Some time ago around 1975 I saw the Beach Boys. Billy Joel opened for them. Although not everyone at the concert loved him, I was instantly mesmerized and hooked. One of the songs he sang was Captain Jack.
I got this answer from google when I asked what is Captain Jack: Joel wrote "Captain Jack" in late 1971, while sitting in his apartment in Oyster Bay, Long Island, looking out the window, trying to find inspiration for a song. Across the street was a housing project, and he observed suburban teenagers going into the project and obtaining heroin from a dealer known as "Captain Jack".
Harri I was fortunate enough to be at this show at the old Philly Spectrum imn 1980. It was a great show just like the other 6 I was at. In the 70's till this was performed in 1980 Capt. Jack was one of the shows highlights and always got the crowd high tonight. So love your appreciation for Mr. Joel he wasn't always a critical favorite but us fans just loved him. If you get the chance listen to an early deep album cut "If I Only Had The Words To Tell You"
One of Joel's earliest compositions, he was looking out the window of his Oyster Bay, Long Island apartment at the building across the street, where he knew kids from the neighborhood were buying heroin from a pusher named Captain Jack (rhymes with smack). Thanks Jamie and Harri. One of my favorite Billy Joel songs and it was a deep cut played on FM radio a lot when it was released.
you got that right - we went to see taj mahal in springfield mass. in '71 and the opening act was someone unknown at the time - BILLY JOEL. he and his band absolutely blew the roof off of the place and after they played taj and his slow mississippi blues seemed out of place. we all left there saying " you are going to hear from BILLY JOEL soon ". and as you know we did !
Listen to the crowd go ballistic at 9:39 when Liberty DeVitto's machine-gun percussion kicks in. His drumming on the whole album is fire, especially on "Miami 2017"
The roar of the audience tells you all you need to know! He performed it at his Last Play at Shea concert in his mid 50's. The emotions still come through!!!❤❤😊😊 Legends can turn living in an awful apartment in an awful neighborhood into a classic!!! 🎹
This song put Billy on the map in early 70’s. Requests started pouring in from a radio performance at Sigma Sound Studios in Philly Pa.. It’s about rich kids that came to the poorer neighborhoods to buy drugs and get high in New York.
Wish more people would do more reactions from this album for live versions that are arguably better than the studio recordings! Billy himself wanted to do this kind of album, hand picking the songs, because for one reason or another he wasn't satisfied with the studio versions and wanted to present them how he wanted them to be heard.
This was a major hit. The audience shows their opinion as soon as they recognized the song. The man was a massive star throughout the 70's & 80's. He is no slouch even today. I believe he could sell out any venue!
@beverlybrown2673 I believe he could top Garth Brooks' (980,000) 1997 concert in Central Park. BTW, at one point in that concert, Garth Brooks climbed atop the piano, which was being played by none other than special guest Billy Joel. His fans are beginning to die off (I'm 62). He might not be able to draw such a crowd in the coming years, but he has gained new and younger fans with each of his five decades.
This is the song that when the record company heard, they wanted Billy Joel. not Piano Man. Ironic, huh? I saw him 3 times in 1974 at the Capital Theatre in Passaic, NJ which was a big movie theater. 40 years later, saw him 3 more times at the Garden. Never once did he disappoint.
I read that when Hilary Clinton was campaigning for the New York Senate seat in Congress, at a political rally, the intro was to be Joel's "New York State of Mind",...yet, someone selected the wrong track from Joel's "greatest" -and Hilary C' walked out to "Captain Jack",....quite a different message.
Great reaction Harri, another classic from Billy Joel's incredible catalogue . You should check out " The Stranger " , the title track to the album. An absolute banger about the dark sides of the human mind.
I suggest that Captain Jack refers to Jack Daniels whiskey. Nice that you opted for this live version. I believe it has more "color" and grit than the studio version. 😇✌️
For the Piano Man music is an easy game. All jewels in his repertoire. He’s really good with Tootsie Thielmans. Captain Jack provides the smack. It may help you escape your mundane life, but as the last chorus mentions, Captain Jack might make you die tonight. Harri, first song from Billy Joel that got major radio play, though mostly in Philadelphia because of a DJ there who found it. Not a hit, but like many Joel tunes, a great album track and a popular concert song early in his career. The man did not have much in the way of throw-away material in his recording career.
I love this song, it's maybe even my favorite by Billy Joel, along with Goodnight Saigon (and so many others to choose from, it's really hard to pick my favorites).
