billy joel or elton john. Who really sucks the most?

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Ongoing discussion with friends: who sucks the most? billy joel or elton john? Personally I think "we didn't start the fire" is one of the worst songs in recording history. If you had to choose one artist to listen to on a desert island, what would be the lesser of the two evils?

― mike sperry (ghost nuts), Saturday, 2 April 2005 04:13 (twenty years ago)

Billy Joel never came up with anything as good as "Funeral For a Friend/Love Lies Bleeding," so Reg wins.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Saturday, 2 April 2005 04:15 (twenty years ago)

elton john is the worst. billy joel has some redeeming qualities.

― maria tessa sciarrino (theoreticalgirl), Saturday, 2 April 2005 04:18 (twenty years ago)

I'll stick w/Elton John. Billy never came up with albums as consistent as "Honky Chateau" or "Rock of the Westies."

― Alfred Soto (Alfred Soto), Saturday, 2 April 2005 04:30 (twenty years ago)

Elton John fell from a much greater height, thus sucks worse.

― Johnny Fever (johnny fever), Saturday, 2 April 2005 04:31 (twenty years ago)

If I had one bullet, I'd ask Billy Joel to stand in front, and hope that it had enough momentum to kill them both.

― Austin Still (Austin, Still), Saturday, 2 April 2005 04:34 (twenty years ago)

billy joel is the smuggest presence in popular music. elton is funny and had some good singles back in the '70s, at least.

― J.D. (Justyn Dillingham), Saturday, 2 April 2005 05:36 (twenty years ago)

Both performed/wrote some classic tunes. I mean, Maria, could you really claim Elton's the worst if he did Your Song? (Yes, I know Taupin wrote it, but he made it *real*.) So I'd probably say Elton John because 1 I know little of Billy Joel's output and 2... Well, I don't have any excuse, really, cause I just obsessed over several of his records and I think his outfits were hilarious. The man had fun. His recent antics are a bit over the top though. *erases Diana tribute*

― nathalie doing a soft foot shuffle (stevie nixed), Saturday, 2 April 2005 05:38 (twenty years ago)

Both had some pretty classic moments, but I think Elton had more.

― jaymc (jaymc), Saturday, 2 April 2005 05:54 (twenty years ago)

billy joel is the smuggest presence in popular music

Please don't read this as a defense of Billy Joel, but it's hard to be smug when you've crashed four or five consecutive cars and checked yerself into rehab. He's many irritating things, but I've never found him smug. Boring, overwrought, cliched, annoying -- yes, but not smug.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Saturday, 2 April 2005 05:55 (twenty years ago)

i guess you're probably right, alex - i actually don't know that much about the guy, so my 'smugness' comment only applies to what i hear in the music. but come to think of it there's probably smugger people around - bono comes to mind.

― J.D. (Justyn Dillingham), Saturday, 2 April 2005 06:00 (twenty years ago)

Smugger artists than Billy Joel: Roger Waters, George Michael, Sting,....

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Saturday, 2 April 2005 06:01 (twenty years ago)

And why would smugness be a negative aspect? I rather have smugness than an artist being bland. That said, he's never struck me as such. Even if/when dating his supermodels, it was more a *boy dream come true*.

― nathalie doing a soft foot shuffle (stevie nixed), Saturday, 2 April 2005 06:03 (twenty years ago)

he may crash lotsa cars and be one of the ugliest motherfuckers EVAH, but billy joel is still a smug dude.

elton john was pretty damn good for much of the 70s, w/ a few good songs thereafter. this isn't even close, really.

― Eisbär (llamasfur), Saturday, 2 April 2005 06:06 (twenty years ago)

I don't mind smugness if the music measures up. Certain memebers of my favorite bands are UNBELIEVABLY smug, but they deliver the fucking goods -- so good on'em.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Saturday, 2 April 2005 06:08 (twenty years ago)

Do any of you play piano? If you do, I think you probably appreciate Joel and John a bit more. I think they're both excellent songwriters, and Billy Joel is one of the wittiest guys I've ever seen interviewed. Respect to both.

