The song is about:
In 1974, NYC was in big fiscal trouble: it coudln't pay back its loans..etc. Officials from NYC asked the federal government for relief money,and Gerald Ford denied it...the next day, the Daily News headline read "Ford to City: Drop Dead" Upon learning of this Billy Joel wrote a song in which the city did in fact "drop dead."
Well, NY recovered and Ford lost the next election, because well, NY wanted him to drop dead.
Alot of non-Billy fans think this song was written soley for Sept. 11th, and it wasn't. Billy has said that he considered this to be a science fiction song and never even considered the possibility of Sept. 11th happening.
The live version is awesome...
Instead of: "Since the Mafia took over Mexico" it's: "Since the mafia took over Jericho."
But why not Hicksville?
No, but really.
The song is about: In 1974, NYC was in big fiscal trouble: it coudln't pay back its loans..etc. Officials from NYC asked the federal government for relief money,and Gerald Ford denied it...the next day, the Daily News headline read "Ford to City: Drop Dead" Upon learning of this Billy Joel wrote a song in which the city did in fact "drop dead."
Well, NY recovered and Ford lost the next election, because well, NY wanted him to drop dead.
Alot of non-Billy fans think this song was written soley for Sept. 11th, and it wasn't. Billy has said that he considered this to be a science fiction song and never even considered the possibility of Sept. 11th happening.
The live version is awesome... Instead of: "Since the Mafia took over Mexico" it's: "Since the mafia took over Jericho." But why not Hicksville?