Quotes from Billy Joel

Most people are satisfied with the junk food being sold as music.

Why do musicians give so much time to charitable causes? The most humanitarian cause that we can give our time to is the creation and performance of music itself.

The whole world loves American movies, blue jeans, jazz and rock and roll. It is probably a better way to get to know our country than by what politicians or airline commercials represent.

I've crashed my car three times.

We are living in a time when American popular music is finally being recognized as one of our most successful exports. The demand is huge.

As human beings, we need to know that we are not alone, that we are not crazy or completely out of our minds, that there are other people out there who feel as we do, live as we do, love as we do, who are like us.

If you make music for the human needs you have within yourself, then you do it for all humans who need the same things. You enrich humanity with the profound expression of these feelings.

Historically, musicians know what it is like to be outside the norm - walking the high wire without a safety net. Our experience is not so different from those who march to the beat of different drummers.

I've reached the age where competence is a turn-on.

For whatever reason, not all people are born with the particular gift of being able to express ourselves through music. And, believe me, it is a gift.

When I was 19, I made my first good week's pay as a club musician. It was enough money for me to quit my job at the factory and still pay the rent and buy some food. I freaked.

As an atheist you have to rationalize things... Then you have to try and make some sort of sense out of your problems. And if you try and find you can't, you have no choice but to be good and scared -- but that's okay

You're not the only one who's made mistakes, but they're the only things that you can truly call your own.

I'd rather laugh with the sinners than cry with the saints.

I am no longer afraid of becoming lost, because the journey back always reveals something new, and that is ultimately good for the artist.

So I would choose to be with you, That's if the choice were mine to make, But you can make decisions too, And you can have this heart to break

I'd rather laugh with the sinners than cry with the saints, the sinners are much more fun.

I really wish I was less of a thinking man and more of a fool not afraid of rejection.

You can get what you want or you can just get old.

In every heart there is a room, A sanctuary safe and strong, To heal the wounds from lovers past, Until a new one comes along

We didn't start the fire It was always burning Since the world's been turning We didn't start the fire No we didn't light it But we tried to fight it

Everyone is a hypocrite in one sense or another and I'd rather laugh with the sinners than cry with the saints.

you may be right, I may be crazy, but it just might be a lunatic you're looking for

If I ever reach heaven I expect to find three wonders there: first, to meet some I had not thought to see there; second, to miss some I had expected to see there; and third, the greatest wonder of all, to find myself there.