Comments: 91

• Ray Jay from OhioDoran from Utah, I think the song about New Orleans could be "House of the Rising Sun" which The Animals released in 1964 when Billy Joel turned 15. That is about the age when you start appreciating popular music and playing the juke box. That song is about misery and dissatisfaction in life, similar fo the characters in Italian Restaurant.
• John From Nj from Somerdale, New JerseyWhen I first heard this song, it sounded like He was singing, Brenda Renee and Eddie, using the girl's first and middle names.
• Ramjet from CooleradoI always thought it was “Brenda Renetti”…
• Rj from Los AngelesSo "Brenda and Eddie were still going steady by summer of '75"... then later in the song after what seems like years into a struggling marriage... "Brenda and Eddie had had it already by the summer of '75." What am I failing to grasp?
• Mitch from Los Angeles Formally Levittown NyYou are wrong on the village green. Levittown had a series of parks that has a big pool. strip mall and green areas to play. Billy lived a black away for the west village green. I grew up going to that and the east village green a few block south of that one.
• Sarah Murphy from Philadelphia, PaJeff, I'd love to hear your starwars parody, haha
• Jeff Hingle from LouisianaI don't like to brag (or maybe I do in this case), but I wrote an excellent STAR WARS parody song to the tune of "Scenes from an Italian Restaurant." I wish the original song was more well-known so that my parody of it might be more readily appreciated.
• Rich from South CarolinaIf you listen closely to the final verse...it seems as if he's putting an 's' at the end of the colors? That said, I always thought the last verse 10 was: "Bottle of reds, bottle of whites", meaning that life had changed them to the point that, in middle age, they were no longer drinking the wine but taking the pills to get by.
• Hummingbird from UtahI love this song with all my heart!
• Doran from UtahI wonder which song Billy was referring to that played from the jukebox about New Orleans....
• Dorice Bucci from Providence, RiI heard this song on 105.5 coming home tonight. My husband & I saw Billy Joel 3 times at the Providence Covic Center (now The Dunkin Donits Center) over the years. What a fantastic performer!!!If you ever have the opportunity to see him & his band, go. You won't be disappointed!
• Dorice from Providence, RiI heard this song in the car going Christmas shopping with my son on 105.7 WROR out of Boston. Always liked this song.
• Robert Gerringer from Houston TexasC'mon people. I lived in Hicksville in the late 60s. The Parkway diner was located in the strip center on levittown Pkwy next to the pool. The village green was also in the same general area. Down levittown where it intersected with old country road was indeed a wetsons....first fast food hamburger I ever had. Billy and his buddies hung out in the trees and drank beer and smoked weed at night....or so I was told by the older brother of a family I knew there.
• Oscar Kvelland from Bethpage, Long IslandWas Joel's Village Green on Jerusalem Ave. or Newbridge Rd.? Joel's voice was at it's peak for "The Stranger" album. I've always loved "Vienna". The whole album is great. Listen to Joel's voice on VIENNA. Perfection!
• Rain. R. from New Jerseymy forever friend/ first love and I still talk. We never got past the “steady” stage of love but we have sweet innocent romantic loving memories of each other.
  He “gave” this song to me on my 60th birthday. At first I didn’t understand, but now I do and i appreciate the
  feelings that prompted my “gift!”
• Eric T from NhThe lyrics in the song is most clearly "bottle of reds, bottle of whites" in the song. I can't find any reference from Joel about this. It would make sense though. And this is definitely one of my favorite BJ songs. Along with Zanzibar of course!
• Johnluke Sabile from Stony Brook University NyScenes From An Italian Restaurant >> Bohemian Rhapsody (means that I love this song much better than any classic hit from Queen, including Bohemian Rhapsody!)
  
