This song about the fishermen who live and work on Long Island in New York State, USA. It talks about the hardships and the dying industry. Downeaster is a type of boat used in this area. Alexa is the name of Billy's daughter with his ex wife Christie Brinkley ---a supermodel from the 1980s. I believe Billy has a boat called Alexa. I grew up on Long Island and Billy is our favorite son. Now that I reside in Florida and I have lived other places, every time I miss my hometown I play Billy Joel's music because he mentions so many places every New Yorker would know in every song.
I used to see Billy Joel take his downeaster alexa out on the weekends when i lived on long island for my first 18 years it was always so cool. (i also live in Florida now go figure lmao)
He wrote this during the fishing crisis. To draw attention to what they were going through. In the song his ship is named after Billy's daughter. He has an unbelievable number of songs and styles. Do you know River of dreams,?
I was born and raised on Long Island, and Billy is always a favorite of mine and many others from Long Island because he is a Long Island boy, who is talented, and has always took a stand for fellow Long Islanders, especially the fishermen. This song always makes me cry. I married a Long Island Baymen who was forced to walk away from the industry because of the limitations the government put on it. Billy was always there standing with my hubby and other men and women in the industry fighting for their survival. Unfortunately many, like my husband, had to leave it. This song will always hold a special place in my heart because he talks about some of the struggles Long Island fishermen had to endure just to make a living and feed their families and it mentions a few places on Long Island where the fishermen left to go out to fish (like Block Island Sound, Montauk, and one of my favorite places, Gardiners Bay) all places I went to many times throughout my life and places my husband left from to go fishing. He speaks of the fishermen having to go further and further from the shore to points live Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket, just to try to get their daily catch and the further they went, the more dangerous the job became. At the end he says "There ain't no Island left for Islanders like me" which is a sad but true fact. (we call ourselves Islanders). Many of us had to leave our precious Long Island, our home, that we were born and raised in because of things like this. We left Long Island just over 20 years ago, and it's great to go back to visit but also sad. Alexa is the name of Billy's boat, which he named after his daughter Alexa.
Amen! You nailed it. If a fishing vessel from Long Island or Narragansett Bay is heading east to Georges Bank, or further, Nantucket is the last place to bulk up on ice, freshwater, and diesel. Then you are out there for a few weeks. Tough family life.
You're right. That's not a well-known Billy Joel song, but I stumbled across it years ago and I love it. Billy Joel is from Long Island, New York, and he writes here about the plight of the fishers from eastern Long Island, and by association, all the fishers on the east coast who've had such a tough time.
I am so glad you did this one! I have always been enamored bybthis song. Thank you! Edit And im from Missouri so, the meaning doesnt really even relate to me. But the unbelievable vocals and lyrics are all i need..
Honestly, this is one of my favorite Billy Joel songs ever! I love his voice in this one, and the violin solo is amazing! And as you pointed out, his story-telling really give you that feel for the people who live that life. I'm not sure what other songs by him you've heard, but here are a few more I think you might like: "Leningrad", "Shameless", "She's Got A Way About Her", "Goodnight Saigon" And also, because I'm not going to shut up about this one until I see you react to it (because I really REALLY think you'll like it!) "Copperhead Road" by Steve Earl is amazing!
Itzhak Perlman actually played violen on this song. And in a RUclips performance by Billy Joel, he played this and Perlman came on stage and accompanied Billy. It is great!
Billy is a favorite, as I'm a pianist and singer (I'm also a Home Fry ;), but let me tell you ... many of Billy's lesser known songs are just amazing: Leningrad, The Entertainer, Vienna, Zanzibar, Summer Highland Falls, You're My Home, Captain Jack, Billy the Kid, Everybody Loves you Now, so many, etc. I'm glad you enjoyed this one. It has a kind of "bigness" that is haunting. It's an anthem for the Long Island fisherman.
Oh boy, when I saw the heading for this I thought, 'That sounds unusual. He's having "Alexa" react to something Billy Joel sings.' I think I either need to get rid of this headache or take a nap or both. lol I had never heard this before either. With the visuals it reminded me of the video of John Denver on the Calypso while his song plays. Or of Gordon Lightfoot''s, The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald. Those are both great songs also by excellent singers. Thanks for sharing this today.
Grew up not from Galilee Narragansett RI most people I knew were in the life of heading to it. Great song and described many if not all. Stop Corporations! Local fishermen like John Mellencamp sings for the midwestern farmer. Billy songs for the northeast fishermen.
