Hey, Big Shot! Think you know a lot about the Piano Man? Test your knowledge with Rolling Stone‘s latest quiz
You think you’re a Billy Joel big shot, do you? All your friends were so knocked out with your intricate knowledge of his music and life history. But were you into him before The Stranger? Did you actually see him at a bar during his “Piano Man” days in L.A.? Do you cheer when he plays “Where’s the Orchestra” and head to the bathroom during “New York State of Mind?” (Trick question because true fans limit their fluid intake before shows to avoid this dilemma.) To see how you match up with Billy aficionados from around the world — or at least other parts of Long Island — we created this quiz.
Scorecard:
0 to 30 percent correct: Don’t be discouraged. Be happy that you have the opportunity to take a Billy Joel crash course and experience this music for the first time. You’ll meet not just Brenda and Eddie, but also Sgt. O’Leary, Anthony, James, Rosalinda, Captain Jack, Viktor, and all sorts of other new friends. And you’ll discover the wonderful truth that there isn’t a single bad Billy Joel album since he stopped making them long before he had any opportunity to decline.
31 to 60 percent correct: Impressive. If you want to learn more, we recommend Billy Joel: The Definitive Biography, by Fred Schruers, The Last Play at Shea documentary, and several interviews with the man himself from Rolling Stone’s back issues. (The 1982 cover story is especially entertaining.) If you pore through all of that, we have no doubt you’ll ace the quiz the next time around.
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61 to 100 percent correct: Wow. We were wrong to even remotely doubt your knowledge. Grab a table at Elaine’s, order a glass of Dom Pérignon, and enjoy the white-hot spotlight. We’re knocked out. You’re the ultimate Billy Joel Big Shot tonight.
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