  This is by far my #1 favorite Billy Joel Hit!
• Mary Ellen from Kearny New JerseyI love Billy Joel. Of course everyone loves Piano Man but my Husband and I have a favorite Italian Restaurant. Angelo in Lyndhurst, NJ
  We called it our song as he liked red wine and me white
  My husband passed away 3 years ago and this was our song and our restaurant.
  Hoping to see Billy Joel again at MSG
• Robert from Delray Beach FlI grew up in Levittown, East Village Green.,(Just off of Jerusalem Ave and Constellation Rd) till move to Syosset N.Y 1962. A fellow classmate in 1967 John Dizek was in The Hassles. That is when I became aware of Billy. Christianos was the Italian Rest. in Syosset, that I frequented. Dollar bills, hanging from ceiling, hoping to catch up with Billy. For the July 2011 issue of Full Throttle magazine they did interview and photos from Billys 20th Century Cycle museum, in Oyster Bay, N.Y. My friend, Gregg Sheridan, of Full Throttle needed a car for issue. When told Billy was on cover, I said sign me up. Billy Joel was on cover and my car was shown in lower corner, and featured history of car inside magazine. Some time later I met up with Billy, after he had signed magazine for me. It was great to spend time with him, albeit short. Hoping to run into him sometime again.
• Sonny Shores from Cherry Grove, NyI'm pretty sure that Billy Joel hung out at the East Village Green, which is directly en route between Levittown and Hicksville. I hung out at the North Village Green. We all knew that Billy Joel hung out at the East. The East Green is also closer to the parkway, and on a main thoroughfare. The North is tucked into the residential area, as is the South and Central Green. And it's true, once you left, it was behind you like leaves in a storm.
  
  BTW- Growing up, I belonged to a Boys' Choir which met at Hicksville Jr, High. The director, Jerry Barker, was Billy Joel's jr. high music teacher. When Billy Joel first hit the charts Jerry told us that he wasn't a very good student and would probably be a flash in the pan. I think Jerry was wrong. Maybe a little jealous?
  
  I landed here because I host a trivia show and a musical bingo show on Fire Island. Thanks for the info on the number.
• Mike from Richardson, TxI’m amazed to read that Billy Joel usually composed his music fist. I guess I shouldn’t be since he is a pianist, but his lyrics (Scenes from an Italian Restaurant) are so beautifully crafted that I assumed he wrote carefully and deliberately and them put music around them.
• Cindy from Bushkill, PaI lived in Bethpage. Before I had my drivers license used to walk up S. Oyster Bay Rd. to Plainview Shopping Center to MY HOUSE where Billy Joel was practicing with THE HASSLES. I remember the first time I saw him. I was in awe of him. I thought Christianos was on Hempstead Tpke. in Levittown. Did they have another restaurant in Syosset?
• Katie from MineolaBrian in Orlando - You are correct!
  
  The "Parkway Diner" was in the 1960's at the northwest corner of Jericho Tpke and Guinea Woods Road in Mineola/Old Westbury.
  
  The folks who here keep saying it was at the end of Levittown Pkwy and Old Country Rd where there is a Dunkin and 7/11 now - no it wasn't - there was a Wetsons Hamburgers there in the 1960's. It the 1970's and 80's it was a Used Record and CD Store.
  
  The Parkway Diner was near the intersection (old) of the Northern State Parkway and the Meadowbrook Parkway. That whole old dangerous interchange was fixed / corrected / in the 1980's. Brian said it - yes it was one of the last out front grills. Pull your car in as you exited the Northern State, hop back on for the Meadowbrook.
  
  Next to the Parkway Diner there was a Carvel. Now today where that Carvel was there is the Old Westbury Diner (nee Seacrest Diner of the 1970's, 80's, 90' and 00's.)(Famous robbery there in 1982 I believe it was).
  