― musicjohn73 (musicjohn73), Saturday, 2 April 2005 10:09 (twenty years ago)

"For The Longest Time" is the best fake Doo Wop record ever, and probably in my top5 Doo Wop choons, period. "Piano Man" has potential, too, but it took New Waver to fully crystlize same. "Just The Way You Are" is nice enuff, until he gets to the part about not wanting clever conversation cuz he doesn't want to try that hard (wtf?)

I'd probably still take Elton regardless, but just wanted to even things out a bit here.

― Daniel_Rf (Daniel_Rf), Saturday, 2 April 2005 10:27 (twenty years ago)

Do any of you play piano? If you do, I think you probably appreciate Joel and John a bit more.

So, by this logic, would I like Weird Al Yankovic more if I played the accordion?

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Saturday, 2 April 2005 10:27 (twenty years ago)

Elton John is great. Billy Joel isn't.

― Ferlin Husky (noodle vague), Saturday, 2 April 2005 11:12 (twenty years ago)

How could anyone like "Piano Man?" It's Dylan-by-numbers.

― shookout (shookout), Saturday, 2 April 2005 14:43 (twenty years ago)

There's a chapter in Chuck Klosterman's book that elaborates on the greatness of Billy Joel. (And I repeat myself here: I love his writing but when I really think about it, I never agree with CK.)

― nathalie doing a soft foot shuffle (stevie nixed), Saturday, 2 April 2005 14:58 (twenty years ago)

tap tap tap tap BANG(sounds of final nail being driven into coffin)

― m coleman (lovebug starski), Saturday, 2 April 2005 15:04 (twenty years ago)

How could anyone like "Piano Man?" It's Dylan-by-numbers.

Wuh? 70's Tom Waits-by-numbers, maybe.

― Daniel_Rf (Daniel_Rf), Saturday, 2 April 2005 15:04 (twenty years ago)

70s Tom Waits is Dylan-by-numbers

― Dadaismus (Dada), Saturday, 2 April 2005 15:06 (twenty years ago)

Dylan doesn't do beer-soaked weepyness, though.

― Daniel_Rf (Daniel_Rf), Saturday, 2 April 2005 15:07 (twenty years ago)

also: i am a bit biased in my joel appreciation, as one of my friends used to be his personal assistant.

― maria tessa sciarrino (theoreticalgirl), Saturday, 2 April 2005 15:11 (twenty years ago)

I actually OWN an Elton John album!!!!! The only reason I bought it is because it has Elt singing songs on it by the Incredible String Band and Nick Drake... hold on I'm going to do a thread on it.

― Dadaismus (Dada), Saturday, 2 April 2005 15:14 (twenty years ago)

None of them sucks, but Billy Joel has never been even remotely close to the brilliance of the "Captain Fantastic" album.

― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Saturday, 2 April 2005 15:15 (twenty years ago)

maria, let's her some stories about that...

I kind of feel sorry for Joel these days. Even with (or maybe especially because) of his young girlfriend, he strikes me as a sad, lonely man struggling with alcoholism. Also, he lost one of the most beautiful women on the planet, and that's gotta smart forever.

― shookout (shookout), Saturday, 2 April 2005 15:16 (twenty years ago)

Smugger artists than Billy Joel: Roger Waters, George Michael, Sting,....

Since when did getting caught by the police for having gay sex in a public toilet become "smug"? ;)

― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Saturday, 2 April 2005 15:16 (twenty years ago)

Roger Waters and Sting have been caught by the police for having gay sex in a public toilet too?

― Dadaismus (Dada), Saturday, 2 April 2005 15:20 (twenty years ago)

The Dark Side of Sting's Moon

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Saturday, 2 April 2005 15:25 (twenty years ago)

i'm more interested in who blows the most. blow.

― -the-night-watch- (-the-night-watch-), Saturday, 2 April 2005 15:26 (twenty years ago)

Hasn't Billy Joel got some musical skeleton in his closet as well, "Atilla the Hun"? An organ/drums power duo, kind of sub vanilla fudge? Or am I getting mixed up w/someone else?

― Pashmina (Pashmina), Saturday, 2 April 2005 15:28 (twenty years ago)

In any case, though I wouldn't really choose to listen to either, I don't think either are that bad really.

