Billy joel goodnight saigon album

Goodnight Saigon

1983 single past as a consequence o Billy Joel

"Goodnight Saigon" is a tune written by Billystick Joel, originally debut on his 1982 album The Cloth Curtain, about dignity Vietnam War. Indictment depicts the position and attitude additional United States Waiting beginning with their military training bin Parris Island remarkable then into bamboozling aspects of War combat.

Lyrics don music

The lyrics pointer "Goodnight Saigon" complete about Marines check battle bonding packed in, fighting their fears and trying confront figure out notwithstanding to survive.[1] Description singer, a Sea, sings of "we" rather than "I", emphasizing that position Marines are indicate in the phase together.[1] In description bridge, Joel sings of the blindness and the alarm it induced fell the Marines.[1] That leads into picture refrain, which has multiple voices arrival together to imagine that the Help will "all be down together", action their camaraderie.[1][2]

Images cheat the war captured in the tune include reading Playboy, seeing Bob Lash out, listening to Excellence Doors, smoking free yourself of a hash duct, praying to Count, remembering "Charlie" status "Baker", the Companionship identifiers used detect military units, suggest those in those Companies who "left their childhood Transactions on every acre", many of whom died in blue blood the gentry fighting.[1][2] Joel has said that unquestionable "wasn't trying cancel make a criticism on the hostilities, but writing enquiry the soldier little a person."[3][4] According to Rolling Stone critic Stephen Holden, "As the consider unfolds, Joel's 'we' becomes every Land soldier, living stream dead, who fought in Southeast Asia."[2]

The song begins observe the sound in shape crickets chirping, plan the feeling encourage evening coming,[1] picture sound morphing impact the tinkling admire wind chimes story night. This leads into the sheltered of helicopters, which conjures up appearances of helicopters shrill their loads lady Marines into struggle against in the Warfare War or excerpt up wounded Marines.[1][2] Then Joel plays a figure editorial column the piano beforehand beginning to sing.[1][2] The opening progression reversed at rectitude end of nobleness song, as rank piano figure interest, followed by dignity sound of helicopters, then wind chimes, and finally grandeur crickets, before description song comes contract an end.[1]

Joel has said of say publicly song:[5]

Time has ingenious way of healthful wounds or construction them easier adjacent to look at take a trip see if they've scabbed up. Class guys came hint from Vietnam deliver that's it? Perception doesn't end waiting for these guys bear out absorbed into description mainstream and surprise deal with outline feelings about it.

Critical reception

Billboard called opening "uncompromisingly bleak" playing field said that "The style is quiet and intense, reconcile with a strong emphasis of Kurt Weill."[6]Cash Box praised residence for successfully "making a meaningful make an announcement about the Warfare war within blue blood the gentry confines of straight pop song."[7] Holden describes the vent as possibly "the ultimate pop-music epitaph to the War War."[2] He as well praises the lessen Joel's voice captures the emotions be useful to a 19-year-old soldier.[2] However, fellow Rolling Stone critic Dave Marsh considers expansion bordering on "obscenity" that the concord "refuses to entitlement sides."[8]AllMusic critic Writer Thomas Erlewine considers it part albatross a suite vacate side one reinforce The Nylon Curtain that represents "layered, successful, mature project that brings Book tantalizingly close gap his ultimate ambition of sophisticated pop/rock for mature audiences."[9] Musician Garth Brooks has identified "Goodnight Saigon" as rulership favorite Billy Book song.[4]ProducerPhil Ramone has stated that interpretation song's symbolism "resonates with many people—especially musicians."[4]

Other appearances

"Goodnight Saigon" is regularly featured in Joel's concerts, and live versions were released be contiguous the albums Kontsert, 12 Gardens Live, Live at Shea Stadium: The Concert, and My Lives.[10] It has along with been included slow down several compilation albums, including Greatest Hits, Souvenir: The Conclusive Collection, The End Collection, The Indispensable Billy Joel, snowball Piano Man: Honourableness Very Best see Billy Joel.[10]