Jami - I was raised in and around Philadelphia, and if memory serves me correctly (uh oh), Billy Joel has only performed this in concert there. I don't recall the whole story other than 'Captain Jack was a heroin dealer from Long Island, NY where Billy Joel has had a home for many years. Billy was never a heroin user, to my knowledge. The song was, in part, about the dark path of heroin users. In any event, this was a great submission choice and many people have not heard it before, especially in his concerts.
The live performances by Billy on The Old Grey Whistle Test are phenomenal and classic early Billy. One of my favorites, and not one that would make a great reaction video, is Root Beer Rag. You gotta watch it just for the frenetic energy in it. ua-cam.com/video/OghK8XP0mdg/v-deo.html
Non esiste un genere musicale in cui Piano Man non sia il Top .... Talento Totale ... Live poi da giovane era un vero portento ... I cosiddetti critici gli preferivano altri perché di Moda o più "belli" .... Ma come talento Billy non li vedeva nemmeno 😜🎹👏🎹👏
"You got EVERYTHING, but nothings cool/ They just found your father in the swimming pool/ And you guess you won't be going back to school anymore/ And if you can't understand why your world is so dead/ Why you gotta keep in style and feed your head/ WELL YOU"RE TWENTY-ONE STILL YOUR MOTHER MAKES YOUR BED, AND THAT'S TOO LONG!"
As good as this is, don't get me wrong, it isn't bad, it's quite different all around than the studio version. I subbed mainly for your BJ reactions. You've done more than anyone I've seen on here so I appreciate that. I subbed recently but noticed you hadn't reviewed any of his songs for a while and then boom, the next day you posted one. Thanks Jamie A & Harri.
me : is there drug paraphenelia or role of pusher attached to Captain Jack in Billy Joel's song? Google GeminiAdvanced : Yes, the lyrics of Billy Joel's song "Captain Jack" heavily imply that Captain Jack is a drug dealer, specifically a heroin pusher. Here's how the song paints that picture: Indirect References: The song doesn't explicitly state that Captain Jack sells heroin, but uses suggestive language throughout. Location: The lyrics mention Captain Jack operating "across the street from a project" (referring to low-income housing projects). These areas were often associated with high drug activity in the 1970s. Clientele: The song describes teenagers going to Captain Jack, which aligns with the demographic often targeted by drug pushers. Lyrics with Double Meanings: Lines like "sits and waits in the flickering yellow light" and "shoots you up with his lies" can be interpreted as referencing both drug use and a manipulative personality. Historical Context: Released in 1973, the song reflects the growing heroin problem in the United States during that era. Billy Joel himself has confirmed that the song is about the dangers of drug use, with Captain Jack representing the easy access to drugs and the destructive consequences.
Over-privileged teenagers who have money, good health, good housing and good parents are often disillusioned, directionless, depressed . Don't know what to do with themselves except to hang out with friends and get high.
This album has the best versions of every one of these songs I have heard. They were touring and they really had them down right.
Some time ago around 1975 I saw the Beach Boys. Billy Joel opened for them. Although not everyone at the concert loved him, I was instantly mesmerized and hooked. One of the songs he sang was Captain Jack.
Songs in the attic such a great live album. Got it on vinyl!
Thank you for recognizing this amazing album.
Great album!
I got this answer from google when I asked what is Captain Jack: Joel wrote "Captain Jack" in late 1971, while sitting in his apartment in Oyster Bay, Long Island, looking out the window, trying to find inspiration for a song. Across the street was a housing project, and he observed suburban teenagers going into the project and obtaining heroin from a dealer known as "Captain Jack".
Harri I was fortunate enough to be at this show at the old Philly Spectrum imn 1980. It was a great show just like the other 6 I was at. In the 70's till this was performed in 1980 Capt. Jack was one of the shows highlights and always got the crowd high tonight. So love your appreciation for Mr. Joel he wasn't always a critical favorite but us fans just loved him. If you get the chance listen to an early deep album cut "If I Only Had The Words To Tell You"
My god, I forgot how powerful and dominant his drummer, Liberty Devitto, really was back in the day..
Liberty was a beast! Always gave 110%!
Had a style similar to Bill Ward (drummer in Black Sabbath)... Bringing in those jazzy influences into the rock drumming.
@@richardkafka5625 Still is, by all accounts, at age 73.
I’m glad you did this live version instead of the studio version.
This song stopped me from killing myself back in '78.thank you Billy!❤. It was hard being a lonely teenager
My saving song is The Mary Ellen Carter by Stan Rogers. My 1st concert was The Nylons, in a small venue. My 1st stadium concert was Billy Joel.
My absolute favourite Billy Joel song and I love this live version too.
Nr. 1 song for me too. So many great versions.
With this song, Billy permanently added dynamic range to the Rock landscape..
