Billy Joel's Favorite (And Least Favorite) Billy Joel Songs

Billy Joel is one of those artists whose songs are so popular, you probably know several even if you’re not a devoted fan.

While listeners have their own beloved classics, like "Vienna," "It’s Still Rock and Roll to Me," "Just The Way You Are," "She's Always a Woman," "Only The Good Die Young," "The River of Dreams," "The Longest Time," "My Life," "Piano Man," and "Uptown Girl," Joel himself has revealed which songs he treasures most, and the one he’d prefer to forget (and sometimes does).

Beyond popular opinion, The Piano Man’s insights clarify which tracks resonate with him on a deeper level, influenced by his own life, artistic struggles, and the demands of fame. 

Let's embrace a “New York State of Mind” and tune in to Billy Joel's favorite and least favorite Billy Joel songs. 

BILLY JOEL'S FAVORITE BILLY JOEL SONGS

In 2018, the prolific musician appeared on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert and revealed the five Billy Joel songs he'd want to hear if he were attending one of his own concerts. Among the lineup were “Vienna,” released in 1977 on The Stranger; “And So It Goes,” from 1983’s Storm Front; “You May Be Right,” released in 1980 on Glass Houses; the “obscure” 1982 track “She’s Right On Time” from The Nylon Curtain; and his personal favorite, “Scenes From An Italian Restaurant,” also from The Stranger in 1977.

Joel mentioned that he routinely lets concert audiences choose between “Vienna” and “Just The Way You Are,” and they consistently pick “Vienna.”

"Scenes From An Italian Restaurant" is a three-part melody that lasts for 7 minutes and 37 seconds. Drawing from The Beatles’ Abbey Road (side two), he composed the song’s three “scenes” individually and eventually stitched them into one track.

The song was inspired by a real Italian restaurant, Fontana di Trevi, which once existed across from Carnegie Hall in New York City before being demolished in 2007 to make way for a skyscraper. Joel came up with the opening line (“A bottle of white / A bottle of red / Perhaps a bottle of rosé instead?”) while dining at Benito II (now La Bella Vita) on Mulberry Street.

BILLY JOEL'S LEAST FAVORITE BILLY JOEL SONG

Due to the legendary status of his catalog, one might think it a challenge for Joel to pick his least favorite song, but he’s actually very sure of his answer. In 2023, he told Howard Stern (without missing a beat) that “We Didn’t Start The Fire” tops his list, and for a very specific reason.

The Long Island native assured he did not "hate" the song; he just thought it was the "worst musical thing I've ever written." And that’s because he usually starts with the melody and adds the lyrics later, but for this track, the lyrics came first. He’s also not fond of the lackluster melody and finds it tedious to recall the lengthy lyrics (which reference about 119 historical events from 1949 to 1989) when performing it live.

IT'S STILL ROCK AND ROLL TO BILLY JOEL

Billy Joel’s own favorite songs include both popular hits and less recognized selections. Like with many artists, their personal stories behind the tracks, where they were when they wrote it, what was going on in their lives, and who inspired it, determine their favorites.

Similarly, you might meet someone whose favorite Billy Joel song is entirely different from yours, based on where you were when you first heard the tune, what was going on in your life, and who it reminds you of.

Billy Joel didn’t start the fire, but his charisma and catalog of hits have kept it burning for generations, with no signs of fading anytime soon.

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