while really he wants to do more with his life. Other characters show up in his lyrics, including the real estate novelist who never found time for love, the man who has been in the Navy and "probably will be for life", and the lonely businessman and waitress that drink together in their loneliness. But, once again, this song is much more than that.
According to Fairclough's model, Billy Joel uses many lyrical techniques in his song. One of these is micro texts, or words or phrases with much more underlying meaning. One example of this is when he discusses the bartender's extinguished hopes and dreams, saying, "Well, I'm sure that I could be a movie star...if I could get out of this place". Specifically, the use of the phrase "this place" means much more than so appears. It addresses all the unfortunate places around the world where talent is overlooked, where people who could be much more live a life unrecognized, where people's hopes and dreams never takes flight. Another aspect of Fairclough's model this song pertains to is discourse practices, which is when words and overall themes are used to express more than what they literally say. The idea that this song seems to express is one regarding the misfortunes of people and the misjudgment of said people. The song discusses characters that can be found in real life who people would usually think little of, and then the lyrics also point out the struggles and sadness in their lives that would ordinarily be concealed by stereotypes. This song also applies to the third part of Fairclough's model in that it analyzes social practices. The song analyzes the typical practice of many members of society: going out to drink at bars in order to wash away sorrows. The song also sheds light on the dark assumptions of people who would judge the people that appear in the bar in "Piano Man". Many would look down on the "Davy who's still in the Navy", the reminiscent old man, and the whole gamut of lonely people at this bar before hearing this song. After hearing this song, however, one could become more open-minded, as the song gives each person's back story and evokes feelings of sympathy for the poor bar-goers.
The use of these many lyrical techniques is also used to establish, in accordance with Bakhtin's studies, a certain genre. This genre could definitely fall under the category of dialogical. There are many direct and indirect references in the songs, and these are definitely open to interpretation (to some degree) rather than being absolute or authoritative. Billy Joel never comes out and directly states his recognition of the world's shortcomings as a harshly judgmental society. Rather, he uses stories to imply these criticisms.
This song is certainly lyrically and musically impressive...How did Billy Joel do it, then? The answer to that question is a matter of whether the talent Billy Joel clearly possesses is natural or developed. Billy Joel started studying the piano at age four. So how did he get from that to the piano riffs multiple of his songs, including "Piano Man"? It seems as though in this case, raw talent gave him the advantage to reach greater heights in pianistic ability than others. Yes, this raw talent was developed over many years, but it probably would not have become as great as it did if not for the early foundations of natural ability.
(To find out more about Billy Joel's life, read his biography through this link: http://www.billyjoel.com/biography)
On top of all that, what does this song really say? About Billy Joel himself? It could perhaps say that he has found himself in these characters' situations and wants others to feel sympathy for them as he has. Or perhaps he wants to draw attention to not the flaws of those who are criticized in society but rather the story behind their shortcomings that can lead to more sympathy and less unfair misjudgments as well. About the individual listeners of this song? Perhaps that they are looking for a melofy that will tell a "sad and...sweet" story that illicts a response of not only sadness but desire for change. About the collective audience of the song? This song seems to say that all the listeners really need to do is...listen. To not just hear but listen to the sad stories of these people and to learn a thing or two about life and its simply inevitable hardships. About the spirit of the age? This song seems to say that the world not only at the time this song was written but also the world before, the current world, and the future world is filled with people who see in others what they want to see. That all people need to do is dig only a foot or so deeper to really see the whole picture, not just a small and insignificant part of it.
(For the full lyrics to "Piano Man", use this link: http://www.billyjoel.com/music/piano-man/piano-man)
"Sing us a song you're the piano man...Sing us a song tonight. Well we're all in the mood for a melody...and you've got us feeling alright." Thank you, Billy Joel. Your song has certainly been sung.
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