# Best Billy Joel Song - Nominations **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [October 4, 2013, 10:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-billy-joel-song-nominations/670337 "2013-10-04T10:23:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Gladys\_Overnow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/839c29/32.png) [@Gladys\_Overnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gladys_Overnow)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2013, 12:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-billy-joel-song-nominations/670337/61 "2013-10-05T00:32:05Z")
All of these are great but I think this is my favorite Billy Joel song - “River of Dreams.” ---
**Author:** ![turtlescanfly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/65b543/32.png) [@turtlescanfly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/turtlescanfly)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2013, 12:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-billy-joel-song-nominations/670337/62 "2013-10-05T00:48:18Z")
> [@John\_DiFool](#): > > [Subliminally suggesting that someone nominate “She’s Always a Woman”…] I wasn’t going to participate in this thread, just reading and enjoying the ear-worms, but this was the first song I thought of when reading the thread title. So I therefore duly offer it as my nomination for Best Billy Joel song. ---
**Author:** ![Rhiannon8404](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rhiannon8404/32/17929_2.png) [@Rhiannon8404](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhiannon8404)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2013, 12:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-billy-joel-song-nominations/670337/63 "2013-10-05T00:48:21Z")
**You May Be Right** is my favorite, but I’m not sure it’s his best song. ---
**Author:** ![Digital\_is\_the\_new\_Analog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a88e4f/32.png) [@Digital\_is\_the\_new\_Analog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Digital_is_the_new_Analog)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2013, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-billy-joel-song-nominations/670337/64 "2013-10-05T00:49:00Z")
Wow…so many great memories just reading through this thread. We were all big Billy Joel fans in college, and I still am. I kept reading different songs, thinking “Oh yeah! I should second THAT one!” I usually cite Piano Man as my favorite. I’d have a hard time really committing. I think I need to dig out my CDs and start listening again. (Yeah. I still have CDs.) ---
**Author:** ![Truman\_Burbank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecc23a/32.png) [@Truman\_Burbank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Truman_Burbank)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2013, 1:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-billy-joel-song-nominations/670337/65 "2013-10-05T01:08:52Z")
Only The Good Die Young. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Second\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bbe5ce/32.png) [@The\_Second\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Second_Stone)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2013, 1:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-billy-joel-song-nominations/670337/66 "2013-10-05T01:15:45Z")
River of Dreams and Only the Good Die Young are my votes. Special mentions to Rosalinda’s Eyes and Until The Night both on 52nd Street, his tribute to Abbey Road. ---
**Author:** ![SpoilerVirgin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4491bb/32.png) [@SpoilerVirgin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SpoilerVirgin)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2013, 1:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-billy-joel-song-nominations/670337/67 "2013-10-05T01:26:43Z")
> [@Digital\_is\_the\_new\_Analog](#): > > (Yeah. I still have CDs.) I still have cassette tapes. And the boombox to play them on. ---
**Author:** ![psychobunny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/54ee81/32.png) [@psychobunny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/psychobunny)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2013, 1:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-billy-joel-song-nominations/670337/68 "2013-10-05T01:46:08Z")
\*\*Only the Good Die Young \*\*and **Vienna** (Love \*\*For the Longest TIme \*\*but I don’t think it’s his best) ---
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2013, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-billy-joel-song-nominations/670337/69 "2013-10-05T02:00:15Z")
[Pressure should be the answer.](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iyv905Q2omU) ---
**Author:** ![Kimble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kimble/32/19185_2.png) [@Kimble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimble)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2013, 2:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-billy-joel-song-nominations/670337/70 "2013-10-05T02:17:39Z")
Nominating “Don’t Ask Me Why.” Don’t ask me why. 🙂 Seconding “Pressure,” since “Downeaster Alexa” doesn’t need my help. ---
**Author:** ![bytheway](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/df705f/32.png) [@bytheway](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bytheway)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2013, 2:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-billy-joel-song-nominations/670337/71 "2013-10-05T02:28:34Z")
I’ll nominate “Say Goodbye to Hollywood” (live version from “Songs in the Attic”) and second “Pressure.” ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Miskatonic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mr.miskatonic/32/310_2.png) [@Mr.Miskatonic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Miskatonic)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2013, 3:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-billy-joel-song-nominations/670337/72 "2013-10-05T03:11:09Z")