God where do I start, classic Billy Joel he took what was out there real life and put it to music. I am from Connecticut I had a friend who was a fisherman and at that time he would tell me stories how they would have to go further and further out just to try to make a living off the ocean. So I remember what this song is really about. Thank you for playing it
I loved this song from the moment it came out. Huge Billy Joel fan here. I knew about his daughter, Alexa Rae and his boat. My husband finally gave it a listen one night when I was pregnant. We now have a daughter named Alexa at his insistence.❤
With this song, it's like you can feel every wave beating against the hull of the Alexa for those minutes. Love the reaction! This was the first Billy Joel song that got me into his music!!! Believe me, never not grateful for that!!
I loved this song. It's from the album 'Storm Front' which also has 2 other great tracks - 'Leningrad' and 'And So It Goes'. You must listen to those two and tell me you're not moved.
Loved the reaction. Billy Joel has some amazing songs that are album cuts. In fact I think they are some of his best. Vienna and Zanzibar are 2 to check out.
As a legit Islander, born and raised on Long Island, this is THE quintessential Billy/Long Island song and makes us all cry. The plight of so many families lives in this song and is a reflection of the working poor and middle class being decimated by big corps. And Alexa is the name of Billy's daughter.
Few people have written a song as good as this. Absolutely perfect.
This song about the fishermen who live and work on Long Island in New York State, USA. It talks about the hardships and the dying industry. Downeaster is a type of boat used in this area. Alexa is the name of Billy's daughter with his ex wife Christie Brinkley ---a supermodel from the 1980s. I believe Billy has a boat called Alexa.
I grew up on Long Island and Billy is our favorite son. Now that I reside in Florida and I have lived other places, every time I miss my hometown I play Billy Joel's music because he mentions so many places every New Yorker would know in every song.
I used to see Billy Joel take his downeaster alexa out on the weekends when i lived on long island for my first 18 years it was always so cool. (i also live in Florida now go figure lmao)
He wrote this during the fishing crisis. To draw attention to what they were going through. In the song his ship is named after Billy's daughter. He has an unbelievable number of songs and styles. Do you know River of dreams,?
YES!!!!!! I have been trying to get ANYONE to review this song!!! It is one of my favorites! I am so glad you liked it!
I was born and raised on Long Island, and Billy is always a favorite of mine and many others from Long Island because he is a Long Island boy, who is talented, and has always took a stand for fellow Long Islanders, especially the fishermen. This song always makes me cry. I married a Long Island Baymen who was forced to walk away from the industry because of the limitations the government put on it. Billy was always there standing with my hubby and other men and women in the industry fighting for their survival. Unfortunately many, like my husband, had to leave it. This song will always hold a special place in my heart because he talks about some of the struggles Long Island fishermen had to endure just to make a living and feed their families and it mentions a few places on Long Island where the fishermen left to go out to fish (like Block Island Sound, Montauk, and one of my favorite places, Gardiners Bay) all places I went to many times throughout my life and places my husband left from to go fishing. He speaks of the fishermen having to go further and further from the shore to points live Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket, just to try to get their daily catch and the further they went, the more dangerous the job became. At the end he says "There ain't no Island left for Islanders like me" which is a sad but true fact. (we call ourselves Islanders). Many of us had to leave our precious Long Island, our home, that we were born and raised in because of things like this. We left Long Island just over 20 years ago, and it's great to go back to visit but also sad. Alexa is the name of Billy's boat, which he named after his daughter Alexa.
Amen! You nailed it. If a fishing vessel from Long Island or Narragansett Bay is heading east to Georges Bank, or further, Nantucket is the last place to bulk up on ice, freshwater, and diesel. Then you are out there for a few weeks. Tough family life.
You're right. That's not a well-known Billy Joel song, but I stumbled across it years ago and I love it. Billy Joel is from Long Island, New York, and he writes here about the plight of the fishers from eastern Long Island, and by association, all the fishers on the east coast who've had such a tough time.
I am so glad you did this one! I have always been enamored bybthis song. Thank you!
Edit
And im from Missouri so, the meaning doesnt really even relate to me. But the unbelievable vocals and lyrics are all i need..
It's a sad song when you know it's true
Honestly, this is one of my favorite Billy Joel songs ever! I love his voice in this one, and the violin solo is amazing! And as you pointed out, his story-telling really give you that feel for the people who live that life.
I'm not sure what other songs by him you've heard, but here are a few more I think you might like: "Leningrad", "Shameless", "She's Got A Way About Her", "Goodnight Saigon"
And also, because I'm not going to shut up about this one until I see you react to it (because I really REALLY think you'll like it!) "Copperhead Road" by Steve Earl is amazing!
Itzhak Perlman actually played violen on this song. And in a RUclips performance by Billy Joel, he played this and Perlman came on stage and accompanied Billy. It is great!
@@1996vivian Yes, I've seen that! So freaking amazing!