  The Parkway Diner was there on the corner described above and now, since the 1970's, there is a Mobil Gas Station where the old Parkway Diner was.
• Robert from San Diego, CaI had never seen a whole page dedicated to this song (which happens to be my favorite of Billy's)!
  When I was in college, in Mexico City, I put together a group of friends and spent about 6 months producing a video of this song. To this date, I don't believe there is an official video made.
  I know I took some liberties (mainly in the time period depicted on screen), but I think the essence of the song is pretty much captured by a bunch of 20 year old idealist students full of dreams.
  You can watch the video here and, if you like it, I'd love to hear from you. Now, if you love it, I'd love for Billy Joel to hear from you... :-)
  
  Here's the link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NbHaQkcKKOo
• Rob from Cape Cod, MaI went to Fork Lane Elementary in Hicksville, same as Billy Joel. We did not live in the "Levittown" section of Hicksville, they were Levitt houses. Bill O'Reilly also grew up in a Levitt house in neighboring Westbury. The West Village Green - a (mall strip) shopping center, park and pool are about 1/2 mile south of Hicksville High. And one block north of Levittown Pkwy- on the EAST side of Newbridge. The Italian restaurant WAS Christiano's in Sysosset. He grew up on Meeting La., which ended at Fork Lane, where our elementary school was. He took piano lessons directly across the street from my house.
• Dt from Gulf Breeze, FlAgree with JFV from Philly on the final "bottle of reds, bottle of whites" line, I also thought he was referencing moving on to pills. Brilliant song. I grew up in the Midwest and Shea Stadium is the closest I've been to LI, but I knew quite a few Brenda and Eddies.
• Hank from San Diego, CaThis is my last comment on "SCENES FROM AN ITALIAN RESTAURANT". Go to: http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=YdA6o7qTcvo
  Go to the 5:55 minute mark and you will here Billy Joel premiere and dedicate this song to Christiano's. This was before 'The Stranger" was released. End of subject!
• Tara from Bethpage, NyGrew up with Billy on Long Island, his first band, The Hassles practiced in my friends basement...and the local bars in and around Hicksville. It was hard to Billy to have privacy once he got a bit famous..we would see him at Bayville Beach on his Harley and say hi, he denied he was Billy..it must have been hard with the fame..loved seeing him at Jones Beach..when he told the LI crowd to be proud of their LI heritage and if any city person looked down on them he said "tell them to kiss my Long Island ass"..his first drummer was my girl friends brother in Plainview and one of his first guitarests was my boyfirends friend...and Christianos in Syosset is the restaurant he refers to in Scenes from at Italian Restaurant. Once a Long Islander..always one...its in the blood.
• Dee from Pownal, VtI grew up on Flamingo Rd. in Levittown, one block over from Spindle Rd. in Hicksville. My older brother was friends with Billy Joel and he was at my house many times. It is the West Village Green on Newbridge Rd. Hicksville HS was also on Newbridge Rd. about a half mile away. Grand Union was on the other side of the street, not at the green. I remember Billy playuing stickball there with my brother and the rest of the greasers. He did live on Meeting Lane as my friend and I cleaned houses to earn money and Billy Joel's parents house was one of the houses we cleaned. I remember Billy playing the piano while we clean ed.
• Hank from San Diego, CaGlad you have been to Christianos forever. I had been going there since the late 50's, but that is neither here Nor there. Before this song made it to wax, it was introduced at the CW Post concert. Billy Joel stated, This song is dedicated to a restaurant I hung out at in Syosset call Christianos. Two other bloggers were also at the concert and collaborated this statement on the blog. Joel had changed his story later on to give the song a wider appeal. A lot of people have heard of Little Italy, not many have heard of Christianos. Also, Billy Joel wrote songs mainly about LI and not the city. Bottom line, unless you were there at the C.W. Post concert in May 1977, then you cannot state otherwise. IT WAS CHRISTIANOS.
• Teagan from Grand Rapids, MiTo the Anon accusing Pete. I'm pretty sure he's referencing Mark Rivera's performance from the live recording of Scenes from an Italian Restaurant that is connected on this page. Pete isn't talking about the real recording.
• Jfv from Philadelphia, PaDespite what it says in the printed lyrics, I was always pretty sure I could hear Joel sing the first line of the last verse of this song as “A bottle of reds, ouh, a bottle of whites”, whereby he reverses the order of and pluralizes the two colors. I believe it symbolizes the transition to more potent drugs as life’s troubles begin to mount. The narrator has moved from wine (white and red) to pills (reds and whites). Has anyone else every heard it that way?
• AnonymousPete, you can't be that stupid being a NY'er. The sax solo on the record is played by Richie Cannata. In case you didn't realize, there was a band line-up BEFORE 1983.
• Mike from Levittown, NyI'm reading all of these people say that the 'Parkway Diner' was in Mass. or elsewhere. The PARKWAY DINER was a diner at the intersection of Levittown Parkway and Old Country Rd. in Hicksville, NY. Right up the block from the 'VILLAGE GREEN'. The song revolves around fictional characters in BILLY JOEL'S HOMETOWN.
