My Top 10 Favorite Songs by Billy Joel

When asked who my favorite singer is, this Kentucky gal says she thinks Billy Joel rocks the house. Billy Joel's career spans decades and continents. It is my belief that most people can find something in Billy Joel's music with which to identify. My favorite songs by Billy Joel give direct insight into my personality. At the age of 15, I discovered a music genre beyond the typical country to which my family listened (if and when they listened to music at all). I remember the way the music made me feel and listening to Billy Joel I can still get those same feelings today.

The Entertainer tops the list of my favorite Billy Joel songs. This song evokes in me a mixture of happiness, sadness, hope, and cynicism. I always longed to be an entertainer but growing up in a strict, religious home those types of dreams were strongly discouraged. Anyway, as I listen to The Entertainer I get the truth behind what it would take to be successful in the entertainment industry and it's a sobering truth.

Secondly, I turn to another one of my Billy Joel favorites, The Stranger, and I still feel surprise and shame for the truth in the words. As a teen, I listened more to the music and created a glamorous, mysterious persona for the stranger in the song. These days, I realize we all have a stranger within us whether we want it or not. I find it amazing that decades later there's still that teenager who longs to become The Stranger for awhile. At the same time there is the adult in me going, well, she's not so glamorous but she sure is a stranger.

Ah, the romance and the dream of having someone love you Just the Way You Are. Big deep sigh, the dreamy eyes, and smile; the words still make me feel all soft and fluttery inside. This song by Billy Joel also helps remind me that love is a two-way street and if you want to be loved Just the Way You Are, then you're going to need to love someone just the way they are.

Movin' Out: Anthony's song, Wow, a teenager's dream! Billy Joel does an outstanding job of demonstrating how you can be young and still make a difference. I love how Billy Joel portrays Anthony as a young man who stands up for what he believes even if that means going against those he loves. I still listen to this song and want to shout to the world, "if that's movin' up then I'm movin' out!"

She's Always a Woman, another great example of Billy Joel's finest. Well, considering I am a woman I find this song to be a bit confusing, but then I'm told by my husband that women are confusing. He lives with one so he should know; after all I only am one. Just kidding, this song is one of my favorites because it helps to demonstrate that women are not just one or two-dimensional. Women are so much more than sex and beauty.

My Life, just the title still brings to me a sense of empowerment. This powerful song by Billy Joel is the perfect description of a young adult's struggle. It's my life or at least I want to make it my own. I remember singing along with this song and feeling like I was making a stand against all the rules. I remember the freedom I felt singing into my hairbrush "microphone", that rush of excitement at being able to speak my mind and tell others they could too, just "not on my time."

Big Shot, a favorite song of mine by Billy Joel because it evoked a feeling of "social eliteness" within me at school. I would sing this song and imagine singing it to the popular girls and feeling victorious over them for not having had to be the "Big Shot." Today, I still favor this song by Billy Joel because it helps me to realize the illusions of grandeur with which we all struggle. Big Shot helps me realize we are all alike inside; the rest is just an illusion.

You May Be Right is on my list of favorite songs by Billy Joel because it still speaks to my spirit. This song made me feel like I was telling my parents they may be right, but it didn't matter to me because I needed to be my own person and make my own choices. Today the meaning has changed for me and now I feel the song is more or less telling us to love and accept each other as is and to be more tolerant of our differences.

It's Still Rock and Roll to Me, another great song by Billy Joel that is still just pure fun for me. This song points out to me that just because things appear different on the surface or are called something different doesn't always mean they truly are. This is one of my favorites by Billy Joel simply for the pure delight value.

Last on my top ten list of favorite songs by Billy Joel is Tell Her About It. This song reminds me of the fact we only get one go around in this life and if we love someone then we should tell them. I remember how listening and singing along to this song made me long for Mr. Right to tell me how he felt. I used this song to help fuel my fairytale, happily-ever-after fantasy, now I realize it's not a fairytale and if you love someone you should tell them about it.

This concludes the list of my ten favorite songs by Billy Joel. If you haven't listened to any of his music lately, perhaps this list will remind you of some of your favorites or maybe even help you add to your list of favorite artists.