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Temptation
The Bridge (1986) |
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I look so tired cause I don't get much sleep
And I've got too many commitments that are too hard to keep And I try to be rational And I try to be wise But it all gets blown to pieces When I look in her eyes "Temptation" is a ballad about someone who the singer cannot stop thinking about. At first, one assumes it is a woman, but Billy has said that he wrote the song about his baby girl Alexa Ray who was born on December 29, 1985. He adored her and could not stop looking at her and thinking about her. He has said that he wanted to rush home to see her every day after leaving the music studio. I know the feeling, when my daughters were born, it was hard not to want to spend all my time just watching and holding them.
Billy explains the inspiration for the song on SiriusXM, listen below. The song itself is mellow and pleasant, but not that memorable. It is somewhat repetitive musically and lyrically, and does not really go anywhere. It rarely gets played today in concert albeit but some Billy Joel fans love this ballad. Billy said on SiriusXM that "once that baby was born, I wanted to be home, and I hear in the writing on The Bridge a certain reluctance to continue [recording] . . . I was in a hurry to get it over with . . . ." Listen below:
Alexa herself discusses the song on SiriusXM in the audio clip below.
Billy's other song about his daughter is, of course, "Lullabye (Goodnight, My Angel)," which is very moving and tender. It is on his 1993 album River of Dreams. While "Lullabye" has been covered by several other artists, "Temptation" was not as popular except among some hardcore fans.
Another song that Billy wrote about Alexa is "Opus 1, Soliloquy ("On A Separation")" on Fantasies & Delusions. The song expresses the emotions Billy experienced when he would have to separate from his daughter after his divorce from Christie Brinkley in 1994. It's a hard feeling to explain, even harder to experience, to be separated from your child like that on a regular basis; only divorced parents can really understand it. Billy has also mentioned that "Hey Girl," an old Carole King song that he recorded for Greatest Hits, Vol. III, reminds him of the feeling of the times that he had to say goodbye to his daughter. It's a touching sentiment and a testament to the strong and loving father-daughter bond that Billy and Alexa share, in addition to their musical talents. Vertical Divider
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Words and Music by Billy Joel
It's time for me to be on my way I know I've got business to conduct And I've got places to go But I can't help looking at her sleeping instead Another morning I'll have trouble climbing out of this bed Because, she's such a temptation It's driving me crazy And it's my fascination That's making me act this way And I know what all of my friends say They're afraid that I'm losing my touch But she's such a temptation I look so tired cause I don't get much sleep And I've got too many commitments that are too hard to keep And I try to be rational And I try to be wise But it all gets blown to pieces When I look in her eyes Because, she's such a temptation And nothing can save me But I might find salvation If I could tear myself away And I know what all of my friends say There's a danger in wanting too much But she's such a temptation I should be leaving But I can't cut loose I have my reasons for resistance But I have no excuse And I lose my composure I could use some restraint I never claimed to be a hero And I never said I was a saint She's such a temptation It's driving me crazy And it's my fascination That's making me act this way And I can just hear all my friends say "Better watch out, you're losing your touch" But she's such a temptation Yes she is She's such a temptation Yes she is Yes she is She's such a temptation 
The proud parents and Alexa in 1985.
Source: Alexa Ray Joel Instagram. Credit: Patrick Demarchelier (?) 
Christie, Alexa, and Billy.
Source: Alexa Ray Joel Instagram. 1) and 2) Alexa Ray Joel Instragram, 3) from fan Pinterest page, 4) unknown.
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Videos
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Lyrics video for "Temptation"
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Billy discusses how he came up with "Temptation" and "Lullabye (audio).
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This is an unreleased alternative demo version of "Temptation" (audio only) which is quite different than the original. It is an upbeat rocker. Thanks to Rob Prisament for posting.
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Billy discusses having a daughter, Alexa, in this excerpt from a 60 Minutes profile in 1990. The clip, however, is from the documentary A Matter of Trust from 1987. It appears to be the same day that the iconic photo of Alexa sitting on his piano (above) was taken. The song he sings to her, Alexa Ray, can also be heard here at 43:52.
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Billy answers the question if he sings with Alexa (yes), and what it has been like for her being the daughter of a famous couple, at a Q&A session in 2010.
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