So, in late 1974, after the modest success of the album (and single) "Piano Man", it was time for Billy Joel to record and release his second album on Columbia Records.  The result was a record called "Streetlife Serenade".  I happen to love this album, but it is less storied than many of his other efforts.  He had been relentlessly touring clubs and college campuses to build a following and gain some momentum after scoring his first top 40 single in "Piano Man", and just hadn't had much time write new material.  So the process felt a bit rushed, and Billy was never particularly satisfied with the album.

However, he'd by then had enough experience with the industry to write this song making fun of it.  This is a satirical look at the world of a successful music star and the cut-throat business that surrounds his life.  It's cynical but lighthearted at the same time, which makes it very fun to listen to in my opinion.  It's very repetitive with a "verse, verse, verse, verse..." construction rather than a more typical "verse, chorus, verse, chorus" format.  However, this is mitigated by a series of fun and interesting musical choices that build upon each other and create a bigger and more intense sound as the song progresses through the 7 verses.  It's catchy and lively, and it's a fun challenge with just piano and vocal to think of ways to add something new to each verse to create that buildup.

It was released as a single in November of 1974, and just managed to crack the top 40 in early 1975, peaking at #34 on the Billboard Hot 100.  It faired just slightly better in Canada where it climbed to #30.  It wasn't the hit he or Columbia was hoping for, but it did keep enough juice in his career to keep touring and record another album the following year. 

When I hear this song, I mostly think about the road to success Billy Joel traveled.  His first album as a solo artist was a disaster in 1972, with the final product mastered at the wrong speed, a total crook running the label and convincing a young and naive Billy to sign away almost all of his rights.  He literally went into hiding for a year trying to get signed by someone else who could help bail him out of that situation, and luckily Columbia took a chance on him.  He had a modest hit with his first album at Columbia, and then followed it up with an album that in his own words, "nobody but his mother bought".  Then he released a third with no hit singles.  Finally he hit paydirt with his 4th album, "The Stranger" with its 4 top 20 hit singles, and multi-platinum sales.  

But I always think about what would have happened if "The Stranger" hadn't finally been a hit.  Chances are that he would have been dropped from Columbia's roster.  Think of what we would have missed if either he OR Columbia had given up on him one day earlier than they did.  

I think about this a lot with my own journey in music and running my own business.  I believe in the work I do, and I've built a small but committed following.  I've survived, but I haven't "crushed it" yet.  But I remind myself nearly every day...."my 'Stranger' is coming, don't give up."  Billy made 4 albums that didn't quite work for the broader public....but he only needed to make one that did before everything changed.  AND....after everyone noticed "The Stranger", they gave the older material a second look and a second life.  Far more copies of "Streetlife Serenade" were sold AFTER the release of "The Stranger" than during its initial release.

Do you have something you've been working on for years and haven't yet scored the success with it that you hoped for and believe it's capable of?  If so, remind yourself on the tough days you're just in your "Streetlife Serenade" phase, and your "Stranger" is coming at some point....don't give up.

Enjoy my cover of this song from a livestream show I did on July 19, 2020 during the COVID-19 Pandemic, and then check out Billy Joel performing it at the University of Connecticut in 1976!

If you'd like to explore my piano method more deeply, my best students use my video courses and join me for conversation and twice monthly Q&A Livestreams in my private community...you can find it all HERE. Thanks.

If the video doesn't show above, use THIS LINK to see it on YouTube

If the video doesn't show above, use THIS LINK to see it on YouTube