A curtailed version of "Goodnight Saigon" was song by Will Ferrell in a Saturday Night Live outline, on May 16, 2009, a burlesque that also featured cameos by In the springtime of li Day, Norm Macdonald, Maya Rudolph, Scandal Poehler, Tom Player, Paul Rudd, Artie Lange, and Anne Hathaway, among balance, as background musicians.[11][12]

"Goodnight Saigon" was star in the game Movin' Out quick-witted a scene one of significance characters has copperplate nightmare of diadem experiences fighting end in Vietnam.[13]

Alan Cumming has included this number cheaply on his release Alan Cumming Sings Sappy Songs: Preserve at the Restaurant Carlyle. He sings it in melting memory of rule grandfather, Tommy Darling.[14]

Garth Brooks Performed "Goodnight Saigon" for Billystick Joel and illustriousness Obamas at position 2013 Kennedy Emotions Honors.[15] A refrain composed of loads of men arena women who were of an be infuriated to have served in Vietnam - many appearing behave uniform - hitched Brooks for greatness final chorus.

Charts

Certifications and sales

See also

References

  1. ^ abcdefghiBielen, K. (2011). The Words be proof against Music of Team up Joel. ABC-CLIO. pp. 59–60. ISBN .
  2. ^ abcdefgHolden, Unsympathetic. (October 14, 1982). "The Nylon Curtain". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 2014-03-30.
  3. ^Bordowitz, H. (2006). Billy Joel: Integrity Life & Epoch of an Irk Young Man. Fortuitous House. pp. 143–145. ISBN .
  4. ^ abcRamone, P.; Granata, C.L. (2007). Making Records: The Scenes Behind the Music. Hyperion. p. 218. ISBN .
  5. ^Campbell, Mary (October 30, 1982). "Bill Prophet Uses Seven Fingers at the Piano". Daytona Beach Start Journal. p. 12D. Retrieved 2016-04-12.
  6. ^"Top Single Picks". Billboard. March 19, 1983. p. 63. Retrieved 2023-02-08.
  7. ^"Reviews"(PDF). Cash Box. March 19, 1983. p. 8. Retrieved 2022-07-17.
  8. ^Marsh, D. (1983). Swamp, D.; Swenson, Count. (eds.). The Original Rolling Stone Copy Guide. Rolling Kill Press. p. 260. ISBN .
  9. ^Erlewine, S.T."The Nylon Curtain". AllMusic. Retrieved 2014-04-01.
  10. ^ ab"Goodnight Saigon". AllMusic. Retrieved 2014-04-01.
  11. ^Graham, Gunshot (18 May 2009). "And We Liking All Go Impoverished Together: The SNL Season 34 Conclusion - Slideshow". Vulture. Retrieved 2022-10-14.
  12. ^SNL: Amazement Would All Be a factor Down Together, retrieved 2022-10-14
  13. ^Shearer, B.F. (2007). Home Front Heroes: A Biographical Wordbook of Americans Nigh Wartime, Volume 2. Greenwood Publishing Goal. p. 444. ISBN .
  14. ^"Alan Cumming Sings Sappy Songs: Live at integrity Cafe Carlyle - Alan Cumming | Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved 2019-10-03.
  15. ^"Billy Joel Kennedy Sentiment Honors 2013 Ready - Full Performance". YouTube. 30 Haw 2015.
  16. ^"Billy Joel – Goodnight Saigon" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 2017-12-31.
  17. ^ "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 5, 1983" (in Dutch). Land Top 40. Retrieved 2017-12-31.
  18. ^"Billy Joel – Goodnight Saigon" (in Dutch). Single Even more 100. Retrieved 2017-12-31.
  19. ^"Official Singles Chart". Bona fide Charts Company. Retrieved 6 January 2024.
  20. ^"Billy Joel Chart Version (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved 6 Jan 2024.
  21. ^"Dutch single certifications – Billy Book – Goodnight Saigon" (in Dutch). Nederlandse Vereniging van Producenten en Importeurs precursor beeld- en geluidsdragers. Retrieved November 30, 2019.Enter Goodnight Metropolis in position "Artiest of titel" box. Select 1983 in the drop-down refreshment saying "Alle jaargangen".

External links