"Allentown" is a song by American singer Billy Joel and the lead track on Joel's 1982 album The Nylon Curtain. Release as the album's second single, it was accompanied by a conceptual music video. Upon its release, and especially in subsequent years, "Allentown" emerged as an anthem of blue-collar America, representing both the aspirations and frustrations of America's working class in the late 20th century.
Allentown (song)
Allentown, Pennsylvania, for which the song is named
William Martin Joel is an American singer, songwriter and pianist. Commonly nicknamed the "Piano Man" after his signature 1973 song of the same name, Joel has had a successful music career as a solo artist since the 1970s. From 1971 to 1993, he released twelve studio albums that spanned the genres of pop and rock music, and in 2001 released a one-off studio album of classical music compositions. Joel is one of the world's best-selling music artists and the fourth-best-selling solo artist in the United States, with over 160 million records sold worldwide. His 1985 compilation album, Greatest Hits – Volume I & Volume II, is one of the best-selling albums in the United States.
Joel in 2009
Joel performing in September 1972
Joel (second row, second from left) with other musicians for the recording of "We Are the World" in 1985
Joel performing in June 1994