Billy Joel and Burnout

Those who are familiar with Billy Joel’s discography, have heard “Vienna” before — according to Spotify, it’s his highest played song, second to “Piano Man,” and are sure to understand it as a metaphor for growing older. But even if you are a stranger to the singer, utilizing whatever geographical awareness or practical knowledge you might have, Vienna — with her historic and contemporary buildings as well as her imperial, artistic, and intellectual legacy — looks and sounds like a pretty nice place to be. In a <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/13/arts/music/13barr.html?pagewanted=1" rel="noopener ugc nofollow" target="_blank">2008 interview</a> with The New York Times, the singer shared that he was inspired to write the song after a visit with his estranged father who was living in Vienna. While they were walking around the city, the singer recalled passing an elderly woman sweeping the streets and sympathized with her: <a href="https://medium.com/illumination/billy-joel-and-burnout-8aa6eacb220">Website</a>