does the song "Piano Man" is gay?

Рет қаралды 92,230

Alexander Avila

Жыл бұрын

from the gay chaos of the Queer Joy Charity Live Stream

Пікірлер: 602

@politemenace5781 Жыл бұрын

This reminds me of that lovely Tumblr post that starts with "you know who’s gay? paul the real estate novelist who never had time for a wife and davey who’s still in the navy and probably will be for life"

@ebeetl Жыл бұрын

first thing i thought of when i saw the title lol

@NoiseDay Жыл бұрын

Well, introduce them to each other

@shushia1658 Жыл бұрын

@@NoiseDay they know each other, they're the locals of the bar where 'the piano man' was set.

@ruisinjams Жыл бұрын

That is exactly what I thought of too 😭

@edwardtjbrown1979 Жыл бұрын

Oh sing it out Louis!

@blandedgear9704 Жыл бұрын

"Reference to the French, so that's gay" killed me.

@fishs.failureson5114 Жыл бұрын

I mean they did decriminalize homosexuality in 1791 sooo... (Also they overthrew their government a bunch, IDK if that's gay or not but it feels at least a little gay)

@jello8178 Жыл бұрын

@@fishs.failureson5114 Definitely very gay of them

@fishs.failureson5114 Жыл бұрын

@@jello8178 good to know

@connorhealy3562 Жыл бұрын

Fellas, is it gay to be a piano man? I mean, who are you even trying to play for? Emotionally/Sexually repressed men?

@eoincampbell1584 Жыл бұрын

If you can play piano then what else could be doing with those fingers? Seems sus to me.

@Corbomite_Meatballs Жыл бұрын

@@eoincampbell1584 You could sew, or arrange flowers in a vase, or put on makeup. Totally normal.

@sourgreendolly7685 Жыл бұрын

@@eoincampbell1584 I just realized why I'm bad with women 😭

@SVNG77 Жыл бұрын

@hypoelectric 10 ай бұрын

Well obviously. There’s a whole video out there somewhere explaining that exact phenomenon.

@perfectlyhopeless Жыл бұрын

As someone who consistently gets Elton John (gay man) and Billy Joel's songs mixed up, I buy it

@moonytoast116 Жыл бұрын

me tooo

@princembat Жыл бұрын

same! i genuinely thought this song was an elton john song forever

@lieeeleeee Жыл бұрын

@@princembat samee

@QueenCloveroftheice Жыл бұрын

Have you ever seen them both in the same room? Coincidence?

@insederec Жыл бұрын

@@princembat I was today years old when I learned this was not an elton john song

@loner844 Жыл бұрын

I feel like, much like the piano man didn’t know he was in a gay bar, the heterosexuals listening to the song also didn’t realize it was gay. which honestly is an amazing parallel.

@penngheeney Жыл бұрын

This comment is pure gold!

@vegeta6169 Жыл бұрын

Im bi and i didnt realize it .

@rosemary709 Жыл бұрын

this video feels like either a bet or a desperate attempt to get out of writer's block, and i am here for this energy

@stellafanders Жыл бұрын

This is exactly how this video feels like

@pumpkinoligarchy6626 Жыл бұрын

I feel,like this is more of an excuse to sing piano man lol

@spaceaxolotl6196 5 ай бұрын

Yeah I'm pretty sure that this video is a joke, it's satire on himself

@tamarbeker1701 Жыл бұрын

I love how you just took all these extremely specific and non-intuitive (to the hetero folk) logical leaps and just introduced them as taken for granted

@everfluctuating Жыл бұрын

thats queer theory in a nutshell

@Satepin Жыл бұрын

Reference to the french (that's gay)

@WizzyPuff Жыл бұрын

"'Feelin' alright' probably because of poppers" was where I lost it lmao

@TheOnlyCaprisun Жыл бұрын

“Drinks are free (in exchange for gay sex?)” is just beyond beautiful

@potatoheadhaoy Жыл бұрын

Taking back narrative power by introducing a new standard. I think that's what pissed people off about the last of us 2: presumed queerness within the ludonarrative space. You cannot select the protags' gender identities or sexuality, and thus the state of such parameters is beyond your control. Thus, one must contend with the queerness of said characters to immerse themselves, or reject it outright with reactionary blah-blah. That or pretend you are judging something solely on the gameplay, but honestly apoliticality is not a thing. Sometimes saying "you can listen, but this ain't for you bud" isn't a bad thing. It solidifies a narrative autonomy in a tangible way. Peace out fuckers, be gay do crime.

