Song of the Week

There comes a time in everyone’s life when they have to decide what they want to do with it. Some put it off longer than others. We spend our adolescence figuring out who we are and what kind of people we want to be. Who we are might change but around the ages 21 to 25 there is this restless pressure that sets in when you realize that the time to go after what you want is now. This is an intimidating thought for anyone. In “Vienna”, Billy Joel preaches to a younger generation that is chomping at the bit to get to the top of the food chain. Just because you’ve stepped out into the mosh pit of adulthood doesn’t mean your life’s mission will come to fruition in one day.

The piano man tinkers along a subtle instrumental to give space for Joel’s protruding vocals and wise words. The stuttering piano starts the song off with a familiar sentimental tone. “Slow down, you crazy child / You’re so ambitious for a juvenile / but then if you’re so smart / Tell me why are you still so afraid?” We are all sometimes scared to go after what we want even if we can’t admit it to ourselves. Joel reminds us to trust ourselves in our abilities. Doubt can easily become a self-fulfilling prophecy. However, swinging the radical opposite is not good either. If you want to be the best at something the easy solution is to work twice as hard as anyone else, but what are you giving up to do that?

Joel has many inspirations but to this day, Beethoven is who he believes is the greatest composer of all time. Vienna so happens to be the city of Beethoven and it’s where Joel was reunited with his father after 15 years apart. In an interview, Joel states, ” When I wrote, ‘Vienna waits for you’, I meant that it is a place where you close the circle. By going to Vienna, suddenly things started to makes sense in the world for me. Which is really what the song is about, slow down, look around you and have some gratitude for the good things in your life.” My takeaway is that in the song, Vienna represents the rest of your life and the clarity that comes with living it.

This song for Joel came to him because of his reconnection with his dad and a lot of the lyrics do resemble fatherly advice. Joel in an interview talks about how he witnessed an old woman working one day and it hit him that people are still capable of living a fulfilled life after growing old. Joel said,”You have an entire life to live. …We tend to put older people away and by the time your 30 you’re over the hill and it’s all about young people.” When you’re young you lack perspective on what it means to age. Joel reminds us that you don’t die when you turn 30. You can still pursue new goals and start new projects, take your time getting there.

People tend to say life is short but life is long too. Some people just need to hear that life will pass you by if you let it to inspire them. Generation Z is coming of age currently in a social climate of division and conflict but also understanding of mental health. Millennials have cultivated this environment that highlights comfortability over hard work and Gen Z wants to strive for more. Comfortability is not a bad thing in the least but it can leave go getters hearing, it’s alright to relax and be satisfied with where you are. “But don’t you know only fools are satisfied?” I think the reason this chorus hit home for many is because it’s a truth so many ignore. “But you know that when the truth is told / That you can get what you want or you can just get old / You’re gonna kick off before you even get halfway through, ooh / When will you realize Vienna waits for you?” It gives the perfect balance of support for validating hard work but also taking care of yourself. It’s easy to slip radically into either direction.

Failure is a part of life and it’s most common the first time you try anything. We all have to fail to learn and we can’t let that stumble take us out of the game. It’s easy to let negative thoughts like, I’m not good enough or I’m never gonna be good enough poison your mind. Don’t be afraid to let yourself dream just because it might not come true. “Slow down, you’re doin’ fine / You can’t be everything you wanna be before your time / Although it’s so romantic on the borderline tonight.” It’s exhilarating to finally achieve your goals after hard work but sometimes dreaming is the fun part and you don’t realize it until it’s too late. Enjoy every step of the path you walk down.

Joel manages to emit a feeling of security while also inspiring others to take risks and go after what they want. I will always say that music’s best quality is its ability to communicate emotions efficiently. This song reminds me to work hard when I’m lost but also to not panic when I’m overwhelmed and that is no easy mindset to convey. It’s a beautiful thing to feel the inner peace that comes with balancing success and having fun.

Joel does an honest job of keeping the emotion and passion in his vocal tone throughout the piece. “But don’t you know that only fools are satisfied? / Dream on, but don’t imagine they’ll all come true.” It’s out of the question for everything to work out the way we want it to but is that reason to not even try for the impossible? Gen Z is a generation of overthinkers who are glued to their phones and don’t necessarily know how to be happy yet or even what that looks like. It can feel like this distant destination that will come with age but that’s not true. We don’t have to be perfect even with the internet telling us otherwise. The stress of school doesn’t have to ruin a day if we don’t let it. Just take your phone off the hook and disappear for a while.