Billy Joel - Root Beer Rag 1978

[sarahm108]

Oh master

[ROTSentertainment]

I NEED that sheet music! Please! For the love of god email it to me! I'm a pianist and a billy Joel fan and I can't find the sheet music ANYWHERE! Please! Email it to cparandjuk@gmail.com!

[levismother]

what a man. fantabulous

[MST3KLives]

Answer to Ron Rosenbaum: this.

[velbythorngage]

the bastard... he sped it up........



[audreyxmusic]

:o

[mathsfreakXXL]

He's lucky there isn't a speed limit for this!

[IsidoreNabi]

Where did he find a grand with action like that?!

[POOPTURTLE]

I'd love to see this song used on the piano part of Rock Band, lol.

[Luciferminusone]

I saw a Mini Moog to the right at 00:42

[MrFlip5150]

Hey peeps from an 'ol fart. Saw this originally. It's from a program called 'Whistle Test' on the BBC over here in England (where the history and castles come from)and well, I guess over the years it has started to lag a little. The blokes good, get over it.

[FinkChrist]

I've been teaching myself to play the piano for a few weeks now and I'm currently learning how to play this. If it wasn't for the tempo, it'd be pretty easy.

[kfsfkakf]

Carpal Tunnel. We Need Bengay

[daisyhaze03]

Amazing. You couldn't even see his fingers he was playing so fast. I love this song but i like it played a little slower tempo also.

[jppurpletip]

No homo I would have sex with Billy Joel after seeing that

[Harmonyww]

I'm not sure why he plays it so fast here. This rag is great when played at a more sedate tempo. 

[chillaxer1993]

hardest song I've ever attempted on piano

[SvenWsMusic]

damn fuck.

[pianogirlie456]

just great!

[supermariobros6789]

whoa, look at his hands go, he even stopped to wipe his nose and you couldn't even tell.

[are693]

Wow I watched this video at 12:00 and really tired, and it blew my mind so much it woke me up.

[unknownkingdom]

It almost sounds like an electric piano at times, I guess it's just the recording quality.

[Wainy16]

Takes me back to Billy & Wally on the old Radio Merseyside!!!

[studioflip]

I'm in love...

[VPrincessSilver]

I'd hate to be in a thumb-war with this guy

[InsultToIgnorance]

i can finally fucking play this:D not quite as fast yeet but oh well:L 5 WEEKS OF SOLID BLOODY PRACTICE!

[sjtom57]

I've heard that tune 100s of times including live in concert and it still blows me away.

[VanHalenMan5]

Does it seem like the sound is timed a little bit off to anyone else?

[ZachIzBeast]

@VanHalenMan5 nahh i see that too

[VPrincessSilver]

@VanHalenMan5 Nah, his fingers are just moving too fast

[sgtpepper1138]

@VanHalenMan5 It actually is by just a TINY bit, watch the last note, his hands strike before the sound happens. Very small amount of time, this son is so quick, it's hard to tell.

[sofndfkj]

This is absolutley ridiculous. wow

[pjpinc123]

This>Chuck Norris

[coweater54]

sounds like a pop version of bowsers casltle

[SurgeonArmy]

There is a girl at my school in 8th grade who can play this

[benboy444]

@SurgeonArmy hm well i'm in year 9, and I just started learning it for my 7th grade exam next year...

[Thantophobia1]

Does anyone know how to do the part with all the chords without getting the wrong notes at that speed?

[Mo240892]

@Thantophobia1

Train it really slow... (60-70)

[bradester422]

four ppl burned their pianos after getting frusterated because they couldnt learn this song.

[kiwifruitkiwi]

Lol...i love being able to play this...i feel like god xD

Love you Sarah ^^

[doodeloo]

kinda looks like a pudgy Lou Reed

[Cnuggat]

piano rape is what i call it

[JohnLRBrock]

Billy, you are a silly silly man with dirty piano playing ability.

