Billy Joel's 1989 Hit Became the Song He Once Called His Worst Track Ever

Billy Joel hardly needs an introduction. He is one of the world's most famous singers, songwriters, and pianists. His illustrious career, spanning nearly six decades, has produced some of music's most legendary hits, including "Piano Man," "New York State of Mind," and "Uptown Girl." In addition, he has won five Grammy Awards and has toured to sold-out crowds over a dozen times. However, there was one time in Joel's prolific career which he profoundly regretted. In fact, one of Joel's most famous songs is also his least favorite for a very surprising reason.

Why Billy Joel Said "We Didn't Start The Fire" Is One of His Least Favorite Songs

He has been praised as one of our generation's most revered living pianists and songwriters. A title that has not been given without merit to 75-year-old Billy Joel. His contribution to rock 'n' roll is profound, so much so that he has been lauded as one of the top-selling solo artists of all time. A few of Joel's biggest hits and most beloved songs include "Piano Man", "The Longest Time", "Uptown Girl", and Just the Way You Are." However, it's the 1989 released track "We Didn't Start the Fire" that arguably put Joel on the map and is considered one of his greatest songs. The nearly five-minute-long pop-rock song is about the significant cultural and political events that occurred during Joel's lifetime, along with their ramifications. Joel first wrote the popular track when he was 40 years old, following an insightful conversation with John Lennon's son, and released it as the lead single on his eleventh studio album, Storm Front.

While the famous track went on to receive a Grammy nomination for record of the year and peak at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 charts, Joel has gone on record to state that it's one of his least favorite songs he's ever written. The reason for this disdain, Joel revealed to Howard Stern in 2010, was “I don’t think it’s much of a melody... To be honest, it’s really not much of a song," he also revealed an interesting backstory about the track: "You know, it originally started as a whole different song. The original song I had was a country idea. But when you take the melody by itself, terrible, it’s like a dentist's drill." When he was asked by Stern if he would consider doing a sequel to "We Didn’t Start the Fire," Joel replied: "No, I wrote one song already, and I don’t think it was really that good to begin with, melodically”.

As for one of his favorite songs he's ever sung and written, Joel has reserved that special spot for his single "And So It Goes," which appears as the last track on Storm Front. Joel told Stern during the same interview that not only was "And So It Goes" his top song, but that he was also very emotional when he wrote it. He elaborated that his heart was broken at the time and that the notes and chords resonated with him so deeply that they touch him to this day.

Billy Joel Was Booed at This Legendary Concert Held by the Beach Boys

Although Billy Joel is a music legend, there was a time in which he was not yet the mega-star he is known as today. In fact, one of his earliest music breaks came when he became the opening act for The Beach Boys. In fact, the Beach Boys were among the most impactful bands that defined the 1960s and early 1970s. The group revolutionized popular music with their inventive sound and infectious lyrics. While other popular bands of the time, like their rival The Beatles, integrated fusions of rock, pop, and experimental styles from the United Kingdom, The Beach Boys alternately combined impeccable harmonies with California's surf culture into the forefront of music with hits like 'Surfin' U.S.A' and 'Wouldn't It Be Nice.'

Joel opened for them at the Pine Knob Music Theater in Clarkston, Michigan, with a solo set without his backing band, the Lords of 52nd Street. During his performance, the crowd began to boo him. The strong reaction caused Joel to storm off-stage while yelling back choice words towards the audience. Twenty-five years later, in 2001, Joel would honor The Beach Boys during a tribute performance to the band's lead singer and songwriter Brian Wilson, in which he performed a cover of their hit song, 'Don't Worry Baby.'