Billy is a favorite, as I'm a pianist and singer (I'm also a Home Fry ;), but let me tell you ... many of Billy's lesser known songs are just amazing: Leningrad, The Entertainer, Vienna, Zanzibar, Summer Highland Falls, You're My Home, Captain Jack, Billy the Kid, Everybody Loves you Now, so many, etc. I'm glad you enjoyed this one. It has a kind of "bigness" that is haunting. It's an anthem for the Long Island fisherman.
Been one of my favourites of Billy's for many years. It's a beautiful track and he sings it with such soul and heart.
Oh boy, when I saw the heading for this I thought, 'That sounds unusual. He's having "Alexa" react to something Billy Joel sings.' I think I either need to get rid of this headache or take a nap or both. lol
I had never heard this before either. With the visuals it reminded me of the video of John Denver on the Calypso while his song plays. Or of Gordon Lightfoot''s, The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald. Those are both great songs also by excellent singers. Thanks for sharing this today.
I'm a Long Islander and I remember fishing on Montauk Point every summer. Billy Joel is like a "family friend" to So many New Yorkers. ❤
Academy award actress Melissa Leo is in this video… her father is from the area
Grew up not from Galilee Narragansett RI most people I knew were in the life of heading to it. Great song and described many if not all. Stop Corporations! Local fishermen like John Mellencamp sings for the midwestern farmer. Billy songs for the northeast fishermen.
God where do I start, classic Billy Joel he took what was out there real life and put it to music. I am from Connecticut I had a friend who was a fisherman and at that time he would tell me stories how they would have to go further and further out just to try to make a living off the ocean. So I remember what this song is really about. Thank you for playing it
I loved this song from the moment it came out. Huge Billy Joel fan here. I knew about his daughter, Alexa Rae and his boat. My husband finally gave it a listen one night when I was pregnant. We now have a daughter named Alexa at his insistence.❤
With this song, it's like you can feel every wave beating against the hull of the Alexa for those minutes. Love the reaction! This was the first Billy Joel song that got me into his music!!! Believe me, never not grateful for that!!
One of my favorite Billy Joel songs it relates to the working men and women
Piano Man unico artista che ha solo gioielli nel suo repertorio... Dal vivo poi ancora meglio ... Da giovane un vero portento 👏🎹👏🎹
I loved this song. It's from the album 'Storm Front' which also has 2 other great tracks - 'Leningrad' and 'And So It Goes'. You must listen to those two and tell me you're not moved.
This is one of my favorite songs of all time. 🥰🥰🥰
I’ve been waiting for EVER for this reaction from SOMEBODY-and it’s you! Fantastic :)
I love this song. It is off the Storm Front album. The whole album is great!!!
Loved the reaction. Billy Joel has some amazing songs that are album cuts. In fact I think they are some of his best. Vienna and Zanzibar are 2 to check out.
easily my favorite BJ song,poignant,beautifully written. The drums are on point..it's a masterpiece.
I love that song... and most of Billy's stuff. Been a fan of that one since the damn thing came out. heh
As a legit Islander, born and raised on Long Island, this is THE quintessential Billy/Long Island song and makes us all cry. The plight of so many families lives in this song and is a reflection of the working poor and middle class being decimated by big corps. And Alexa is the name of Billy's daughter.
I forgot about this song. This is the era of Billy Joel that I love the most. Thanks for another great reaction.
This is one of my absolute favorite Billy Joel songs. Always gives me chills
I love your reactions. Thanks for that 🙂 . Do you know the song Leningrad by Billy Joel? It's great too. Many love greetings from Germany 🤗
We are right back where we where when he wrote this. Grew up in downeast Maine.
Lifelong BJ fan since the 70s,; soundttrack to my life. I love to see someone discovering it!!!!
Powerful song. Great choice!
Thanks for doing this one! It's my favourite of his.
I’m pretty sure I’ve heard this before but I don’t know that I ever understood the references. Thanks, Lyle!
I still remembered this song as OST The Hangover part 2
Love this song the beat reminds me of waves crashing against a boat
I used to have a friend ,who go to sea
Everytime I listen to this song
The memories just pop up on my window
#For the memories
Great song, great react, well done!
A very different vibe for Billy Joel, but it's a great song, especially for someone drawn to the sea.
This was cool. I barely remember hearing this song so you are not alone.
That sounded like a Sabaton song to me. Nice
Tommy Johansson made a fantastic cover to this song!Not a cover even but upgrade.Check it out,please!🙏
There is no upgrade to this.
Have you heard that song before?
No, first time.
OMG!!! Please please please, put your playlists in some kind of order. Like alphabetical.
You don't get to choose the order, it goes by date. And usually RUclips will mess it up anyway.
It goes in the square hole.