One Final Serenade: Songs of Billy Joel
Fan video for "Two Thousand Years" consisting of still photos and images. Song is © 1993 Sony Music Entertainment
 Download "Two Thousand Years"
Time is relentless
And as the past disappears We're on the verge of all things new We are two thousand years "Two Thousand Years" is in some sense a grander, more melodic, and sweeping version of "We Didn't Start The Fire." In it, Billy recounts in broad strokes the past 2000 years (rather than episodic countdown of the last 40 years in "We Didn't Start The Fire") in which "man was triumphant, armed with the faith and the will" and we now stand at the "crossroads of time." There is some question about what mankind has wrought -- "is this a curse or blessing that we give?" But overall, it is a hopeful song, predicting miracles that will come, "the last war," and a world where both "science and poetry" will rule. As the end of the millennium approached, it was a beautiful vision. That vision of a peaceful and progressive future for the world is reminiscent of Marc Chagall's mural "Peace" on stained glass. See photo below. Prophets and angels give us the power to see, what an amazing future there will be. * * * * *
Billy on "Two Thousand Years" from SiriusXM.
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The live version of the song (from 2000's The Millennium Concert) featured guitar and bagpipes (?) which gave the song a richer and warmer sound, and a more folk-like feel, which is appropriate. You can listen to it here. I would love to have an acoustic version of the entire River of Dreams album as I think some of the songs like this and "Famous Last Words" could have used a more simple accompaniment and production.
Here is another fan video of the song by Tony Walker with some rare photos of Billy Joel. |
In the beginning
There was the cold and the night Prophets and angels gave us the fire and the light Man was triumphant Armed with the faith and the will Even the darkest ages couldn't kill Too many kingdoms Too many flags on the field So many battles, so many wounds to be healed Time is relentless Only true love perseveres It's been a long time and now I'm with you After two thousand years This is our moment Here at the crossroads of time We hope our children carry our dreams down the line They are the vintage What kind of life will they live? Is this a curse or a blessing that we give? Sometimes I wonder Why are we so blind to fate? Without compassion, there can be no end to hate No end to sorrow Caused by the same endless fears Why can't we learn from all we've been through After two thousand years? There will be miracles After the last war is won Science and poetry rule in the new world to come Prophets and angels Gave us the power to see What an amazing future there will be And in the evening After the fire and the light One thing is certain, nothing can hold back the night Time is relentless And as the past disappears We're on the verge of all things new We are two thousand years In this excerpt from the Shades of Grey documentary, Billy performs "Two Thousand Years" solo on the piano and discusses songwriting.
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"Peace" by Marc Chagall, on stained glass. In memory of UN Secretary-General Dag Hammarskjöld (1967). Click here for background.