Turn the Lights Back On - Billy Joel
One of the best pieces of news to discover is that one of your favorite bands or artists has released new music. Sometimes it is a notification from wherever you stream your music, sometimes you hear it from a friend, and other times it is an announcement directly from the artist’s social media. Music moves us, so when we learn that someone we love to listen to has made something new, it is thrilling, and it can feel like it was made just for you. This is especially the case when you did not see it coming: When an artist has taken a long break from making new music and comes back with little fanfare leading up to it.
On February 1st, 2024, I was not expecting to see new music released from my all-time favorite artist, Billy Joel. He had not released new music in decades, and the last original song he recorded was titled “Famous Last Words,” which one would think is a pretty definitive finale on his recording career. That is no longer the case, as he has released his new single — his first single in over thirty years — titled “Turn the Lights Back On.” This is the first time in my life I am able to listen to new music by Billy Joel.
I cannot honestly tell you that I had zero clue this song was coming. On December 19th, 2023, I was in New York City to see the man himself perform the 97th show of his legendary, record-setting residency at Madison Square Garden. By the way, you should make a trip to go see this specific show of his, as it will be coming to a close in the near future. During this show, he referenced how long it had been since he recorded new music, though he did allude to having something new in the works. It was a moment that excited me, though it quickly went on the back burner as his performance seized my full attention. More on this show later.
It was not long after I woke up that Thursday that I saw the new song announcement on Billy Joel’s Instagram page. I gasped, having forgotten about his on-stage promise. I immediately stopped what I was doing, looked up the song, and gave it a proper listen with zero distraction. If you have not heard it yet, please stop reading, listen to the song, and come back here when you are done.
Sometimes, when timeless artists release new music long after the prime of their career, it does not end well. How many artists have made vocal choices that their aged lungs could no longer handle? How many ballad-belting heroes sold their brand for a low-quality pop track, just so they could cash out one last time? For a moment, I worried this might be the case… Until I listened. How foolish I was to doubt the one and only Billy Joel, even for so short a moment.
“Turn the Lights Back On” is as downtrodden as it is optimistic. The song does not hesitate with an extended opening, instead jumping right in with the lyrics, “Please, open the door,” accompanied by gentle piano that slowly grows with more accompanying instruments. You can quickly hear that both lyrically and musically, this is a song that Billy Joel could have sung in his younger days. And yet, it hits harder because he is looking back on a lifetime, instead of looking ahead at one.
The song is a plea from one partner to another, in the midst of what could be the end, or at least a very hard time; a hard time not unlike the ones they have seen before, so we hear. In his lyrics, Mr. Joel admits he was wrong, his pride got in the way, and he owns his mistakes and wants to overcome them. He emphatically says, “I’m late, but I’m here right now.” Simple, while still being deeply emotional. It is easy to close your eyes and feel what he is going through, even if you are not in the same place he is.
The song goes on, as he sings that he is “trying to find the magic, that we lost somehow.” How often can we look back at the start of something beautiful that we have been a part of, and feel the magic in our chests like it was yesterday, only to wonder where the hell it went? “Time can make you blind, but I see you now,” he sings as he finally understands what he has done, hoping he can still apologize and make things right. “Did I wait too long to turn the lights back on?” These words form a surreal blend of regret and hope. That blend becomes a leap of faith that the darkness of today might be flipped like a switch into a brighter tomorrow… If they would only say yes.
And there lies maybe the deepest level of the song’s power: Its meaning entirely hinges on the recipient, whose response we have to decide for ourselves. If they say yes, the song is a triumphant reconciliation. A lifetime together is saved, with the chance that the smiles may be as wide as the very first day they met. The lights come back on. If they say no, the song ends defeatedly, yet it is all the more relatable because of this pain. How often do we lay it all on the line only to get the answer we most dreaded? Sometimes, it is too late.
The creator of “The Stranger” is no stranger himself to bright songs containing harsh realities. Billy Joel’s catalog of music is one that refuses to let you forget reality, even if his music is your escape from it. Even his love songs often have a cynical undertone about them, which you might not let yourself hear the first time around. It is easy to be so amused by the roses that you miss the thorns.
In “For the Longest Time,” a song that can only properly be performed with a gang of doo-wop singers in jovial harmony, eventually reaches a contrasting crossroads: “Who knows how much further we’ll go on?” We are talking about a song that, even if you put the lyrics aside, sounds like young love, fun love, the kind of love people dream about for the longest time (yes, pun intended). And in this finger-snapping homage to the oldies, he has still embedded the reminder that even the most butterfly-filled romances can come to a bitter end. Billy speaks from experience, and in doing so, speaks directly to the hearts of his listeners who have lived the very same.
