In Susan Lacy and Jessica Levin's two-part Billy Joel: And So It Goes, music plays a valuable part in threading together the narrative. However, some of the most interesting portions are parsed down to where they immediately send you to your Piano Man collection.
And So It Goes (2025) pulls from studio albums, previously released live collections like the still underrated Songs From the Attic (1981), and the ephemera of My Lives (2005). Strung together with bits of dialogue from the film, the 155-track audio companion boasts a trove of never-before-heard cuts.
While there will always be disagreement about what should or should have been included in this seven-hour package, we hope to provide the tip of the iceberg. Here are eight songs chosen for their unique presentation and capacity to capture the ongoing legacy of the Piano Man.
Eight songs you absolutely cannot miss from And So It Goes
"The Stranger" - Live at KZEW, McFarlin Auditorium, University Park, TX, Oct.14, 1977
One of the most propulsive portions of the documentary is when "The Stranger" finally delivers success. Just weeks after its release, you can hear Joel taking full advantage of having his most responsive band and pushing his voice away from its early limits. Plus, just the sheer cojones to whistle that ending in front of a live audience - this is why the album still sells today.
"Nocturne" - Live at Palmer Auditorium, New London, CT, Dec. 5, 1976
His final song at a pro-shot theatre performance in Connecticut, "Nocturne," shows Joel's mastery of classical piano phrasing and his gift of melody. It is weird to think that he closed with this after "Captain Jack" and "Miami 2017 (Seen The Lights Go Out on Broadway)." However, just like "The Stranger," Joel makes some of his best moves when he chooses to go his own way.
"Streetlife Serenader" - Live at St. Paul Civic Center, St. Paul, MN, July 20, 1980
Culled from the 1981 live highlights album Songs In The Attic, "Streetlife Serenader" is one of those early tracks where Joel almost predicts the future. In the documentary, Joel says he was influenced by Jackson Browne when writing the album.
However, this live version drives home that his suspended piano-chord filigree was more Joni Mitchell and was about to be put to more dramatic use on "Goodnight Saigon."
"Miami 2017 (Seen The Lights Go Out On Broadway)" - SNL, Season 7, Episode 6, Nov. 14, 1981
The Dick Ebersol era at SNL was off to a rough start. This led to a much-needed spotlight on the musical guests. The version presented here is more about its consistent drive than how well it will later work the crowd into a frenzy with its numerous fist-pumping flourishes.
However, Joel's vocals being treated with a touch of echo during the solo piano parts is not only a true testament to his love of New York City, but it is also his manner of honoring the city that outlasted being told by a sitting president to "Drop Dead."
"Allentown" - Live at Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum, Uniondale, NY, Dec. 29, 1982
One of the weak narrative points in the documentary is how they spend too much time branding 1982's "The Nylon Curtain" as a "sound" album. It makes you think too hard about them banging on the pipe to get the rhythm just right.
When "Allentown" was released as the album's second single, it was not exactly met with open arms. It was too easy to latch onto the political/societal friction of the track and miss its attempt to preserve hope for a new generation.
Two days before this recording, Joel and the band played in Bethlehem, PA, just five miles away from Allentown. The cheers and enthusiasm that the crowd gave them that night fueled this excellent version that led off his 1982 HBO special.
"Vienna" - Nuremberg Masterclass, June 4, 1995
Overperforming for absent parents is a familiar theme in a lot of corners of singer/songwriter and Rock music. Since Joel accommodates both, "Vienna" has emerged as the surprise draw for a new generation to discover The Stranger (1977).
As a composition, it has Ragtime/Tin Pan Alley notes in opposition and the sweep of a classic ballad. Played here in front of his father, Alexander, Joel runs the gamut of emotion from confidence in the beginning ("Slow down, you crazy child") to all of Joel's "voices" appearing throughout.
However, every time he returns to the simple questioning refrain ("When will you realize Vienna waits for you?"), you realize he is so close to the answer.
"A Matter of Trust" - Moscow and Leningrad, July/August 1987
The latter half of And So It Goes features a lot of "big-ticket" live cuts that utilize the band ("An Innocent Man") and orchestration ("The Downeaster Alexa") for added dramatic effect. None are completely disappointing, but there is a fire missing that too often is replaced by always reaching for the crowd (the crooning on "Shameless").
When Joel traveled to Russia in 1987, it was a chance to leave his comfort zone. While it is not one of his best singles of all time, Joel struggles to connect with the Russian audience here, and the band follows as his frustration translates into a quivering, driving, and rare performance where Joel, his players, and even the audience never knew where it was going to land.
"Piano Man" - Columbia Records Signing Day, New York, NY, June 26, 1973
There are a lot of live versions of "Piano Man" out there. The earlier rendition from the BBC's Old Grey Whistle Test carries a certain sadness in Joel's delivery. However, this "Piano Man" is just a piano and a man. For that reason, Joel takes control and peaks early (the "movie star" verse).
However, the way he pirouettes into the sung melody and drops the tension back down gives you the best chance to hear how many different parts he has up his sleeve to make those 88s sound like a carnival.