  Sheesh.
• Harold from University Park, PaI've always wondered where Joel sang the "live" version of this song. You know, the version that was originally "unreleased?" It's my favorite version of the song.
• Dan from Mineola, NyThis song is dedicated to an old italian resturant in syosset, new york called Cristiano's. My mother told me she had a friend that worked there, and Billy would frequently come to the resturant on a date since it was his favorite resturant. My mother and her sister would come in and sit way in the back and just ease drop on Billy's date. You can hear Billy dedicate this song to Cristiano's in a recording on there homepage.
• Kevin Ryan from Hicksville, NyI lived in Hicksville from 1958 - 1985 on Brittle Lane next to Levittown Parkway and about 1/4 mile from the West Village Green. I practically lived at the West Village Green Pool during the summers. During the mid to late 60's, this gang of "greasers" would hang there too, outside, and would eventually come in and do what they called "rock the Pool", which was cannon balls and can-openers and the lifeguards would kick them out. Billy was part of that crowd. The "drop a dime in the box and play a song about New Orleans" refers to the bar they hung out at the Village Green called "The Fantastic Inn", later "The Old Curiosity Shoppe". After Billy released The Stranger, he visited The Curiosity Shoppe in 1978 and the place went nuts. That's all I remember. Kevin - Newport, R.I.
• Alanna from Auburn, MaThe "Parkway Diner" that he refers to is also rumored to be the Parkway Diner from Worcester Massachusetts and it is known that when Joel played at what was once the Worcester Centrum Center, He pointed towards the Diner which was only down the street from the stadium. This Parkway is an Italian Resturaunt
• Brian from Orlando, FlThe Parkway Diner used to be on Jericho Turnpike in Mineola. It's gone. One of the last out front grills.
• Tony from Hicksville, NyMy name is Tony Benante I graduated Hicksville High in 1966. Billy Joel hung around with my crowd at the Villiage Green on levittown Parkway. We were the tough guys billy's parents were just going through divorce at the time. One night we were sitting and standing around the bench just outside Levittown Pool. We were all trying to sing along with Billy but he was just so good we all stopped singing. Then a shooting star went by and Billy said I am going to be a muscian some day. He played at our high school Hicksville High the song he played there was satisfaction as in I can't get no satisfaction..he also was a good diver he use to dive off the high board at levittown pool. His sister Judith Joel is in my high school year book.I played ping pong at his parents house.I could go on and on but thats it for now.
• Jay from Brooklyn, NyThis is a fascinating song. It is almost symphonic - like a symphony, it has four distinct movements. The first movement is "Our Italian Restaurant", followed by "Things are Okay", then "The Ballad of Brenda and Eddie", and finally a reprise of "Our Italian Restaurant." Each section has a distict rhythm and tune - they could each stand on their own as a song. Joel shows his skill as a musician (as well as his skill as a songwriter) here.
  Billy Joel is often maligned by elitist critics as derivative of other artists. While it is true that Joel often borrows others' styles, he does it so well and in so many ways, he can be forgiven. I think the real problem the elitists have with Joel - although they would never admit this - is that he writes and sings good old-fashioned, non-pretentious music. He writes about ordinary people with ordinary problems. He writes about real life. His music is good and fun and simply enjoyable. He does not sit there and preach to his audiance about how the world should be. He tell us stories we can all relate to.
• John from Concord, NhGreat song for a radio, jukebox, or whatever. Never get tired of it and the lyrics are among the best I've ever heard. Very easy to relate to and visualize. Spectacular. Billy Joel's body of work is pinnacled with this song. I mean, We Didn't Start The Fire was great, but these kind of songs are his true realm. The people, places, moods, and things described in the song are awesome.
• Ellen from Chicago, IlDitto Steve from MO - love this and many of the other non-single songs. He played "Zanzibar" recently in Chicago, and I could have heard an entire concert of Zanzibars - so much good stuff to choose from!
• Rick from Syosset, N.y, InBrian Ruggles I believe grew up in Syosset on Ronald Lane not Hickesville
• Hank from San Diego, CaOver the years, it seems Billy has changed his story a few times of where the "Italian Restaurant" is. However, like the person mentioned earlier in this string, I too was at the concert at CW Post back in May off 1977. My big brother was going to school there at the time and got me great seats. At the concert, Billy said the song was about a place he used hang out at. He specifically said it was Christiano's in Syosset. It is also on the old WLIR recordings. Being from Syosset, I thought that it was totally cool! In fact, Billy used to help my brother score beers from Christiano's when my brother was not quite 18 yet (drinking age back then). Bottom Line: The Restaurant was Christiano's.
  
