Like all great artists before and since, Billy Joel always seemed to inherently know when to pivot. One of those pivot points was the 1980 album Glass Houses, which found him rocking much harder than he had ever previously done. “You May Be Right” gave him the ideal song to showcase this new side.
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What was the song about? What’s with the breaking glass at the beginning of the song? And why did Joel feel the need to fix what wasn’t really broken. Let’s find out with a deep dive to “You May Be Right,” one of the most exciting rockers from this one-of-a-kind artist.
Estranged from The Stranger
The Stranger pushed Billy Joel to stratospheric levels of success when he released it in 1977. It featured four Top 25 singles and a signature non-single track in “Scenes from an Italian Restaurant.” 52nd Street solidified that success a year later. There are indeed rock songs on both of these albums. But Joel felt that he was a little bit ballad-heavy.
This became problematic, because his success led to the opportunity to play bigger and bigger venues. Putting the tender slow songs across in these vaster settings wasn’t always easy. Thus, Joel decided that he wanted to put together a record that let his piano play more of a supporting role while leaning heavier into guitars, drums, and saxophones.
For an album title, Joel chose the title Glass Houses. He explained his reasoning in an interview with Playboy:
“It was, ‘I’m going to throw a rock at the image people have of me as this mellow balladeer.’ We had been doing rock ‘n’ roll before, but there happened to be more of it on this record. The old thing about people who live in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones—I don’t believe it. I think, ‘Why not? Take chances.’ I really wanted to throw a rock at my own house.”
That’s why the album cover features Joel poised to heave a rock through a house with giant glass windows. The fact that Joel once lived in that house only ramps up the symbolism. He was indeed trying to shatter people’s perceptions of who he was at a musician. In addition, he was taking a preemptive strike at his critics, some of whom would claim that Glass Houses was Joel trying to hop on the New Wave bandwagon.
While songs like “All for Leyna” and “Sometimes a Fantasy” definitely contain some New Wave vibes, the album’s opening track, “You May Be Right,” is a heaping slab or old-fashioned rock and roll, complete with a furious sax solo from Richie Cannata. When you hear the breaking glass at the start of the song, that’s Joel’s symbolically crashing through those Glass Houses.
What is the Meaning of “You May Be Right”?
“You May Be Right” stands tall in a long line of Joel songs where he’s trying to convince a reticent girl to let him be the one. Only this guy might not be as righteous as heroes of songs like “An Innocent Man.” And he might not be looking for a long relationship, but rather a one-night stand. But he at least seems earnest in thinking that his brand of chaos is just what this cloistered girl needs.
He begins the song apologetic, but not quite, for his unhinged behavior: And we all enjoyed the weekend for a change. Perhaps he’s not doing himself any favors by listing all his reckless deeds, but there’s something charming in his steadfast insistence on taking every wrong turn. ‘Cause you might enjoy some madness for a while, he suggests. And maybe she’s secretly drawn to him after all: And you wouldn’t want me any other way.
It’s too late to fight / It’s too late to change me, the narrator explains in the chorus. He even admits that her protestations might be on point, but is that worth her passing up the opportunity to walk on the wild side?: You may be wrong, but for all I know / You may be right. We know that Billy Joel was right to spread his wings with this song and this album, crafting a bigger sound for an ever-expanding career.
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