Billy Joel is an American musician, singer-songwriter, and composer who has sold more than 150 million records worldwide. One of his most famous songs is “Only The Good Die Young”, which was released in 1977. The song is about a young man who is trying to convince a Catholic girl to have premarital sex with him. In this article, we will take a closer look at the lyrics of “Only The Good Die Young” by Billy Joel.
Verse 1
The first verse of the song goes like this:
“Well, they showed you a statue, told you to pray
They built you a temple and locked you away
But they never told you the price that you pay
For things that you might have done.”
In these lines, Billy Joel is criticizing the Catholic Church for its strict rules and regulations. He suggests that the Church is trying to control people’s lives by telling them how to think, feel, and act. He also implies that the Church is hiding the truth from people and that they are paying a price for it.
Chorus
The chorus of the song goes like this:
“Only the good die young
That’s what I said
Only the good die young
Only the good die young.”
Here, Billy Joel is saying that only the people who take risks and live life to the fullest are the ones who die young. He suggests that those who live their lives according to the rules and regulations of the Church are missing out on life’s pleasures.
Verse 2
The second verse of the song goes like this:
“You might have heard I run with a dangerous crowd
We ain’t too pretty, we ain’t too proud
We might be laughing a bit too loud
But that never hurt no one.”
Here, Billy Joel is saying that he is not afraid to take risks and live life on the edge. He suggests that he is part of a group of people who are not afraid to be themselves and enjoy life’s pleasures. He also implies that there is no harm in having a good time.
Chorus
The chorus of the song is repeated again in this part of the song.
Verse 3
The third verse of the song goes like this:
“You say your mother told you all that I could give you was a reputation
Aww, she never cared for me
But did she ever say a prayer for me?
Oh, oh, come out, come out, come out
Virginia, don’t let me wait.”
Here, Billy Joel is trying to convince a Catholic girl named Virginia to have premarital sex with him. He suggests that her mother is trying to control her life by telling her what to do and who to be with. He also implies that he cares for Virginia and that she should take a chance on him.
Chorus
The chorus of the song is repeated again in this part of the song.
Bridge
The bridge of the song goes like this:
“You Catholic girls start much too late
But sooner or later it comes down to fate
I might as well be the one
Well, they showed you a statue, told you to pray
They built you a temple and locked you away
But they never told you the price that you pay
For things that you might have done.”
Here, Billy Joel is saying that Catholic girls are too conservative and that they need to take risks and live life to the fullest. He suggests that sooner or later, everyone has to take a chance on love and that he might as well be the one. He also repeats the lines from the first verse to emphasize his criticism of the Catholic Church.
Chorus
The chorus of the song is repeated one last time before the song ends.
Conclusion
“Only The Good Die Young” by Billy Joel is a song that criticizes the Catholic Church for its strict rules and regulations. The song suggests that people who take risks and live life to the fullest are the ones who die young. Billy Joel tries to convince a Catholic girl named Virginia to have premarital sex with him, implying that living life according to the Church’s rules is missing out on life’s pleasures. The song remains one of Billy Joel’s most famous and controversial works to this day.