• Frank from Stamford, CtThis is the best Billy Joel song, and I love them all. Shameless was our wedding song.
• Brad from Long Island, NyHey mike from Hixville, the hicksville Bill is from is spelled Hicksville. Nice try though
• Oldpink from New Castle, InThis is my favorite from Billy Joel, and I like most of his material.
  His nicely descriptive lyrics about people we would have envied terribly in high school charging too quickly forward, then crashing back to earth.
  The tempo change, breaking into Billy's breakneck keyboards is just wonderful to express the speed of "Brenda and Eddie" moving too fast, resulting in their divorce.
  Also Phil Woods turns in a sax solo on this that exceeds even that on "Just The Way You Are."
  Kudos to BJ on this masterpiece.
  Oh, and the album it is from, "The Stranger," is a rare album with NO filler, strictly 'A' material.
• Kevin from Hicksville, NyThe village green is a big hangout spot for Hicksville HS teens at night. I went there a lot in mid 80's and it was called the village green. "Meet you at the green." Big meeting spot (it's dark and very hidden). Usually we wound up there for the night, drank beers, met girls, etc. This is exactly where Billy was talking about.
  
  It is located in Hicksville, not Levittown. It's a couple of blocks just south of Holy Trinity Catholic HS which is still Hicksville. There's a dingy strip mall there on the same side of Holy Trinity- on Newbridge Road. The "Village Green" he refers to is the park behind this strip mall and the parking lot as well. My friends kids still go there today and refer to it as the Village Green, although most call it "the green" as we did 20+ years ago.
  
  Billy grew up on Meeting Lane in Hicksville, NY. Google Earth map it. It is just a couple of blocks away from the village green and a half a block away from his elementary school- Fork Lane Elementary School. And Hicksville HS is a half mile away on Division Avenue.
  