Billy Joel has also successfully performed the opposite: Embedding hope in a song of pain. “And So It Goes” is a song about starting with someone new, after you “heal the wounds from lovers past.” The music is slow, methodical, and you can feel the caution in his voice as he sings about being vulnerable again. He sings to his potential new love, while reminiscing on how his last love ended. His conclusive offer is this: “You can have this heart to break.” What could be more real about romance than this? When you take that leap to find happiness with someone, you are putting your heart on the line. You are giving them the chance to hurt you. This is an even harder leap of faith to take after you have already been hurt; we naturally want to protect ourselves. But if you don’t take that leap, if you don’t give them your heart to break, you cannot give them your heart to love either.
Even though love often feels like everything, and it should be high on the priority list, it is not everything we experience in life. Billy Joel’s music spans all aspects of life, both his own life and the common human experience. The way he tells his stories in song, he is able to create specific settings that everyone everywhere can relate to. Even though most of us have not been in the exact places he sings about, he makes it easy to feel like you have.
Even if you have not lived in Allentown, the song that bears its name does not stray far from the lives of many Americans who wonder where their American Dream has gone. The painted picture portrays promises to parents: That their children’s future would be better than their own past. But when many of us look around, these promises never came to fruition. Instead, the factories their fathers worked in are closed. Instead, they fear for impending doom instead of enjoying prosperous peace. Instead, they wonder how they will even get by. These “promises our teachers gave, if we worked hard, if we behaved,” truly became a “Pennsylvania we never found.” He wrote this in 1982. It is still true, if not even truer, in 2024.
Even if you have not lived in Leningrad, the song that bears its name has the ability to connect us all across the globe. Mr. Joel retells his own upbringing against that of a Russian man named Viktor. Billy’s childhood was defined by the fears of the Cold War, and his young adulthood was marred by the loss of friends to the wars of the time (listen to “Goodnight Saigon”). Viktor was orphaned when his father died in the Battle of Leningrad, but he grew up to find joy making children laugh as a circus clown. It is not unlike the joy Billy found in entertaining the masses.
By connecting these seemingly opposite people — during that long period where it was us versus them — he reminds us that no matter how we are pitted against one another by the powers that be, common people around the world have more in common than we have apart. Perhaps that is why we are called common, after all. Beyond singing about it, Billy Joel also helped to bridge that gap by being one of few American artists who were able to perform in the USSR, where he met Viktor. While the Cold War has concluded, this lesson remains as important as ever, and we should remember it before we vilify the “them” of today.
I could take almost any song by Billy Joel and unpack it like this. Songs like “Scenes from an Italian Restaurant,” “Summer, Highland Falls,” “The Downeaster ‘Alexa,’” or even “Uptown Girl” follow his same strategy of a detailed situation with lyrics for the everyman. In some way, we can all feel them. His latest single is no different. Perhaps I am biased both by recency and by my adoration for Mr. Joel, but I believe that “Turn the Lights Back On” may already be just as timeless as the rest of them.
Before I go further, allow me to clarify that I do not intend to write a full history on the Piano Man, the Piano Myth, the Piano Legend. For that, I leave it up to a man named Fred Schruers who wrote the extensive and compelling book, Billy Joel: The Definitive Biography. I highly recommend reading it, as his story may surprise you more than you know. I remember reading it on vacation, as I shamelessly annoyed everyone around me with one fun fact after another. Their apparent annoyance did stop, however, when I read them a story about Billy Joel crossing paths with Whitney Houston – but if you want that story, you’re going to have to check out the book.
Instead of repeating his biography, I hope to give my own history with Billy Joel, and what he has meant to me over the years. From a young age, my love for his music was instilled by my parents. Our family has a cherished home video of my brother and I using spoons as microphones as we sang along to “Piano Man” over our family boom box. From that early start, I have always enjoyed his music, even during times when I did not truly appreciate any music. As I grew older, I would hear a song on the radio that I had listened to dozens of times over the years, but I would be surprised to realize that it was by Billy Joel all along. Even when I did not know I admired him, I did.
Billy Joel has been more than just “The Entertainer” with his music. He has given me life lessons that I continue to hold close. “Tell Her About It” may not be my favorite song of his, but it is one that has been dear to my heart since the first time I really got it. In this song, Mr. Joel speaks to young men everywhere who may not realize how lucky they are to be with the woman they are with, or how easy it can be to lose them.