[thewho1716]

holy crap i didn't know he played it this fast. I gotta step up my game when i play it now

[TheManuManfred]

i love it, but i think it's with drugs

[candelise]

@TheManuManfred Not a musician, huh?

[SamOnella1]

does 2:10 remind anybody else of the song thats played in the bar scene in star wars?

[RobotWillie]

@SamOnella1

Well that is also a Ragtime song.

[schaunichtsodumm]

@SamOnella1

Not really.

[jackass11395]

@SamOnella1 no ur retarted

[incrediblesulk555]

@jackass11395 what is retarted? Spelling jackass.

[SamOnella1]

@jackass11395 Swagggggg.

[ryanmbrinton]

@SamOnella1 holy cow it does!

[SameronShowsInc]

i'm 12, and can play this.

[SameronShowsInc]

omg.. i can play this, but never that fast.

[VanHalenMan5]

3:11 Lawwd I got the technical difficulty blues. Lol

[bobafett8888]

Billy Joel wrote all the Super Mario Bros. music... True story.

[BeanManIncorporated]

I don't even remember saying that. However, this is amazing.

[BeanManIncorporated]

Goodness.

[BlueBananaProd]

the three people who thumbs downed this aren't deserving of life.

[Isadorka1]

@BlueBananaProd

c'mon :) you know there is no accouting for taste

[VGMasterFreak]

@BlueBananaProd they're probably in denial that there are pianists and guitarists that destroy Justin Bieber. Billy Joel is one of those awesome pianists xD.

[emilyjanenoack]

MY dream is too play 1/2as good as this!!! I'm am currently learning this song to play at a talent competition..i am 14 years old and have been playing for 4 years now...and this song is t-o-u-g-h and he is my idol!!!

[jarryd60]

@emilyjanenoack youre going to have to practice heaps bud....

[emilyjanenoack]

@jarryd60 well i am!!! for about 7 months now XD i know it shouldn't take that long....but it's not too my level yet

[McFreend]

I wonder how it feels to kick this much ass at the piano.

[JohnLRBrock]

@McFreend Must make his feet sore.

[SameronShowsInc]

@McFreend it'd feel like you were...

billy joel, obviously.

[kotterman]

@McFreend The rest of the world will never know....

[USCStar101]

@McFreend when were both 89 and can play the first 10 notes well know

[IwantJenniferConelly]

@McFreend

ask Liboroce'

[ZakTheThrash]

@McFreend I wonder it feels like to kick that much ass at anything

[stephenschmitt9]

I'd masturbate thinking of myself if i was this awesome

[FootrotFlatsFan]

This is the next song I will be learning. I've played for about 10 years now, and I recently realised I don't really have any "Hard" songs in my repertoire. So I've been searching for hard songs for about only a week now... and found this.

Geez, Billy Joel is amazing. :D

[SasoriB5]

I think I just had a musicgasm

[Thantophobia1]

This song is not really that hard to play, it just takes a lot of practice and finger stamina.

[bgerch23]

that is just a workout

[loudness96]

Nice piano and hammond organ work!!

[StevieAndCoryYUMMY]

Billy does blues LOL :)

[kiwifruitkiwi]

spazzy left hand at 2:00? XD

[CoolHandFabio]

Billy is just so so good! I'd love to be able to play the Piano ! And here it's done in style !!!!!!!!!!

[Arquimilias]

when he plays a little bit faster his hands will break through the sound barrier... :D

[gopherscout]

Awesome! Billy Joel's an excellent pianist! I haven't heard this song in a long time, thanks for posting!

[NancyToday]

Hey, you've got blurry hands like my husband! Amazing playing. Wonderful music. Great instrument, it sounds like it's keeping up with you!

[JackRodey]

Hey Billy Joel fans,  you should check this video out. just type in your search bar "Jack Rodenburg and Friends". I'm a singer-songwriter from Lincoln Nebraska and obviously I'm not as good as the great Billy Joel but I'm young! I've got some time to get better lol. this is a song I wrote called I'm Famous. check it out and show your support! Thanks

By the way the video is the second from the top. it's 4:38 long.