  Hope this clears up the Hicksville, Levittown debate.
  What i dont know is which house he lived in lol.
• Rodimusben from Harrisonburg, VaProbably the best American song of the twentieth century. Well, I think so.
• Pete from Staten Island, NyGreat Sax solo by Mark Riveria
• Len from Westford, Ma, United Arab EmiratesOne of Billy's best.... speaking of catchy parts, to this day - when I hear this song, no matter where I am - at the line "here we are wavin' Brenda'n Eddie goodbye" I stick my hand in the air and wave, just like Billy always does in concert.... my daughters even do it!
• Frank from Oceanside, NySomeone mentiuons that the restaurant he is singing about in "Scenes from.." is a restaurant in Little Italy..it is not...At his May 6, 1977 concert from CW Post College on LI he introduces it as " a new song called Scenes from an Italian Restaurant" and says " I'd like to dedicate this song to CHRISTIANO's"....in Syosset LI...I have the recording...case closed !
• Kathy from Hicksville, Nyi graduated Hicksville HS in1967. The green mentioned is definately the west village green on newbridge rd. in hicksville. The parkway dinner could refer to the parkway village green on Levittown pkway in hicksville.
• Walter from Hicksville, FlIt is amazing to read all of the above comments and inaccuracies that people say. I was there, in Hicksville in the 50's and 60's. I would like to set the record straight and dispell some of the falshoods stated. First, the village green that billy j and billy z hung out at was the west village green on newbridge rd and the store was Sunrise. Billy z my next door neighbor was only one of the drummers in the group the lost souls. my buddy ralp g was also a drummer. billy z however did play on the demo journeys end which i gave up reluctantly in 1967 oh yeah we did play stick ball with a spaulding pink ball but it was on the side of the gym on the brick wall at fork lane el, we also player handball there on a regular basis. if you want to know more real facts about those days email me at wrms2348@bellsouth.net
• Tom from Nyc, NyIve lived on Long Island for my entire life of 35 years so far, and thats not necessarily a good thing, trust me. But anyway, from Cold Spring Harbor, to Levitown, to Massapequa, and even Long Beach - Joel's tunes just reek of this strip of land, and it's suburban "culture". Captain Jack in particular, is so on the money - when I hear the parts about him smoking pot in his car in the parking lot, waiting for his girlfirend, and going home to beat off...that so epitomizes life on Long Island for an adolescent / young man. Every place on the Island says, "Billy Was Here !"
  
  Tom
  Long Beach, NY
• Rain from Clinton, MdI love this song. I never grow tired of hearing it.
• Al from Dubuque, IaLove this song! I like when the beat picks up at the beggining of Brenda and Eddie. Good feel, does anyone know where this 16 year old could find the chords to this song??
• Mike from Hixville, Nyat the top of the page Songfacts: is way off i live in hixville around the block from where he lived and the village green is like a strip mall around the block from where he lived and it is the west village green i know i go there alout!!!
• David from Syosset, NjOk, first off, Christiano's is alive and kicking so Marty, get your facts straight (and maybe your spelling too,lol) although the original owners, Stella Christiano (a friend of my mom's)and her husband first gave it to their son Jimmy, but the Christiano's sold it 5 years ago or so. Christiano's has always been special to all of us from Syosset and environs nearby. Billy and his crowd like all the "locals would frequent there often. Don't forget his first wife and also his former bass player Doug Stegmeyer are from Syosset.His original band used to go there all the time. So regardless if whether he actually wrote it about C's, the place has a close history with Billy.
• Ozzy from Fresno, CaI luvvvv this song!
• Steven from Hicksville, NyBilly Joel went to my highschool and middle school, Beat that
• Jenette from Dix Hills, Nymy dad was best friends with billy joel in high school, they grew up together in hicksville. my dad's name is edward, or eddie as he is referred to in the song. his girlfriend was brenda and they dated throughout high school. my dad was part of the "greasers" as he told me, with the leather jackets and tight jeans [haha] however some parts of the song are not true. my dad was not king of the prom and brenda i think was not the queen. they also did not get married, since brenda is not my mother. but my dad always said that they hung out together with many more friends at the diner and 'crusing' around in their cars. it is my belief that my father has not seen brenda since high school, or spoken to billy joel since he persued his music carreer and my dad went into the air force.
• Gia from Westbury, NyI saw on an interview on Behind the Actor's Guild that this song was about the restaurant in Little Itay called Il Cortile. The waiter actually cam up to him and said those famed words.... as a loyal fan I have made the mecca there
• Lagan from Vineyard Haven, MaI love this song and think it has brilliant construction. I only wish I could play it on the piano...
• Molly from Ashland, PaI saw the play Movin' Out in New York and when they did this song the lyrics were changed to "Brenda and Eddie were still goin steady in the summer of '65". I guess this was done because in the show after this song came the Viet Nam war.
• Anne from Dodge City, KsI love that Brenda and Eddie can meet again, still have mild attraction for each other, but ultimately know they were too young and their chance had passed.
• Alan from Nashville, TnMy sister and I grew up in Levittown from 1957-1969. The village green is the West Green in Hicksville behind Grand Union grocery store.He did go to Hicksville High School which I think is on Spindle Lane, just down the street from West Green. We used to watch Billy and his buddies play stickball on the back of the store. On another note....his original title to "Allentown" was "Levittown" but he changed it because of the dying steel mills in PA. "Well we're livin' here in Levittown......"
• Jason from Hicksville, OhOK I told you wrong! I went through and looked at that program I had. It was Bill Zampino, not Brian Ruggles (I didn't think that sounded right after I posted my previous comment). Although, Brian has known Billy for quite some time as well, it was Bill who was the drummer in The Lost Souls. It was Bill who hung with Billy at the village green. I love the song. It's sort of a song reminiscing about "the good ole days". P.S. Both Brian and Bill [Zampino] are touring Billy Joel to this day as part of his crew!
  
