Some Uplifting Thoughts From And About Billy Joel

Apart from his first couple records, I've never been a big fan of Billy Joel. But then I read Chuck Klosterman's controversial NY Times Magazine profile from September 2002, "The Stranger": 

"Carol Weber is the subject of one of Joel's most famous songs, 'Just The Way You Are.' It's a love letter that says everything anyone wanted to hear: you're not flawless, but you're still what I want. He tells Weber not to try 'some new fashion' or dye her hair blond or work on being witty. It's a criticism of perfection, but in the best possible way; it's like Joel is saying he loves Weber because she's not perfect, and that he could never leave her in times of trouble.

The irony, of course is that Joel and Weber divorced five years after 'Just The Way You Are' won a Grammy for Song of the Year. Some would say this contradiction cheapens the song and makes it irrelevant. I'd argue that the opposite is true; the fact that Joel got divorced from the woman he wrote this song about makes it his single greatest achievement. It's the clearest example of why Joel's love songs resonate with so many people: he expresses absolute conviction in the moments of wholly misguided affection."

From Billy himself:

"I've only felt content a few times in my life, and it never lasted. I'm very discontented right now. There are situations in my life that didn't pan out. I'm like most other human beings. I try and I fail. The whole metaphor of ["Where's the Orchestra?"] is that life is a theatrical play, and it's all a tragedy and - even though you can enjoy the comedic, ironic elements of what you're experiencing - life will always come up and whap you on the head."

Finally, for all the Barry White fans in Belgium: