This deep cut from Billy Joel's 1973 "breakout" album, "Piano Man", is a lively boogie-gospel inspired romp with a cynical, but playful lyric.  Never a hit single, but a hardcore fan favorite due largely to some wicked piano licks and signatures indicative of that season of his career.

The lyrics basically tell the story of a man who is feeling nagged a lot by his partner for having too much fun when he isn't working....for example: 

Ain't no crime
It's good to get it on
To get a load off your mind
It ain't no crime
Everybody gets that way sometimes 

The character also indicates that it's normal to have days when you don't particularly like or want your spouse or partner:

Now you tell me you need somebody
For the rest of your life you might have somebody
But you won't want 'em every day

What I like about the lyrics, even though I'm not a natural cynic, is that at least as he's saying all this about his partner, he's also admitting things about himself in the story that allow you some empathy for his partner too:

Say you went out late last evenin'
Did a lot of drinkin'
Come home stinkin'
And you went and fell asleep on the floor 

The main character makes some good points, but at least he exposes his own behavior honestly enough for you to understand why the other party might be nagging a bit.

I've been in the situation where I had a spouse that I felt like I "loved, but didn't want every day" (and I'm certain she felt the same way, although not because I was drinkin' and stinkin and falling asleep on the floor LOL).  It seems totally natural to me to have tiffs and arguments, and to be disappointed in each other at times....but I do wonder if it's possible to build a relationship that doesn't include "not wanting them every day".  

I don't think it's possible just on the strength of their personality, but I would like another chance at it some day to conduct my own thoughts and actions differently....to practice noticing what I appreciate more than what annoys me.....to take more personal responsibility for how I'm feeling and blame her reactions and moods less.

I don't think I was a bad spouse....I always meant well, and I was very young with very little life experience, and I did the best I knew how to do with what I understood at the time.  But, I feel like I could do it so much better now.  I have read a lot about various successful people....some are high achievers but miserable in spite of it.  But there's a second category that I've always been more inspired by.....the ones who are happy while they make their dent in the universe.

And nearly every one of them has one central thing in common....they found the right partner, and stayed crazy about them throughout their life.  And every one of them has a similar story to tell....they were gobsmacked by how they felt about that person when they first met, they were interested and supportive of each other's pursuits, became best friends and confidants, and then worked as hard to maintain that connection as they did anything else in their lives.

I don't know if I could be successful at that....but I really want to try.  Because as fun as this song is to play, I'm not interested in living the life it describes.

Enjoy my cover of this song from a livestream show I did on July 15, 2020 during the COVID-19 Pandemic, and then check out Billy Joel's performing it on on the BBC series "Old Grey Whistle Test" in 1977.

If you'd like to explore my piano method more deeply, my best students use my video courses and join me for conversation and twice monthly Q&A Livestreams in my private community...you can find it all HERE. Thanks.

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