How do you come up with a dream setlist for an artist like Billy Joel? The guy has decades of material. A lot of it feels very much “of its time.” Maybe stuff from 1971’s “Cold Spring Harbor” doesn’t mix well with 1983’s “An Innocent Man.” (Does anything mix well with “Innocent Man?” Not my favorite album. I’d bet Billy would love to leave “Uptown Girl” out of his sets, and I will grant him that wish.)
For the purposes of my Billy Joel setlist, I’m going with 25 songs (20 in the first set, with five encores), which is the typical length of his concerts these days. I caught his Sept. 10 show at Madison Square Garden and that setlist is the basic skeleton of this setlist, but with plenty of substitutions. Here’s my take.
Billy Joel Dream Setlist:
The Entertainer: From his 1974 album “Streetlife Serenade,” this was a marginal hit at the time but a great crowd-pleaser live. It has a great message and Billy’s fingers will be thoroughly warmed up after this challenging tune.
My Life: I still think of it as TV’s “Bosum Buddies” theme.
Vienna: Gotta get the older stuff out first. Personally, he could play “The Stranger” in its entirity and I’d be in heaven.
Allentown: I saw the “Nylon Curtain” tour as a kid. This song never gets old.
Pressure: The other must-hear from the same album. Time for the lighting coordinator at the venue to shine.
Sleeping with the Television On: Who’s ready for a mini tour of “Glass Houses” tunes?
All for Leyna: Probably the tune I can relisten to the most on this record.
Sometimes a Fantasy: Oh, we’ll hear more later, but this is his mini tribute to an amazing piece of work.
And So It Goes: My personal favorite. So tortured. Written in 1983 but not released until 1989’s “Storm Front.” Written about Elle Macpherson and structured in iambic tetrameter. Despite not getting a high school diploma, Joel is wicked smart.
I Go To Extremes: And we continue the “Strong Front” portion of the show.
Leningrad: Bet you didn’t expect this one. I’m a sucker when Billy wants to give a history lesson. Feel free to swap this out for “Downeaster Alexa” if you want.
These Are The Times: A weepy nod to nostalgia from 1986’s “The Bridge. Possibly my least favorite album from the ’80s after “An Innocent Man” but I love this tune.
The Ballad of Billy the Kid: And we’re back to the early 1970s.
She’s Got a Way: Let Billy catch his breath.
Goodnight Saigon: A forgotten classic from “Nylon Curtain” and his final resting tune of the evening.
The River of Dreams: A little ’90s thrown in.
New York State of Mind: This epic tune deserves to be closer to the end of the night.
You May Be Right: Can never get enough “Glass Houses?”
Piano Man: If not, the fans will burn the venue down.
Scenes from an Italian Restaurant: Sorry, I just like this one more than “Piano Man.”
ENCORES
We Didn’t Start the Fire: Not everyone’s favorite, but a gem when performed live.
Still Rock and Roll to Me: Hope Billy saved some energy for these final four songs.
Big Shot: Billy leaves the piano and grabs the mic stand.
Captain Jack: Whoa, you didn’t see this oldie coming, did you?
Only the Good Die Young: I know “You May Be Right” usually has this spot, but can’t we agree this is the better tune to end on?
Photo courtesy of slgc