@clairetheclaire Жыл бұрын

💀"critically acclaimed heterosexual"

@MostlyLoveOfMusic Жыл бұрын

Skull meaning what?

@Carnyx72 Жыл бұрын

@@MostlyLoveOfMusic 💀

@Emma-Maze Жыл бұрын

@@MostlyLoveOfMusic skull means dead, usually because smth is so funny it killed you

@justsomegirl_xiii Жыл бұрын

I refuse to refer to any straight artist in any other way from now on

@clairetheclaire Жыл бұрын

@@MostlyLoveOfMusic the skull (💀) means "dead". and when a joke is told, in response, people sometimes say "i'm so dead", and that means that they're laughing so hard at the joke that they "died" (aka, the joke was funny). but now, instead of saying "i'm so dead" in full, people just use the skull emoji (💀)

@dontpickonme Жыл бұрын

Can't believe you missed the obvious dichotomy inherent in the title. Pianos have the black and white notes, and unlike many other instruments, you can't bend between them. The Violin Man, the Guitar Man, they don't have this rigid binary structure. The Piano Man is locked into this binaristic structure while the people around him are free to express themselves more fluidly. Clearly this is a song about a closeted man who has found himself in a gay bar and is dealing with feelings of self-repression.

@HinoYami Жыл бұрын

underrated comment!

@thesaltybeard1793 Жыл бұрын

You can bend between piano notes. There's pedals and shit.

@Iamthatis137 Жыл бұрын

@@thesaltybeard1793 exactly

@k8bls Жыл бұрын

@@thesaltybeard1793 yeah you can legato it but you can’t slide between half steps on a piano. you can’t play the microtones between half steps on a piano the way you could with voice or violin

@cisnt9244 Жыл бұрын

What about the cabinet man

@theforgottencompanion Жыл бұрын

This reminds me of all those english classes back in the day when the teacher desperately wants you to overanalyse a piece of text until you reach what they want you to see. Good times

@HotTakeAndy Жыл бұрын

OMg yes. Those drove me nuts.

@thelonelywoodstock674 Жыл бұрын

I remember those times, I always thought I was so shit at analysis because of it. Turns out, I'm fine, I just don't see whatever the teacher wanted me too. Truly, good times.

@DrZaius3141 Жыл бұрын

Actually, teachers just want you to see ANYTHING in a work of literature. As long as you spend some time thinking about it, it's fine.

@user-ug6ur9nv2s 6 ай бұрын

@@DrZaius3141good teachers do! not all, unfortunately

@lordsxman Жыл бұрын

In all seriousness though I really do think Paul (who never had time for a wife) and Davy (who's still in the navy for life) were gay lovers. I think Billy Joel in his 1970s sensibility was doing his best to politely point out that homosexuals were a part of this eclectic social scene: A piano bar on a Saturday night in the 1970's.

@kylelipp3170 Жыл бұрын

Davy was a real guy who married while in the navy and had 3 kids

@gabrielzorrilla8000 Жыл бұрын

@@kylelipp3170 He married the real state novelist and adopted the 3 children

@Queer_Nerd_For_Human_Justice Жыл бұрын

@@kylelipp3170 barf

@Queer_Nerd_For_Human_Justice Жыл бұрын

@@gabrielzorrilla8000 yes

@majkus Жыл бұрын

"In a statistic done by… a statisticker…" OK, I'm stealing that one.