[zapwatt]

I've heard some say that James Brown had his band at its deadliest between '69-'74 roughly and this period we'll say from about '73ish to maybe '85ish Billy was razor sharp, I mean he could cut potatoes and carrots with a glance.

[Universe246]

im doing this song in my school band xD

[cmorales22]

I love thi song - I think I jumped up like 4 feet when I heard the first chords when I saw him live - i thought no one remembered this old tune anymore!!

[meandog84]

2 dislikes... they probably listen to Lil Wayne and/or Justin Bieber (sorry to even mention their names on here)...

[louswire]

One BIG Breathless...WoW!

[itstristanyo]

Anyone else think parts of this sound like They're Red Hot?

[JimmyCarlinSk8]

jeeeeeeeeeeeeesus

[dwwolfe1]

Great classic song! Amazing that anyone (even the composer) can play it this fast! I'd have liked to see the drummer on this. Seems like he'd have the hardest time keeping up.

[123maxfire456]

what is he doing with lieft hand at 0:25 ?? he should play the piece :)) (he knocked out the piano at this piece, so he is not so concentrated :)

[meandog84]

@123maxfire456 he probably had an itch... obviously it didn't matter.

[baguazhang77]

You must understand music theory and the logical sequence of what he is doing to comfortably play this song, much less enjoy playing it. It would be painful to try and play it by rote from sheet music without knowing what is going on. The fact that Billy wrote the song naturally helps him play it too. If you want to play something like this, you have to try and get into the composers head. I make no great claims about my playing, but find this is the case when playing most complicated music.

[gencodiz]

unblvbl.......

[andrewpritchett]

when i was in 4th grade i heard my piano teacher playing this. i spent 1 year working on it and only got the first page of sheet music down

[Blooman27]

I noticed something after hearing this song 23 times..... He's playing really fast....

[supernole100]

@Blooman27 hahahahahahaha, yeah buddy! A true musician if there ever was one.

[qwinkly]

The glowing red light all over his piano - I think it's from HEAT ! It's about to burst into flames from the speed !!

[Death82]

lol i can barely see which keys he is pressing XD too fast but im pretty sure he could have gone faster, he slowed it down for the other members in the group XD

[oOUbasOo]

INSANE FAST!

Billy...more than a "Piano Man" *______*

[Db60Dc19]

DAMN he can play!!! Love that. Never saw him play it before. I can't even think that fast! Go Billy!

[usermeidegozaru]

かっこいい！

[HappydudeSilvermoonI]

just started learning this and i play it like 1/60 the speed he does

[navelfluff0815]

yeah, he plays really fast!

and i needed a long time to mess up with his speed, but now it works and i'm really happy bout that, because i really love this song :P

--> thumps up billy ;)

[flyurway]

Ha, that's great! Talk about a blast from way back, I saw him do this in the Auditorium Theater in Rochester back about '75...and that's just how he looked too, lol!

[justicethepianoman]

OMG!!! Really fast!

[BulfOv]

he is god at the piano.

Er ist der Held am Klavier !!

[veotumuerte]

*WARNING* dragonsder is a grotesque stalking retard, who enjoys harrasing others (with many fake names) and even goes through your comment history in order to stalk you! He clearly has no life whatsoever and has a hissy when you either IGNORE, or RESPOND to him. HE is beyond help, and I pray he is posting from some VERY secure establishment for the mentally insane. He is a danger to his local community. DO NOT GET INTO A CONVERASTION WITH THIS CREEP!

[Shadowerth]

ffs go take ur arguements somewhere else

>_>

on a brighter note, this song is so addictive :D

[veotumuerte]

@dragonsder haha, your best intellectual retort is the same lame jibe..!!! HAHAHAA!!! You do a better

job of ridiculing yourself than anyone else ever could!!

