Chords for Billy Joel Interview 1976
Tempo:
107.3 bpm
Chords used:
G
A
Ab
E
B
Tuning:Standard Tuning (EADGBE)Capo:+0fret
Start Jamming...
Welcome to Countdown.
Bill you've obviously got a great rapport with your audience.
I like to relate to people like another person.
I don't believe in that whole rock star syndrome where you ignore the audience.
You're supposed to be the artist.
You just sit up here and play.
It's a way for me to feel comfortable being up here.
Because once in a while I go, what am I doing [G] up here?
So you talk to people.
I always have a good time.
[Abm] I've been a [G] musician since I was four.
I've been a professional musician since I was 14.
I'm lucky.
[A] I always know what I [G] wanted to do.
[E] I made a living at it.
I [G] always have a good time.
Also I think people might have an opinion of me from Piano Man that I'm this sensitive, suffering songwriter type.
But I'm not.
This is my gig.
This is what I do for a living.
Obviously your music has [E] a great versatility to it.
So you wouldn't like to be [B] typecast as any particular type of [G] writer.
No.
I don't like to fall into a formula.
I like all kinds of music.
Anything that's good.
I like to be eclectic.
I like the Beatles.
I don't want them to get back together.
They did plenty enough.
Fine.
They don't have to get back together as far as I'm concerned.
But they were eclectic.
They did all kinds of music.
Piano Man might have typecast me as far as some people were concerned.
Oh, Piano Man.
Well, it's a story song.
So that's the kind of songs a guy does.
In fact, the rest of the album isn't.
There isn't another song like that.
They're all different.
[Abm]
Street Life, which came after [G] Piano Man, was kind of a rebellion against being typecast.
It was [D] a whole change up in form.
[G] Likewise, Turnstiles is like the title of the album, Turnstiles.
I mean, there's eight different tracks and eight different styles of music.
Because we all like to play different kinds of music.
Do you still find that you've had a progression in the style of your music over the last few years, though?
I hope so.
I think [Ab] what's the commercially [A] smart thing to do is once you have a hit [G] record,
is to do another record right after it.
Kind of like the same thing, but a little different.
And I didn't want to do that.
I mean, I think [D]
what some people in the music business [A] might want [Ab] me to do is like,
why don't you put out Piano Man 2, and then Piano Man 3, and so forth and so on.
I don't want to do that.
Because once you start imitating yourself, you're [G] dead.
You've got to grow.
Yeah, I think I've [Eb] progressed.
James, your [Em] new single here in Australia, and I guess it's [G] released in the States,
[Gb] [G]
is that once again one of your story type [Em] songs,
or just something that you want to feel, you want to write about?
[A] [E] James, I don't really think of it as a story type of [G] song.
To me it's impressions that are layered.
It's like you [A] build a foundation and you add another [Bb] layer on top of it,
like an impressionistic painting.
James is actually a composite of [D] people that I know personally,
but it could be one person in [A] particular.
A lot of people have [B] said that they know somebody like [G] that.
And it's [B] a composite song, [G] really.
Fine.
Have you any plans on a new LP after Ten Stars yet?
Or are you still just waiting to see what happens?
I've got some bits and pieces, but [Ab] the album came out this summer,
and we've been on the road [A] most of the time since the album [G] came out.
I [Bb] can't write on the road, and you can't bring a [Ab] grand piano into the [N] hotel room.
Bill you've obviously got a great rapport with your audience.
I like to relate to people like another person.
I don't believe in that whole rock star syndrome where you ignore the audience.
You're supposed to be the artist.
You just sit up here and play.
It's a way for me to feel comfortable being up here.
Because once in a while I go, what am I doing [G] up here?
So you talk to people.
I always have a good time.
[Abm] I've been a [G] musician since I was four.
I've been a professional musician since I was 14.
I'm lucky.
[A] I always know what I [G] wanted to do.
[E] I made a living at it.
I [G] always have a good time.
Also I think people might have an opinion of me from Piano Man that I'm this sensitive, suffering songwriter type.
But I'm not.
This is my gig.
This is what I do for a living.
Obviously your music has [E] a great versatility to it.
So you wouldn't like to be [B] typecast as any particular type of [G] writer.
No.
I don't like to fall into a formula.
I like all kinds of music.
Anything that's good.
I like to be eclectic.
I like the Beatles.
I don't want them to get back together.
They did plenty enough.
Fine.
They don't have to get back together as far as I'm concerned.