@Pablo360able Жыл бұрын

putting that in my LinkedIn

@Tuvella1 Жыл бұрын

Great analysis! Finally someone is talking about the OBVIOUS queer themes of this song and the iconic straight queer ally straight Billy Joel . As we all know the "B" in LGBT+ stands for "Billy Joel". Great use of Freudian analysis here. People simply don't use Freudian analysis enough in their KZfaq video essays! Probably because his science is way too nuanced and hardcore for the weak.

@thedoughnutsystem539 Жыл бұрын

Hdhdkelak ok I’m all for the jokes but praising Freud is too far pls,,,

@angieangel555 Жыл бұрын

Can’t spell Billy Joel without Bi 😌

@marocat4749 Жыл бұрын

So many euthamisms and , unironic, how can people say its not.

@sharkofjoy 6 ай бұрын

"everyone knows the B in LGBT stands for Billy Joel" is going to haunt me for years

@Le_Fruitbowl_de_Neon Жыл бұрын

I think "making love to his tonic and gin" could also be read as him being in love with "the straightest drink" AKA a straight man.

@michealpersicko9531 Жыл бұрын

nope it's another way to call someone a drunk

@Everythingever-seeing Жыл бұрын

@@michealpersicko9531 this is all a joke, you do know that ri?

@godofbiscuitssf 5 ай бұрын

@@Everythingever-seeing brevity. Soul. Wit. Missing.

@niceasssquiddy Жыл бұрын

To expand on your point about this line: "Now John at the bar is a friend of mine, He gets me my drinks for free." John refers to the client of a sex worker, so indeed, John was a "friend" of his who does is gay.

@tamarbeker1701 Жыл бұрын

Well, of course it is

@nessesaryschoolthing Жыл бұрын

I remember the Tumblr thread analyzing this one fondly, yes. I think one of the observations they made that helps to cement where we are in this song is that, besides the single waitress, there are no women mentioned as present in this song.

@lyndonwesthaven6623 Жыл бұрын

Judging by the waitress's 'Fuck all of these people' expression in the music video, she wants to go find a nice lesbian bar

@kashiichan Жыл бұрын

@@lyndonwesthaven6623 To be fair, that's also just a normal part of being waitstaff

@jello8178 Жыл бұрын

@@kashiichan wanting to find a lesbian bar?

@marocat4749 Жыл бұрын

It could be straight up b feminist and or it eing associated eing lesbian during that time?!

@desmondcoppin591 Жыл бұрын

The waitress was his wife…

@MadameCorgi Жыл бұрын

This is aggressively theatre kid

@Iamthatis137 Жыл бұрын

I fucking love you Alex. “Look up Freudian analysis… but don’t read too much into it. “ 💀💀💀

@AWSVids Жыл бұрын

Given the critically acclaimed heterosexual's well-known close friendship with the critically acclaimed homosexual also known as a "piano man"... this analysis checks out.

@wweltz Жыл бұрын

Lovely singing voice! Also, all jokes aside, I always assumed Davy was intentionally implied to be queer in the song.

@pot-ay-topot-ah-to4325 Жыл бұрын

“he clearly wants to be in the piano man,” he said, and, without further explanation, moved on, leaving a trace of horror in all the eyes that watched him.

@EmB856 Жыл бұрын

Me, a bisexual who enjoys GTs finds this fascinating.

@johnbella2422 Жыл бұрын

As a Bisexual man I posit that Homosexuality and Lesbianism are branching extensions of the centrist bisexual, but it's just a theory... A Sex Theory!

@Queer_Nerd_For_Human_Justice Жыл бұрын

Science!

@erraticonteuse Жыл бұрын

G&Ts are in fact the most bisexual of drinks, as they baffle both homos and heteros and allow us to blend in via the confusion of both sides associating it with the other group.

