A 1973 Billy Joel song narrating a slow night at a Los Angeles piano bar, drawn from his own experience working as a lounge pianist during a contract dispute.
Composition
Piano Man was written by Billy Joel, who based the lyric on his time working as a piano bar performer in Los Angeles under the stage name “Bill Martin” during a contract dispute with his former record label.
Recording
The arrangement combines piano, harmonica, and acoustic guitar with a waltz-time rhythm. Joel sings the harmonica part on the studio recording, and the song builds from a quiet opening to a fuller closing arrangement.
Reception
Released as a single in late 1973, the track reached the top thirty on the Billboard Hot 100. It became Joel’s signature song and the centerpiece of his concert sets for the following decades.
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