Arrested Pulse

If it wasn't for Billy Joel's song "Piano Man," I would never have taken up the piano with the gusto I did in college. I know I'm not alone in saying that. The videos below of people covering the song testify to the great appeal the song has for many.

But first, the Piano Man himself!

First off, here's the best--yes, the best--live performance of the song by Billy Joel ever recorded. It's from a 1982 concert in Long Island and when he introduces it as "an oldie but goody" you recall how he's one of a very few who has totally withstood the test of time. Since it's a video of a video, it doesn't have the best visual quality but the audio is pretty good. Again, this is his best live performance of the song ever. It was recorded before he started to get "bored" with the song and, later, when it became a showy stadium sing-along piece. There's still an element of the original barroom pathos in this particular performance.


And now onto the covers!


A fantastic cover
Oh, if I could just sing and play like this musician, David Baron, who really captures the spirit of the song! His vocals, as you will see, are spot-on, but his piano playing really makes this a show worth watching.




A cool, kind of classical touch
I like how this guy, Frank Pearlstein, gives to the song a flowing, classical feel that really brings out its pianistic pathos. He's a beautiful piano player and well worth watching.






An awesome home sing-along
This is an awesome family sing-along with Uncle Manuel, "Tio Manuel," on guitar. I love the Latin vibe they give the song, the impromptu harmonizations, and Tio Manuel's powerful voice. His family members' asides are kind of fun, especially the guy who points to the clearly gay reference in the song (but which most people never get) about the real-estate novelist Paul, "who never had time for a wife," trying to pick up Davy, "who's still in the Navy." It's about time someone outed these gay dudes in "Piano Man."


An energetic performance!
This talented musician, Justin, expends a great deal of energy in his rendition of the song--one that reminds me of Billy's concert performances. I like how his voice closely resembles Billy's in the original recording (and doesn't at all anymore). But what I like most is his superb command of the keyboard. Oh, if I could only play like this!


You go, Girl!
How nice to have a female musician cover this song! She puts forth a spirited performance and handles the challenge of singing and playing TWO instruments with aplomb.






A slow, sensitive rendition
This guy, Gary, apologizes on his YouTube channel for "the sharps and flats" but personally I don't hear anything worth apologizing for. I like this slow, sensitively conveyed rendition of the song. It's fine as is, regardless of "the sharps and flats."