What is this?
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Our narrator wants to follow the teachings of the Christian God, but instead has to deal with the conflict behind who he is. He has tried to model himself to the ideal of what his religion dictates regardless of his own desires.
For Chris Bell, what he did later in his life, also allegedly, was take up a heroin habit in an attempt to reconcile his alternative lifestyle. Heroin is an illegal drug that relieves stress and discomfort, but is extremely addictive and can cause many side effects, death amongst them.
What is this?
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“Try Again” takes the perspective of a character struggling with demons and a perceived lack of acceptance.
Chris Bell, who penned the hymn, came from a religious Christian family in the affluent suburbs of Memphis, Tennessee. His songwriting commonly reflects the inner conflict he suffered from depression.
To follow the phrasing in the lyrics, what he was did not fit the image of a typical young man from Memphis in the 1970’s, nor does it fit the Christian ideal, which will be explored throughout these annotations.
Allegedly, he was conflicted on his sexual orientation. Had he come out as gay, he would have broken Christian law. Leviticus 18:22, which has often been cited when discussing Christianity’s stance on homosexuality, would have been the most damaging.
And we were so gung ho to lay down our lives Billy Joel – Goodnight Saigon
What is this?
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What is this?
The Genius annotation is the work of the Genius Editorial project. Our editors and contributors collaborate to create the most interesting and informative explanation of any line of text. It’s also a work in progress, so leave a suggestion if this or any annotation is missing something.
To learn more about participating in the Genius Editorial project, check out the contributor guidelines.
What is this?
The Genius annotation is the work of the Genius Editorial project. Our editors and contributors collaborate to create the most interesting and informative explanation of any line of text. It’s also a work in progress, so leave a suggestion if this or any annotation is missing something.
To learn more about participating in the Genius Editorial project, check out the contributor guidelines.
“Yo-yo” is slang to identify a person who is stupid. It is more commonly known as a toy that had international popularity at various periods in the 20th century.
The narrator and protagonist of the song establishes the entire song’s message in this first line by both diminishing the role of the “musicians” he sees on TV (“look at them yo-yo’s”), and yet also praising them for getting “money for nothing” (“that’s the way you do it”), characteristics of someone who is quite envious.
What is this?
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1982’s The Nylon Curtain included many allusions to the disillusionment of the “American Dream;” none so poignant as the frustration heard in “Allentown.” The song has emerged as an anthem of blue collar America, representing both the aspirations and frustrations of America’s working class in the late 20th century.
The subject of the song is the demise of the manufacturing industry in the United States. With the closing of Bethlehem Steel a generation of people were left jobless and depressed, wanting to leave but still clinging to the glory their parents were able to achieve.
What is this?
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What is this?
The Genius annotation is the work of the Genius Editorial project. Our editors and contributors collaborate to create the most interesting and informative explanation of any line of text. It’s also a work in progress, so leave a suggestion if this or any annotation is missing something.
To learn more about participating in the Genius Editorial project, check out the contributor guidelines.
What is this?
The Genius annotation is the work of the Genius Editorial project. Our editors and contributors collaborate to create the most interesting and informative explanation of any line of text. It’s also a work in progress, so leave a suggestion if this or any annotation is missing something.
To learn more about participating in the Genius Editorial project, check out the contributor guidelines.
What is this?
The Genius annotation is the work of the Genius Editorial project. Our editors and contributors collaborate to create the most interesting and informative explanation of any line of text. It’s also a work in progress, so leave a suggestion if this or any annotation is missing something.
To learn more about participating in the Genius Editorial project, check out the contributor guidelines.
Billy Joel’s Turnstiles is a tribute to New York, his home state. Each song has a theme relating to the state in their own vignettes. The cover aims to reflect the multiple personalities found on the album.
#The location
The photo shoot took place at the Astor Place subway station at 8th Street and Fourth Avenue. The area is also known as Cooper Square since Cooper Union University is located just to the south.
The turnstiles themselves have since been updated to the new format, and the columns in the background have been rounded and their tile ditched.
#The personalities
Each person (or couple) represent a different song on the album:
“Say Goodbye to Hollywood” – The man in the upper right with the leather jacket and large shades.
“Summer, Highland Falls” – Though not mentioned anywhere, popular theory leads to this character being Billy Joel, himself.
“All You Wanna Do is Dance” – The couple dancing on the far left of the album cover.
“New York State of Mind” – Could be Billy Joel, again, or the environment given its location.
“James” – The man in the black suit in the back holding books.
“Prelude/Angry Young Man” – The man in the back left with the orange shirt.
“I’ve Loved These Days” – The lady in the back with the red dress.
“Miami 2017 (Seen the Lights Go Out on Broadway)” – The grandmother holding her grandson behind Billy Joel.
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