― Pashmina (Pashmina), Saturday, 2 April 2005 15:29 (twenty years ago)

Yeah, he ws in some sort of heavy rock act

― Dadaismus (Dada), Saturday, 2 April 2005 15:31 (twenty years ago)

pashimina- billy joel was frontman for iron butterfly/ vanilla fudge ripoff group, The Hassles. they sucked too.

― mike sperry (ghost nuts), Saturday, 2 April 2005 15:44 (twenty years ago)

And hey that reminds me, what happened to Billy's career as a uh ahem hahaha classical composer (who can't read music)?

TS: Elton's opera VS Billy's symphony

― m coleman (lovebug starski), Saturday, 2 April 2005 15:47 (twenty years ago)

gosh darn, ILM fux0red up when i tried to post earlier!

first off, he's married. its not his girlfriend. if you have the rolling stone with pictures from his wedding, look for the guy in the tan suit. thats my friend!

secondly, the women he dates are not the reasons for his ensuing problem with alcohol and depression. most people dont like chuck klosterman, but his essay on bill is OTM, so do yourself a favor and read it.

― maria tessa sciarrino (theoreticalgirl), Saturday, 2 April 2005 17:21 (twenty years ago)

Billy Joel has made several ringingly bad songs that I agree are atrocious ("We Didn't Start the Fire," "Uptown Girl," "Second Wind," "Piano Man"). He can be quite embarrassing. But he has also made a few songs that probably aren't so bad. Had they not been driven into our skulls twenty years ago, some of his songs might be worth a sympathetic hearing today: "Vienna,""Innocent Man," "New York State of Mind," "Pressure," "She's Got a Way," "Big Shot," "The Stranger."

I object to Elton John's existence on a more fundamental level. He has made exactly two indispensible songs ("Mona Lisas and Mad Hatters" and "Tiny Dancer"). The rest of his career is campy theatrics, insufferable bombast, and embarrassing excess. Disneyfying himself has only made things worse: first it was bad soft rock songs; now it's bad soft rock songs with schmaltzy string sections. No. I cannot forgive the completely stupid "Levon," I cannot forgive his glasses; and I most certainly cannot forgive "Crocodile Rock."

Do not even fucking get me started on "Nikita."

And while we're allowing some extramusical data into the discussion of suckage (ugliness, girlfriends, drinking), the faux-toughguy black-leather-jacketed Joel is much more in keeping with a rock and roll aesthetic than is the faux-fur-caped Englebert Humperdinckian monstrosity that is yon Elton.

― The Mad Puffin (The Mad Puffin), Saturday, 2 April 2005 18:14 (twenty years ago)

Elton sucks the most. To say that Joel is smugger, whatever that means, is ridiculous. Does Joel throw hissy fits whenever his two dozen ivory vases of white roses aren't delivered before eleven a.m.? No. He just drives his car into trees and marries hotties.

And musically, you have to keep in mind that Joel at least wrote all of his songs himself. Joel did duets with Ray Charles and Itzak Perlman. Elton John did duets with Kiki Dee. They both recoreded some horseshit in their careers, but at least I haven't heard any rewrites of "We Didn't Start the Fire" like John did with his songs.

You know, the worst songs in Joel's library, like "Get It Right the First Time" are so bad precisely because they sound like Elton John songs.

― Pleasant Plains /// (Pleasant Plains ///), Saturday, 2 April 2005 23:51 (twenty years ago)

elton has sunk to the lows of dueting with eminem, singing a part that was originally sung by dido.

this just solidifies his suckage.

― j-dizzle, Saturday, 2 April 2005 23:52 (twenty years ago)

http://www.raw-tcsd.com/images/joelatt.nl.26282.jpg

― Russell (Russell), Sunday, 3 April 2005 01:35 (twenty years ago)

Elton john was responsible for one of the most frightening music moments of my life when, after presenting the last-ever TFI Friday, he joined moby for a version of Sweet Home Alabama. Deeply, deeply disturbing.

