Billy Joel / Piano Man (US, Columbia, KC 32544) <November 9, 1973>

Billy Joel / Piano Man (US, Columbia, KC 32544) <November 9, 1973>
(ONE SIDE) PAL 32544-2B
(ANOTHER SIDE) PBL 32544-2A

ビリー・ジョエルの出世作。PC規格（PC 32544）が出回っていますが、オリジナルはこのKC規格です（Paul SimonやAerosmithのデビュー盤と同じ状況ですね）。このコピーはプロモ盤で、裏に"PROMOTION RECORD - NOT FOR SALE"とスタンプが押されています。なお、オリジナル盤の白ラベル盤は存在しませんが、1979年にわずかにプレスされ配布されたプロモーション用の5枚組ボックス"Professional Sampler"には白ラベル盤として収められていました。

ちなみに、この"Piano Man"については、ファースト・プレスは2B/2A盤とされていますが、いまヤフオクで何故か2A/2B盤が出品中・・・・。

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P5yDZ-6bWn4

[Verse 1]
It's nine o'clock on a Saturday
The regular crowd shuffles in
There's an old man sittin' next to me
Makin' love to his tonic and gin
He says, "Son, can you play me a memory?
I'm not really sure how it goes
But it's sad and it's sweet
And I knew it complete
When I wore a younger man's clothes."

[Pre-Chorus]
La la la, di da da
La la, di da da da dum

[Chorus]
Sing us a song, you're the piano man
Sing us a song tonight
Well, we're all in the mood for a melody
And you've got us feeling alright

[Verse 2]
Now John at the bar is a friend of mine
He gets me my drinks for free
And he's quick with a joke
Or to light up your smoke
But there's someplace that he'd rather be
He says, "Bill, I believe this is killing me."
As the smile ran away from his face
"Well I'm sure that I could be a movie star
If I could get out of this place"

[Pre-Chorus]
Oh, la la la, di da da
La la, di da da da dum

[Verse 3]
Now Paul is a real estate novelist
Who never had time for a wife
And he's talkin' with Davy
Who's still in the Navy
And probably will be for life
And the waitress is practicing politics
As the businessmen slowly get stoned
Yes, they're sharing a drink they call loneliness
But it's better than drinkin' alone

[Chorus]
Sing us a song, you're the piano man
Sing us a song tonight
Well, we're all in the mood for a melody
And you've got us feeling alright

[Verse 4]
It's a pretty good crowd for a Saturday
And the manager gives me a smile
'Cause he knows that it's me
They've been comin' to see
To forget about life for a while
And the piano, it sounds like a carnival
And the microphone smells like a beer
And they sit at the bar and put bread in my jar
And say, "Man, what are you doin' here?"

[Pre-Chorus]
Oh, la la la, di da da
La la, di da da da dum

[Chorus]
Sing us a song, you're the piano man
Sing us a song tonight
Well, we're all in the mood for a melody
And you've got us feeling alright

白ラベルは分かりやすいためか高額で売れますが、一見通常盤に見える本盤は安価でしか売れないことが多く、なかなか難しいです。