Billy Joel actually releases a new song - Turn the Lights Back On

Cafe Society
21

that!!!

a generic piano ballad - what I call “Hollywood Music” (b/c just like in an avg. Hollywood movie you know exactly how everything will turn out - just 3 min. into the movie) … the same here, zero surprises, you know exactly the structure, cord progressions etc…

So, I expected way more … if an avg. joe doe had made this song, he’d be hard pressed to get a gig in a coffee-shop …

Just play it again and visualize Taylor S. singing it - or Michael Bubblé… it works - it is so generic … I get a nearly AI/Disney optimized vibe from it …

likable - but at the same time “poor” compared to his 1970ies output. … But then, Macca/Elton et al have not produced anything noteworthy in 30 35 40 years, either …

22

I hadn’t seen that - I just watched it and I love it! Thanks for sharing.

23

It’s far more than I expected because I didn’t think he’d ever release anything new again. When I first heard the song I was worried it might be a farewell to his fans and the video kind of reinforced that idea for me. At the age of 74, how long can he keep performing before he gives it up to run for president? You’re right. It’s not the best Billy Joel song, but I’m still glad we got it.

24

yes … similar to the “new Beatles song” …

nothing too earthshaking - glad it has been done …

but I still feel it dilutes the “ouvre” of the artist … (just like the Beatles thingy did)

25

I’m just gonna go ahead and disagree with you there. BJ’s new song is WAY better than the “new” Beatles song, which is anything but new. Also “Lights” actually is new, even if old Billy had some help writing it.

26

I enjoyed the new song. It’s pretty good. I’d put it maybe 12th in the top 12 Billy Joel songs?

It doesn’t have the classic Billy Joel attitude that you hear in My Life and NY State of Mind. But BJ does some sappy, sentimental songs like She’s Got a Way that I still like. Turn the Lights Back On is in a similar category.

My Top 10 (in no specific order)
Piano Man
She’s Always a Woman
New York State of Mind
Only the Good Die Young
It’s Still Rock N Roll
Uptown Girl
Allen town
Captain Jack
My Life
An Innocent Man

27

That’s because Billy didn’t write the words this time. There are actually four songwriters credited.

28

I listened to the live Grammy version last night. It sounds more like classic Billy Joel. He’s using more runs and emotion in his voice. It’s also his natural voice.

The official recording is pitch corrected. That’s standard in modern music today.

Here is an interesting comparison of the Grammy awards performance vs the offical release. You can easily hear how much better Billy Joel is live.

29

It took four people to come up with that? Something something committees something.

30

I’ve always wondered about songs with a lot of people on the credits.
What were they all doing?

You’d think they would spend so much time getting in each others’ way and arguing that nothing got done.
I’ve written songs now and again with ONE collaborator at a time, but that many??

31

The video’s pretty cool. One of the first AI things I can say I like. Has young Billy merged with today Billy.

32

If you did not get to see it, find a copy of Billy Joel’s 100th Madison Square Garden performance. It aired on CBS the other night and was terrific.

He did perform Turn The Lights Back on live and honestly, it has rapidly become one of my absolute favorite songs of his.

The whole performance was great and I do think it would have been amazing to see him there live. He’s been performing there once a month for…10 years? Wow.

33

I saw it this weekend as well. What a show! With a guest appearance by Sting, no less! I think during Covid, they would have cancelled a few shows (once a month for ten years would be about 120 shows, so you do the math). I’ve seen him live twice, once in 1986, another about 15 years ago, and the man is a consummate performer every time. Great band too!