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It's funny that Billy Joel identifies as atheist. He wrote an even better song from the this perspective called "Only the Good Die Young". I respect his personal views, atheist or whatever, but I think that people like Joel are blessed with success and talent by the "great spirit" or whatever you want to call it because of who they are, and because of the things they are led to say through their music. His music is spiritually inspired in a way that much religious music is not.
wrote an even better song from the this perspective called "Only the Good Die Young".
Some of his music, like that song, resonated with me when I was teenager. It seems to talk about "why don't we do certain things?" Because a book says we'll go to hell if we do. And that's the only reason.
Apparently Joel was Jewish but grew on Long Island up with Catholic kids. From my experience, many NY Catholics are what I'd call "Socially Catholic." You go to church to socialize afterwards and to justify Christmas and Easter Dinner. Your kids get baptized, receive communion and confirmation just because that's what everyone else was doing. But it is mostly lip service.
So, when Billy Joel sings that song, I think about how girls might be taught to be steadfast against boys pursuing them... yet the boys continue do it since they know it is mostly lip service.
Some of his music, like that song, resonated with me when I was teenager. It seems to talk about "why don't we do certain things?" Because a book says we'll go to hell if we do. And that's the only reason.
Apparently Joel was Jewish but grew on Long Island up with Catholic kids. From my experience, many NY Catholics are what I'd call "Socially Catholic." You go to church to socialize afterwards and to justify Christmas and Easter Dinner. Your kids get baptized, receive communion and confirmation just because that's what everyone else was doing. But it is mostly lip service.
So, when Billy Joel sings that song, I think about how girls might be taught to be steadfast against boys pursuing them... yet the boys continue do it since they know it is mostly lip service.
That makes sense. I always got the feeling that his songs were personal in nature.
You get together with other people once or twice a week. You connect with other people, getting to know them and getting to know about their families and lives.
The "Magic Thing" that draws everyone together is the religious aspect. That sounds like an unnecessary and even immature thing, but really, it's the most important thing because without it people would have no excuse to get together.
If you don't want to pretend you are a believer you can always identify yourself as a "Seeker" and people will understand and accept that.
Does anyone see anything wrong with this view of church?
Plenty. If you want to have rituals fine. No reason to wrap it up in the emotionally unhealthy and rationally ridiculous phenomenon called religion.
It's funny that Billy Joel identifies as atheist. He wrote an even better song from the this perspective called "Only the Good Die Young". I respect his personal views, atheist or whatever, but I think that people like Joel are blessed with success and talent by the "great spirit" or whatever you want to call it because of who they are, and because of the things they are led to say through their music. His music is spiritually inspired in a way that much religious music is not.
I always liked "She's Always a Woman to Me". Very insightful song.
Billy had pretty eclectic tastes. It is little known that he had installed in his home, a very large classical organ (digital / authentic, around 4 manuals and 100 ranks if I recall correctly). I know this from Allen Organ's promotional materials. So far as I know he did not use that instrument in any of his work (beyond some jazzy Hammond riffs or other standard-issue pop music stuff) but I respect his knowledge of classical music and multiple musical traditions. I think he is rather underrated as a musician, possibly because he's not into shameless self-promotion. I think he just does his thing and lets the chips fall where they may.
I always liked "She's Always a Woman to Me". Very insightful song.
Billy had pretty eclectic tastes. It is little known that he had installed in his home, a very large classical organ (digital / authentic, around 4 manuals and 100 ranks if I recall correctly). I know this from Allen Organ's promotional materials. So far as I know he did not use that instrument in any of his work (beyond some jazzy Hammond riffs or other standard-issue pop music stuff) but I respect his knowledge of classical music and multiple musical traditions. I think he is rather underrated as a musician, possibly because he's not into shameless self-promotion. I think he just does his thing and lets the chips fall where they may.
I'm a long-time fan. Billy Joel has always had a strong following in the NYC metro region because of his Long Island roots.
Billy Joel has a "residency" contract with Madison Square Garden in NYC. He was offered a similar deal in Las Vegas some years ago--a set number of concert dates per year--and he went to MSG and said, "Look, how about something like that right here in New York?"
They agreed, and since that time, they have added dates because the shows are always sold out. I have not seen him, but I would like to.
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