Talk:Piano Man (Billy Joel album)

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Rock music Mid‑importance

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Breakthrough album

The entry for Piano Man says:

Piano Man, Joel's second album and his first with Columbia Records, emerged out of legal difficulties with his former label and became his breakthrough album.

The entry for The Stranger says:

While his four previous albums were moderately successful, this was his breakthrough album, peaking at #2 on the U.S. album charts.

I think there should be some agreement on which of these albums was his "breakthrough" album. Dsreyn 14:08, 17 November 2005 (UTC)[reply]

Good question! Although Piano Man is what most people think of when they think of Billy Joel, perhaps its more the album that introduced him to the world, whilst The Stranger is his "breakthrough" album signalling continued chart success. (Westius 01:13, 1 December 2005 (UTC))[reply]

I agree wholeheartedly with Westius. Perhaps it is time to amend both Piano Man and The Stranger pages to relect these seemingly sensible appraisals. The current situation is confusing, at best.

Derek R Bullamore 21:43, 23 April 2006 (UTC)[reply]

Silly Question

Is "Captain Jack" in the song of the same name referring to Jack Daniels, heroin, or an individual heroin dealer? Thanks -- help settle this debate.

From a 1982 Playboy interview with Billy Joel:

PLAYBOY: What was Captain Jack about?

JOEL: I wrote it when drugs were in full flower. A lot of useless, wasted deaths. Friends of mine were killed. Drugs can be fun, but they can kill, too. Some guys who lived near me in Oyster Bay used to score smack from a guy called Captain Jack, although I didn't write it to necessarily mean heroin. I meant any kind of drug you have to take over and over again.

-asmadeus 19:38, 7 April 2006 (UTC)[reply]

Also, I saw on a TV interview that this was a "look out the window" song. He was playing the piano one night, looked outside to see some drug dealing, and wrote about that. Hurricanehink 19:41, 7 April 2006 (UTC)[reply]

Silly Question No. 2

Why does Amazon and Joel's own site list track one as "Travelin' Prayer," when I have the LP here and it lists "Travellin' Prayer"? Is this a case of revisionist historical spelling? BabuBhatt 18:15, 13 November 2006 (UTC)[reply]

Silly Question 3

What is the comment in the trivia section about Billy not playing the piano? It's very unclear as to which part of the album the author is referring to. Perhaps elaboration would help. —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 216.9.250.6 (talk) 04:05, 22 December 2006 (UTC).[reply]