Billy Joel’s career in music has been littered with great songs and deserved success. He is one of those songwriters that can write great tunes that are often a metaphor for something he sees as important. The song that we are going to look at is one of those. But what is the meaning of the song “Vienna” by Billy Joel? Well, let’s find out.
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His career may have been full of great songs and music, but then you come across this track. It was taken from his album, The Stranger, released in 1977. The album reached #2 on the American chart and also #2 in three other countries. It reached #24 on the UK Album chart. Initially, the song was included as the B-side to one of those classic hits, “Just the Way You Are.”
Today, it is one of the most streamed Billy Joel songs. But, given the quality of decades of music, why this one? Let’s find out…
The American Elton John?
In many ways, he was and is. While their songs and their styles are not the same, they both have things in common. They are both showmen on the piano, they both write great songs, and they have both had to overcome hardships in their private lives. One difference is that Billy Joel writes his lyrics, but Sir Elton worked mainly with Bernie Taupin, who wrote the words.
The Piano Man
Billy Joel was born in the Bronx but grew up in Long Island in New York. His father, Helmut, or Howard as he was known, was a classical pianist. Being Jewish, his family fled Germany to Switzerland when the Nazis gained control. They later made their way to America via Cuba.
Joel’s mother was also Jewish and emigrated to America from England. His mother and father met in New York, but when they divorced in 1957, his father returned to Europe and went to Vienna. Is that a clue for the song title? Citing that America was far too materialistic for him.
His mother made him take piano lessons from the age of four. But, after seeing The Beatles on The Ed Sullivan Show, he dropped out of school, saying that was what he wanted to do. After playing with a couple of short-lived bands, he went solo and got his first record deal in 1971.
A Stellar Career
That’s the only way to describe Billy Joel’s career, but it wasn’t without its problems. Joel has been married four times and has suffered from depression for most of his life. At one time, this affliction caused a suicide attempt. He later recorded the song “You’re Only Human (Second Wind)” to help to prevent teen suicide.
In 2002 and 2005, he was admitted to different clinics for people suffering from substance and alcohol abuse. Life is not always easy and becomes more difficult for those who often need to hide from publicity.
Billy Joel has released 13 studio albums and six live albums, along with various compilations. He has released 61 singles and has sold over 150 million records worldwide. But, we are going to look at just one great Billy Joel song, “Vienna.”
Is The Song A Representation?
It has that vibe as he talks us through the stages of life. There have been plenty of songs that have addressed how we see the onset of age. Some songs link that to mistakes we make in life, such as Harry Chapin’s “Cat’s in the Cradle.” That is a song that takes you through the relationship between a father and a son. The descriptors are the passing of time.
The Billy Joel song “Vienna“ is slightly different from that in that it seems to sit in two distinct stages.
The First Stage
In its opening, the song talks about how we often feel as young people. We are looking forward to the future, whatever it may bring. Realizing achievements and reaching our goals, and maybe making a difference in our chosen areas.
With that in mind, we just want the time to pass quickly so we can get there sooner. But it never does, and we don’t. Often, it feels like time seems to drag on forever. We feel like we are back to being the expectant child desperate for it to be Christmas morning.
But, there is a fear…
One of those fears is that you won’t have enough time to do all you want to do. That, along with two other common fears for the future, cause us to try and rush things. And a likely meaning of Billy Joel’s “Vienna“ is to just slow down. Don’t try and rush through life, or you will miss it.
He also tries to make the point that not everyone can be what they want to be. And, of course, they can’t. Especially if you try to achieve something, you are not ready for. Be patient and enjoy your time is the message of “Vienna” by Bill Joel.
The other two fears?
I only mentioned one, but two others are inextricably linked. The fear many have of getting old and the fear that you will be getting near to the end. That leads us back to the first fear of just not having the time you think you need. Joel sings rather eloquently that when you rush so much, you forget what you need.