The message is not exclusive to men, as many men or women may need to step up before they lose someone special. He implores the audience to listen to “good information from a man who’s made mistakes.” And his information is as simple as the title: Tell them. Tell them how you feel, what they mean to you, and what you plan to do to love and support them. Do not let your love be a secret. If you are reading this and you think that might be you, or you wish you heard this a while ago, then don’t be shy: “Tell her about it, tell her everything you feel. Give her every reason to accept that you’re for real… Tell her all your crazy dreams. Let her know you need her, let her know how much she means.”
In a plea to a woman who has been hurt before, “Innocent Man” tells the opposite side of the story that “And So It Goes” did. Instead of Billy coming to the conclusion that he needs to take the leap of vulnerability, “Innocent Man” implores the recipient to take a chance on him. It is a reminder that whoever hurt her in the past, it was not him. “I know you’re only protecting yourself. I know you’re thinking of somebody else.” It is a message to anyone who has been hurt before to not let your past trauma define your new relationship. He tells of the people who “will never believe another promise they hear in the dark; because they only remember too well, they heard somebody tell them before.” It does not mean ignore the hard-learned lessons, but instead to not paint your new person with the pain that someone else gave you. This song is a gentle reminder that before you accuse your new person with the crimes of an ex, “the accused is an innocent man!”
As I said before, romance is not the only thing in life, and therefore it is not the only life lesson Billy has instilled in his music. “Movin’ Out,” also called Anthony’s Song, asks a hard-hitting question: Why are you working so hard? It’s important to note that the song’s purpose is not anti-effort, but rather to look at what our goals are, and to question whether the ends justify the means. Is a luxurious house worth it if you worked yourself into a heart attack? Is a fancy new car worth it when you worked so hard that you broke your back, to the point that you cannot drive the damn thing? What good is elite status if you have no one with you to enjoy it? Maybe our efforts would be better spent if our end goals were not so materialistic, so vain, and the means to reach our new goals were not so painstaking. Because “if that’s moving up, then I’m moving out.”
In a similar way, “Vienna” tells us to slow down. We live in a culture that tells us to move faster, to always be grinding, and to do whatever it takes to get ahead. Why is it all such an emergency? “Where’s the fire? What’s the hurry about?” We need to stop treating every moment of our lives as a step up the ladder to the next thing. It is far too easy to be “so ahead of yourself that you forget what you need.” Instead, we need to take a break. Life is beautiful, the world is beautiful, and if you waste all of your time keeping your nose to the grindstone, you are going to miss out on the best and most joyful parts of it all. So listen to Mr. Joel: “Slow down you crazy child. Take the phone off the hook and disappear for a while; it’s alright, you can afford to lose a day or two. When will you realize Vienna waits for you?”
These lessons, among many others, are ones that I have come to appreciate more and more as I have gotten older. I have tried to embed them in my life, as it makes sense to. With this appreciation for Billy Joel, and his influence on my life, the time came where I wanted to see him live and experience his musical magic firsthand.
As I left my teen years for my twenties, I cared less and less for my own birthday or receiving gifts. But as many people do, I felt compelled to celebrate the occasion of my 21st birthday more than other ages. Sure enough, a day before my birthday, Billy Joel would be performing in Cleveland. I told my parents that if they were interested in buying me a birthday present (which they were), Seeing Billy Joel would be the best present they could get me. And thankfully, they obliged.
I went to the show with a generous friend who was intent on feeding me ample beverages for my 21st birthday, so unfortunately I did not get to fully appreciate Mr. Joel as I should have. It is not that I missed the whole show, or have no memory of it, but I did not take it all in as I should have. That is okay though, because as I stated earlier, I did have another chance to go see him, this time on his home turf instead of my own.
In response to more than one negative event unfolding in my life, I needed some time away from everything to have some fun, see some sights, and live life to the fullest. I took the lyrics of “Vienna” to heart, though Austria was not my destination. I had a “New York State of Mind,” and so I took a solo trip to the greatest city in the world. The main reason for my trip was that I have always wanted to go see Billy’s show at Madison Square Garden, and he had recently announced that his residency — which has spanned over ten years and as of right now, 98 concerts — would be concluding. It felt like now or never.
The whole trip was full of exploration and excitement, seeing New York City around Christmastime and meeting people who I otherwise never would have interacted with. I could (and probably will, one day) write all about these little adventures. For now, all that matters is that it was all building up to Billy Joel’s show.