Ps. an example of a "darker" song might be "Goodnight Saigon," a narrative about the Vietnam war.
One of Joel's earliest compositions, he was looking out the window of his Oyster Bay, Long Island apartment at the building across the street, where he knew kids from the neighborhood were buying heroin from a pusher named Captain Jack (rhymes with smack). Thanks Jamie and Harri. One of my favorite Billy Joel songs and it was a deep cut played on FM radio a lot when it was released.
👍👍👍
Once again, you have filled in some interesting details about another song I love. Thanks John 🌸
I wonder what the pusher, Captain Jack though about this song?
This is one of my favorite albums of all time.
Great reaction. Great live version. Saw Billy 40 years ago and he was unbelievable in concert.
you got that right - we went to see taj mahal in springfield mass. in '71 and the opening act was someone unknown at the time - BILLY JOEL. he and his band absolutely blew the roof off of the place and after they played taj and his slow mississippi blues seemed out of place. we all left there saying " you are going to hear from BILLY JOEL soon ". and as you know we did !
I saw him on May 24 and it seems like he hasn't missed a beat. He even still hit the high notes in "An Innocent Man"!
Beside the lyrics i Love this song It takes me places every time i hear it
What makes this song is the hard hitting amazing Liberty DeVitto on Drums !!
Listen to the crowd go ballistic at 9:39 when Liberty DeVitto's machine-gun percussion kicks in. His drumming on the whole album is fire, especially on "Miami 2017"
Definitely one of my top favorites of his!
This entire album is incredible and this is one of my favorites in all of its gritty reality! Wonderful request and review! Thanks Harri and Jami 🌺✌️
Most of us have lived this lifestyle, best lived young, not for the old
The roar of the audience tells you all you need to know! He performed it at his Last Play at Shea concert in his mid 50's. The emotions still come through!!!❤❤😊😊 Legends can turn living in an awful apartment in an awful neighborhood into a classic!!! 🎹
I recently read that even Billy likes to sing this song anymore. I don’t blame him. The lyrics are dark ❤depressing.
This song put Billy on the map in early 70’s. Requests started pouring in from a radio performance at Sigma Sound Studios in Philly Pa.. It’s about rich kids that came to the poorer neighborhoods to buy drugs and get high in New York.
Wish more people would do more reactions from this album for live versions that are arguably better than the studio recordings! Billy himself wanted to do this kind of album, hand picking the songs, because for one reason or another he wasn't satisfied with the studio versions and wanted to present them how he wanted them to be heard.
This was a major hit. The audience shows their opinion as soon as they recognized the song. The man was a massive star throughout the 70's & 80's. He is no slouch even today. I believe he could sell out any venue!
Sold out MSG more than 100 times, performing there about once a month for more than 10 years. His residency there ends next month with the 150th show.
@beverlybrown2673 I believe he could top Garth Brooks' (980,000) 1997 concert in Central Park. BTW, at one point in that concert, Garth Brooks climbed atop the piano, which was being played by none other than special guest Billy Joel.
His fans are beginning to die off (I'm 62). He might not be able to draw such a crowd in the coming years, but he has gained new and younger fans with each of his five decades.
@@jamestaylor3429 He keeps getting new generations of fans though... Like Huey in The Boys lol!
Just saw him last night in Cardiff amazing, over 80,000 strong crowd not bad at 75 years old.
This is the song that when the record company heard, they wanted Billy Joel. not Piano Man. Ironic, huh? I saw him 3 times in 1974 at the Capital Theatre in Passaic, NJ which was a big movie theater. 40 years later, saw him 3 more times at the Garden. Never once did he disappoint.
"Captain Jack could make you die tonight....."
I read that when Hilary Clinton was campaigning for the New York Senate seat in Congress, at a political rally, the intro was to be Joel's "New York State of Mind",...yet, someone selected the wrong track from Joel's "greatest" -and Hilary C' walked out to "Captain Jack",....quite a different message.
This is the first time I've heard this live. Studio version is excellent but there is much added feeling to performance!
Every song on the live album Songs in the Attic gets a boost over the studio recordings.
This whole album of live early-era Billy Joel rarities is awesome. Listen to the whole album. Every song on it betters its original album version.
Great reaction Harri, another classic from Billy Joel's incredible catalogue . You should check out " The Stranger " , the title track to the album. An absolute banger about the dark sides of the human mind.
I suggest that Captain Jack refers to Jack Daniels whiskey. Nice that you opted for this live version. I believe it has more "color" and grit than the studio version. 😇✌️
There was a drug dealer named Captain Jack, according to Billy.
