PIANO MAN

BILLY JOEL

It’s nine o’clock on a Saturday, the regular crowd shuffles in

There’s an old man sitting next to me makin’ love to his tonic and gin

He says, “Son, can you play me a melody

I’m not really sure how it goes

But it’s sad and it’s sweet and I knew it complete

When I wore a younger man’s clothes”

La la la, de de da, la la, de de da da da

Sing us a song, you’re the piano man, sing us a song tonight

Well, we’re all in the mood for a melody and you’ve got us feelin’ alright

Now John at the bar is a friend of mine, he gets me my drinks for free

And he’s quick with a joke or a light up your smoke

But there’s someplace that he’d rather be

He says, Bill, I believe this is killing me”

As a smile ran away from his face

“Well I sure that I could be a movie star if I could get out of this place”

Oh, la la la, de de da, la la, de de da da da

Now Paul is a real estate novelist who never had time for a wife

And he’s talkin’ with Davy who’s still in the navy

And probably will be for life

And the waitress is practicing politics

As the businessmen slowly get stoned

Yes, they’re sharing a drink they call loneliness

But it’s better than drinkin’ alone

Sing us a song, you’re the piano man, sing us a song tonight

Well, we’re all in the mood for a melody and you’ve got us feelin’ alright

It’s a pretty good crowd for a Saturday and the manager gives me a smile

‘Cause he knows that it’s me they’ve been comin’ to see

To forget about life for a while

And the piano, it sounds like a carnival

And the microphone smells like a beer

And they sit at the bar and put bread in my jar

And say, “Man, what are you doin’ here?”

Oh, la la la, de de da, la la, de de da da da

Sing us a song, you’re the piano man, sing us a song tonight

Well, we’re all in the mood for a melody and you’ve got us feelin’ alright