@misfits9294 Жыл бұрын

...This was all just a ploy to flex your singing skills on us, wasn't it-

@saulgoodthey Жыл бұрын

i know it’ll be a good video when i look at the thumbnail and feel like i’m about to witness the biggest reach in the world. i’m completely sold, five stars

@babysleepysheepyrainbow Жыл бұрын

My favorite theory is that the Piano Man has been working at this gay bar for years and he just doesn't know he works at a gay bar

@lunarotimas Жыл бұрын

"reference to the french, that's gay." Has me DYING

@imawakemymindisalive13 5 ай бұрын

are they gay? or european

@cepsep4929 Жыл бұрын

THANK YOU for this. i will be sharing this with my painfully straight, billy joel fanboy of a father this thanksgiving. lovely stuff, truly 👏👏

@HardcoreFanfictioner Жыл бұрын

I feel like I'm being trolled but I'm loving every second of it

@sadcrowman Жыл бұрын

Every now and then, I feel compelled to listen to this song, but never knew why. I now feel enlightened.

@Iamthatis137 Жыл бұрын

Same. Came to KZfaq because I needed queer musical connection. Was headed to Sam Smith. Was not expecting this to be dropped on my lap. Always loved this song and secretly understood it as a sad queer anthem but couldn’t really express it. And the “fuck it” energy of this analysis was exactly what I needed for the mood I’m in.

@clairetheclaire Жыл бұрын

the purple theme is giving

@lilwoofs Жыл бұрын

I think it does is gay? (Also I think your singing voice sounds really good wow-)

@breannahhenry2669 Жыл бұрын

Nothing but wisdom, as usual. I was low key offended when you stopped singing, 1) because you’re really good, and 2) because I was having fun harmonizing with you. Otherwise, it was great 😂

@hydro0___ Жыл бұрын

This is actually the most sane English teacher

@neptunehenriksen Жыл бұрын

Insightful, evocative, well-researched, beautifully presented. If you were in my class, I'd give you an A+

@lexismore 9 ай бұрын

🤣💖

@MCFiFi99 Жыл бұрын

I know you're using a joking tone troughout the video, but low-key you made very good points

@outsidethewall8488 Жыл бұрын

As a bisexual, I love Gin

@Yammenkow 6 ай бұрын

Same

@simplyblank Жыл бұрын

You should do Are they gay with Goncharov and Andrey from Goncharov (1973), the best mafia movie ever made, that's been having a resurgence! The homoerotic tension between both Goncharov and Andrey... And also between Katya and Sofia... It's so strong and so underrated, at least it was for a long time until the recent resurgence. I would love to hear your thoughts on it!! :)

@alicwz5515 Жыл бұрын

That scene when Sofia pulls out the gun but she cant bring herself to kill Katya, letting her escape alive = gay, very gay also the enemies to lovers to double agent enemies to secret lovers, amazing plot twist damn

@sokkaluvr Жыл бұрын

oh my god, im so tired of gay "people" pushing their gay agenda on my favorite movies !! ive been watching this movie since i was a CHILD and have NEVER noticed any of this "homoerotic tension" between 2 very STRAIGHT, HETEROSEXUAL men. how dare you...

@bluegoreunsociablefiend5920 Жыл бұрын

may i ask, where did you watch it?

@saulgoodthey Жыл бұрын

@@bluegoreunsociablefiend5920 i saw it in theaters for a re-release, but i think it’s only on quibi now :(

@bluegoreunsociablefiend5920 Жыл бұрын

@@saulgoodthey can you share quibi link?

@majoo9507 Жыл бұрын

I don't know if this is satirical or not but I love it sm lol But yeah Paul and Davy are gay wbk

@pissqueendanniella4688 Жыл бұрын

That graphic showing drink preferences amongst gays and lesbians hit me so hard: my top 3 drinks in order are beer, tequila, and wine which apparently makes me the most basic of lesbian bitches 😹😹😹😹😹

@marocat4749 Жыл бұрын

Wine is good :P and tequila, an beer depends i guess. Also wine can be as unclassy too, and really diverse . Good basic :P

@oliviamackenzie9725 Жыл бұрын

was not prepared for how legit stunning your voice is

@lexismore 9 ай бұрын

This has that surprising "we're all online nine months apart but somehow caught up the exact same 11pm-ish" energy that made the early internets so magical. 💖💖💖 As another commenter commented, this seems like something you'd make to get past writer's block or avoid a midterm at 4am, and i'm 100% here for it.

