One Final Serenade: Songs of Billy Joel
 Download "Christie Lee (demo)"
Oh I heard the man knew "the Bird" like the Bible
You know the man could blow an educated axe He couldn't see that Christie Lee was a woman Who didn't need another lover All she wanted was the sax It has always been a mystery as to who inspired the song "Christie Lee." Some speculate that it was a woman who had spurned Billy in his teen years, or perhaps even Chrissie Hynde of the Pretenders. No. Of course, "Christie Lee," was inspired by Billy's girlfriend and future wife, Christie Brinkley. While the song is not literally about their relationship, it does capture the hypnotic effect she could have on men, or at least Billy. The song is a fictional account of a musician who falls head over heels for a woman who didn't need him as a man, all she wanted was the horn. The song is a piano-based rocker, in the style of Little Richard or Jerry Lee Lewis. A demo version of the song was released on 1995's My Lives boxed set which is more raw, but in my opinion more enjoyable. I wonder why songs like this and "Easy Money" did not get released as singles and become hits while "Uptown Girl" and "The Longest Time" did.
In real life, they got married.
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Let me tell you a story
About a woman and a man Maybe you will find familiar Maybe you won't understand The man's name I don't remember He was always Joe to me But I can't forget the woman She was always Christie Lee He was working in a night club That's where he played the saxophone He used to fake to stock arrangements He left the customers alone But one night before the last song About a quarter after three He saw her standing at the coat check And made his move on Christie Lee Christie Lee, Christie Lee Christie Lee, Christie Lee She was a nice piece of music She had a rhythm all her own He blew a solo like a blind man She really dug his saxophone She wanted more than just an encore And he could play in every key He left the stage and packed his alto And he took it home with Christie Lee Oh I heard the man knew "the Bird" like the Bible You know the man could blow an educated axe He couldn't see that Christie Lee was a woman Who didn't need another lover All she wanted was the sax It took a while for him to notice It took a while for him to see He was never in control here It was always Christie Lee Christie Lee, Christie Lee Christie Lee, Christie Lee Oh the man took a calculated gamble Yes the man had the power to perform But Christie Lee was more than he knew how to handle She didn't need him as a man All she wanted was the horn They say that Joe became a wino They say he always drinks alone They say he stumbles like a blind man They say he sold his saxophone Even the band must face the music That's what the moral is to me The only time you hit the high note Is when you play for Christie Lee Christie Lee, Christie Lee Christie Lee, Christie Lee Demo version of "Christie Lee" (audio only).
Album version of "Christie Lee" (audio only).
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