It’s Still Rock and Roll to Me

Zoo Freaks, get ready to groove with the Zoo Crew as we spin Billy Joel’s “It’s Still Rock and Roll to Me” from the 1980 album Glass Houses! This track, Joel’s first Billboard Hot 100 number-one hit, held the top spot for two weeks and stayed in the top 10 for 11 weeks, earning platinum status for over a million sales in the U.S. The song’s lyrics take a sly jab at the music industry’s obsession with trends, with Joel pushing back against pressures to conform to new wave and punk styles, declaring that it’s all just rock and roll to him. In an interview, drummer Liberty DeVitto shared that the sound engineer tuned his snare drum super low to get that distinctive “flop” sound, giving the track its unique vibe. The “miracle mile” in the lyrics nods to a strip of shops in Manhasset and Great Neck, Long Island, near where Joel grew up, while references to whitewall tires and new speakers point to local spots like Best Tire and Berliner Stereo from his childhood.

Another cool tidbit comes from the song’s music video, where Joel performed the vocals live during filming, as confirmed by his bandmates. The video playfully mixes new wave, punk, and funk elements, poking fun at the very trends Joel critiques in the lyrics. Fans on Reddit’s r/BillyJoel love the song’s clever satire, with one user calling out the line “Don’t waste your money on a new set of speakers / You get more mileage from a cheap pair of sneakers” as a standout for its witty cynicism, rating the song a solid 8.4 out of 10. “Weird Al” Yankovic even recorded a parody called “It’s Still Billy Joel to Me” in 1980 for the Dr. Demento radio show, though it was never officially released because Yankovic felt it was dated by 1983 and doubted Joel would approve. The song’s lasting appeal is clear, with covers by artists like Drake Bell in 2014 and Kid Rock’s twist, “It’s Still East Detroit to Me.”

Billy Joel, born William Martin Joel on May 9, 1949, in the Bronx, New York, kicked off his musical journey early. His family moved to Hicksville, Long Island, where he was raised in a middle-class suburb. Pushed toward classical music by his parents, Joel started piano lessons at age four, but his heart was captured by the British Invasion and soul music by 14. He joined his first band, The Echoes (later The Lost Souls), in 1963, and by 1967, he was playing with The Hassles, a rock and blue-eyed soul group that cut two albums. A brief stint with the heavy metal duo Attila followed, but Joel found his true calling as a singer-songwriter. In 1971, he recorded Cold Spring Harbor, a poorly produced debut that locked him into a bad contract, leading him to gig under a pseudonym in a Los Angeles piano bar to escape the deal. His breakthrough came with 1973’s Piano Man, and by the late ’70s, albums like The Stranger and 52nd Street cemented his stardom.

Joel’s official website, BillyJoel.com, is your go-to for tour dates, news, and more, including details on his new single “Turn the Lights Back On.” Connect with him on social media via Facebook, Instagram, and X for updates and behind-the-scenes glimpses. Fans can dive deeper at OneFinalSerenade.com, an unofficial site packed with song commentary and info, though it’s not affiliated with Joel or his team. The Billy Joel Fans Facebook group is a lively spot for Zoo Freaks to share their love for the Piano Man, swap stories, and keep the rock and roll spirit alive. So crank up the volume and let’s keep it rockin’!