You've just saved me the job...THIS IS TOO EASY,

really!!

[m2mgm]

can you guys stop using words like autism as insults?

[brandicats]

what is he doing at the end?

[AllieJ123]

Now that's some fancy finger flying!

[leohammondb3]

Brilliant piano player/singer.

[yaisum]

Reminds me of Hammie the squirrel in 'Over the hedge', when he get's fed red bull. In Billy's eyes, I can see a "why is everyone playing so slow?' look. Brilliant.

[LinkMaster131]

Would be better if that other guy wasn't playing the piano

[BrianOtterson]

@LinkMaster131 The other guy is actually playing the organ, and it's usually VERY simple accenting. Still, I agree that when the piano playing is that awesome, you shouldn't muddy the sound too much with other instruments.

[slavioks]

i can play this whole song. i think it sounds better when you slow it down just the slightest bit

[MLProductions7]

@slavioks no way its so amazing this fast, I can play the whole song to and i wish i had the skill billy joel has when playing this song.

[xterra43]

Stoned, immaculate. 

[omniliberation]

love the left hand at 2:00.......like hes playing drums and piano.....awesome

[stppnwlfn]

I hate root beer, but this song is amazing! and billy joel plays so good! the version of wise guys also is very interesting

[dragonsder]

Its amazing how fast he plays

[dragonsder]

@veotumuerte

Thats funny because the comment clearly says @dragonsder

You still haven't learned to read. Or think

[dragonsder]

@veotumuerte

How about this. I stop replying to your comments when A, you never post a reply to any of my comments ever again. of B: You could be a man about it and apologize for the things you said.

[veotumuerte]

@dragonsder I see your manic stalking

seems to have abated? What's up,

had the wind blown out ya sails?

or did matron finally take away your internet

privileges? .Either way, come back

when you have a "witty" riposte, and NOT before

(although you might want to read a book to assist you

with that, and it may take some time).

As, for the "apology", guess what finger

I'm holding up right bout now?????

[dragonsder]

@veotumuerte

Oh, because you are just the most witty person alive aren't you? For a guy who spends his life prowling you tube you sure think highly of yourself don't you?

[veotumuerte]

@dragonsder BORING BORING BORING,

For A TURD who's been trollong youtube

every waking moment, (with many fake accounts) in order to compensate

for a SEVER lack of self esteem, and self worth,

YOU take two days to reply to me and STILL manage to write a pointless heap of shit!

Umm, take 3 days next time, and it may be worth

my consideration, but I doubt it!..YOU ODIOUS BASTARD!

[dragonsder]

@veotumuerte

I'm "trollong". Do you mean trolling? Because it's funny that you should say that. You post the most vile and disgusting comments and then you accuse me of trolling? Oh and clean up your grammar.

[veotumuerte]

@dragonsder Yeah, what is up with all YOUR fake accounts though?

I wouldn't normally mention them, they mean jack to me, and what you do while watching 9/11 jumper

footage in the privacy of your own trailor is between you

and your white trash mother.

However, I clearly see I'm touching a nerve!

Thanks for letting me know that I'm getting a little

near the truth for your liking. I WILL continue

exposing you at EVERY OPPORTUNE TIME!!

[veotumuerte]

@dragonsder I'm going to build a wikipedia page on you,

naming your (many) false accounts, and how you like

to "boast" how you masterbate to 9/11 jumper footage,

as you believe the government to be involved in the attacks.

You sick BASTARD!

[dragonsder]

@veotumuerte

You go and try, though I doubt you would even have the energy to get off your lazy ass and do something besides troll on you tube. Yeah, you'll make a wikipedia page, just like you were going to have my account suspended. Your comments never cease to make me laugh.

[veotumuerte]

@dragonsder I see the missed the all further posts

I left you!!! You better put on your rubber hat and search

for each and everyone of them!!

Do I always have to help you out, You brainless turd!??

