Prelude/Angry Young Man
Song: Angry Young Man
Album: Turnstiles (1976)
PRELUDE!
Preeeeeeeeeeeeluuuuuuuuuuude!
That’s me calling out a request at the imaginary Billy Joel concert that is taking place in my brain right now because I think the Prelude portion of this song is terrific.
The “Angry Young Man” part of the song is pretty good too, but one thing at a time.
My personal feelings about Billy Joel’s music aside I wouldn’t for a second claim that he’s not an incredibly talented guy. I would give anything to be able to just play the piano half as well as he can. It’s almost unfair that on top of being a gifted instrumentalist he can also compose music and lyrics that have resonated with listeners for decades. Billy Joel is a huge talent.
I’ve been a little critical of some of Billy Joel’s more ambitious arrangements and musical interludes in the past but that has been because they didn’t resonate with me on that particular song. I recognize the talent and the passion but that doesn’t always make for a compelling song.
As some readers have pointed out, I’ve often give the music less attention than the lyrics. Since the music has not always resonated with me I’ve found the lyrics to be a more accessible entry point for getting into the song. I hear the music, I appreciate the music but this is a year long marathon I’m on so there’s plenty of time to talk music.
In order to make this project workable I had to find a way to feel invested in Billy Joel and for me the lyrics have been the thing that has helped me do that. The musicianship is top notch but to this point it has been a workmanlike excellence that is easy to take for granted…probably too easy. The lyrics on the other hand are a fascinating look into the mind of the very talented guy who composes that outstanding music. That’s where I get on board but where I go from there is still to be determined.
Okay, enough explanation. Let’s get back to the song.
“Angry Young Man”, is all kinds of fun to listen to. There’s the rollicking, speedy piano opening that a musician friend of mine says was THE song to play as a young piano student on Long Island; I can hear why. This leads into a rocking, percussion heavy theatrical passage before slowing down as the “Pelude” gives way to the “Angry Young Man” portion of the song.
One of the reasons I’m glad that I’ve taken on this project is that it’s given me a chance to revisit the small number of Billy Joel songs I was familiar with before I began this. “Angry Young Man” is a song that I did know, even though I probably only heard it twice before. However, I didn’t like it because I mistakenly thought it was pro angry young man. This was a reasonable mistake based on limited listens but I didn’t check on this again until recently and I was happy (but not surprised) to find out I had been wrong.
In my personal experience most of the angry young men I’ve known* who’ve considered themselves misunderstood were perfectly well understood and just tiring to be around. Perhaps Billy Joel had gone through his own angry young man phase and was looking back on it here or he always understood that not everything is a battle to be won and sometimes just surviving is winning. This lesson could certainly apply to the music business and it might have helped the angry young men I knew** when I was younger.
Here’s something to check out when you listen to this song: While all this angry young man stuff is going on Billy is doing his thing on the piano the drums on this song are outstanding.
Save for the Hal Blaine impression that kicks off “Say Goodbye To Hollywood” this is the first time the drums have really grabbed me on a Billy Joel song. I know that Turnstiles was the first time Billy Joel recorded with his touring band. I wonder if we’ll see more drum tracks like this going forward?
So far “Angry Young Man” has featured a great opening, lyrics I like and outstanding drumming. What else could I ask for? Well I’m not asking for more but this song gives it to me because it loops back around to the prelude as a closer. Heck it worked so well in the beginning why not bring it back to close thing out?
“Angry Young Man” is another winner on what is shaping up to be the best album I’ve heard so far in my year of Billy Joel.
*For the record I’m talking about myself here.
** Me
