Billy Joel Only The Good Die Young Liberty Devitto

[sdanger666]

The royalties thing is always a tough one, how does it work if the drummer suggests a different melody works it out with the guitarist/keys and its used. How's the split. I've seen bands go on the % of song they've contributed to. It's just bad when bands go their separate ways and the law suits begin.

Billy let a great, great drummer go.

[mikesquill]

changing rhythm, genre, or instrumentation does not at all constitute songwriting credit. a song is chords, lyrics, and melody. the song(s) belong solely to Billy.

[AdaumontFarm]

@mikesquill you hit it on the head. can't copyright drum parts, guitar riffs, solos or instrumentation.

[lakelandchief]

I would like to hear a full version of this song and see a piano tutorial that would be cool!

[jpnagleproductions]

I have to disagree as far as drummers are concerned. A great drummer can make a good song great...This is a fact. Liberty was part of the band that made all of the hits for Billy Joel. I guess every great musician could just use any drummer, but a great drummer will make the song. Songs become classics due to the total input from all of the musicians,the producers, the promoters...etc...Liberty was part of the Billy Joel sound...Listen to the old live recordings vs the new live recordings...

[GimmeKitty]

This is funny. Hahaha.

HATE that Billy and Lib parted ways like they did :( It's the shit.

[GimmeKitty]

This is funny. Hahaha.

[puffball9]

Where did you get this video and are there any more like?

[Duane422]

Whats this from?

[Zosia91]

Where was this filmed? Is there more footage?

[MegaObserver1]

@Zosia91 This was taped in 2001 at the University of Pennsylvania as part of his "Masters Class" tour of colleges. It was taped as an A&E Network special and later a home video was released. The entire "class" was on YT at one time, but, sadly, has been removed.

[hibob418]

To the guy saying that everybody deserves to get paid for their input - well, they do. They're paid for their session time, they're paid when they go on the road (in Liberty's case, he had a 20+ year steady gig) Some band's are set up like a democracy where everybody shares. He could have gone on the road as Liberty DeVito & Friends... or tired to get his own deal. Anyway you cut it, though, Liberty is a monster on the skins. As much fun (or more) to watch him as to listen to Billy sing.

[mkalleman]

what concert is this?

[amazed66]

Acknowledging is one thing, as Billy has done so, paying somebody for it is another.

As I understand it (although admittedly it's all hearsay) there was never any problem with Liberty wanting royalties from Billy (and I used that word because that's what he was filing for in his lawsuit) until Liberty starting going through a costly divorce, which was almost 30 years after Only the Good Die Young was written.

[amazed66]

Phil Ramone also had some input in Billy's music but never took any royalties as a writer and Billy could have used any number of producers and any number of drummers but he did all of the song writing himself.

Again when Garth Brooks covered Shameless as a country song with steel guitar replacing electric guitar, should he have received royalties too for his arrangement, even though the musical notes and lyrics were the same?

[pheekuh]

Yes actually, I DO believe they are all due to some compensation. I didn't use the word "royalties", you did. I'm a giver not a taker. I aknowledge when someone has done something for me. I appologize for the way I was brought up.

[amazed66]

I suppose all I'm trying to say is that as far as I'm aware the song was completely written by Billy, that's the melody & the lyrics & once that's the case, then the arrangement is another thing entirely. I read somewhere that Billy was in a car going to the studio with Doug Stegmeyer & had a song called It's Just Rock and Roll to Me but he'd already had Just the Way You Are & didn't want to repeat himself so Doug suggested the word Still instead but should he get a co-write credit for that?

[amazed66]

I have a lot of time for Liberty Devitto and think it's a real pity that a 30+ year friendship ended how it did and when one of them eventually dies before the other, then I'm sure they will have regrets that they didn't patch things up. So now here's the but part...but I still think it doesn't warrant paying him royalties if he didn't write the melody or the lyrics. Otherwise every time an existing song is covered but in a different style or tempo, should the covering act get royalties too?

[pheekuh]

I amazed you feel that way. Lib was part of a band. He was asked to contribute and he did; his ideas were used successfuly. Why should his input got unrewarded. I know what I would do, but then again, I have a conscience

[Cariboubou59]

Thanks for the post Pheekuh! This is just the proof Lib needs to get his due. This is not the first time I've seen Billy give Liberty credit for being a major contributor to one of his hits!

[fan4jonas]

I guess it's stories like this that give Liberty Devitto the right to some kind of Royalties to Billy's writing credits. It's really sad to see such Great old friends suing one another after all these years together.

[drummer78]

Video evidence of why Liberty deserves at least an arranging credit for this tune. Of course, publishing was created in such a way that it doesn't recognize contributions that band members make. Too bad, Still, I think Liberty could get some money for his work on this song.  I'll bet this very clip is used in court.

[rwgain02]

Is this on a DVD somewhere? Title please, thanks.

[mkalleman]

is this a CD or is there somewhere where i can watch the whole performance??

[bookitty914]

seen billy 30 times,great every time..but i really miss liberty devitto,he was his own show.from one drummer to another....

[rafalweb]

Dear God.......I'd like world peace and Liberty back with BJ's band. Thanks......

[tardwhisperer]

I am always amazed at how a woman can overlook brilliance like this. What the hell is wrong with Christy Brinkley? Overlook this guy's faults because he's a bonefied genius.

[silvercastle]

Does anyone know what performance this was part of? I'd really love to see the whole thing.

Oh and I love the reggae version.

[mm3861]

Listening through mega-talented Billy Joel's "Only the Good Die Young" the message is this: 'Life is short Virginia. Live for today. Forget about your faith because it's a real roadblock to fun, which is what we are on this earth for! Most importantly Virginia I think you're smokin' hot and right now, getting my rocks off is lot more important than your obedience to God and your eternal salvation'. Without passing judgement on the song, it's hard to deny that this really is the message.

[Bowlen000]

i love the regge version...if only there was a full version of it

[pheekuh]

There is. It's on Billy's "My Lives" album

[GrandMasterIV]

"The closest you get to Jamaica is when you change trains in Queens" xD

[fifthofnovember]

Billy Joel is the man..plain and simple.

[mikokat]

Haha, please ban my next record!

[pheekuh]

All we're asking for is justice....oh yeah, and Liberty. What's right is right.