#Billy March 3

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Two weeks ago I had a few household chores to do around the house on a rainy and dreary day. I wanted to listen to music that was recorded live and settled on BILLY Joel-Live at Shea Stadium.

I found the album on Spotify The concerts were recorded in 2008 and the album was released in 2011. He performed the concert at Shea Stadium before it got demolished in 2009 to make way for Citi Field Parking.

BILLY Joel has sold a lot of music, most counts say something like 150 million records. He not only sings but writes songs and his discography contains so many words that move people in different ways. As I listened to this double album with a ton of guest artists there were so many times when his lyrics moved me. I grew up just outside of New York City and BILLY Joel and Bruce Springsteen were two voices of the New York/ Northern NJ region.

Here are some of the lyrics from different songs that moved me.

Angry Young Man

Give a moment or two to the angry young man, With his foot in his mouth and his heart in his hand. He’s been stabbed in the back, he’s been misunderstood, It’s a comfort to know his intentions are good.

New York State of Mind

Some folks like to get away
Take a holiday from the neighborhood
Hop a flight to Miami Beach
Or to Hollywood
But I’m taking a Greyhound
On the Hudson River Line
I’m in a New York state of mind

Allentown

Well our fathers fought the Second World War Spent their weekends on the Jersey Shore Met our mothers in the U.S.O. Asked them to dance Danced with them slow

This Is The Time

This is the time to remember
‘Cause it will not last forever
These are the days
To hold on to
‘Cause we won’t
Although we’ll want to
This is the time
But time is gonna change

Keeping the Faith

If it seems like I’ve been lost
In let’s remember
If you think I’m feeling older
And missing my younger days
Oh, then you should have known
Me much better
Cause my past is something that never
Got in my way
Oh no

River of Dreams

I know I’m searching for something Something so undefined That it can only be seen By the eyes of the blind In the middle of the night

When the album finished it was still raining but BILLY had put me in a better mood. To paraphrase his song “She Got A Way”

He’s got a way of talkin’ I don’t know why it is But it lifts me up when we going anywhere.

Today is starting out as another rainy day might have to go searching for another live album.