A Billy Joel State of Mind.

Last night, I went to see Movin’ Out at the National Theatre. It was my second viewing of the Billy Joel “musical” (in quotations because it’s really more like a concert with a dance accompaniment), but I was still quite enthralled with the production.

Say what you will about Mister “Piano Man,” but there’s no denying that he’s a gifted songwriter. And while the plot is certainly NOT the highlight of the show, Joel’s songs are extremely relevant and effective in conveying the tumultuous nature of the times (in this case, pre- and post-Vietnam War).

Take, for example, “Goodnight Saigon”:

We met as soul mates on Parris Island
We left as inmates from an asylum
And we were sharp, as sharp as knives
And we were so gung ho to lay down our lives

We came in spastic like tameless horses
We left in plastic as numbered corpses
And we learned fast to travel light
Our arms were heavy but our bellies were tight

We had no home front, we had no soft soap
They sent us Playboy, they gave us Bob Hope
We dug in deep and shot on sight
And prayed to Jesus Christ with all of our might

We had no cameras to shoot the landscape
We passed the hash pipe and played our Doors tapes
And it was dark, so dark at night
And we held on to each other
Like brother to brother
We promised our mothers we'd write

And we would all go down together
We said we'd all go down together
Yes we would all go down together

Remember Charlie, remember Baker
They left their childhood on every acre
And who was wrong? And who was right?
It didn't matter in the thick of the fight

We held the day in the palm of our hand
They ruled the night, and the night seemed to last as long as
Six weeks on Parris Island
We held the coastline, they held the highlands
And they were sharp, as sharp as knives
They heard the hum of our motors
They counted the rotors
And waited for us to arrive

And we would all go down together
We said we'd all go down together
Yes we would all go down together

This song has always moved me, and it’s especially powerful when accompanied by Twyla Tharp’s explosive yet sensitive choreography. But what’s amazing is that, even though it was written specifically to address the Vietnam War, it is still fitting today. I mean, change “Saigon” to “Baghdad,” and I doubt that many present-day soldiers would disagree with the lyrical themes.

Sadly, songs about war will always be germane (until we declare world peace, that is, which seems a farcical concept at best). But many of Billy Joel’s songs—and not just the politically-fueled ones—remain applicable decades after he penned them. There are still plenty of struggles between rich and poor like the one in “Uptown Girl.” Love songs like “She’s Got a Way” and “Just the Way You Are” still convey the simple yet heartfelt emotions that we’ve all felt. And the plight of the working class in Long Island is still very similar to that described in “Movin’ Out (Anthony’s Song)” and “The Downeaster Alexa.”

For me, that is what makes a great musician—timelessness. There are certain voices, certain songs, certain performances that will always stick out in our collective memory. Many artists come and go, but the true classics are the ones that define—and transcend—generations.

Billy Joel is just one of my favorite classics—who are yours?