Billy Joel will release “Turn the Lights Back On” on February 1st, making this the Piano Man's first single in 17 years—since “Christmas in Fallujah” with fellow Long Island singer Cass Dillon. Joel announced the news on Monday (January 22nd) after teasing it via his social media.
On his TikTok account Joel told followers that “we got a little something we're working on you might hear some time,” while he recently changed his Facebook header photo and Spotify canvas with to the message “Did I wait too long…”
Joel wrote “Turn the Lights Back On” with Arthur Bacon, Wayne Hector and Freddy Wexler, the latter of whom also produced it.
Joel famously stopped releasing new pop music after his 1993 album River of Dreams. During 2001 he put out an album of classical compositions, Fantasies & Delusions, and released another single in 2007—”All My Life,” which he wrote and recorded as an anniversary gift to his now-ex-wife Katie Lee.
During a conversation before “Turn the Lights Back On” was announce we asked Joel if he ever considered writing original material again: “Absolutely. I haven’t shut the door on it. I am still writing music. I'm just not writing lyrics now. I'm not writing in song form. I'm writing in a more abstract form. I'm comfortable with it. But if I get an idea for a song, I'm not gonna stop myself from writing it. I'll do it. I just haven't woken up recently with a great song idea.” :23 OC…great song idea
Joel returns to the road on January 24th to play in Tokyo and will spend the rest of the year alternating between his monthly shows at New York's Madison Square Garden and stadium dates with Sting and Stevie Nicks (at different times).
Joel has also announced a February 28th release for Piano Man: 50th Anniversary Deluxe Edition, which will include the original album, a second disc of demos, rarities and live tracks, and a DVD with promotional video and live performances.