Time: 2024-07-21
When Billy Joel released his fifth studio album , The Stranger , in 1977 , the song Vienna flew mostly under the radar . Despite being just a B - side to the hit Just the Way You Are , the bluesy number has become a cult favorite over the years . Today , Vienna stands as one of Joels top three streamed songs on Spotify , alongside Uptown Girl and Piano Man , with an official music video released in April of this year.
One woman on TikTok declared , " No one understands a woman in her 20s the way Billy Joel did in 1977 when he wrote Vienna . " Another shared that the song inspired her to embark on a solo adventure to Vienna . The song has resonated with a generation of young women , with Joel theorizing that Vienna 's appeal to them stems from its appearance in the 2004 rom - com 13 Going on 30 , a movie popular with girls.
Vienna is written from the perspective of an older and wiser individual urging a young dreamer to go easier on themselves . It 's a rejection of the rat race , a reminder that life is long and it 's okay to not have everything figured out . The song 's lyrics offer a soothing reminder that sometimes it 's okay to slow down and take a breath , especially in a society obsessed with fast - paced living and grind culture.
As young women put pressure on themselves to perform multiple roles within a short timeframe , Vienna serves as an instant reminder that it 's okay to take a step back . " We 're gon na be okay in the end , " says Shauna Murphy , a 22 - year - old in Dublin . Mirelle Ortega , a 34 - year - old writer and illustrator in Los Angeles , found solace in the song during her late teens and early 20s when she felt immense pressure to have her life figured out.
Joel 's use of Vienna as a metaphor for life stems from an encounter with his father in the city . After being estranged from his father for years , the two reconnected in Vienna when Joel was in his 20s . A conversation during that trip had a lasting impact on him , leading him to reflect on the value society places on individuals of all ages . Vienna serves as a reminder that life is a journey and there 's no need to rush to achieve everything in one 's youth.
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