You KNOW the Billy Joel story...William Martin Joel, "The Piano Man" from Hicksville, Long Island makes good!

He sells millions of albums, and singles, in a career that reaches back to "Piano Man" in 1974!

He's setting live concert records, selling out Madison Square Garden, monthly!

You KNOW Billy's chart-topping hits!

Chances are, you can sing (most of) the lyrics to (most of) Billy's hits without even trying!

Every song has its inspiration..and there are stories behind every hit!

"Movin' Out" is the first track on "The Stranger" album. (Craig Allen photo).
"Movin' Out" is the first track on "The Stranger" album. (Craig Allen photo).
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I'm sure that there are stories behind "Movin' Out (Anthony's Song)" that you've never heard...until now!

Listen closely to the lyrics, and you will realize that "Movin' Out" addresses the 'working class' work ethic that surrounded Billy Joel as he was growing up in New York.

You had pride in your work...you worked hard to have the money to support yourself (and your family).

And, one worked LONG hours to have the money to afford the things that said that you had "made it" in America! (READ: status symbols)

I'll bet that you have never thought about the song this way: "Movin' Out" is a Jersey song...with Anthony asking himself if owning a house in Hackensack is worth the effort...

While Sergeant O'Leary works two jobs in hopes that...someday...he can afford his sign of having "made it"...a Cadillac.

Billy Joel says: "I see people wasting their lives," not making use of their talents, and not doing what they love, "so they could have stuff."

Sergeant O' Leary...do you feel fulfilled? Hey, Anthony's of the world...what say you?

"Movin' Out" would move on up to #17 on the Hot 100 charts in the Spring of 1978.

Here's where the story starts getting really interesting:

Billy Joel first wrote "Movin' Out," one of "Jersey's Favorite Hits," to a soft mystery tune...a ballad...that he had in his head...

When he performed it for his band in the studio...they told him where he got the "mystery tune!"

It was: "Laughter In The Rain" by Neil Sedaka!

Feeling embarrassed...Billy Joel quickly changed his tune (pun intended) to what we know today!

While doing my "DJ thing" over the end of "Movin' Out" over the years, here at New Jersey 101.5...I have said: "Billy Joel isn't movin' out...he's peelin' out!"

To mix metaphors...that's a "home run!"

Billy says that the "peeling out" is real.

At the time, bassist Doug Stegmeyer had a 1960's-era Corvette.

He grabbed a tape recorder, and hung the microphone out the back of the car, and started "burning rubber."

Billy and the band are in the recording studio, and they are layering in the recording of Stegmeyer's car. Billy says that they were having so much fun with the car effects...that they just let the peeling out keep going and going...and going!

And...the rest is rock 'n' roll history!

You want one more "Fun Fact?"

You might recall that a stage production of "Movin' Out" opened on Broadway in 2002!

The stage show was based on many of Billy's hits...and won a "Tony Award" for the orchestration.

And, while the Broadway show (only) lasted til 2005...the touring version of "Movin' Out" lasted two more years, til 2007.

So..."Movin' Out" is more than just a hit record...its multi-media!

ENJOY it on New Jersey 101.5, and on nj1015.com!

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