And So It Goes

This article is about the 1990 Billy Joel song. For other uses, see And So It Goes (disambiguation).
"And So It Goes"
Single by Billy Joel
from the album Storm Front
Released 1990
Format CD single
Recorded The Hit Factory, Times Square Studio, New York, United States
Length 3:38
Label Columbia
Writer(s) Billy Joel
Producer(s) Billy Joel
Mick Jones
Billy Joel singles chronology
"That's Not Her Style"
(1990)
"And So It Goes"
(1990)
"Shameless"
(1991)

"And So It Goes" is a lyric poem written by Billy Joel in 1983, though it was not released until six years later. It appeared as the tenth and final track of his album Storm Front. The original 1983 demo was released on the 2005 box set My Lives.[1] Joel wrote the song about a doomed relationship with model Elle Macpherson. Their relationship was dramatic, as Macpherson was only a teenager while Joel was reaching his mid-30s. Joel dated Macpherson for a brief time shortly before becoming involved with model Christie Brinkley, who would ultimately become his second wife. The song is unique for Joel as it is written in iambic tetrameter. In the original demo version of "And So It Goes," Joel sings the melody simply, accompanied by a simple piano backdrop, in a style very reminiscent of a hymn. On the 1989 album version, Joel sings and plays all the instrumentation (piano and synthesizers). The official video is a live take in front of a concert audience.

The single peaked at No. 37 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 and No. 5 on the U.S. Adult Contemporary chart in 1990. It has been covered by many subsequent artists (see "Cover Versions" below). The King’s Singers and others have developed several vocal harmony arrangements of the song, which are often performed by high school and college choirs.[2][3]

The song was featured at the end of the Boston Legal episode "Son of the Defender".[4]

On November 16, 2010, during an interview on the Howard Stern show on Sirius Radio, Billy Joel was asked what song is his best work that is least appreciated. To answer this question, he played "And So It Goes."

Cover versions

Chart positions

Chart (1990) Peak
position
Canadian Singles Chart[11] 30
Japanese Singles Chart[12] 12
U.S. Billboard Hot 100 37
U.S. Billboard Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks 5
U.S. Billboard Hot 100 Airplay 57

The expression

References

  1. "Amazon.ca". Retrieved 2012-01-14.
  2. "King's Singers - Male Chorus". Singers.com. Retrieved 2012-01-14.
  3. "And So It Goes, Pop Choral Series - Hal Leonard Online". Halleonard.com. Retrieved 2012-01-14.
  4. TV.com. "Boston Legal: Son of the Defender - Season 3, Episode 18". TV.com. Retrieved 2012-01-14.
  5. "Carmen Rasmusen". JPop.com. Retrieved 2012-01-14.
  6. "Return To You: Sara Gazarek: Music". Amazon.com. Retrieved 2012-01-14.
  7. "Good Vibrations: The King's Singers: MP3 Downloads". Amazon.com. Retrieved 2012-01-14.
  8. "The Pink In The Grey: Kevin Wong: MP3 Downloads". Amazon.com. Retrieved 2012-01-14.
  9. "The Well: Jennifer Warnes: Music". Amazon.com. Retrieved 2012-01-14.
  10. "Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada". Collectionscanada.gc.ca. Retrieved 2012-01-14.
  11. Oricon Singles Chart Oricon Singles Chart (Retrieved 2 November 2012)
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