The Second Stage
The song moves into another area of telling the listener to slow down a bit. Take some time, and take a few days where you are not rushing around. The song says that just because you are getting older doesn’t mean you are useless and of no worth. What made him feel the need to explain that? We shall see soon.
This second part of the song then is to give some comfort to people as they age. There is this opinion that after a certain age, it is all downhill. It can be if you let it.
But, the song is saying don’t let it. It’s all a myth. You haven’t got to achieve certain things by a certain age to not be considered a failure. If you bring your existence to a premature end by allowing disappointment to rule, think of what you will miss. It is now saying don’t be afraid that you are getting older. There is always something to look forward to.
The Meaning Of The Song “Vienna” By Billy Joel
Something had a profound effect on how he sees the world around him. And he uses Vienna as a metaphor to describe the effect of getting older. Vienna, the city in Austria, the home of Mozart. What could that have to do with it? As I said, we shall see.
Make The Most Of Now
Stop worrying about what the future may bring and live your life in the present. Some songs try to push you to chase your dream vigorously. This song is the exact opposite.
The Best Time in Life?
That is what we are told about being young. We are conditioned to think that these are the best days of our life. Why? They probably aren’t. For many, the best is yet to come.
But, if you get swallowed up in another myth of chasing the “American Dream,” you aren’t going to live long enough to achieve it. You don’t want to join the rat race pursuing something that less than one percent of the population will ever even get near. Let alone achieve.
What Is It About Aging?
In some countries, older people are taken and put in homes, out of the way. Is that right? Make them feel like they don’t exist or have any value. That is probably the deeper meaning of Billy Joel’s “Vienna“ as the song looks at that closely and draws your attention to it. And where did Joel get these opinions and develop this rationale? In Vienna.
The City Of Mozart
Appropriate when you are writing a piece of music that means so much to some. I mentioned earlier that after his father and mother had divorced, his father returned to Europe, specifically to Vienna.
Ironic that after fleeing the impending Nazi persecution of the Jews, he went back to the city where Hitler spent some time. Joel tracked his father down to the city and went to see him. He hadn’t seen him for more than ten years.
They were strolling in the city, and Joel saw an old woman cleaning up the road and asked his father why she was doing that. The father’s answer brought a complete change in Joel’s thoughts and opinions. Eventually, it is what inspired Billy Joel to write “Vienna.”
A Feeling of Self-Worth
Joel’s father answered by saying she had a job and was doing something that was valued by the city. She, therefore, felt that she was useful. That made her happy. He thought back in America, she would have been packed off to a retirement home. In Vienna, she was considered an important and valued member of society.
Joel realized that growing old would be okay in Vienna. Suddenly, he realized that if he lived in Vienna, he would not worry about getting old as he would still be considered of value. He could see that the people who lived in Vienna didn’t view old people as he had been conditioned to do. They weren’t locked away; they were considered valuable and kept their place in society.
Want More Sensitive Songs About Living Life and Growing Old?
If so, check out our thoughts on the Top 10 Songs About New Beginnings, the Top 11 Songs About Time, the Best Songs About Life, the Top Songs About Home, the Best Songs About Grandparents, and the Best Songs About Death for more memorable song selections.
Meaning Of The Song “Vienna” By Billy Joel – Final Thoughts
His view of and use of the city of Vienna as a metaphor for growing old is a relevant choice. Joel saw Vienna as the answer to the fear of the onset of old age and to still being of some value.
Many people rush through their lives hoping to make achievements before they arrive at their “sell-by date.” Billy Joel tries to show those people in this song that it needn’t be like that. He is trying to open people’s eyes to possibilities and not be fearful about the future and the aging process. And that is a lesson he learned while visiting Vienna.
“Vienna” is a song that fully demonstrates his extraordinary songwriting skills. If you want to hear more, Piano Man: The Very Best Of Billy Joel is probably a good place to start. He is what you might call a class act.
Until next time, happy listening.
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