[dragonsder]

@veotumuerte

Well, your lack of grammatical ability left me unable to figure out what the hell you're talking about. It's not like it matters, what have you ever posted worth reading anyway?

[veotumuerte]

@dragonsder

Care to correct any of this grammatical inability

you make mention off? I called your bluff earlier

(whilst correcting your incorrect usage

of YOUR and YOU'RE). I'm waiting for you

to correct mine, but we both know it won't happen.

As always, you're all mouth and NO substance!

Come on, correct me!...your time starts now!

Tick tock, tick tock

[veotumuerte]

@dragonsder EPIC FAIL as usual!

[veotumuerte]

@dragonsder

What's wrong with you now bozo?

Could you only manage just a few messages in my

inbox this morning? Did matron finally get wise to your little scheme and limit your internet priviledges?

Either way, I see others have also cottoned on

to what an incompetent bumbling nutjob you are!

[GhostyForLife]

I can only see flying Hand 0.o .

He's the MASTER at the piano!

[jasonminier82]

I love how he is fast enough to stop and scratch his nose with out missing a beat!!

[Cool2girlz]

ich guck dazu grad fußball man ist das genial...

[dRmBfm]

Probierte Root Beer erste mal beim Bowling in Wisconsin, ist erstmals gewöhnungsbedürftig,

aba mit eis schmeckts dann irgendwie geil. However song is awesome.

CHILL@WHEREVERYOUARE

[dslayer61]

Holy shit! I'd have to be on speed, crystal Meth, and have some sour candy to be able to play that!

[LinkMaster159951]

u said u had the sheet music any idea where i could get it?

[Silverkobold20]

So ein geiles Lied!

[kstavridis]

one of the best piano pieces ever

[danjm11111]

i can play this up to :49 sec

[DarkMentalSupremacy]

whatever version or interpretation of this song u might ever hear, THIS one is just FREAKIN' AWESOME!!! INCREDIBLE job by billy joel!!

[hiadhiad]

I haven't met one person or seen someone on youtube play this this smoothly on youtube

[TheBlondsurfer]

@hiadhiad you may have not seen someone on yotube, but I know people who are some of my friends and they can play it pretty smoothly, but Billy Joel is an amazing pianist.

[Ro3ieful]

i feel really sorry for the other keyboardist. like what is he there for? i don't think he can really keep with with good old bille! x

[Rufus2468]

he seems to be doing alright with the chords

[Rufus2468]

is that a moog i see?

[carleneisthesheet]

A self indulgent waste of otherwise amazing talent. Not fun. Not clever. Boring and sad. An early red flag for ol' Billy. The incredible early songwriting gave way to crap like this and the - god help me - "Uptown Girl" days. Fame is a dangerous animal. Oh well.

[commentor93]

I feel sick by only listening to this song XD

[2Rev1s1s1and4]

This song is fucking amazing

[AllieJ123]

I love the Joel. Hell all of LawnGuyLand Noo Yawk does

[TimothyPornsworth]

I heard the song first from the wise guys (german a-capella band) and after i've heard the original one i am surprised how similar it sounds to the a-capella version. every little joke that the wise guys do is also part of the original.

I also admire billy joel for his brilliant piano playing. i wished i could play like that.

Clearly: 5 stars and on my favorites list!

[qwinkly]

@TimothyPornsworth I also discovered this song first via Wise Guys singing it. (Check out their "Du Doof".) I'm now in love w/ this piece. It's just astounding watching Billy Joel playing it! I swear I counted 43 fingers on 1 hand, & 37 and 2/3 on the other hand. That's when I could see fingers at all from the BLUR! It should be called "Espresso Rag". Folks should also check out the Wise Guys singing this -Wise Guys - Root Beer Rag (Diddeliling) And their funny version -Wise Guys - Tililili

[Frittyification]

the wise guys made this song a-capella.

but nontheseless ... you gotta have some fast fingers for this.

[YESWEVEGOTAVIDEO]

Brilliant!