Nah, definitely heroine, "just a little push and you'll be smiling". Push as in pushing a needle into yourself.
Late friends favorite. I ball my eyes out every time
You should listen to James live at the great american music hall!! One of my favorites.
For the Piano Man music is an easy game. All jewels in his repertoire. He’s really good with Tootsie Thielmans.
Captain Jack provides the smack. It may help you escape your mundane life, but as the last chorus mentions, Captain Jack might make you die tonight.
Harri, first song from Billy Joel that got major radio play, though mostly in Philadelphia because of a DJ there who found it. Not a hit, but like many Joel tunes, a great album track and a popular concert song early in his career. The man did not have much in the way of throw-away material in his recording career.
I love this song, it's maybe even my favorite by Billy Joel, along with Goodnight Saigon (and so many others to choose from, it's really hard to pick my favorites).
Gotta check Billy Joel Allentown music video
You picked a great version of this song!
"Just a little PUSH and you'll be smiling." Slang for shooting dope 😵💫
Jami - I was raised in and around Philadelphia, and if memory serves me correctly (uh oh), Billy Joel has only performed this in concert there. I don't recall the whole story other than 'Captain Jack was a heroin dealer from Long Island, NY where Billy Joel has had a home for many years. Billy was never a heroin user, to my knowledge. The song was, in part, about the dark path of heroin users. In any event, this was a great submission choice and many people have not heard it before, especially in his concerts.
The live performances by Billy on The Old Grey Whistle Test are phenomenal and classic early Billy. One of my favorites, and not one that would make a great reaction video, is Root Beer Rag. You gotta watch it just for the frenetic energy in it. ua-cam.com/video/OghK8XP0mdg/v-deo.html
Song about growing up on Long Island , parents not involved, then one dies . So he turns to drinking trying to figure it all out.
the horse of the 1-horse town must be a celebrity
Non esiste un genere musicale in cui Piano Man non sia il Top .... Talento Totale ... Live poi da giovane era un vero portento ... I cosiddetti critici gli preferivano altri perché di Moda o più "belli" .... Ma come talento Billy non li vedeva nemmeno 😜🎹👏🎹👏
"You got EVERYTHING, but nothings cool/ They just found your father in the swimming pool/ And you guess you won't be going back to school anymore/ And if you can't understand why your world is so dead/ Why you gotta keep in style and feed your head/ WELL YOU"RE TWENTY-ONE STILL YOUR MOTHER MAKES YOUR BED, AND THAT'S TOO LONG!"
What makes this song is the hard hitting amazing Liberty DeVitto on Drums !!Captain Jack is an alcoholic drink
Scandinavian Skies is a Billy Joel song about drug taking too.
As good as this is, don't get me wrong, it isn't bad, it's quite different all around than the studio version.
I subbed mainly for your BJ reactions. You've done more than anyone I've seen on here so I appreciate that. I subbed recently but noticed you hadn't reviewed any of his songs for a while and then boom, the next day you posted one. Thanks Jamie A & Harri.
👍🏼
me : is there drug paraphenelia or role of pusher attached to Captain Jack in Billy Joel's song?
Google GeminiAdvanced : Yes, the lyrics of Billy Joel's song "Captain Jack" heavily imply that Captain Jack is a drug dealer, specifically a heroin pusher. Here's how the song paints that picture:
Indirect References: The song doesn't explicitly state that Captain Jack sells heroin, but uses suggestive language throughout.
Location: The lyrics mention Captain Jack operating "across the street from a project" (referring to low-income housing projects). These areas were often associated with high drug activity in the 1970s.
Clientele: The song describes teenagers going to Captain Jack, which aligns with the demographic often targeted by drug pushers.
Lyrics with Double Meanings: Lines like "sits and waits in the flickering yellow light" and "shoots you up with his lies" can be interpreted as referencing both drug use and a manipulative personality.
Historical Context: Released in 1973, the song reflects the growing heroin problem in the United States during that era.
Billy Joel himself has confirmed that the song is about the dangers of drug use, with Captain Jack representing the easy access to drugs and the destructive consequences.
Do LAURA!
It's an anti-drug song... I said it in an interview..
Captain Jack is "heroin". Referring to the "Push" action.
Over-privileged teenagers who have money, good health, good housing and good parents are often disillusioned, directionless, depressed . Don't know what to do with themselves except to hang out with friends and get high.
Harri, you should have reviewed the original version from piano man album. Much better than this live, not that good version. Just my opinion.
Captain Jack could also be referring to masturbation, the "safest" drug to take you...
Suburban junkies living in their mother's basement. 😮
Stupid audience cheering at the most tragic parts of the song because he says "high"