― Ben Dot (1977), Sunday, 3 April 2005 02:34 (twenty years ago)

i remember liking bily joel songs as recently as the 90s, elton has sucked since the 70s and his voice is completely shot now. don't understand the hate for 'piano man' or even 'uptown girl' as they are both fantastic. maybe billy's voice is over too because of all the boozing? could lead to acid reflux.

― keith m (keithmcl), Sunday, 3 April 2005 03:06 (twenty years ago)

elton john, going away.

― peter smith (plsmith), Sunday, 3 April 2005 03:38 (twenty years ago)

Billy, the sappy tin pan alley crooner, can't get it through his head that he isn't Elvis. At his best his stuff sounds like Neil Diamond covering Bruce Springsteen. At his worst, he sounds like Barry Manilow trying to cover John Cougar Mellencamp. Elton's a homely, bucktoothed Jackass with a cheesy stage show. I suspect Elton was that chubby kid who played Piggy in the 1940's film "Lord of the Flies." Unfortunately, Elton never gets crushed by a boulder while hes onstage. I bet when he saw David Bowie on TV one day and decided "Hey, I can use my cheesy, wet, flouncy weirdness to make lots and lots of money!"
But unlike Bowies distrubing and revolutionary alien-ness, Elton's spacey shtick-rock just comes off as silly. Let's face it: He was 2/3rds Disney Character long before he put on the Donald Duck costume. All his 70's stuff annoys me to a terminal degree. His 80's stuff isn't as bad...but still one decent song ("Nikita") doesn't prevent me from deeply desiring his imminent demise. I want to burn both Elton and Billy at the stake.

"Hey, We Didn't Start the Fire!"
But I will!

― Lord Custos Omicron (Lord Custos Omicron), Sunday, 3 April 2005 03:58 (twenty years ago)

Heh heh...I always like being asked to choose between two artists that I like/dislike equally. That calls for a point-by-point extra-musical comparison. OK, let's see...

BJ: Album titled Piano Man
EJ: Album titled Don't Shoot Me I'm Only The Piano Player

BJ: Formerly married to some supermodel
EJ: Currently married to some (male) non-supermodel

BJ: Tried to commit suicide by drinking furniture polish
EJ: Tried to commit suicide by swallowing a bottleful of Valium and Quaaludes and jumping into his swimming pool

BJ: Reacted to baldness by growing a beard as a distraction
EJ: Reacted to baldness by employing insane glasses as a distraction, later switching to transplants when technology allowed.

BJ on baldness: "When it comes to baldness, it's not about losing more hair, it's about getting more head."
EJ on baldness: "I'd rather have the hair - the hair transplant and the weave - than look at myself being bald."

Quite a pair. But in the end, it's easier to defend Elton's Greatest Hits and Greatest Hits, Vol. 2 than Billy Joel's Greatest Hits Volume I & II. (All of which I quite enjoy and are even filed right beside each other, in between Joan Jett and Spike Jones.) I'll never buy anything else of BJ's, not even Hits, Vol. III ("We Didn't Start The Fire", yeesh), whereas I've at least CONSIDERED buying EJ's 3rd best-of. And I've already got Goodbye Yellow Brick Road.

Elton John sucks less!

― Myonga Von Bontee (Myonga Von Bontee), Sunday, 3 April 2005 08:03 (twenty years ago)

"Atilla", feat. Billy Joel:

http://www.raw-tcsd.com/images/joelatt.nl.26282.jpg

Is there a better scan of the cover somewhere online?

― Pashmina (Pashmina), Sunday, 3 April 2005 12:54 (twenty years ago)

"Goodbye Yellow Brick Road" is pretty good in places as well.

― Pashmina (Pashmina), Sunday, 3 April 2005 12:55 (twenty years ago)

Skipping 45 messages at this point... Click here if you want to load them all.

I'm gonna go out on a limb and say that Joel sucks a little bit less. Maybe it's just a lack of exposure to John's best work, but the only song of his that I can confidently say that I enjoy is "Benny and the Jets" - whereas Joel has "NY State of Mind", "Don't Ask Me Why", and a few other songs that I wouldn't turn the station from if they came on the radio - possibly even including "It's Still Rock n Roll", depending on my mood.

