I’m writing this for Song Lyric Sunday for Jim Adams. This week the theme is to find a song about the American West, or one that mentions cowboys, a sheriff, an outlaw, horses, cactus, or tumbleweeds. I’ve always liked songs that tell a story, and this song certainly does that. I participate in a blogging prompt every now and then, and this week’s theme was Westerns, so I had to join.
This song immediately came to mind. It appeared on Joel’s 1973 album Piano Man, and it sounds like something out of an old Western movie. It has everything from galloping rhythms to dramatic orchestration, and you can almost picture the gunfights and dusty streets as the song plays. Joel was only in his early twenties when he recorded it, but he was already showing what a great storyteller he could be.
The song follows the legendary outlaw Billy the Kid, although Joel wasn’t too concerned about historical accuracy. He has Billy robbing banks and traveling through places that don’t exactly match the real outlaw’s life. In fact, Joel has admitted that he took plenty of liberties with the story. The real Billy the Kid was associated mainly with New Mexico, not the adventures described in the song. But that’s part of the fun. Joel was writing a song inspired more by the legend of Billy the Kid than the actual man. The music even has a cinematic quality, with its strings and changes in tempo. It’s almost a little Western movie packed into five minutes.
What I like most about the song is the way Joel brings the story into the present at the end. After all the tales of the outlaw, he introduces another Billy, this time from Oyster Bay, Long Island. It’s a clever ending.
The last verse brings the story into the present with another Billy, this time from Oyster Bay, Long Island. Some people have interpreted that as Billy Joel writing about himself, but Joel explained that he was actually referring to Billy Nastri, a local bartender he knew. I like that little twist at the end. After all the stories about the famous outlaw, we end up with an ordinary guy from Long Island. I’ve always liked Billy Joel’s earlier albums, and this is one of those songs that shows why. He could take a simple idea and turn it into something much bigger. It might not be a very accurate history lesson, but it’s a great song. And sometimes that’s all I ask for.
The album peaked at #27 on the Billboard Album Charts, #26 in Canada, and #98 in the UK in 1973. The song was released as a single in 1974 but didn’t chart.
The Ballad of Billy The Kid
From a town known as Wheeling, West Virginia
Rode a boy with a six-gun in his hand
And his daring life of crime
Made him a legend in his time
East and west of the Rio Grande
Well, he started with a bank in Colorado
In the pocket of his vest, a Colt he hid
And his age and his size
Took the teller by surprise
And the word spread of Billy the Kid
Well, he never traveled heavy
Yes, he always rode alone
And he soon put many older guns to shame
And he never had a sweetheart
And he never had a home
But the cowboy and the rancher knew his name
Well, he robbed his way from Utah to Oklahoma
And the law just could not seem to track him down
And it served his legend well
For the folks, they loved to tell
‘Bout when Billy the Kid came to town
Well, one cold day, a posse captured Billy
And the judge said, “String him up for what he did!”
And the cowboys and their kin
Like the sea came pourin’ in
To watch the hanging of Billy the Kid
Well, he never traveled heavy
Yes, he always rode alone
And he soon put many older guns to shame
And he never had a sweetheart
But he finally found a home
Underneath the boot hill grave that bears his name
From a town known as Oyster Bay, Long Island
Rode a boy with a six-pack in his hand
And his daring life of crime
Made him a legend in his time
East and west of the Rio Grande
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Great song choice. 👏🏼
Thank you! It was between this and Thin Lizzy’s Cowboy.
I am a huge Billy Joel fan, so I think you made the right choice.
I like Billy as well…I never thought his early music got enough exposure…but that is just me. Not that I don’t like the later…but you get what I’m saying.
I am a big Billy Joel fan, so I think you made the right choice.
Sorry for the duplicate comment. Feel free to delete the second one.
NO problem at all..I like your choice as well!
Thanks man!
Good one, I hadn’t heard this in decades.
Thanks obbverse…yea this is one of his you don’t hear everyday.
An epic! Good choice for the SLS theme 👍
Thanks Clive I appreciate it!
