The Optimist (Abilene, Tex.), Vol. 82, No. 16, Ed. 1, Friday, October 15, 1993 Page: 3 of 6
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Billy
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On stage and behind scenes
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By Patricia Irennan
The Washington Pott 1993
If
A behind the scenes look at Billy
Joel gives insight into his new
song and personal life.
An explanation of his new
song "Lullabyc" written after
Joel's 7-ycar-old daughter Alcxa asked him
about death is included. He told hen "Whatev-
er you've done in your life whatever impact
you've had on other people stays with them
and impacts the world and that's how in a
way you stay alive." '
Last week taking a break from his "River of
Dreams" tour Joel elaborated.
"Music is very powerful stuff. It transcends
mortality. In a way Beethoven is as alive as he
ever was. Music has the power to do that. Art
has the power to do that. Great works have that
power to outlast the lifetime. I wanted my
daughter to understand that concept later. I
wanted her to understand that as long as we're
in each others hearts we continue to live"
The lyrics in part read:
"Someday your child may cry and If you tins this
lullaby
Then In your hurt ihcrc will always be pan of me.
Someday we'll ill be gone but lulUbyc go on rod on
Ttwy never die. That 'i how you tnd I will be"
"Lullabye" is a song Joel never would have
written when he was younger as he was a man
who became enraged by critics' remarks and
was so depressed that he at least once consid-
ered suicide.
"When I look back I realized that most of the
reviews I got were positive" he said "but
because I thought someone had written some-
thing that Was unfair or untrue I would pay a
lot of attention to a negative review. Now I
realize that if I like something 1 write then it's
passed my critical test and whatever anyone
else thinks about it they're entitled to."
Joel agreed he is a happier person having
wcamcrcd a split from his longtime manager
who left him "looking into the abyss" finan-
cially and creatively
The last week of September 1989 Joel was
on his way to catch the Concorde at Kennedy
Airport to embark for London and his "Storm
Front" tour when he was rushed to New York
Hospital for surgery to remove kidney stones.
The next day Joel's attorney filed a $90 mil-
lion lawsuit in New York Supreme Court
against Frank Weber charging he had squan-
dered or illegally diverted $30 million of Joel's
money. Weber was also Joel's former brother-in-law
and godfather to his daughter.
"Life had gotten kind of nasty" Joel said.
"People I had put a great deal of trust in
betrayed me. I found out that there arc some
people who arc beyond redemption. There arc
some people who are broken who can't be
fixed.
" I had always written with a boundless opti-
mism. I believed in the nobility of man. I lost
that; I was depressed I was down. I was look-
ing at the financial abyss at the time and F was
Someone who should have had a lot socked
away."
The experience had its effect on his
creativity. "I put off writing. I wasn't
sure if I could write write the
things I Want to write. I was afraid
that people would not want to hear
Billy Joel singing the blues. But my wife
model Christie Brinkley encouraged me to
write what I felt."
"River of Dreams" reflects a more upbeat
Joel. "I kco) referring to faith on this album I
mention faith in a lot of different songs. 1
believe now that what this album is about is a
person who has a crisis of faith goes on this
search for justice and realizes there is no jus-
tice; there is only faith. What-this character
finds is that what matters is family the love of
a good mate friendship music the skills that
he has the things he always believed in the
early days."
The influences of Joel's wife and daughter
S
exist on this album as well in
both "Lullabyc" and in the
unusual "Blonde Over Blue"
with a soaring chorus that Joel calls
"the Roy Orbison part." "It's a very
strange song" Joel said. "I don't know
how I came up with that one. It's sort
of schizophrenic." Brinkley also paint-
ed the album cover illustration a dream-
scape reminiscent of the work of artist Frida
Kalilo.
At 44 Joel also is pleased to find his concerts
filled with "teenagers people in their 20s
obviously we brought some new people in
along the way."
ut he never concerned himself
Wi much with his fans anyway he
"L said. "I don't even think about an
audience. I write for me. And 1
-M don't do singles. I make an
album and I hand it in to the recording
company. They choose the singles. I
worked just as hard on every piece
whether it was a single or not.Somc-
times I have more affection for the
more obscure pieces like the children
that were neglected.
Joel has six Grammys and 16 BMI Awards
and was inducted last year into the Songwriters
Hall oPFamc. But 'for him writing is not fun.
His role he said simply is bringing forth the
songs. And he docs much of that by dreaming.
"A normal way for me to write is to dream a
lot of the stuff. I dream a lot. But I have writ-
er's block on every project. The writer's block
comes when I don't dream.
"Songs seem to come in groups of three a
trilogy: a song that is written one written in
response to that and one to close it out. When
you close a song cycle within a project that's
when the block comes. Then I'm very very
frustrated and very very cranky.
"I have no intellectual power over the song
writing no control over it. I have control only
after the bulk of it is written and I can hone it.
