When it comes to Billy Joel’s music, it’s still Bach and roll to him.
In an exclusive preview clip from the new HBO documentary “Billy Joel: And So It Goes” that aired July 18 on TODAY, the “Piano Man” explains how classical music shaped the songs he has made during his decadeslong career.
“My own history as a musician started with me hearing classical music because my father was a classically trained pianist, and those were the radio stations my mom listened to,” he says in a voice-over, as pictures of him as a little boy and his parents splash on the screen.
“A lot of kids first started listening to the radio. They listened to pop music. I heard Mozart, I heard Bach, I heard Beethoven. And it was entrancing.”
Joel, who revealed earlier this year he had been diagnosed with a reversible form of dementia, says the knowledge he gained stayed with him, using one of his biggest hits to prove his point.
“I actually brought that classical education into my writing. It was whether it could be played as a piece on its own, without words. Take, for example, ‘Uptown Girl.’ It could have been a Mozart piece,” he says.
He then starts playing the song, which was inspired by ex-wife Christie Brinkley, on the piano.
Joel, whose “Turn the Lights Back On” marked his first solo single in nearly two decades in 2024, is known for his vast catalog of catchy pop and piano-driven songs, but he hasn’t strayed from the classical genre. In 2001, he released the album “Fantasies & Delusions,” which featured piano compositions.
The first part of “Billy Joel: And So It Goes” will be available to watch July 18 at 8 p.m. ET on HBO and HBO Max. The second part will drop July 25 at 8 p.m. ET.
“Exploring revelatory new territory and enriched by dynamic video and performance clips from Joel’s musical oeuvre, many never before seen, the documentary gives a window into his process and chronicles his monumental successes, while diving into the hidden complexities of his life,” a press release about the film says.
Director Susan Lacy also promised to peel back the (nylon) curtain on the Grammy winner.
“For those who think they know Joel’s story, as well as those who are not as familiar, I believe this two-part film is both a revelation and a surprise,” she said.
“I was drawn to his story as someone who knew little at the outset, and was astounded at how autobiographical his songs are and how complex his story is. We are gratified that Bill trusted us with his story, which we have told as honestly as possible, diving into territory which has not been explored before.”
