This month, I’m jumping into the #APlaceInTheSong challenge from @JukeboxJohnny2. Great songs have that special ability to describe places in a way that makes us feel like we’re right there. Each day, I’ll pick a track that I think accomplishes that feat.
Billy Joel will always hold a special place in my journey as a music fan. Seeing him on the Storm Front tour at Giants Stadium was my first concert experience. What a night. He played all the songs I wanted to hear. And there are a lot of them. All these years later, he still plays many of those same songs, including “Movin’ Out”, “Miami 2017”, “Allentown”, “Big Shot”, “Uptown Girl”, “New York State Of Mind” and, of course, “Scenes From An Italian Restaurant”.
It’s one of the standouts in the mammoth Billy Joel canon and current live set list. Lately, it has preceded “Piano Man” to help close out his first sets. Chances are, most music fans still remember all the words. I know I do. It’s karaoke-worthy in that sense. The verses flow like bottles of red and white. The drum hits, spicy and garlicky. The saxophone solo, done al dente. It’s not just about Brenda and Eddie, it’s a song about love, life and loss.
“A bottle of red, a bottle of white, Whatever kind of mood you're in tonight I'll meet you anytime you want In our Italian Restaurant.”