Great background write up Max and excellent choice I haven’t heard this for ages 🙌
Yes me either…I do like early Billy Joel a lot.
Great selection, Max as this song has some real energy to it. I have not listened to this in a while, and I am glad you shared it today.
Thanks Jim for inviting me as always…sorry it took so damn long!
Great song, Max! Glad to see you in this week’s mix!!
Thanks Keith! Yea it’s been too long…probably last January or so…those puppies put me behind everything.
One of those songs I rarely listened to even back when I was really into Billy Joel. Had I read this post back then, I would’ve had a greater appreciation!
Great to see you here, Max! Big fan of Billy Joel and this one was on my short list but I was convinced Fandango would feature it so I didn’t. A very happy surprise to see you went with this epic piece. Excellent selection! Y’all come back now, ya hear?!
Thanks Nancy! It’s been a long time since I’ve done SLS…those puppies put my time frame way off!
LOL…believe it or not…once in a blue moon I still hear that exact phrase.
Great story-telling song by Billy Joel. It’s sad his brain condition will no longer allow him to perform. I got to see him once at Madison Square Garden in the early 2000s – amazing show!
Yea…I wish I would have got to see him…I had my chances…with him and Elton.
I missed Elton and regret that as well. Oh well, it’s impossible to see everyone!
Way to go Max! Great share. That piano tho! Excellent.
Thank you for reading!
Cool song and an early example of how Billy is such a great storytelling singer. ‘The Entertainer’, ‘Scenes from an Italian Restaurant’, ‘Movin Out’, this one and of course ‘Piano Man’ , like you suggest all little movies or novellas in six minutes or less.
They really are…you can imagine what is happening and see everything unfold.
I bought this album when it came out for the song ‘Captain jack’ Some gems on the LP including this one. Like you I like a story song. I’ve heard a few “Kid” songs along the way. Some good ones.
Yea I almost went to Dylan on this for the Pat Garrett soundtrack…but I haven’t done a Billy song since Captain Jack. Yea I really love story songs if they are done right…and Billy does.
Yeah that’s one i like plus Ely’s ‘Me And Billy the Kid’ is a fave. Ive always had a place for the early Joel music.
Well now…I’ll have to check out Ely’s Me and Billy The Kid…I’ll do that today…thanks man!
I think we talked about it before but we talk so much music it musta got lost. It;s a classic in my pile.
Yea…I got it now…you are right…it probably got swept under the rug…listening now.
Joe always had a few words about Billy when he performed the song.
I’m looking forward to covering this dude.
The song and the album should have done a lot better in the UK charts, even though it was before Billy Joel hadn’t quite made it big back then.
Yea it was a single right after Piano Man hit…it didn’t chart over here either that I can find. It should have though like you said.
Great choice for this week’s challenge. It’s a great song!
Thank you Marina!
Max, good to see you at SLS (even if I didn’t make it this week.) Billy Joel is a master craftsman of the narrative in music. He’s also one helluva pianist!
I should have a little more time to do this once in a while now. Yes he is…it was either this one or Thin Lizzy Cowboy Song.
Like others, I haven’t heard this in some time. Ry Cooder has a Billy The Kid song too, and it may be more historically accurate.
I’ll check that as well. I did check out a Joe Ely Billy the Kid song…it’s great!
That’s another good one M.Y.
I figured you would have crossed paths with that one at some point, CB.
I’m pretty predictable. I thought of this one. Ely’s and Dylans. Max triggered some good responses.
*THE MINISTRY OF WISDOM WISDOM TO DISCERN TRUTH FROM LIES (PART 4 THE FRUITS THAT EXPOSE EVERY LIAR)*
You asked for it. This is where we stop praying against liars and start _recognizing_ them
Jesus did not say pray to know them, He said by their fruits you shall know them Matthew 7:20 A liar can fast, can prophesy, can cry for you, but he cannot fake fruits for long. Time will always expose him
Here are the 7 fruits that expose every liar, no matter how anointed he looks
1. THE FRUIT OF INCONSISTENCY He says one thing today, another thing tomorrow
A truthful man is consistent. A liar has to remember his lies. That is why today he loves you, tomorrow he hates you, without reason. _Proverbs 19:9 says, A false witness shall not be unpunished, and he that speaketh lies shall perish._ Watch the inconsistency in his words, his stories don’t add up. Today he was in Lagos, tomorrow he says he never traveled. Take note.
