There are universal experiences we all share in life. No matter what a person’s race, religion, creed, or political affiliation, we’ve all felt the joy of love, the sorrow of death, and the satisfaction that comes with a really good bowel movement. And at some point in time, we’ve all had a song stuck our head.
You know how it goes. You hear a song, it burrows its way into your brain, fills out a change of address form, and sets up camp. Once it’s hunkered down, it just stays there, and repeats, over and over and over and over…
I’ve recently been afflicted with the dreaded “song stuck in head” syndrome, and it’s one of the worst cases I’ve ever experienced. A couple of Thursdays ago I made the mistake of listening to a few Billy Joel songs on my IPod, which included his 1977 opus Scenes From an Italian Restaurant. Since that fateful afternoon, my head has been debating the wine selection – white, red, or perhaps a bottle of rosé instead.
I’ll meet you anytime you want… as long as there’s “Never Ending Pasta Bowl®.”
As much as I honestly enjoy Scenes From an Italian Restaurant (really it’s one of Mr. Joel’s best songs), I don’t know if I can live the rest of my life rehashing the star-crossed relationship of Brenda and Eddie on a daily basis. I get it. They were the king and the queen at the prom, hung out at the Parkway Diner, bought a waterbed (and a couple of paintings from Sears), then the money got tight, and they just didn’t count on the tears. Tough break, kids. Sorry it didn’t work out. But now I need my brain back post haste.
I’ve tried listening to the song a few times in hope that hearing the real thing would flush out the facsimile that haunts my days. Nothing. I’ve tried listening to other songs repeatedly in the hope that it might evict Scenes From an Italian Restaurant and claim that cerebral real estate as its own. No luck. I’ve tried to simply ignore the iconic piano chords that ring in the beginning of the song, but it’s no use. Apparently it’s there to stay.
The Piano Man’s been haunting me for weeks.
That’s why I’m using this seldom read forum to personally ask Billy Joel to call off the dogs Please, Piano Man, do whatever you need to do to reverse the curse and extract your enchanting musical composition from my noggin. I beg of you. I promise to buy dozens of copies of your classical album and give them away at Christmas if you’ll show mercy and release me from your song’s icy grip!
I desperately wish to wave Brenda and Eddie goodbye.
Mr. Sunshine 