The 2024 Grammys decided to save the best for last, I suppose. As the night went on, I began getting worried for the likes of Billy Joel and Joni Mitchell. These legends are not spring chickens, and the ceremony was holding onto these performances until the eleventh hour.
But it was well worth the wait. Joel not only performed his new single, “Turn the Lights Back On,” which gets better with every listen, but he closed out the show with one of his biggest hits, “You May Be Right.”
We all know that Joel is a legend. He's made hits for several generations that will live on forever. And his performance at the Grammys, while not as flashy as Dua Lipa or Miley Cyrus', proved his icon status. He also proved that legends have a place at the Grammys despite the influx of new artists that have taken the spotlight.
Billy Joel turned the lights back onto the Grammys
When Joel first graced the Grammys stage, he was donning sunglasses. It was a relatively minimalistic performance, as Joel and his piano were illuminated with simple lighting and a full band accompanying him.
There was something breathtaking about this performance. From its simplicity to Joel's voice. For someone in his seventies, Joel sings beautifully and with remnants of his younger self. Even Elton John doesn't sing this well.
That's not to discount the other performances. Luke Combs and Tracy Chapman stole the show with “Fast Cars,” Miley Cyrus' erratic energy was palpable, Billie Eilish gave the best vocal performance of the night, and Olivia Rodrigo overcame her apparent stage fright to belt out “Vampire.” They were all great, and they are the future. Seeing 74-year-old Joel on the Grammys stage, singing his latest hit, was majestic.
As noted in our review, “Turn the Lights Back On” is the most introspective song Joel has written. With age comes maturity and wisdom. While Joel can write silly songs like “We Didn't Start the Fire” and “It's Still Rock and Roll to Me,” he proved his sensitivities in his newest single.
And musically, Joel's latest is up there with the rest of his songs. The piano melody sounds even better live. While everyone is chasing the next big radio hit, they should be striving for music as beautiful as “Turn the Lights Back On.”
An encore
As if it couldn't get any better, Joel graced the stage once again to close out the show. He and his band played “You May Be Right,” a staple of their live sets. It's a crowd-pleasing hit that everyone knows and this is usually how Joel closes out his concert sets.
Even crazier is that the song was released over 40 years ago. “You May Be Right” is older than most of the award winners last night. Taylor Swift may have won her fourth Album of the Year award at the Grammys, but I'll be amazed if anyone remembers “Anti-Hero” in 40 years.
The 2024 Grammys were hit-and-miss. Trevor Noah was a great host, but some of the winners were questionable and the ceremony dragged in the middle. Thank goodness Joel was able to save the show as only the Piano Man can.
Follow Us
Subscribe