[PAR] [TLE] The Entertainer (song) [SEP] "The Entertainer" is a single by singer Billy Joel released as the only single from his 1974 album "Streetlife Serenade".  The song peaked at #34 on the US charts, a Top 40 hit for Joel that year.  The song is a cynical and somewhat satirical look at the fleeting fame of a musician and fickle public tastes ("Today I am your champion / I may have won your hearts / But I know the game / You'll forget my name / And I won't be here / in another year / if I don't stay on the charts"); this theme would be examined in the later song "It's Still Rock and Roll to Me".  Another verse in the song references the shortening of Joel's song, "Piano Man", from 5 minutes and 38 seconds to 3 minutes and 5 seconds to fit a radio slot, referenced by the lyrics "It was a beautiful song, / but it ran too long / If you're gonna have a hit, you gotta make it fit / So they cut it down to 3:05."  Additionally, the timing printed on the label of the 7" release of "The Entertainer" was 3:05, although the actual 45 length was 3:11 (while the album length was 3:41).  In the single version, Verse 3 (which starts at 1:02 in the album version) is edited out, and Verse 2 (which starts at 0:40) contains a steel guitar in its second half, which is actually featured in the second half of the "third" verse in the album version; indeed, on the single mix, the instrumental crescendo of the album version is anticipated by bringing the fuller instrumentation of Verse 3 under the vocals of Verse 2.  As a result of this, the slightly emptier original instrumentation of Verse 2 (which includes a downward slide on the synth) and the vocals of Verse 3 are completely omitted, while the instrumentation of Verse 3 (featuring the steel guitar) does appear, but earlier. [PAR] [TLE] Piano Man (song) [SEP] "Piano Man" is the first single released by Billy Joel.  It was released on November 2, 1973, and has been included on several subsequent albums.  Joel's first major hit and his signature song, the song peaked at #25 on the "Billboard" Hot 100 chart in April 1974.  In 2016, the Library of Congress selected "Piano Man" for preservation in the National Recording Registry for its "cultural, historic, or artistic significance."
[PAR] [TLE] The Entertainer ( song ) [ SEP ] " The Entertainer " is a single by singer Billy Joel released as the only single from his 1974 album " Streetlife Serenade " . The song peaked at # 34 on the US charts , a Top 40 hit for Joel that year . The song is a cynical and somewhat satirical look at the fleeting fame of a musician and fickle public tastes ( " Today I am your champion / I may have won your hearts / But I know the game / You 'll forget my name / And I wo n't be here / in another year / if I do n't stay on the charts " ) ; this theme would be examined in the later song " It 's Still Rock and Roll to Me " . Another verse in the song references the shortening of Joel 's song , " Piano Man " , from 5 minutes and 38 seconds to 3 minutes and 5 seconds to fit a radio slot , referenced by the lyrics " It was a beautiful song , / but it ran too long / If you 're gon na have a hit , you got ta make it fit / So they cut it down to 3:05 . " Additionally , the timing printed on the label of the 7 " release of " The Entertainer " was 3:05 , although the actual 45 length was 3:11 ( while the album length was 3:41 ) . In the single version , Verse 3 ( which starts at 1:02 in the album version ) is edited out , and Verse 2 ( which starts at 0:40 ) contains a steel guitar in its second half , which is actually featured in the second half of the " third " verse in the album version ; indeed , on the single mix , the instrumental crescendo of the album version is anticipated by bringing the fuller instrumentation of Verse 3 under the vocals of Verse 2 . As a result of this , the slightly emptier original instrumentation of Verse 2 ( which includes a downward slide on the synth ) and the vocals of Verse 3 are completely omitted , while the instrumentation of Verse 3 ( featuring the steel guitar ) does appear , but earlier . [PAR] [TLE] Piano Man ( song ) [ SEP ] " Piano Man " is the first single released by Billy Joel . It was released on November 2 , 1973 , and has been included on several subsequent albums . Joel 's first major hit and his signature song , the song peaked at # 25 on the " Billboard " Hot 100 chart in April 1974 . In 2016 , the Library of Congress selected " Piano Man " for preservation in the National Recording Registry for its " cultural , historic , or artistic significance . "
Which single by Billy Joel was released first, The Entertainer or Piano Man?
Which single by Billy Joel was released first , The Entertainer or Piano Man ?
Piano Man
Piano Man