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The Longest Time (1984) – Billy Joel

Today’s featured song comes with the very recent news of Billy Joel’s brain condition diagnosis where he had to cancel tours. The 76 year-old singer-songwriter is said to be receiving ‘excellent care’ and is ‘fully committed to prioritising his health’. The Longest Time is the third song to appear here from Billy Joel, with his last entry – The Downeaster Alexa in April.  Apart from his well-known early major classics, my listening appreciation of him was born out of songs like today’s entry from his 1983 ‘An Innocent Man’, ‘The Bridge’, and ‘Storm Front’.

I have recounted the personal story below on a few occasions, but it remains one of my favourites; so bare with me those already familiar with it:

I saw Billy Joel’s Stormfront tour in ’91 in Sydney with my schoolmate Gary. He’s actually the one who drew that caricature of my family – the one featured in the ‘Reflection’ menu. Anyway, Gary was a massive Billy Joel fan. We used to go back and forth over music because, while he was all about Billy, I leaned more towards Elton John.

I still remember when Elton’s Kiss the Bride came out – Gary would mock me by belting out, “I want to kiss the bride……groom!” Classic Gary with his injection of ‘Groom‘ in place of John’s ‘Yeh!’ A clever jab, just like his caricature work.

So yeah, I went to the concert mostly to appease him, though I did (and still do) dig a lot of Joel’s music – including today’s featured track: The Longest Time.

This all reminds me, I have had in my movie collection for years now, the DVD of Billy Joel and Elton John collaboration of the 1994 “Face to Face tours“. I’m dusting off that baby this morning and my daughter and I will enjoy it over breakfast and the rest of our lazy Saturday morning.

The following was extracted and abridged from the Wikipedia reference below:

The Longest Time is a doo-wop song released in 1984 as the fourth single from the 1983 album An Innocent Man. Following the theme of the album in paying tribute to Joel’s musical influences, the song is presented in the style of Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers. It reached number 14 on the Billboard Hot 100 and number 25 on the UK Singles Chart.

The song features Joel on lead vocals, all backing vocals, and percussive sounds such as finger snaps and hand claps. Joel had intended to feature a vocal group but Joel recorded each of the parts himself.

[Intro]
Dum dum dum

[Chorus]
Woah, oh, oh, oh (For the longest)
For the longest time
Woah, oh, oh (For the longest)
For the longest time

[Verse 1]
If you said goodbye to me tonight
There would still be music left to write
What else could I do?
I’m so inspired by you
That hasn’t happened for the longest time
Once I thought my innocence was gone
Now I know that happiness goes on
That’s where you found me
When you put your arms around me
I haven’t been there for the longest time

[Chorus]

[Verse 2]
I’m that voice you’re hearing in the hall
And the greatest miracle of all
Is how I need you
And how you needed me too
That hasn’t happened for the longest time

[Bridge]
Maybe this won’t last very long
But you feel so right and I could be wrong
Maybe I’ve been hoping too hard
But I’ve gone this far, and it’s more than I hoped for

[Verse 3]
Who knows how much further we’ll go on?
Maybe I’ll be sorry when you’re gone
I’ll take my chances
I forgot how nice romance is
I haven’t been there for the longest time

[Bridge]
I had second thoughts at the start
I said to myself, “Hold on to your heart”
Now I know the woman that you are
You’re wonderful so far, and it’s more than I hoped for

[Verse 4]
I don’t care what consequence it brings
I have been a fool for lesser things
I want you so bad
I think you ought to know that
I intend to hold you for the longest time

[Outro]
Woah, oh, oh, oh (For the longest)
For the longest time
(Repeat)

References:
1. The Longest Time – Wikipedia

https://youtu.be/a_XgQhMPeEQ
#anInnocentMan #billyJoel #theLongestTime

# contentMap.en
The Longest Time (1984) – Billy Joel

Today’s featured song comes with the very recent news of Billy Joel’s brain condition diagnosis where he had to cancel tours. The 76 year-old singer-songwriter is said to be receiving ‘excellent care’ and is ‘fully committed to prioritising his health’. The Longest Time is the third song to appear here from Billy Joel, with his last entry – The Downeaster Alexa in April.  Apart from his well-known early major classics, my listening appreciation of him was born out of songs like today’s entry from his 1983 ‘An Innocent Man’, ‘The Bridge’, and ‘Storm Front’.

I have recounted the personal story below on a few occasions, but it remains one of my favourites; so bare with me those already familiar with it:

I saw Billy Joel’s Stormfront tour in ’91 in Sydney with my schoolmate Gary. He’s actually the one who drew that caricature of my family – the one featured in the ‘Reflection’ menu. Anyway, Gary was a massive Billy Joel fan. We used to go back and forth over music because, while he was all about Billy, I leaned more towards Elton John.

I still remember when Elton’s Kiss the Bride came out – Gary would mock me by belting out, “I want to kiss the bride……groom!” Classic Gary with his injection of ‘Groom‘ in place of John’s ‘Yeh!’ A clever jab, just like his caricature work.

So yeah, I went to the concert mostly to appease him, though I did (and still do) dig a lot of Joel’s music – including today’s featured track: The Longest Time.

This all reminds me, I have had in my movie collection for years now, the DVD of Billy Joel and Elton John collaboration of the 1994 “Face to Face tours“. I’m dusting off that baby this morning and my daughter and I will enjoy it over breakfast and the rest of our lazy Saturday morning.

The following was extracted and abridged from the Wikipedia reference below:

The Longest Time is a doo-wop song released in 1984 as the fourth single from the 1983 album An Innocent Man. Following the theme of the album in paying tribute to Joel’s musical influences, the song is presented in the style of Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers. It reached number 14 on the Billboard Hot 100 and number 25 on the UK Singles Chart.

The song features Joel on lead vocals, all backing vocals, and percussive sounds such as finger snaps and hand claps. Joel had intended to feature a vocal group but Joel recorded each of the parts himself.

[Intro]
Dum dum dum

[Chorus]
Woah, oh, oh, oh (For the longest)
For the longest time
Woah, oh, oh (For the longest)
For the longest time

[Verse 1]
If you said goodbye to me tonight
There would still be music left to write
What else could I do?
I’m so inspired by you
That hasn’t happened for the longest time
Once I thought my innocence was gone
Now I know that happiness goes on
That’s where you found me
When you put your arms around me
I haven’t been there for the longest time

[Chorus]

[Verse 2]
I’m that voice you’re hearing in the hall
And the greatest miracle of all
Is how I need you
And how you needed me too
That hasn’t happened for the longest time

[Bridge]
Maybe this won’t last very long
But you feel so right and I could be wrong
Maybe I’ve been hoping too hard
But I’ve gone this far, and it’s more than I hoped for

[Verse 3]
Who knows how much further we’ll go on?
Maybe I’ll be sorry when you’re gone
I’ll take my chances
I forgot how nice romance is
I haven’t been there for the longest time

[Bridge]
I had second thoughts at the start
I said to myself, “Hold on to your heart”
Now I know the woman that you are
You’re wonderful so far, and it’s more than I hoped for

[Verse 4]
I don’t care what consequence it brings
I have been a fool for lesser things
I want you so bad
I think you ought to know that
I intend to hold you for the longest time

[Outro]
Woah, oh, oh, oh (For the longest)
For the longest time
(Repeat)

References:
1. The Longest Time – Wikipedia

https://youtu.be/a_XgQhMPeEQ
#anInnocentMan #billyJoel #theLongestTime