I hate to write I like to have it written."
LA
rilfcl
:&
Bean to jazz up $1
for Friday nigh:
Jazz Night is scheduled to begin at 7:30 p.m.
in the west end of the Bean Friday.
The event will feature musical entertainment ".
from the Jazz Ensemble the Jazz Combo and '.
various solo artists said Shawni Burns director
of student activities. ;
A variety of refreshments will be sold she '
added. ;
Jazz Night which 300-400 students are
expected to attend will provide a time for st'u- j
dents to be entertained and not have to worry
about the stresses of school Burns said.
"It's just an opportunity for people to get
together" she said.
Jazz Night performances began two years ago '
and always have been popular with the students
Bums said.
A big attraction of Jazz Night is its casual '
atmosphere Burris said adding that students
have Drought playing cards and games to the .
event in the past. '.
Another bonus of the performance is free I
admission she said. m j
"You can't get any cheaper than that" Burn3 ;
said.
l
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-' - At Hillcrest This Week.
I'm A Christian!
..So What?
Kelly Hamby speaking Sunday.
"Being a Christian at
Abilene Christian."
Come explore what it means to live a
VIBRANT 3? PRACTICAL
Christianity.
iTiillcrest Church of Christ
650 E. Ambler - One block from AGU.
Ken Holsberry University Minister
VoriWp9aIm. Clsss 10 tun.
'
I
Eastern t
Oaks I
750 N. Judge Ely
672-4807
iiJS
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500N.JtEy
673-4666
Spacious 102 Bedrooms TennlsjCourtS Sand Volleyball Basketball Laundry t-
acUity Private Balcony & Patios Mini Blinds Vertical Blinds All Nero Carpetl
Facility
ACROSS
1 pond on TX ranch
5 Huntsville inmate
(2wds.)
e TXism: 'pay
nevermind
7 Santa check
this twice
8 TXFrizzellhit: 'II
49 ex Ranger Pettis (inll)
50 TX president of MPAA
53 TXism: "set In
(permanent)
66 TXism: 'in a pig's
57 Cowboy or Oiler score
50 TX Buddy Holly hit
60 UTEP suspended this type
of rock concert (2 wds.)
ra?iiUE
OnTco.. "ncber
Clinton Winkler 5 mx P"""
15 LBTs last words:
Mike immediately'
17 old TV show.' Eye"
20 TX Ellerbee book:
And It Goes
21 'Giant star James
22 Red Duke nickname
24 TX athletic rule:
no play
30 Bandera's 'Funtier
Days' has 'World's
Largest '
34 laugh word
35 Galveston hurricane
0(1033
36 TX Buck's hit IVa Got
a Tiger by the
37 TX Darnell film:
'Forever '
30 TXism: 'could
the enamel off your
molars' (hot chili)
40 'Pa's mate in '60
filmbyTXSedgwck
44 biblical king of Israel
45 TXism: ' exercise
(conversation)
47 Athens hosts 'Black-
Eyed Jamboree'
43 audio-visual (ebbr.)
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iReOrimnd TEXAS
CROSSWORD
by Charley & Guy Orbison -
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66 SMUstar
Kyle(inlt.)
TXism: 'the
waooin' the dog
2 TXism: 'a goin' Jesse'
3 TXism: hog wash
4 TXism: 'don't get
your shorts in a '
0 Rangors broad-
castor Mark (Inll)
10 pickup: 'Cowboy '
11 Midland AM radio
12 Midlothian h.. claw
13 TXism: 'changes his
often a
he does socks'
14 'yippee ti yo'
16 movie: 'Please
Daises'
18 anno dominl (abbr.)
19 'he ain't
In a crisis!
25
26
27
28
29
31
32
TXs first one was
driven In Houston
TX congressman
Sam Johnson was
a POW here
bullfight cheer
TXism: '
wrangler (doctor)
TXism;' as
fox in a hen house' 33 TXism: 'attracted
Soanlsh es' el to
TX outlaw Bass
TXism: 'fraidy
(coward)
TXism: ' the
nail on the head
.1 Auj.i'2 "to.
38 TXism: 'attracted
like a
light'
41 TXism: 'fits like
ugly on on '
ex Dallas Cowboys
Wckor Willis
43 TXism: ' and
again' (occasional)
46 TXism: 'so broke I
can't attention'
51 TX golfer Lee (init)
52 TXism 'neon light
' (good thought)
54 TX song: 'Pistol -
Packln' '
65 New Year's
59 Astra's league
61 TXism: 'clings like
to a dog's ear
62 on M0 Orange Cq.
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Solution on p.5
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The Optimist (Abilene, Tex.), Vol. 82, No. 16, Ed. 1, Friday, October 15, 1993, newspaper, October 15, 1993; Abilene, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth92200/m1/3/: accessed May 21, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Abilene Christian University Library.