Episode 793: That’s What the Bread is For

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Matthew Belinkie, Mark Lee, Jordan Stokes, and Matthew Wrather discuss an interview with Bernie Taupin, Elton John’s longtime lyricist, in which he disses the work of one William Martin Joel, going back to “Piano Man” and claiming that “tonic and gin” is bad lyric writing. The crew overthink the highs and lows of Billy Joel’s songwriting, and talk about the interplay of meaning, rhythm, melody, and harmony that makes song lyrics good or bad.

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Further Reading (Lyrics)

• “Piano Man”
• “Old Time Rock and Roll”
• “Crocodile Rock”
• “The Gambler”
• “It’s Still Rock and Roll to Me”
• “The River of Dreams”
• “Uptown Girl”
• “You May Be Right”
• “Scenes from an Italian Restaurant”
• “Miami 2017”
• “The Longest Time”