Six Life Lessons from Billy Joel’s ‘Vienna’

The Piano Man has hard pills for you to swallow

Yesterday I was going over my most listened to songs on Spotify. Turns out I’ve listened to ‘Vienna’ more times than I’d like to admit online.

Whilst this is somewhat embarrassing and it speaks volumes about my lack of musical taste, I’d like to share some lessons from the Piano Man’s iconic and timeless song.

Not only is the rhythm, the instruments and, most importantly, the lyrics captivating, this song has the power to not only make me the happiest when I’m excited about life, but it can also drown me in my darkest moments.

Take a look at some of the lyrics and their lessons below.

Slow down, you crazy child You’re so ambitious for a juvenile

When you’re twenty like I am, it feels like the world is moving at 70mph whilst you’re merely crawling at a slug’s pace. Sometimes ambitions, dreams and goals get in the way of experiencing life in its full capacity.

“You’ve got so much to do /And only so many hours in a day”

This really resonates with me. We all have 24 hours in a day to fill as we please. Sometimes it takes longer to fill those hours and sometimes we aim to cram every second with a task after task.

It can be disappointing when you don’t tick all your tasks from your to-do list. But that’s okay. Sometimes it's better to slow down.

The ability to slow down and take in the scenery and the experiences of life is something very few people can master. Arguably the best way to do this is to actively schedule a time to do nothing.

Meditation is a practice often regarded to be gimmicky. As an avid meditator of 5 years, I can attest that you get a clearer HD vision of the circumstance you are in. All it takes is to step back and slow down, you crazy child.

But then if you’re so smart, then tell me Why are you still so afraid?

If I told you that fear can be crippling, you won’t get an eyeball-popping Eureka! moment. Chances are, you already would have known that.

Yet, there will come times when the fear you feel truly consumes you. Some of us get panic attacks and you really start to feel that you are incapable of doing anything. Point blank, period.

In those moments, it is imperative to not only slow down but to recognise that this fear is only temporary. Fear should not control you.

Fear can teach you lessons and that is totally okay. But fear should never govern you.

It took me the last 3 years of my life to understand that. It’s a hard pill to swallow when you realise that you have to get up, brush yourself and face fear with hard-set eyes.

Nobody said it’s easy and you’re smart enough to know that it will be hard. But it’s worth it.

You’re gonna kick off before you even Get halfway through

Being a ‘juvenile’ can sometimes mean that you’re emotionally immature. Of course, that’s acceptable — there is a reason why we grow up. Being able to still operate and still think straight at the face of adversity or a slight complication can be hard.

I have quit in so many hobbies, passions and tasks because I didn’t have it in me to complete them. I got frustrated and gave up. This is still a large regret of mine and I’m slowly working towards acceptance.

Billy Joel has taught me that slowing down and not getting emotionally worked up on something is the healthier option. He has mentored me towards excellence.

At this point in the song, no matter the circumstances, I end up deeply contemplating my life. I bet you would too.

Billy’s sentiment is one that you should keep as your mantra. To not get worked up over the journey. Enjoy the journey, and the destination will surely be at the end of the road.

However, if you huff and puff all the way, the journey will stink and you’ll end up by the roadside.

You can’t be everything you want to be Before your time

Life is a long ride. It ain't that short — contrary to your fortune cookie message.

It’s okay to change perspectives, dreams and ambitions — especially when your whole life awaits you. There is no ticking time bomb. Most of the greatest writers, greatest inventors and greatest thinkers did their most influential work in their later years.

Life isn’t running away from you. It’s not a sprint. It’s a marathon.

Everything will fall in place without the need to rush. This is a lesson I’m slowly but surely learning. Because fate and destiny are real. And I’m waiting patiently for them.

You’ve got your passion, you’ve got your pride But don’t you know that only fools are satisfied?

Sometimes our ego — our passions and our pride — can get in the way of our happiness. To accept criticism is to be better.

Sometimes criticism can be hard to accept, especially when you’ve poured your heart into your work and you’re so proud of it. But having fresh eyes to look over and help you improve is a fundamental part of the process to bettering yourself.

Careful though — don’t mistake hate comments with criticisms. Be open to criticisms but block all hate. It’s a hard balance to strike.

But only fools are satisfied.

Only fools can’t differentiate between hate and criticism and only fools value their passions and pride over self-improvement.

Fools are satisfied with where they are. They don’t want to improve and so they stagnate. We, however, always want to get a new high score in life.

And take the phone off the hook and disappear for awhile It’s all right, you can afford to lose a day or two

Taking the time to strike a chord between work and play is a lesson I’ve overlooked the last 2 years.

Billy gave me the permission I needed to disappear.

I put my phone on aeroplane mode, uninstalled all social media from my phone and put my phone in a drawer. For a week.

I disappeared off the face of the earth for just one week and the results made me contemplate my whole life.

I reset my life and worked towards more attainable goals. In fact, I changed course — I was no longer going to be a medic, rather I was going to study comparative literature at university.

Don’t feel bad if you’re eyes are widening right about now. Yes, I took a sharp left. But, it turned out that in the long run, I could afford to lose a week.

It changed my life.

Key Takeaway 🥡

Billy Joel’s ‘Vienna’ is a work of art and it’s timeless.

Here is a recap of all 6 life lessons from Billy:

1. slow down — there is no hurry;
2. fear can be crippling but that’s okay;
3. emotional maturity is key;
4. life ain't that short;
5. get your ego in check and,
6. sometimes, disappear.

I’ve already booked my ticket to Vienna for my graduation in 2021.

If you still haven’t heard the song, prepare to have it as your most listened to song of all time.

Go listen to your heart’s content!

Fatima Sultan is a writer, tutor and, a self-proclaimed nerd. She writes about life and its many excitements and disappointments. She also apparently likes referring to herself in the third person. You can read more of her writing by subscribing to her free newsletter.