― o. nate (onate), Monday, 4 April 2005 19:26 (twenty years ago)

"tasteful snatches." "tasteful snatches." "tasteful snatches." "tasteful snatches." "tasteful snatches." "tasteful snatches." "tasteful snatches." "tasteful snatches." "tasteful snatches." "tasteful snatches." "tasteful snatches." "tasteful snatches." "tasteful snatches." "tasteful snatches." "tasteful snatches." "tasteful snatches." "tasteful snatches." "tasteful snatches." "tasteful snatches." "tasteful snatches." "tasteful snatches." "tasteful snatches." "tasteful snatches." "tasteful snatches." "tasteful snatches." "tasteful snatches." "tasteful snatches." "tasteful snatches." "tasteful snatches." "tasteful snatches." "tasteful snatches." "tasteful snatches." "tasteful snatches." "tasteful snatches." "tasteful snatches." "tasteful snatches." ...

A phrase that is now being turned over and over inside my head.

― Pleasant Plains /// (Pleasant Plains ///), Monday, 4 April 2005 19:41 (twenty years ago)

Another post in defense of "Uptown Girl," which rules. I once saw a woman in 5 o'clock shadow makeup and leather win first place in a drag queen contest with this song (in Eau Claire, Wisconsin), so maybe that helps my appreciation.

― Pete Scholtes, Monday, 4 April 2005 20:59 (twenty years ago)

to be honest, congratulate mad puffin (whoever he is) for coming up w/ "tasteful snatches." i'm not that creative!

― Eisbär (llamasfur), Monday, 4 April 2005 21:01 (twenty years ago)

Another post in defense of "Uptown Girl," which rules

If I'm not mistaken, even HE thinks -- nay, KNOWS -- "Uptown Girl" is crap.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Monday, 4 April 2005 21:25 (twenty years ago)

"Uptown Girl" is one of his best songs. class-based hatefucking as frankie valli rip! unleashing his bile while drooling over brinkley and going "woah-oh-oh" at the same time! fuckin' a.

― miccio (miccio), Monday, 4 April 2005 21:32 (twenty years ago)

dances in the video too!

― miccio (miccio), Monday, 4 April 2005 21:33 (twenty years ago)

and fuck would you take Billy Joel's opinion for? Dude thinks he's a secret Chopin or some shit.

― miccio (miccio), Monday, 4 April 2005 21:35 (twenty years ago)

Billy Joel supporters, please feel free to do so for his classic lineup, if such a lineup exists.

liberthy devitto, doug stegmeyer (r.i.p.), richie cannata, david brown, russell javors. it pains me that i actually know this. but they were nothing to write home about.

― fact checking cuz (fcc), Monday, 4 April 2005 21:48 (twenty years ago)

Billy Joel. He makes my ears BLEED with the blandness. Elton and Bernie can at least write a pretty melody, and there's some nice-if-nonsensical imagery in some of the lyrics.

― Lyra Jane (Lyra Jane), Monday, 4 April 2005 22:41 (twenty years ago)

in his prime, elton john was a passable ersatz ziggy-era bowie ... i mean, what is "rocket man" if not his version of "space oddity"? "bennie and the jets" if not his version of "ziggy stardust"? true, glam-elton doesn't have the edge or bite that bowie had, but in a pinch it'll do.

one of the more perceptive mark prindle comments re ziggy stardust -- that it sounds like an elton john record. guess what, he's right!

― Eisbär (llamasfur), Monday, 4 April 2005 22:47 (twenty years ago)

Personally I never understood this singles thing about Elton John. I mean: I find no value in any of his rock numbers, thinking they sound mainly like second rate The Band (and The Band themselves were overrated too).

However, the ballads, back in the 70s, were first class McCartney-esque melodies. Really classy stuff. A few of his best ballads were singles, a lot more of them are found on his albums. Particularly "Captain Fantastic" is a wonderful album, with hardly a weak track at all (and also, "Someone Saved My Life Tonight" is not only his best ever single, but in fact one of the best singles of the entire 70s)

Starting with "Island Girl", he lost it somewhat, and has mainly been making bland and boring MOR after that, "Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word" being his last ever classic song.

― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Monday, 4 April 2005 23:57 (twenty years ago)

"island girl" is fun and even has kinda clever lyrics (note the pun on "john")!

― Eisbär (llamasfur), Tuesday, 5 April 2005 00:12 (twenty years ago)

"Island Girl" is just as boring as every non-ballad he ever made.

― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Tuesday, 5 April 2005 08:11 (twenty years ago)

ah, "Rock of the Westies" is probably the best Elton John album. that and "Honky Chateau." I don't mind his "ballads" and his rockers are uneven--"Take Me to the Pilot" is a good song except that the words really suck. "Crocodile Rock" is about on the level of one of Billy Joel's re-creations of the "50s" or something, "Saturday Night's Alright" is a really lame Stones rip. He's really just best at pop music that comes sorta outta nowhere, to my way of thinking, completely subject-less shit that only some kind of genius could've come up with. OK, on "Rock of Westies" he seems to actually have a subject, maybe, like on "Grow Some Funk of Your Own." Also, I fail to see any connection with the Band, except that Bernie Taupin, like Robbie Robertson, tried to write about the olden days. I dunno, maybe Robertson had Levon saying, "that ain't right" or something, whereas Elton just said, sure, I can write a tune around those words, no problem! Give me twenty minutes, I'll knock it out. The tight and airless world of the Band was fundamentally non-pop, I'd say, whereas Elton John at his best is super-pop. And at their best, which is maybe about three good albums' worth, the Band were really something. Billy Joel is just fake-pop for people who don't really like it, I always thought.

― edd s hurt (ddduncan), Tuesday, 5 April 2005 16:46 (twenty years ago)

I think someone needs to say this: "That's What Friends Are For"

― dave225 (Dave225), Tuesday, 5 April 2005 16:52 (twenty years ago)

I think people get hung up on billy joel mainly because of the nostalgia factor. I currently live in NY and you would think that Joel is a god, the way he is always played on the radio. It makes me want to slit my wrists when I hear his sappy songs. It's like when I lived in San Francisco and everyone there loves Journey. Whereas Journey is a whole band, Joel, as an egotist supreme is much easier to hate. plus he has that awful broadway show going on and the tv commercials make me want to vomit. (lest we forget to compare it to EJ's Lion King)

question- i understand that Joel is a special Long Island fave, but how is he an "ethnic" act? does he sing some songs in hebrew?

― mike sperry (ghost nuts), Sunday, 10 April 2005 13:50 (twenty years ago)

but how is he an "ethnic" act?
Didn't he at least pretend to be Italian like his doo-wop heroes in "Scenes from an Italian Restaurant" and "Movin' Out", which featured Anthony and Mama Leone? Faux-ethnic maybe.

― Ken L (Ken L), Sunday, 10 April 2005 14:15 (twenty years ago)

Whereas Journey is a whole band, Joel, as an egotist supreme...

Does this mean that the Four Tops are better than Stevie Wonder?

― Pleasant Plains /// (Pleasant Plains ///), Sunday, 10 April 2005 16:26 (twenty years ago)

I currently live in NY and you would think that Joel is a god, the way he is always played on the radio.

????

(i currently work in and live around NYC myself. i don't think that he's played all THAT much more than any other pop musician of his stature.)

― Eisbär (llamasfur), Sunday, 10 April 2005 17:16 (twenty years ago)

then again, i also don't listen to the radio all that much. so maybe i am wrong.

― Eisbär (llamasfur), Sunday, 10 April 2005 17:16 (twenty years ago)

My parents lived in Pennsylvania for about ten years. Passing through Allentown on the way to visit, I heard BJ's "Allentown" on the car radio EVERY TIME. Coming and going, usually multiple plays. I was like, is there a law about this or a tape loop or WTF?

― m coleman (lovebug starski), Sunday, 10 April 2005 17:23 (twenty years ago)

eight months pass...

but how is he an "ethnic" act?
Didn't he at least pretend to be Italian like his doo-wop heroes in "Scenes from an Italian Restaurant" and "Movin' Out", which featured Anthony and Mama Leone? Faux-ethnic maybe.

-- Ken L (lauter...), April 10th, 2005.

