Billy Joel - Zanzibar Demo

[zapwatt]

Pure genius. Most underrated popular music artist of this century

[richclayderman]

who the fuck is mr.french? asshole

[Sethyjo]

Up there with Elton John? You mean Bernie Taupin & Elton? Every great song by E.John is co-written by Taupin: My opinion. I checked and Billy Joel has written EVERY single hit song hes recorded by himself: FACT. So as far as i concerned Billy genius stands alone - well above Elton and his sidekick. Without the lyrical contributions of Taupins musical mastermind, It seems Elton John would be a performing pianist humming melodies behind the talent of some other blokes intellectual properties.

[hibob418]

Thanks for posting this!! Really cool to hear how this song evolved. Great changes and rhythm shifts, plus horn solo on the final version.

[JFJB]

Billy is a musical genius, up there with Elton; Billy writes the music first, gets together with his band, and, "makes up" as he has put it, in interviews, the words, lyrics, as he goes along, re-playing the song, adding to it, etc. He COMPOSES the song. Listen to his band-and this is just a "demo" they sound better than most finished garbage you hear nowadays....the band and him were TIGHT. And talented.

[billycmo]

Amazing,Thanks for sharing.What a magical accomplishment the final version is with every syllable of every word eventually becoming absolute perfection in Spirit,Emotion and Narrative.Billy Joel makes me proud to be a human being.

[AnthonyDelRay]

They don't make em' like Billy Joel anymore. This guy literally defined a generation through music. I remember when these albums came out our family played them 24/7 non stop for years... Good days! People kept it a little more REAL back then. It shows in the music. I miss real people...

[vinice0]

where did you get all these demo's from the best artist ever from?

[eltonator]

This is EXACTLY how I come up with lyrics to my songs :D

[Firebirrd85]

you fucked it up stupid ass! but so did I...

[fuzzalicioous]

Does anyone have the demo for "only a man"? Just heard it on Pandora, cool song, never would have placed Billy and Harry Nilsson in the same vein before.

[nicopicous]

Nice, ive been looking for these demos everywhere thanks dude

[OlymPigs2010]

I remember when Misty Blonde starred at the Zanzibar....she was dazzling and did this full force acrobatic routine....she was like the energizer bunny but her amazing,endless energy came from coke....I saw her much later on the street she'd lost 30 lbs and her tired face looked wasted 50's not early 20's! She had sparkled.... and burned up!

[rodog123456789]

LOL 0:34

[gordo39432]

YES. so cool.

[gordo39432]

hahaha i also just noticed at :35 when he's "inventing" lyrics he says "you fucked it up you stupid ass, but then again so did i"

LOLOL

[jst1998]

Haha. Love it.

[coopa97434]

I like this version...and the lyrics are great!

[colincaetano]

Billy has always written all the music to his songs FIRST, then lyrics and subject matter come after that depending on the feel of the music.

[comcfi]

lol im only 14 and i know the right words to this song lol

[shahpari1970]

What a gem. Posting treasures like this is what YouTube is all about. Thanks for sharing this with us.

[bobbypinhead]

I think it's safe to say he hasn't worked out the lyrics yet.... I think that is how he typically writes song.... the music first... then lyrics.... whereas most musicians do the opposite.

[jgar477]

wow this is so freaking awesome! thanks for posting this.

[madalyn1990]

apprarently he doesn't have a good lyricist

[jimsimac]

wtf are you talking about, he IS the lyricist; this is just showing Columbia his ideas for upcoming songs so he can continue his contract; he's one of the ppl that writes the music first then writes lyrics later (like how Elton John worked with Burnie Taupin).

[Aervane]

Pretty sure Elton did the music after Bernie did the lyrics, actually. Not that it matters; just shows that Billy is melody-first. He comes up with such amazing melodies that sometimes I forget what a mind-blowing lyricist he is.

Yeah Billy Joel is just sort of all kinds of talented.

[HammernHeads]

Its called a "demo" dumbass. He wrote the music first on this song, and then added the lyrics.

Now go scurry back to your t.v to find out when the next season of American Idol starts. Shithead.

[MegaMacTV]

@HammernHeads Many people are quick to poke at American Idol. It's a competition on national television. Sure it's commericial, but you don't have to worry about the men behind the curtains. Sometimes there is actual talent that comes on the show. In fact, Scott McEntyre or however you spell it was an avid Billy Joel fan and shared "Just The Way You Are" one week, possibly introducing many young viewers to the excellence of Joel. So it has it's ups and downs.

[racerx719]

@MegaMacTV No, American Idol sucks.. Billy agrees they have no talent and real performers should be paying their dues and working in clubs

[MegaMacTV]

@racerx719 I'm sure Billy doesn't completely condemn every contestant. As I said, SOME have true skill. He can't hate the show entirely when he was originally set to appear during the finale of Season 8 with Scott McIntyre, but had to cancel due to intervening business.

[misternono92]

@HammernHeads connard. tu te crois plus intelligent que tout le monde pour parler comme ça aux gens. abruti!

[HammernHeads]

@misternono92 SPEAK ENGLISH YOU FUCKIN MORON. IN CASE YOU DIDN'T NOTICE, THIS WHOLE THREAD IS IN E-N-G-L-I-S-H.

[misternono92]

@HammernHeads VA TE FAIRE ENCULER FILS DE CHIENNE; TA MERE EST UNE PUTE

[misternono92]

@HammernHeads EH BEN JUSTEMENT, MOI, LES SALES PUTES COMME TOI, JE LEUR PARLE EN FRANCAIS;; VA TE FAIRE ENCULER, GROSSE TRUIE!

[misternono92]

@misternono92 AH BEN TU VOIS? QUAND TU VEUX? SAC A MERDE; VA CREVER

[misternono92]

@misternono92 sac a merde, crève!

[Detroit1967]

No offense but the promo picture is from 1980 promoting "Glass Houses" whereas "Zanzibar" dates back to 1978 (52nd St. album)

[burbonboy]

He's a Lunatic, but a talented,great Lunatic

[TheMortisOlafShow]

A combination of this and the final cut would be legendary

[cartoonsonfilm]

0:35 is priceless. This is awesome...

[ringwoodisbest]

Absolutely. This line should have been recorded in the final cut.

MJ

[Mackdaddy901]

"But so did I" Bazooda.... what comic genious!

[dannyjizay]

i love this song. and this demo version sounds like hes doin scat music!!! lol

[ingfulu]

ved godt han er en "flødebolle"...

[Yanlegrave]

Mdr j'adodre il di nimport koi kan tu connai la version originale comme moi, t'es pouffé de rire!

[OtilioGuerrra]

Hillariuos, "You'd Fuck It Up."