@lenaeospeixinhos Жыл бұрын

"But don't read too much into it" lol

@TedTrembinski Жыл бұрын

The livestream brought me so much joy! Thanks for facilitating and giving us this important ethnomusicological jaunt!

@Iamthatis137 Жыл бұрын

Came to the tube just now because I needed queer musical connection. Was headed to Sam Smith. Was not expecting this to be dropped on my lap. Always loved this song and secretly understood it as a sad queer anthem but couldn’t really express it. And the “fuck it” energy of this analysis was exactly what I needed for the mood I’m in. 🌈💖💜💙🌈

@onionbowie3194 Жыл бұрын

This is legitimately the best thing I have ever watched

@alittlemrzn9891 Жыл бұрын

Pls do a whole cover of this song

@-homechord-2908 Жыл бұрын

I immediately sent this to my dad. We'll see how that goes lmfao.

@ironickomedakin Жыл бұрын

I like ur colour scheme for this PowerPoint. Ourple.

@toku_moriya Жыл бұрын

Was expecting this to be a skit/joke that didn't take itself too seriously, but I can honesty say the points in this powerpoint presentation were pretty good

@Dawnpool67 Жыл бұрын

Excellent analysis, good fellow, and thank you kindly for the serenade. I would be in staunch support of more videos of this ilk.

@siginotmylastname3969 Жыл бұрын

Me tooooooo 😭😭😭

@0xERM Жыл бұрын

Didnt expect to get reminded of "does bruno mars is gay" today but I'm all for it

@Purple-yv7by Жыл бұрын

I love this, reminds me of messing around in English class and making everything be about queerness or have some really big political message when really it's just a ketchup ad

@potato.pancake Жыл бұрын

bro has pipes omfg

@potato.pancake Жыл бұрын

i actively knew that alex was a theatre kid so idk what i expected

@charligoesslowlyinsane Жыл бұрын

the second bar of music in the top two bars at 8:45 is in compound time (7/8 specifically) and that's a slay. also all the music on the slide changes time signature every bar and honestly good for her.

@JordanSullivanadventures Жыл бұрын

I feel like you're doing a satire of...yourself and I'm absolutely here for it.

@DrZaius3141 Жыл бұрын

You missed another obvious reference that comes right at the start: It's 9 o'clock! The clock has always had phallic connotations with the big hand representing the torso and the little hand representing the actual phallus. 6 o'clock would be the time to "hang", if you will, 3 o'clock would be a common depicition of an upright man with an erection, yet 9 o'clock clearly represents swinging the other way. And that's not even mentioning that it's all happening on Saturday. Why would he choos that weekday in particular if not for the fact that it rhymes with "gay"?

@tinsha69 Жыл бұрын

idk, does it is gay?

@perelandrawaddle Жыл бұрын

I'm a Gin loving lesbian. I didnt realize we were so rare.

@ezratellington 6 ай бұрын

I'm laughing out loud, but also you have a beautiful singing voice!

@jernoll Жыл бұрын

I don't know what possessed you to create it, but this video may be the most brilliant thing I've ever seen.

@icewave3031 10 ай бұрын

“A statistic done by a statisticer” is a new phrase I need to use in my daily life

@asterisktrash Жыл бұрын

this is so compelling! I always had a feeling (and as someone who originally hails from the fictional land of Long Island, I can confirm we are all unified in our love of Billy Joel, the greatest ally) but it was so helpful to have all the evidence laid out so neatly!!!

@emilygardner6779 Жыл бұрын

videos that would deal critical damage to my father-in-law

@lmnc_dmnad Жыл бұрын

This used to be my fav song when I was younger and I used to like Billy Joel and now I’m trans and like men. It all makes sense now

@rikki635 Жыл бұрын

I watched this live and cackled the whole way through 😂 the cutting analysis we didn't know we needed, thank you for this insight

@noahpettibon Жыл бұрын

Gonna need the algorithm to pick this up hard in like 9 years and secure its place in internet history

@lyndonwesthaven6623 Жыл бұрын

'Look up Freudian psychoanalysis- but don't read too much into it'

@moribucci Жыл бұрын

I'm still reeling from the reference to the village people as "ethnographers"

@heisenburgerlover Жыл бұрын

Thank you for your bravery, pointig this out

@JCJasion Жыл бұрын

In 1974-5-6, I DID catch the gay subtext of that song, as well as "James."