But they were eclectic.
They did all kinds of music.
Piano Man might have typecast me as far as some people were concerned.
Oh, Piano Man.
Well, it's a story song.
So that's the kind of songs a guy does.
In fact, the rest of the album isn't.
There isn't another song like that.
They're all different.
[Abm]
Street Life, which came after [G] Piano Man, was kind of a rebellion against being typecast.
It was [D] a whole change up in form.
[G] Likewise, Turnstiles is like the title of the album, Turnstiles.
I mean, there's eight different tracks and eight different styles of music.
Because we all like to play different kinds of music.
Do you still find that you've had a progression in the style of your music over the last few years, though?
I hope so.
I think [Ab] what's the commercially [A] smart thing to do is once you have a hit [G] record,
is to do another record right after it.
Kind of like the same thing, but a little different.
And I didn't want to do that.
I mean, I think [D]
what some people in the music business [A] might want [Ab] me to do is like,
why don't you put out Piano Man 2, and then Piano Man 3, and so forth and so on.
I don't want to do that.
Because once you start imitating yourself, you're [G] dead.
You've got to grow.
Yeah, I think I've [Eb] progressed.
James, your [Em] new single here in Australia, and I guess it's [G] released in the States,
[Gb] [G]
is that once again one of your story type [Em] songs,
or just something that you want to feel, you want to write about?
[A] [E] James, I don't really think of it as a story type of [G] song.
To me it's impressions that are layered.
It's like you [A] build a foundation and you add another [Bb] layer on top of it,
like an impressionistic painting.
James is actually a composite of [D] people that I know personally,
but it could be one person in [A] particular.
A lot of people have [B] said that they know somebody like [G] that.
And it's [B] a composite song, [G] really.
Fine.
Have you any plans on a new LP after Ten Stars yet?
Or are you still just waiting to see what happens?
I've got some bits and pieces, but [Ab] the album came out this summer,
and we've been on the road [A] most of the time since the album [G] came out.
I [Bb] can't write on the road, and you can't bring a [Ab] grand piano into the [N] hotel room.
Key:
G
A
Ab
E
B
G
A
Ab
Welcome to Countdown.
Bill you've obviously got a great rapport with your audience.
I like to relate to people like another person.
I don't believe in that whole rock _ star syndrome where you ignore the audience.
_ You're supposed to be the artist. _ _
You just sit up here and play.
_ It's a way for me to feel comfortable being up here.
Because once in a while I go, what am I doing [G] up here?
So you talk to people.
I always have a good time.
[Abm] I've been a [G] musician since I was four.
I've been a professional musician since I was _ 14.
_ _ I'm lucky.
[A] I always know what I [G] wanted to do.
_ [E] I made a living at it.
I [G] always have a good time.
Also I think people might have an opinion of me from Piano Man that I'm this sensitive, _ suffering _ _ songwriter type.
But I'm not.
This is my gig.
This is what I do for a living. _
Obviously your music has [E] a great versatility to it.
So you wouldn't like to be [B] typecast as any particular type of [G] writer.
No.
I don't like to fall into a formula. _ _
_ I like all kinds of music.
Anything that's good. _
_ _ I like to be eclectic.
I like the Beatles.
_ _ I don't want them to get back together.
They did plenty enough.
Fine.
They don't have to get back together as far as I'm concerned.
But they were eclectic.
They did all kinds of music.
_ _ _ Piano Man _ might have typecast me as far as some people were concerned.
Oh, Piano Man.
Well, it's a story song.
So that's the kind of songs a guy does.
In fact, the rest of the album isn't.
There isn't another song like that.
They're all different.
[Abm] _
_ Street Life, which came after [G] Piano Man, _ _ was kind of a rebellion against being typecast.
It was [D] a whole change up in form.
_ [G] _ _ Likewise, Turnstiles is like the title of the album, Turnstiles.
I mean, _ there's eight different tracks and eight different styles of music.
Because we all like to play different kinds of music.
Do you still find that you've had a progression in the style of your music over the last few years, though?
I hope so.
I think [Ab] what's the commercially [A] smart thing to do is once you have a hit [G] record,
is to do another record right after it.
Kind of like the same thing, but a little different.
And I didn't want to do that.
I mean, I think _ _ [D] _
what some people in the music business [A] might want [Ab] me to do is like,
why don't you put out Piano Man 2, and then Piano Man 3, and so forth and so on.
I don't want to do that.
