"The Entertainer" is a single by singer Billy Joel released as the only single from his 1974 album Streetlife Serenade. The song peaked at #34 on the US charts.[2] The song is a cynical and somewhat satirical look at the fleeting fame of a musician and fickle public tastes ("Today I am your champion / I may have won your hearts / But I know the game / You'll forget my name / (And I won't be here / in another year) / if I don't stay on the charts"); this theme would be examined in the later song "It's Still Rock and Roll to Me".
Another verse in the song references the shortening of Joel's song "Piano Man" from 5 minutes and 40 seconds to 3 minutes and 5 seconds to fit a radio slot, referenced by the lyrics "It was a beautiful song, / but it ran too long / (If you're gonna have a hit, you gotta make it fit) / So they cut it down to 3:05." Additionally, the timing printed on the label of the 7" release of "The Entertainer" was 3:05, although the actual 45 length was 3:11 (while the album length was 3:41). In the single version, Verse 3 (which starts at 1:02 in the album version) is edited out, and Verse 2 (which starts at 0:40) contains a steel guitar in its second half, which is actually featured in the second half of the third verse in the album version; indeed, on the single mix, the instrumental crescendo of the album version is anticipated by bringing the fuller instrumentation of Verse 3 under the vocals of Verse 2. As a result of this, the slightly emptier original instrumentation of Verse 2 (which includes a downward slide on the synth) and the vocals of Verse 3 are completely omitted,[3] while the instrumentation of Verse 3 (featuring the steel guitar) does appear, but earlier.
On some of the singles released for "The Entertainer" the song was b-sided with "The Mexican Connection".
Billboard regarded it as one of the "best cuts" from Streetlife Serenade.[4]Cash Box called it "positively the strongest disk Billy has cut since 'Piano Man'" and said that "the lyric line abounds with the incisive cynicism that the biz can generate in a performer" and praised the "strong instrumentation and synthesizer."[5]Record World called it a "clever cut" in which Joel "returns with a glint in his eye and sarcasm on his lips: it's tough at the top, but even more treacherous on the way up."[6]
Lost verseedit
An extra verse, between the 3rd and 5th verses, was omitted from "Streetlife Serenade" but can often be heard in Joel's live performances of the song. The lyrics are as follows:
I am the entertainer I dress to fit the style I wear all kinds of sparkles I flash the crowd my smile But when the night is over I stand without my clothes Perspiration stains and varicose veins My eyes bloodshot, my belly's gone to pot And there's a pimple on my nose[7]
^Everett, Walter (May 2010). "'If you're gonna have a hit': intratextual mixes and edits of pop recordings". Popular Music. 29 (2): 229–250. doi:10.1017/S026114301000005X. JSTOR 40926920. S2CID 162240986.
^"Top Album Picks" (PDF). Billboard. October 26, 1974. p. 66. Retrieved 2020-07-20.
^"CashBox Record Reviews" (PDF). Cash Box. November 21, 1974. p. 22. Retrieved 2021-12-11.
^"Hits of the Week" (PDF). Record World. November 23, 1974. p. 1. Retrieved 2023-03-14.
^"Billy Joel - the Entertainer with Extra Verse, Live 1974". YouTube.
^Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 156. ISBN0-646-11917-6.
