NY Mag's Ranking of Every Billy Joel Song

Because it there was no possibility to improve on the song.

 

I don't know, you cast Brenda Vaccaro and Nick Nolte and place 'em south of Yonkers, perhaps Teaneck, and the fireworks explode off the screen.

 

One of my favorites is "This Night". I didn't think it would be ranked too high, but 93 just seems too low.

 

I'm very happy to see "Miami 2017" ranked so high. There's a live version of it on a concert CD from very early in his career that I picked up at a used CD store maybe 20 years ago. I've loved that song ever since.

 

I love the plastic cup of beer and the ashtray with the smoking cigarette on the piano.

 

My favorite was a weak 14, "Say Goodbye to Hollywood." An incredibly underrated song.

"Piano Man" at 15? Like most lists, it's all subjective, but damn.

 

Summer, Highland Falls is "pretentious undergrad stuff?" Aw, hell no.

Also, Angry Young Man is easily top 10, if not top 5. It's Still Rock and Roll to Me sucks.

 

Not sure what I'd put No. 1, but it wouldn't be Scenes from an Italian Restaurant.
Don't care for NY State of Mind, so No. 3 is overrated.
Nos. 42, 43, 45 (Ballad of Billy the Kid, Entertainer, Everybody has a Dream) I would have ranked Top 15-20.
No. 50 (All for Leyna) would've ranked 30 spots higher.
No. 58 (You May Be Right) is definitely a Top 10-15, not that low)
Also surprised how low All About Soul (89) and Matter of Trust (86) came in.

 

Piano Man is soooooo over played.
A once-great song that has been worn out.

 

I'd go Italian Restaurant, Piano Man, Only The Good Die Young 1,2, 3.

You May Be Right, Billy The Kid, Captain Jack and Angry Young Man would make my top 10.

Also would have Allentown much higher than it's spot in the fifties.

 

My Billy Joel Power 5 (in no order):

You May Be Right
My Life
Big Shot
New York State of Mind
Allentown

 

I just hope the writer didn't get paid $1.50-$2 a word for that gajillion-word "article"... while I'm busting my freelance ass to place stories that rely on reporting.