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This Night
An Innocent Man (1983) |
This night is mine
It's only you and I Tomorrow is such a long time away This night can last forever Billy continues the doo-wop theme in "This Night." The song is a slow dance tune. The singer is trying to not fall in love again, but can't help himself, at least this night. He wants to cherish this night and forget about tomorrow and the doubts about whether the relationship will continue. Both he and the object of his affection have been in past relationships and perhaps are not looking to be in another one so soon ("Didn't I say/I needed time to forget her/Aren't you running from someone/Who's not over you?"). But in the end he proceeds, knowing that one has to take a chance on true and lasting love, and savor the moment as well: "This night is mine/It's only you and I/Tomorrow is such a long time away/This night can last forever."
It has been said the song was written about Billy's relationship with the model Elle McPherson. It was a brief relationship and perhaps doomed to not continue, but it at least brought the spark of love back in Billy's life after his divorce from his first wife. Around the same time, Billy also wrote a more pensive song about his relationship with McPherson, "And So It Goes," but did not release it until 1989's Storm Front.
Billy on "This Night" from SiriusXM.
The chorus to the song is from Movement No. 2 of Beethoven's La Pathetique (Sonata No. 8 in C minor), and Billy gives song-writing credit to Beethoven on the album. Listen to it here. Louise Tucker's synth-pop "Midnight Blue" also used Beethoven's La Pathetique.
"This Night" was not released as a single in the US, but did chart in Japan and the Netherlands. Despite not being released as a single in the U.S., "This Night" was played at many high school proms (so was "This Is The Time" from The Bridge which has a similar theme). Billy dedicated "This Night" to Little Anthony & The Imperials before singing the song in the Live at Shea concert. Here is a YouTube video of the group with their biggest hit "Tears On My Pillow." It reminds me of The Platters' "Only You" but they were a little before Billy's time. Vertical Divider
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Words and Music by Billy Joel and L.V Beethoven (chorus)
Didn't I say I wasn't ready for a romance Didn't we promise We would only be friends And so we danced Though it was only a slow dance I started breaking my promises Right there and then Didn't I swear There would be no complications Didn't you want Someone who's seen it all before Now that you're here It's not the same situation Suddenly I don't remember the rules anymore This night is mine It's only you and I Tomorrow Is a long time away This night can last forever I've been around Someone like me should know better Falling in love Would be the worst thing I could do Didn't I say I needed time to forget her Aren't you running from someone Who's not over you How many nights Have I been lonely without you I tell myself How much I really don't care How many nights Have I been thinking about you Wanting to hold you But knowing you would not be there This night you're mine It's only you and I I'll tell you to forget yesterday This night we are together This night is mine It's only you and I Tomorrow is such a long time away This night can last forever Tomorrow is such a long time away This night can last forever Vertical Divider
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Videos
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"This Night" studio version (audio only).
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Billy performs "This Night" in Wembley Arena in 1984 on the tour for An Innocent Man.
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Billy explains why sang "Gloria" at the end of "The River of Dreams," and discusses "This Night" from An Innocent Man.
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"If" is an unreleased song by Billy that is reminiscent of "This Night." Thanks to Rob Prisament for posting on YouTube.
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