  Sorry about the mix up in names!
• Jason from Hicksville, OhDuring the "village green" part of the song, it's directed towards Brian Ruggles. Brian knew Billy since he was like 5 years old. Brian tells of all the times they used to hang out at the village green. They would later be in a band together called The Lost Souls. Billy of course was the keyboard player and Brian was the drummer. To this day, Brian still goes on tour with BJ as part of his crew! A lot of this information came from a concert program I recently purchased at a recent concert (May 4, 2007)
• Patrick from Albany, NyOK brenda and eddy this may sound farfetched but my freinds aunt and uncle grew up with billy joel and teh song is tributed to them.
• Art from Valencia, CaScenes From An Italian Restaurant
  From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
  Jump to: navigation, search
  "Scenes From An Italian Restaurant" is a song from Billy Joel's 1977 album The Stranger.
  
  Although never released as a single, it has become one of Joel's most celebrated compositions among fans, appearing on most of his compilation albums. The song is effectively a medley of three individual songs which are fused together. In an interview, Joel cites the second side of The Beatles album Abbey Road as one of the main influences behind it. The song starts with a gentle melodic piano ballad, which sets the scene of two lovers in an Italian restaurant, moving on to a triumphant and uptempo jazz-influenced piece in the middle, which then segues into a rock and roll section (which Joel refers to as "The Ballad of Brenda and Eddie"). The lyric then concludes by returning to the restaurant scene.
  
  Brenda and Eddie were actually close friends of Billy Joel during his childhood. He wrote "Scenes from an Italian restaurant" as a tribute to their undying love. As referenced in the song they were divorced in 1977 and re-married three years later in 1980. Billy Joel wrote the lyrics to the song at the wedding reception on the back of a napkin. Brenda choose to have the reception at the same Italian restaurant at which her and Eddie's first date took place. Joel was so moved by his close friends tale of love that "Scenes from an Italian Restaurant" is reportedly his favorite song.
  
  At 7:35, it is the longest of Joel's studio cuts.
  
  Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scenes_From_An_Italian_Restaurant"
  
• Marty from Levittown, NyThe Village Green is the west Village Green in Hicksville/ Levittown not North East or South.
  The parway Diner is the the Empress diner which is located right off watagh parkway. The Itlian restaurant Billy has changed his story through the years but it was Christiano's in Syosett it burt down and is no longer there.
• Tony from Boston, MaI bet Mr. Joel will look at these postings and enjoy them. Billy, if you're out there, answer these qustions: (1) Who are Brenda and Eddie? (2) Where is/was the "Parkway Diner?" (3) Is "Village Green" refering to North, East, or West? (4) Did you have an Italian Restaurant in mind when yow wrote this?
• Leyna from SpAwesome song! I always replay the part that goes, " that's all I heard about Brenda'n Eddie, can't tell ya more than I told ya already, and here we are wavin' Brenda'n Eddie goodbye!" It's so catchy!
  