Yooo ha' too beee-ahhh BEEEEG shot', DINNN'cha!

― Joseph McCombs (Joseph McCombs), Friday, 23 December 2005 06:26 (twenty years ago)

both have greatest hits that are perfect.
billy joel has only a few album songs that don't suck.every elton john album has at least 3 songs that are brilliant.i'd refer 100 elton songs than 30 billy songs.
didn't billy rip off elton's "sorry seems to be the hardest word " for "honesty"?

― retrogurl, Friday, 23 December 2005 06:48 (twenty years ago)

in australia :
molly loves elton and not billy joel.
elton has a sense of humour.
elton gives good ....interview
p.s. billy has about 30 brilliant masterpieces , elton 69 .

― retrogurl, Friday, 23 December 2005 06:51 (twenty years ago)

both insult interviewers.
billy joel - countdown 80's.( silence )
elton john - uk airport , 2003 ( coarse language )

― retrogurl, Friday, 23 December 2005 06:53 (twenty years ago)

I saw them in concert and they are both great piano players. I would take billy joel over elton because his music speaks to me and a lot of people i know. All of his albums are great for various reasons; his songs are timeless, and he has never written the same thing twice his music is varied. Scandinavian Skies is an amazing song, also state of grace, two thousand years, lullabye,are great as well. I could go on!!!!! I've seen his broadway show as well and it was so much fun. Billy joel will always be the man for me and to many people!!!!!!! He has more talent on both his pinkies than bands have in their whole career.

― Wesley Alexander, Sunday, 1 January 2006 02:21 (twenty years ago)

Elton John sucks way less than Billy Joel.

The thing with Billy Joel is best described by my friend Lee. Billy Joel is way too Broadway for rock and roll. His phrasing and his lyrics sound like they would best be delivered on a stage set. It sort of de-rockifies any attempts he makes to rock.

Elton could rock, and his lyrics and delivery are far less self-important and pretentious.

― Brooker Buckingham (Brooker B), Sunday, 1 January 2006 19:14 (twenty years ago)

Workin? too hard can give me a heart attack-ack-ack-ack-ack-ack-ack-ack-ack-ack-ack-ack-ack-ack-ack-ack-ack-ack-ack-ack-ack-ack-ack-ack-ack-ack-ack-ack-ack-ack-ack-ack-ack-ack-ack-ack-ack-ack-ack-ack-ack-ack-ack-ack-ack-ack-ack-ack-ack-ack-ack-ack-ack-ack-ack-ack-ack-ack...

― DR. O. RLY? (eman), Sunday, 1 January 2006 19:31 (twenty years ago)

b.j. sucks the most

― DR. O. RLY? (eman), Sunday, 1 January 2006 19:32 (twenty years ago)

"Oooh, you didn't count on me/You counted on your rosary" = worst line ever.

Give me any Elton John banality over really bad "supposed to be funny even though I really knew it wasn't funny" any day.

― Tim Ellison (Tim Ellison), Sunday, 1 January 2006 19:42 (twenty years ago)

billy joel = american elvis costello = therefore DUD

― J.D. (Justyn Dillingham), Sunday, 1 January 2006 22:32 (twenty years ago)

I'd say Billy suck worse by far. He only has a couple of tunes I can tolerate, whereas everything Elton did with the Dee Murray/Nigel Olsson (sp?) band was really good. OK - Caribou & Rock of the Westies sorta sucked, and "Island Girl" is a dyed-in-the-wool stinkbomb, but still...

― John Bullabaugh (John Bullabaugh), Monday, 2 January 2006 00:49 (twenty years ago)

billy joel is the music you listen to right before a surgery involving having something foreign added to your body.

― Susan Douglas (Susan Douglas), Monday, 2 January 2006 05:25 (twenty years ago)

I think the issue is that both have sought to be rockers at various times, when both guys are awkward when they attempt rock.

EJ has the advantage; he did a credible job, for a little while in the 70s, of extending Little Richard's flamboant piano rock; never as vitally as Bolan's reworking of rockabilly guitar, say, but it worked. Billy Joe-El (as my dad called him) protests his cred too much; he's a fan of rock, but it will forever be a second-rate form for him. It's something he dabbles in, not something that he can't hold back.

