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Where's The Orchestra Lyrics

Where's the orchestra?
Wasn't this supposed to be a musical?
Here I am in the balcony
How the hell could I have missed the overture?
I like the scenery
Even though I have absolutely no
Idea at all
What is being said
Despite the dialogue
There's the leading man
The movie star who never faced an audience

Where's the orchestra?
After all
This is my big night on the town
My introduction to the theatre crowd
I assumed that the show would have a song
So I was wrong
At least I understand
All the innuendo and the irony
And I appreciate
The roles the actors played
The point the author made
And after the closing lines
And after the curtain calls
The curtain falls
On empty chairs
Where's the orchestra?
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Cover art for Where's The Orchestra lyrics by Billy Joel

This song is on Nylon Curtain and I guess is largely ignored. It's a really pretty song though.

Cover art for Where's The Orchestra lyrics by Billy Joel

I think since Billy is a musician he doesn't relate to theatre. I think he went to see a play and while he was watching it he was creating music for it.

Cover art for Where's The Orchestra lyrics by Billy Joel

The 'Theatre/Musical' is a metaphor for fame and success in the entertainment industry. The 'Orchestra' refers to the promise of fulfillment, belonging, and happiness that one imagines and expects to come hand-in-hand with stardom, yet rarely does.

Joel echoes similar sentiments, wrapped in insecurity, on other songs, most notably 'The Entertainer'.

Cover art for Where's The Orchestra lyrics by Billy Joel

In an interview with Chuck Klosterman, Billy Joel admitted that this song is about loneliness. "The whole metaphor of that song is that life is a theatrical play, and it's all a tragedy"

@Belish I have always thought it was about him going out falling in love with a women who just wanted a 1 night stand. Every romantic comedy / movie has a song – everything I do, I do for you a good example. To have a song you need an orchestra.

How the hell could I have missed the (sexual) overture?

I like the scenery (she was pretty)

What is being said, despite the dialogue, (not getting the double entendre’s)
There's the leading man (Me)

The movie star who never faced an audience Where's the orchestra? After all, this is my big night on...

 
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