He opened with “Miami, 2017,” which immediately set the tone for the whole show: A blend of Billy Joel solo behind the piano, while also using his full band and lighting when that was what the show needed. Speaking of his band, each of them had a moment to shine: Guitar solos with them on the big screen, playing one or two covers of non-Billy Joel songs so that the others could take the lead, even allowing one singer to perform an opera song that, for a moment, made me forget who I actually paid to come see. He had special guests come out and perform with him, he knew how to work the crowd, and he rocked (and rolled) our world with a gentle intensity that only he can achieve.
He played timeless hits and lesser heard tracks, with lots of jokes and history between each song. He told about how the aforementioned “Innocent Man” was his goodbye to high notes, even though he continues to sing those high notes at age 74. He stood up from the piano before urging the crowd, “don’t get your knickers in a twist, I am not Mick Jagger.” He said this before he sang “Start Me Up,” by Mick Jagger and the Rolling Stones. He told the story behind many of his songs, made fun of himself along the way, and invited the whole crowd to join him when they knew the words.
Because it was a week ahead of Christmas, Mr. Joel was ready with a handful of Christmas songs to play. Some of them he did with the band, while others he simply played on the piano with no singing behind it. That was until he stopped in the middle of “Joyful, Joyful,” to inform the crowd: “If you ain’t gonna sing, I ain’t gonna play!” So, the next time he played a Christmas song, more of the audience sang along, and he informed us that we were not so bad. Another Christmas song or two later, he played “Silent Night,” and it felt like most of the Garden was singing along happily. I do not know whether it was the spirit of that moment, the masses of people singing those holy lyrics together, or a blend of everything going on, but there were many tears in many eyes. I felt blessed to be there in that moment.
The song ended, and after some applause, Billy chuckled. He said into the microphone, “This is a bit, uh, jarring.” Happy tears turned into laughter, as he transitioned from “Silent Night” into “Only the Good Die Young,” a song where he is convincing a Catholic girl, aptly named Virginia, to have sex with him.
To be fair, the song does more than that by challenging some hypocrisy: “Your mother told you all that I could give you was a reputation. She never cared for me. Did she ever say a prayer for me?” In those few moments, the crowd went from singing “holy infant so tender and mild, sleep in heavenly peace,” to dancing along with “I’d rather laugh with the sinners than cry with the saints, the sinners are much more fun.” I don’t care whether or not he planned it that way, it was perfectly and hilariously executed.
Later came the most magical moment of the night: “Piano Man.” A song that perfectly encapsulates Billy Joel’s music and how he connects to audiences everywhere. Instrumentally it is iconic and exquisite. Lyrically he creates a collection of characters who are each unique and relatable to the audience, based on his early days of performing in a piano bar.
Personally, I have always felt a connection with John at the bar, if I had to pick one person in the song who I identify with the most. The beauty of “Piano Man” is that every listener probably has one person they connect with the most, or they have specific memories of the song that give it powerful and personal nostalgia. With cell-phone flashlights waving, the crowd was indecisive whether to sing along or enjoy the show. No matter, because Mr. Joel made it clear when it was time to join him or time to listen.
It was an honor to be in that audience, and I left the show feeling inspired and elated. In fact, I left New York City with a whole renewed appreciation for life, and I knew that everything was going to be okay, even when it sucked. Being in Billy Joel’s audience was a huge part of that. Soon, I will be in his audience again, back on my home turf. Among many shows he has planned this year, Billy Joel will return to Cleveland. This time, with new music along with the classics. Of course I already bought my tickets.
Billy Joel has meant a lot to the whole world, and to my world. Equally entertaining and inspiring, he continues to break records and, for the first time in a while, make records. Beloved by generations as he should be, his is a story of many rises amid many falls. He is living, singing proof that no matter how down you might feel, you are never out. No matter how hard you get knocked down, it is never too late to get back up. Whether that means picking up the pieces and fixing what is broken, or leaving those pieces behind for something new, no matter how happy you were. Whether or not it is “too late to turn the lights back on.”
These are lessons that life teaches us over and over again, until the day that our life is done living. For me, until that last day comes, I will be ever grateful that Billy Joel has been there for me as I’ve learned these lessons repeatedly. His voice is as familiar as an old friend. His words are as comforting as the wisest counselor. His songs and his life have served as a reminder that things won’t just be okay, but they may turn out more amazing than you could have imagined.
Thank you, Billy Joel, for turning the lights back on, and giving us another magical song.