rear pew mirror • doug brook
P’Sukei Man Billy Joel recently announced his first new song in decades. In recognition of this Messianesque return, this column presents another nevertofore heard classic. The few. The proud. The people present at the start of Shabbat morning services. The nearly several people who pray the introductory Psalmfilled service, P’Sukei D’Zimra. The least we can do is give them a song. As we’re always ready to do the least, here one is. In 1973, Billy Joel released what would become his signature song, “Piano Man.” As with many songs by many artists, this ballad went through early iterations that significantly differed from how it was ultimately recorded. Owners of the My Lives boxset have heard the demo track where he sings, “Sing us a song, little piano man.” In this take, at nine o’clock on a Saturday “drinks were going fast,” and the old man sitting next to him was “dreading the time that has passed,” along with other lyrical changes, more prominent harmonica, and excessive reverb. This happened with many of his songs, such as “I’ve Loved These Days” originally being “These Rhinestone Days,” “Worse Comes to Worst” was originally “New Mexico,” “The Longest Time” has roots in “The Prime of Your Life,” “Elvis Presley Blvd” evolved from “The End of the World,” and “Only the Good Die Young” was a reggae track until the drummer, the great Liberty DeVitto, hurled his drumsticks in protest. According to legend, even “Honesty” was once “Sodomy,” though it was never clear if this alternate lonely word was in allusion to the book of Genesis or Leviticus. But Billy Joel, like so many of us, is a Next: Scenes nice Jewish boy. So, it’s little-known that from an Italian an even earlier version of the song that ultimately became “Piano Man” was, in fact, Synagogue a tribute to those early-morning Saturday stalwarts who get the service going so latecomers don’t have to wait too long for the Kiddush luncheon afterward. It’s nine o’clock on a Saturday The regular crowd shuffles in, There’s an old man sittin’ next to me Wonderin’ when we’ll get a minyan.
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March 2024 • Southern Jewish Life
He says, “Son, can you daven the liturgy? I’m not really sure how it goes But it’s now nine-o-eight and the rabbi is late, And I’m late for my mid-morning doze.” La, la-la, di-di-dum All Shabbos I bi di-bum Sing us a Psalm, you’re the P’Sukei Man, Sing us a Psalm today, Well, we’re all in a tallis and yarmulke And you’ll get us ready to pray. Now Sy in the back is a friend of mine At the ripe young age of eighty-three, And he’s quick with a joke I heard last time we spoke But it still gets a laugh out of me. continued on previous page