*2. THE FRUIT OF FLATTERY AND HURRY He praises you too much and rushes you too much.*
A liar knows you love praise, so he uses it as bait. He will call you my destiny helper” after knowing you for 2 days. And then he will say do it now, now, now, or you will miss it. Why the hurry? Because wisdom needs time, but deception expires with time. _Proverbs 29:5 says, A man that flattereth his neighbour spreadeth a net for his feet._ Real love corrects you, fake love always claps for you.
3. THE FRUIT OF SECRECY He hates light and accountability
He will tell you, Don’t tell anybody, it’s just between us. He doesn’t want a second witness. He doesn’t want you to ask counsel. Every genuine thing from God can stand in the light. _Ephesians 5:11 says, Have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them._ If he is afraid of verification, he is hiding fabrication
*4. THE FRUIT OF GREED Money is always at the center of his story
Listen, every conversation ends with money. Every vision ends with sow a seed or “bring capital You are not a son to him you are a sponsor. 1 Timothy 6:10 says, For the love of money is the root of all evil A true man helps you to grow, a liar helps himself to grow through you.
*5. THE FRUIT OF NO PAST RECORD He has no traceable fruit, only mouth.*
Ask him, who have you helped before? Who can testify of your past faithfulness? He gets angry. Because he has no history, only history of stories. _Luke 16:10 says, He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much._ If he failed in small, he will fail you in big.
*6. THE FRUIT OF DRAMA AND BLAME Everybody betrayed him, everybody is wicked except him.*
If every ex-boss is wicked, every ex-friend is evil, every ex-church hurt him the common denominator is him. A liar is always the victim. He never repents. Wise people take responsibility, foolish people transfer blame. _Proverbs 28:13 says, He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy._
*7. THE FRUIT OF NO PEACE After talking to him, you lose your peace.*
This is the ultimate test. Even if his words sound perfect, check your spirit after he leaves. Did your peace go? Did confusion enter? _James 3:17 wisdom from above is peaceable. 1 Corinthians 14:33 For God is not the author of confusion._ If you lose peace after every conversation with him God is not in that counsel. Your spirit is detecting what your ears cannot
*HEAR ME:*
From today, don’t just listen to what a man says, watch what his life says. Don’t just hear his promise, check his pattern. A man can fake his voice but he cannot fake his fruit for six months
PROPHETIC DECLARATION OVER YOU
I anoint your eyes today every hidden liar around your destiny is exposed!
Your family will not be fed to wolves in sheep’s clothing
Your business will not be sold to deceivers
You will not marry a lie and call it love
Father, in the name of Jesus, give Your people a discerning heart. As You gave Solomon, give us eyes to see, ears to hear and courage to disconnect from every lie that looks like love, in Jesus mighty name Amen
Very cool post. After I watched Billy Joel’s HBO documentary “And So It Goes”, (a worthy watch in my humble opinion, episode 1 better than 2) I went through a big Billy Joel deep dive. Much of his classic 70’s period material is so strong, similar to Bruce Springsteen (once again imho) & the real treasures lie in those album deep cuts. This song has long been one of my favorites from BJ, didn’t know that nugget about those last lines in the song not being about himself but rather the bartender. Nice job Max, thx for a good morning read…
Thank you for reading! His early stuff like this gets overlooked and shouldn’t…some great storytelling…
It’s pretty funny how he made it all up. Often he doesn’t work very well when he’s too earnest, especially the early stuff.
Yea…I like what he did in the last verse the best…diverting it to a bartender he knew named Bill or himself…which ever you want to believe.
I always just assumed it was about himself.