美國猶太裔創作巨星［比利喬］的成名曲──鋼琴搖滾經典──冷眼旁觀人生百態的［Paino Man／鋼琴師］

 

 

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 memory
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, di da da
La la, di da da da dum

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 to light up your smoke
But there's someplace that he'd rather be
He says, "Bill, I believe this is killing me."
As the smile ran away from his face
"Well I'm sure that I could be a movie star
If I could get out of this place"

Oh, la la la, di da da
La la, di da da da dum

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 got us feeling 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, di da da
La la, di da da da dum

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 got us feeling alright

Songwriters
JOEL, BILLY

Published by
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group

 

 

１９４９年出生於紐約市的比利喬（Billy Joel）是美國著名的猶太裔創作歌手／鋼琴演奏家

其父為德國出生的希伯來人　為逃避納粹迫害移民美國

母親是英國出生的猶太人

喬的父母在１９５７年離婚　父親移居維也納並再婚

 

孩童時期　在母親要求下　比利勉強學習鋼琴

高中時期　為幫助家計　開始在鋼琴酒吧擔任深夜琴師

導致學分不夠無法畢業

１９６５年　喬成立樂團Echoes 在紐約受到歡迎

１９６７年　喬決定放棄學業　專心追求音樂事業

同年加入The Hassles 一年中發行四首單曲　全部失敗

１９６９年　喬與The Hassles鼓手Jon Small成立雙人組Attila

１９７０年推出首張專輯

可是比利卻與Small之妻Elizabeth發生婚外情　導致Attila在１９７１年解散

比利與Elizabeth在１９８３年結為夫妻（１９８２年離婚）

 

１９７１年　喬與Family Productions唱片簽約　秋天推出首張個人專輯

但反應淒慘

１９７２年　比利與哥倫比亞唱片簽約 只是當時他與Family Productions合約仍未結束　有帶哥倫比亞出面解決

所以比利搬到洛杉磯籌備新專輯 並化名Billy Martin在鋼琴酒吧工作六個月

１９７３年１１月　２４歲的喬發行在新東家的首張大碟（個人第二張）［Paino Man／鋼琴師］

同名單曲為首支主打　這是根據他在洛城鋼琴吧駐唱經驗靈感所來

這首鋼琴輕搖滾歌曲描寫酒吧中的客人皆有未完成的夢

而鋼琴師的責任則是讓他們暫時忘卻現實

在口琴與悠揚的琴聲中　主角冷眼旁觀人生百態

［Paino Man］推出後緩慢攀升　直到１９７３年４月才以美國單曲榜＃２５告終

這也是喬首支打進單曲榜的歌曲　讓他開始受到注意

另外在Easy Listening／成人抒情榜拿到＃４

加拿大表現較好＃１０　荷蘭＃５６　英國＃１３６

 

１９７７年　比利喬以［The Stranger］大碟成為巨星後

［Paino Man］便常被電台播放　加上喬常以此曲結束演唱會

成為他最廣為人知的歌曲之一

這年比利拍攝一支宣傳錄影帶　裡邊便化名Billy Martin　冷眼旁觀酒吧人生百態

１９８５年　喬重新攝製新版MV

可見他對此曲的重視

在２００４年版的滾石雜誌５００首最偉大歌曲中

［Paino Man］也名列其中

 

 

1985 MV

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gxEPV4kolz0

 

1977 MV

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ou0Tk_Bl3Bs

 

1975　Live

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kiMy2Bz6yro

 

1984 Wembley Live

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X3z99kcHqBE

 

Billy Joel＋Elton John

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fcYSSYnf_l8