1976 Top Ten Songs: Prelude/Angry Young Man (#5)
By Four Walls
@FourWalls (84365)
United States
March 27, 2026 11:11am CST
One thing is for certain: after one of my countdowns, you realize just how much music you haven’t heard! 
Ah, but fear not, here’s someone you have heard of. In fact, he was on the 1986 list as well. For the 50-year-old songs list, however, he makes the top five! Welcome back one of the greats of our time.
#5: Prelude/Angry Young Man - Billy Joel
Hooray! @DianneN has been waiting for the return of Billy Joel! Well, here he is!
Can you believe this is 50 years old now? Oh, his debut album is now 55 years old. 
Billy Joel’s music is timeless, though.
This was one of the “tweener” songs, between “Piano Man” and “Just the Way You Are.” That means you probably haven’t heard it if you only listen to top 40 radio. FM rock played it (last time I listened, that is), and it’s still one of Joel’s most popular album cuts. It never goes out of style, because it seems we always have people “with his fist in the air and his head in the sand” running around. The causes and political leanings change, but protesting “with his foot in his mouth” never does change. (Example? Anti-vaxxers can be found as far back as the 1720s. 
)
And it’s still one of my favorite Billy Joel songs.
Prelude/Angry Young Man
Written by Billy Joel
Recorded by Billy Joel
From Turnstiles, 1976
It’s a comfort to know his intentions are good:
Ah, but fear not, here’s someone you have heard of. In fact, he was on the 1986 list as well. For the 50-year-old songs list, however, he makes the top five! Welcome back one of the greats of our time.
#5: Prelude/Angry Young Man - Billy Joel
Hooray! @DianneN has been waiting for the return of Billy Joel! Well, here he is!
Can you believe this is 50 years old now? Oh, his debut album is now 55 years old. Billy Joel’s music is timeless, though.
This was one of the “tweener” songs, between “Piano Man” and “Just the Way You Are.” That means you probably haven’t heard it if you only listen to top 40 radio. FM rock played it (last time I listened, that is), and it’s still one of Joel’s most popular album cuts. It never goes out of style, because it seems we always have people “with his fist in the air and his head in the sand” running around. The causes and political leanings change, but protesting “with his foot in his mouth” never does change. (Example? Anti-vaxxers can be found as far back as the 1720s. )
And it’s still one of my favorite Billy Joel songs.
Prelude/Angry Young Man
Written by Billy Joel
Recorded by Billy Joel
From Turnstiles, 1976
It’s a comfort to know his intentions are good:Your browser isn’t supported anymore. Update it to get the best YouTube experience and our latest features. Learn moreRemind me later
11 people like this
10 responses
@Ineeddentures (24531)
•
8h
Yes indeed
One of my favourite Billy Joel songs as well
Oh I was almost bad there
Woops
1 person likes this
@Ineeddentures (24531)
•
7h
@FourWalls
I really did.
On this day where everything is abbreviations I think I did really well
Now there will honestly be people going." What the hell is he on about now" lol
1 person likes this
@FourWalls (84365)
• United States
14h
Yeah, I think he sucks too. That’s why I bought all his albums and saw him live, just to make sure he does. 
Glad you liked it! 
Glad you liked it! 1 person likes this
@LooeyVille (53)
• United States
15h
When I saw the title I thought it was going to be the Styx song, "Fooling Yourself (Angry Young Man). But I was wrong. Hubby got it right away (and I knew it too).
1 person likes this
@FourWalls (84365)
• United States
14h
Fear not, Styx is one band you won’t see me use.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (375672)
• Rockingham, Australia
6h
The lyrics were on the page so that was good but I could also understand every word. 
@MarieCoyle (56521)
•
7h
I know this one, and I even know the story about it. Very fitting for it's time, and sadly, the time is near or already here that it will be fitting once again.