• Barry from New York, NyI live near Syosset where Christiano's is, and used to dine there frequently. On the wall is a small autographed picture of Billy Joel from his late 70s heyday. Also there is (if it's still there) a CD recording of SCENES FROM AN ITALIAN RESTAURANT in the jukebox. On May 6, 1977 Billy Played Tilles Center, CW Post College and dedicated the premeir of this song to Christiano's. That's the version of the song that's in the jukebox. High quality soundboard bootleg CDs are available, and you probably can find it on Ebay or a traders website.
• Steve from Fenton, MoAn absolutely brilliant song...I never grow tired of hearing it. Most of the songs I like of Billy Joel's are not the singles.
• Ken from Louisville, KyWhen he was married to Christie Brinkley, Billy Joel would change the lyrics to this song when he sang it live to "I've got a new wife/She's on the cover of LIFE/And the family is fine"
• Ken from Lindenhurst, NyAdditional info.- The parkway diner probably refers to an old diner in that used to be in mineola on jericho tnpke.
• Justin from Levittown, Nythe village green is the West Green (the one closest to hicksville) and it was Caruso's restaurant
• Ken from Louisville, KyThe line "Things are okay with me these days..." started out as "Things are okay in Oyster Bay..."
• Gerard from Little Valley, NyI always thought the Village Green in the song is the one in Levittown on Wolcott Road. That's where I was born...
• Jordan from Syosset, NyOk. I am from Syosset and have been going to Christianos since before I can remember. Unfortunately it is a myth that the song is based on our belived restaurant - in Joel's own words though, "they can think so if it makes them happy." i, like many, still pretend it is. In actuality, the restaurant he had in mind was a place on Mulbury Street.
• M from Levittown, NyYes, Steve was right. There are also East and West Village Greens.
• Robert from Chicago, IlThis song was actually inspired by the long medley that appears on the Beatles Abbey Road album (Billy Joel considers The Beatles as his biggest inspiration). By using their technique, Joel strung together three different sections (1:In Our Italian Restaurant 1; 2: Ballad Of Brenda And Eddie; 3: In Our Italian Restaurant 2 (Reprise)).
• Rachel from Oxford, Ohgreat juke song
• Ira from Milford, Ctwithout a doubt this is a story from his past, with maybe a little fiction added to make it work. As another "Lawn-Guylander", I loved his references to those places that were so familiar.
  ===Bbrother
• Dan from Hicksville , NyI actually live on the same exact block of the high school billy attended. And also around the block from "the village green." supposedly Brenda and Eddie were bothreal students who attended hicksville high school.
• Brooke from Sedona, Az"Things are ok with me these days, I got a good job, got a good office, I got a new wife, got a new life and the family is fine!" What a song!!! LOVE IT!
• Steve from Charlotte, NcJoel mentions "Village Green" in this song. As with a number of other Joel songs, this is a location on Long Island. Since he grew up on the Island in Hicksville, NY, he is most likely referring to the North Village Green in that most suburban of towns, Levittown. Hicksville borders Levittown to the north and many with Hicksville postal addresses attended Levittown schools. When Levittown was established in the late forties, Levitt created common areas with shops, playgrounds and public pools. These were know as Village Greens. Being from that area, I recall North and South Village Greens.
• Ian from Seaside, OrThe first line "Bottle of red, Bottle of white, whatever kind of mood you're in tonight" was delivered to Joel at an upscale restaraunt by a waiter. He claims to have tipped the guy a large sum of money for the inspiration.

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