Only the Good Die Young
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| "Only The Good Die Young" | ||
|---|---|---|
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| Single by Billy Joel | ||
| from the album The Stranger | ||
| Released | 1977 | |
| Format | 7" | |
| Recorded | 1977 | |
| Genre | Pop, Rock | |
| Length | 3:53 | |
| Label | Columbia | |
| Producer(s) | Phil Ramone | |
| Chart positions | ||
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| Billy Joel singles chronology | ||
| "Movin' Out" (1976) |
"Only The Good Die Young" (1977) |
"She's Always A Woman" (1977) |
"Only The Good Die Young" is a popular song from Billy Joel's 1977 pop rock album, The Stranger.
Due to its Catholic references, the song met resistance on certain radio stations. Joel made the most of the controversy surrounding the song - when it was banned [citation needed] at Seton Hall University, he wrote a letter to the president of the university thanking him for the notoriety and asking him to ban the rest of his songs [citation needed]. In the late 70's, while planning a trip to the University of Notre Dame, Joel signed a contract with the university stating the only song he would not be allowed to play is Only the Good Die Young [citation needed]. Consequently, Billy Joel played the song six times in a row, and changed the lyrics to include references to "Notre Dame and Saint Mary's Girls[citation needed]." He has been banned from the University since [citation needed]. Joel also reportedly received death threats if he played the song at a concert in St. Louis - he responded by playing the song twice [citation needed].
In a demo, included in the box set My Lives, features a slower, reggae version of the song. Joel uses a church organ in the song, aiding the general theme of the song. Joel has stated publicly that he changed the reggae beat to a shuffle beat at the request of his longtime drummer, Liberty DeVitto, who did not like reggae music.
"Other:"
It is also the title of the final song on Iron Maiden's 1988 album Seventh Son of a Seventh Son.
It is also the title of a song by the rap group D12 about the death of their former group member Bugz aka Karnail Paul Pitts.
Joel's oft-repeated quote defending the song is "The point of the song wasn't so much anti-Catholic as pro-lust".
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