@lun444 Жыл бұрын

I've never really analyzed this song or even listened to the lyrics on a surface level, but I've always loved the melody and this video really made me love this song without even listening to it.

@fullmusicbard2591 Жыл бұрын

this is the best analysis of piano man i have ever seen in my life and i cannot believe i've never heard it before. how much money would you need in order to do an analysis of the clear butch lesbian crushing on a straight (?) girl in only the good die young?

@Alice-cl9cf Жыл бұрын

"Come out, Virginia, don't let me wait" literally could the gay subtext be any more obvious

@fullmusicbard2591 Жыл бұрын

@@Alice-cl9cf and the narrator asking if "your mother ever said a prayer for me"? talking about how "the sinners are much more fun"? 🤨

@sourgreendolly7685 Жыл бұрын

No joke, I cannot sing the sing without imagining it as a drag performance. I can only hope a braver sapphic than I steps up.

@kevint1929 Жыл бұрын

The phrase 'critically acclaimed heterosexual' is absolutely hilarious

@sourgreendolly7685 Жыл бұрын

"I'm not sure what bisexuals are" don't worry, we don't either

@mothumn Жыл бұрын

fun fact! long island is not a real place but a setting in the percy jackson books (gay books). hope this helps :)

@anongoldster9915 Жыл бұрын

thanks

@ashoalcraft4404 6 ай бұрын

This is my favorite thing on the Internet.

@sweetest4684 Жыл бұрын

Thanks for making me laugh and educating me, Alex ! Always a pleasure xo

@snager80 Жыл бұрын

This reminds me of the old meme where people look for the eyeball Pyramid where it isn't, and then every once in a while they actually find it. But the meme is to look for triangles where they aren't supposed to be so they ignore the actual eyeball Pyramid that they probably really did find.

@kingawesomness6342 Жыл бұрын

The Truth Come Out "Does Bruno Mars Is Gay?" Game Grumps Moment

@octag0nist Жыл бұрын

"the waitress is practicing politics" ->political lesbianism is actually such a fantastic connection

@sh00kspeared73 Жыл бұрын

This has the vibes of a high school english class presentation

@resistance1399 10 ай бұрын

i find this video strangely comforting, watching it for the third time rn…

@kevint1929 Жыл бұрын

Can I just say man's got a decent singing voice, I'd unironically be down to hear them cover the whole thing

@renaissancewoman3770 Жыл бұрын

I feel so vindicated by this in many ways.

@dragonfly_closet 5 ай бұрын

I love all your stuff, but this is so, so funny, thank you

@smileyp4535 Жыл бұрын

So, in conclusion, it seems we would say that "piano man" is, in fact, does gay

@elebonnypan Жыл бұрын

since I had Piano Man as my most listened song on my Spotify wrapped, I think I have the qualification to confirm that the song is, in fact, gay

@adelaidefox9707 Жыл бұрын

It came out in 73 cus it was about Goncharov and Andrey

@Toni-by6td Жыл бұрын

no wonder ive always loved this song

@Ebie_ Жыл бұрын

"Does piano man is gay." Presentation, 2022.

@charcharbug Жыл бұрын

when someone asks you "why do you like that song so much?"

@chickennugget481 Жыл бұрын

this feels like a conspiracy theory and i love it

@HorrorBorealis Жыл бұрын

can you make one about how "running up that hill" is about buttsex? the hill being the butt, obviously. The "swap our places" part about being a switch. Nobody believes me.

@amandajarman6127 Жыл бұрын

You have never been wrong

@esutliff6508 Жыл бұрын

I love your videos, and I've been watching you and Rowan Ellis for years. Now I'm applying to give a TED talk on queer film. I never would have been brave enough to apply without your academic yet hilarious queer content. Thx so much!