Billy Joel (“Piano Man”) released his first new song in 17 years on Feb 1., a single titled “Turn The Lights Back On.” Taking a step back from his iconic take on the classic rock ‘n’ roll of the ‘50s, the single is more reminiscent of his slower, more melodic pieces like “Vienna,” “She’s Got A Way” and “She’s Always A Woman.” The piece mainly exhibits Joel’s lone vocals and delicate, yet masterful piano playing, reminding us that while he is still a rockstar, he is a lover of classical pieces first. 

Accompanying a piano are light percussion, a string quartet and an acoustic guitar that together softly enhance the wistful reflection Joel’s lyrics bring. He reflects on stagnancy in his relationship, making his comeback to the charts also seem to address his absence in releasing new music as his counterparts like Bruce Springsteen (“Only The Strong Survive”) have. Joel asks if he waited too long to “turn the lights back on.” This could be a question to his fans—did he wait too long to release a new song? He always finds a way to remain relevant, even without releasing new work.

Joel makes a strong statement in the song of remaining prevalent and worthy despite his older age. He recognizes that he “used to be a romantic/[he] somehow forgot,” taking his past songs into account where he portrays himself as a suave and charming ladies’ man. He had to be,  he was married to a supermodel after all. But now as an older man he no longer cranks out frequent and fast-paced albums involving personal and nostalgic storylines and a wide variety of instruments. Yet he is still the talented musician he has always been. Now, he is looking to find his way back into the hearts of listeners all around the world. 

In true Joel form, the artist at 74 stays true to himself in style and attitude. On Rolling Stone’s podcast “Music Now” in 2019, Joel expressed no desire to release new music and instead maintain the integrity of his older work. Often in concerts he revisits songs that were not hits on release, but no less stand the test of time.

Despite not releasing music in a while, Joel has continued to tour and perform his residency at Madison Square Garden over the years to sold out shows. But looking in the eyes of today’s music scene, where the rawness of rock ‘n’ roll falls out of popularity in favor of electronic and heavily autotuned music, the struggle for older artists to remain popular with younger generations is one for the ages.

Image from slgckc via Flickr