Another for Captain Jack. ---
**Author:** ![Hilarity\_N.Suze](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hilarity_n.suze/32/6223_2.png) [@Hilarity\_N.Suze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hilarity_N.Suze)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2013, 8:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-billy-joel-song-nominations/670337/73 "2013-10-05T08:49:10Z")
Thirding, or possibly fourthing “The Longest Time” ---
**Author:** ![John\_DiFool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_difool/32/19543_2.png) [@John\_DiFool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_DiFool)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2013, 12:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-billy-joel-song-nominations/670337/74 "2013-10-05T12:25:26Z")
> [@turtlescanfly](#): > > I wasn’t going to participate in this thread, just reading and enjoying the ear-worms, but this was the first song I thought of when reading the thread title. > > So I therefore duly offer it as my nomination for Best Billy Joel song. Heartily seconded. It describes an ex- of mine _perfectly_. She was a big fan of his, and would unselfconsciously play the damned thing and sit there grooving to the rhythm, utterly oblivious that it was summing herself up to a T. ---
**Author:** ![stoplight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ea666f/32.png) [@stoplight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stoplight)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2013, 12:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-billy-joel-song-nominations/670337/75 "2013-10-05T12:47:40Z")
another for Scenes From An Italian Restaurant if I was told I could only listen to one, I would have to take Piano Man ---
**Author:** ![drewtwo99](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d07c76/32.png) [@drewtwo99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drewtwo99)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2013, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-billy-joel-song-nominations/670337/76 "2013-10-05T17:44:55Z")
Ok I went through and re-did the spreadsheet. Looks like I made a few mistakes counting up the first time through! I’ve done a better job this time. Listed in alphabetical order for those that have at least 3 votes total (any combination of noms and 2nds that accrues to 3 is here) Allentown: 3 And So It Goes: 4 Angry Young Man: 3 Downeaster Alexa: 4 For The Longest Time: 3 Goodnight, Saigon: 3 My Life: 3 New York State of Mind: 4 Only The Good Die Young: 5 Piano Man: 4 Pressure: 4 River of Dreams: 4 Scenes from an Italian Restaurant: 10 The Stranger: 3 Vienna: 6 You May Be Right: 3 This is already 16 songs so I might have to revise my original plan to only choose the top 10. However, there are 9 songs on this list that already have at least 4 total votes. If you listed a whole bunch of seconds and noms in your post, I only chose the first of each. Sorry! Gotta play by the rules. I’ll let this nomination thread keep going a while longer, then put up the poll with the top vote-getters. If any of you would like to clarify or even change your votes, please do, especially if your post was ambiguous. To make sure your vote got counted correctly, please clearly identify your Nomination (can be a new song or one already nominated) and your Second (must be one already nominated). ---
**Author:** ![drewtwo99](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d07c76/32.png) [@drewtwo99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drewtwo99)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2013, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-billy-joel-song-nominations/670337/77 "2013-10-05T18:02:00Z")
A couple of my personal faves, just to mention, that haven’t been mentioned by anyone else yet (almost all my other favorites have been mentioned at least once so far): An Innocent Man A Matter of Trust Honesty Tell Her About It Uptown Girl (very pop music I know, but hey, it’s catchy as heck and the harmonies are great) ---
**Author:** ![Scarlett67](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scarlett67/32/7387_2.png) [@Scarlett67](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scarlett67)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2013, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-billy-joel-song-nominations/670337/78 "2013-10-05T18:40:19Z")
Rabid Billy Joel fan here. I pick “Vienna.” ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2013, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-billy-joel-song-nominations/670337/79 "2013-10-05T18:59:20Z")
> [@drewtwo99](#): > > This is already 16 songs so I might have to revise my original plan to only choose the top 10. However, there are 9 songs on this list that already have at least 4 total votes. I second \*\*We Didn’t Start The Fire,\*\*which deserves to be on the poll – it’s his _If This Did Not Exist We Would Have To Invent It_ piece – and out of left field can’t help but nominate **Big Shot,** where he’s having a truly infectious amount of sarcastic fun. (nononononono, you had to be a BIG shot, DIN’cha? y’had to OPEN … UP … yer MOUTH!) ---
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2013, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-billy-joel-song-nominations/670337/80 "2013-10-05T19:09:37Z")
Happy to see a very strong vote for **Pressure** , great song. It is also one of the very first videos played on MTV. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-billy-joel-song-nominations/670337.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-billy-joel-song-nominations/670337.md?page=5)