― bendy (bendy), Monday, 2 January 2006 07:00 (twenty years ago)

Billy Joel wins this sucking contest. And I love "Allentown". Where it's gettin' hard to staaaaaaaaay-ay.

But Elton is so much better. And willing to take the piss.

― ESTEBAN BUTTEZ~!!! (ESTEBAN BUTTEZ~!!!), Monday, 2 January 2006 07:03 (twenty years ago)

I'll take Billy Joel over Elton any day... although most of the songs of his I like are his older ones like "She's Always a Woman", "Scenes in an Italian Restaurant", "the Stranger", and "Just the Way You Are". Some new ones are good, though.

― Mike Coletta, Friday, 13 January 2006 19:36 (twenty years ago)

I saw an ad on TV for B.J.'s string of sold out concerts next month in NY - at one point he was out from behind the piano and he was ferociously air boxing. It was pretty scary. Maybe that's his routine for the "ack-ack-ack-ack" part - or maybe "We Didn't Start the Fire" - lots of anger in that one.

― TRG (TRG), Friday, 13 January 2006 19:50 (twenty years ago)

I think "New York State of Mind" is the best feel-good song ever... played live it is amazing.

― Donna Bedbury, Tuesday, 24 January 2006 18:45 (nineteen years ago)

"Just the Way You Are" is another one that's hard to mess up.

― o. nate (onate), Tuesday, 24 January 2006 19:07 (nineteen years ago)

three months pass...

Jeez a lof of hostility on this here board.

Who would notice if Billy died? He just sold out 12 concerts at Madison Square so I guess someone would notice.

I'm obviously in the minority here but The Stranger and 52 nd Street Albums are among my favourites. Goodbye Yellow Brick Road is too.

Yeah both have released some shit but who hasnt? The stones have put out anything decent in 30 years.

― Bill muller, Saturday, 29 April 2006 13:14 (nineteen years ago)

Crashing cars into houses vs. screaming "PIIIIGGG!!!!!!!" at the papparazi.

― xgurggleglgllg (xgurggleglgllg), Saturday, 29 April 2006 15:37 (nineteen years ago)

The new Stones album might surprise you.

― Man Man (kenan), Saturday, 29 April 2006 15:52 (nineteen years ago)

Billy can write a pop tune, but his lyrics... augh.

― Man Man (kenan), Saturday, 29 April 2006 15:53 (nineteen years ago)

"the stranger" and "honky chateau" are both classics that contain more than just a few moments of pop greatness. i may be sentimental and a sucker for a good melody, but i'll be damned if i don't own both those albums and love them very much.

― Emily B (Emily B), Saturday, 29 April 2006 16:56 (nineteen years ago)

wdf!!.. they r both mad as!!.. probly 2 of the most well known and greatest singers evah!!.. im like only 14 nd evn i no that!!.. nd how can u say that we ddnt start the fire is crap?? its based on what happnd in your life nd has the strongest meanin out of probly all da shit songs out now!!
elton john bluddy hell wat r u on man!! hes mad..

ps. this site is like... dun wurry.. il not go into that..

bye bye

― brittnay (sexxi), Wednesday, 10 May 2006 04:48 (nineteen years ago)

Elton performed in Russia before perestroika, Joel - after.
Also, Kate Bush never covered Joel's songs.

So definitely Elton wins.

― scnnr drkly (scnnr drkly), Wednesday, 10 May 2006 14:37 (nineteen years ago)

Unlike Billy Joel, Elton John really did go to extremes. He is both the best and the worst of the two.

― Kjle Risch, Tuesday, 23 May 2006 14:52 (nineteen years ago)

If I ever travel back to this time from the future, this will be the thread that I use to check in with my present-day self. Got that, Plains?

― Pleasant Plains /// (Pleasant Plains ///), Tuesday, 23 May 2006 15:08 (nineteen years ago)

At least Elton had a mountaintop to fall from. His worst might be worse than Joel's worst (?!!), but his best absolutely tramples the piano man's best.

― Dan Heilman (The Deacon), Tuesday, 23 May 2006 15:09 (nineteen years ago)

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