entertainer, billy, joel, song, other, uses, entertainer, disambiguation, confused, with, entertainer, entertainer, single, singer, billy, joel, released, only, single, from, 1974, album, streetlife, serenade, song, peaked, charts, song, cynical, somewhat, sat. For other uses see The Entertainer disambiguation Not to be confused with The Entertainer rag The Entertainer is a single by singer Billy Joel released as the only single from his 1974 album Streetlife Serenade The song peaked at 34 on the US charts 2 The song is a cynical and somewhat satirical look at the fleeting fame of a musician and fickle public tastes Today I am your champion I may have won your hearts But I know the game You ll forget my name And I won t be here in another year if I don t stay on the charts this theme would be examined in the later song It s Still Rock and Roll to Me The Entertainer Single by Billy Joelfrom the album Streetlife SerenadeB side The Mexican Connection ReleasedNovember 1974RecordedDevonshire Sound Hollywood CaliforniaGenreRock and roll 1 folk rockpop rockLength3 41 album version 3 11 single version LabelColumbiaSongwriter s Billy JoelProducer s Michael StewartBilly Joel singles chronology The Ballad of Billy the Kid 1974 The Entertainer 1974 Say Goodbye to Hollywood 1976 Contents 1 Composition and release 2 Lost verse 3 Chart history 4 ReferencesComposition and release editAnother verse in the song references the shortening of Joel s song Piano Man from 5 minutes and 40 seconds to 3 minutes and 5 seconds to fit a radio slot referenced by the lyrics It was a beautiful song but it ran too long If you re gonna have a hit you gotta make it fit So they cut it down to 3 05 Additionally the timing printed on the label of the 7 release of The Entertainer was 3 05 although the actual 45 length was 3 11 while the album length was 3 41 In the single version Verse 3 which starts at 1 02 in the album version is edited out and Verse 2 which starts at 0 40 contains a steel guitar in its second half which is actually featured in the second half of the third verse in the album version indeed on the single mix the instrumental crescendo of the album version is anticipated by bringing the fuller instrumentation of Verse 3 under the vocals of Verse 2 As a result of this the slightly emptier original instrumentation of Verse 2 which includes a downward slide on the synth and the vocals of Verse 3 are completely omitted 3 while the instrumentation of Verse 3 featuring the steel guitar does appear but earlier On some of the singles released for The Entertainer the song was b sided with The Mexican Connection Billboard regarded it as one of the best cuts from Streetlife Serenade 4 Cash Box called it positively the strongest disk Billy has cut since Piano Man and said that the lyric line abounds with the incisive cynicism that the biz can generate in a performer and praised the strong instrumentation and synthesizer 5 Record World called it a clever cut in which Joel returns with a glint in his eye and sarcasm on his lips it s tough at the top but even more treacherous on the way up 6 Lost verse editAn extra verse between the 3rd and 5th verses was omitted from Streetlife Serenade but can often be heard in Joel s live performances of the song The lyrics are as follows I am the entertainer I dress to fit the style I wear all kinds of sparkles I flash the crowd my smile But when the night is over I stand without my clothes Perspiration stains and varicose veins My eyes bloodshot my belly s gone to pot And there s a pimple on my nose 7 Chart history editChart 1974 77 PeakpositionAustralia Kent Music Report 8 89Canadian Singles Chart 9 30U S Billboard Hot 100 34U S Billboard Easy Listening 10 30References edit Here s Why You Should Give Billy Joel s Streetlife Serenade Another Listen 11 October 2019 Dean Maury 2003 Rock N Roll Gold Rush Algora p 8 ISBN 978 0 87586 207 1 Everett Walter May 2010 If you re gonna have a hit intratextual mixes and edits of pop recordings Popular Music 29 2 229 250 doi 10 1017 S026114301000005X JSTOR 40926920 S2CID 162240986 Top Album Picks PDF Billboard October 26 1974 p 66 Retrieved 2020 07 20 CashBox Record Reviews PDF Cash Box November 21 1974 p 22 Retrieved 2021 12 11 Hits of the Week PDF Record World November 23 1974 p 1 Retrieved 2023 03 14 Billy Joel the Entertainer with Extra Verse Live 1974 YouTube Kent David 1993 Australian Chart Book 1970 1992 illustrated ed St Ives N S W Australian Chart Book p 156 ISBN 0 646 11917 6 Item Display RPM Library and Archives Canada Collectionscanada gc ca Retrieved 2016 10 09 Whitburn Joel 2002 Top Adult Contemporary 1961 2001 Record Research p 127 nbsp This 1970s single related article is a stub You can help Wikipedia by expanding it vte Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title The Entertainer Billy Joel song amp oldid 1197206085, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