Because once you start imitating yourself, you're [G] dead.
You've got to grow.
_ Yeah, I think I've [Eb] progressed.
James, your [Em] new single here in Australia, and I guess it's [G] released in the States,
[Gb] _ [G]
is that once again one of your story type [Em] songs,
or just something that you want to feel, you want to write about?
[A] _ _ [E] James, I don't really think of it as a story type of [G] song.
To me it's _ _ impressions _ that are layered.
It's like you [A] build a foundation and you add another [Bb] layer on top of it,
like an impressionistic painting.
James is actually a composite of [D] people that I know personally,
but it could be one person in [A] particular.
A lot of people have [B] said that they know somebody like [G] that. _ _
And it's [B] a composite song, [G] really.
Fine.
Have you any plans on a new LP after Ten Stars yet?
Or are you still just waiting to see what happens?
I've got some bits and pieces, but [Ab] the album came out this summer,
and we've been on the road [A] most of the time since the album [G] came out.
_ _ I [Bb] can't write on the road, and you can't bring a [Ab] grand piano into the [N] hotel room. _
Bill you've obviously got a great rapport with your audience.
I like to relate to people like another person.
I don't believe in that whole rock _ star syndrome where you ignore the audience.
_ You're supposed to be the artist. _ _
You just sit up here and play.
_ It's a way for me to feel comfortable being up here.
Because once in a while I go, what am I doing [G] up here?
So you talk to people.
I always have a good time.
[Abm] I've been a [G] musician since I was four.
I've been a professional musician since I was _ 14.
_ _ I'm lucky.
[A] I always know what I [G] wanted to do.
_ [E] I made a living at it.
I [G] always have a good time.
Also I think people might have an opinion of me from Piano Man that I'm this sensitive, _ suffering _ _ songwriter type.
But I'm not.
This is my gig.
This is what I do for a living. _
Obviously your music has [E] a great versatility to it.
So you wouldn't like to be [B] typecast as any particular type of [G] writer.
No.
I don't like to fall into a formula. _ _
_ I like all kinds of music.
Anything that's good. _
_ _ I like to be eclectic.
I like the Beatles.
_ _ I don't want them to get back together.
They did plenty enough.
Fine.
They don't have to get back together as far as I'm concerned.
But they were eclectic.
They did all kinds of music.
_ _ _ Piano Man _ might have typecast me as far as some people were concerned.
Oh, Piano Man.
Well, it's a story song.
So that's the kind of songs a guy does.
In fact, the rest of the album isn't.
There isn't another song like that.
They're all different.
[Abm] _
_ Street Life, which came after [G] Piano Man, _ _ was kind of a rebellion against being typecast.
It was [D] a whole change up in form.
_ [G] _ _ Likewise, Turnstiles is like the title of the album, Turnstiles.
I mean, _ there's eight different tracks and eight different styles of music.
Because we all like to play different kinds of music.
Do you still find that you've had a progression in the style of your music over the last few years, though?
I hope so.
I think [Ab] what's the commercially [A] smart thing to do is once you have a hit [G] record,
is to do another record right after it.
Kind of like the same thing, but a little different.
And I didn't want to do that.
I mean, I think _ _ [D] _
what some people in the music business [A] might want [Ab] me to do is like,
why don't you put out Piano Man 2, and then Piano Man 3, and so forth and so on.
I don't want to do that.
Because once you start imitating yourself, you're [G] dead.
You've got to grow.
_ Yeah, I think I've [Eb] progressed.
James, your [Em] new single here in Australia, and I guess it's [G] released in the States,
[Gb] _ [G]
is that once again one of your story type [Em] songs,
or just something that you want to feel, you want to write about?
[A] _ _ [E] James, I don't really think of it as a story type of [G] song.
To me it's _ _ impressions _ that are layered.
It's like you [A] build a foundation and you add another [Bb] layer on top of it,
like an impressionistic painting.
James is actually a composite of [D] people that I know personally,
but it could be one person in [A] particular.
A lot of people have [B] said that they know somebody like [G] that. _ _
And it's [B] a composite song, [G] really.
Fine.
Have you any plans on a new LP after Ten Stars yet?
Or are you still just waiting to see what happens?
I've got some bits and pieces, but [Ab] the album came out this summer,
and we've been on the road [A] most of the time since the album [G] came out.
_ _ I [Bb] can't write on the road, and you can't bring a [Ab] grand piano into the [N] hotel room. _