Billy Joel isn't exactly known for being a wallflower when it comes to his feelings. We’ve got the swagger of "Big Shot" and the high-energy storytelling of "Scenes from an Italian Restaurant." But then there is the closing track of his 1989 album Storm Front. It's a song that feels like a cold room. It feels like the moment you realize a relationship is doomed before it has even started. The and so it goes lyrics billy joel wrote aren't just words on a page; they are a psychological blueprint of emotional exhaustion.
Honestly, it’s a weird song for a hitmaker. There’s no drum kit. No bass line. No "Piano Man" harmonica to liven things up. It’s just Billy, a synthesizer that sounds like a lonely cathedral organ, and a vocal performance that sounds like he’s trying not to wake someone up in the next room.
He wrote it back in 1983, long before it actually saw the light of day. At the time, he was dating Elle Macpherson. Yeah, that Elle Macpherson. He was in his mid-30s, she was barely 19, and he knew it wasn’t going to last. He was "The Piano Man" and she was "The Body." The age gap, the lifestyle differences—it was a ticking clock. Instead of writing a typical breakup song, he wrote a song about the inevitability of the breakup.
The Brutal Honesty of the Lyrics
The song starts with a confession: "In every heart there is a room / A sanctuary safe and strong." It sounds like it’s going to be a sweet sentiment, right? Wrong. He quickly pivots to the idea that we keep these rooms locked to prevent people from seeing how messy things are inside.
He’s talking about emotional baggage.
Most pop songs are about "I love you forever" or "You broke my heart and I hate you." Joel goes for a third, much more uncomfortable option: "I’m going to let you hurt me because I’ve forgotten how to stay closed off." When he sings, "So I would choose to be with you / That's if the choice were mine to make," he’s admitting a total lack of agency. He’s surrendered.
It’s depressing. It’s beautiful.
The core of the and so it goes lyrics billy joel crafted is the line about "the king and the fool." He writes, "But you can make decisions too / And you can have this heart to break." It’s a terrifying thought. You’re handing someone the keys to your house knowing they’re probably going to lose them or burn the place down.
Why the Composition Matters as Much as the Words
You can't talk about the lyrics without talking about the silence. Joel has mentioned in various masterclasses—including his famous sessions at places like the University of Pennsylvania—that the space between the notes is where the emotion lives.
The melody is based on a traditional English folk song style. Think "Greensleeves" but with more 80s cynicism. It uses a very specific harmonic structure that never quite feels like it’s landing on solid ground. It’s unstable.
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- The lack of percussion makes it feel timeless.
- The use of the "hymn" style gives it a sacred, almost funerary vibe.
- The way his voice cracks slightly on the high notes isn't a mistake; it's the point.
The song was actually a bit of a "lost" track. He wrote it during the An Innocent Man sessions, but it didn't fit that album’s 50s and 60s throwback aesthetic. It sat in a drawer for six years. By the time it came out in 1989, Joel’s marriage to Christie Brinkley was the focal point of his public life, but the song remained a ghost of that earlier relationship with Macpherson.
Dissecting the Most Famous Lines
Let's look at the bridge. "And every time I've held a rose / It seems I only felt the thorns."
Is it a cliché? Maybe. But in the context of the song, it feels earned. He’s describing a defense mechanism. If you expect the thorn, the sting doesn't surprise you as much. This is "protective pessimism."
Then there’s the title phrase: "And so it goes." It’s a shrug. It’s Kurt Vonnegut-esque. It acknowledges that life is often disappointing and there isn't much you can do about it except keep moving. It’s the ultimate expression of "it is what it is," decades before that phrase became a boardroom staple.
The Cultural Weight and Choral Legacy
One of the reasons this song stays in the public consciousness—and why people keep searching for the and so it goes lyrics billy joel penned—is because of the choir world.
If you were in a high school or college choir in the last thirty years, you’ve probably sung the Bob Chilcott arrangement. It’s a staple for a cappella groups like The King’s Singers. Why? Because the harmony is built for voices. It captures a specific type of melancholy that works perfectly in a group setting.
When a group of forty people sing "and you can have this heart to break," it stops being a song about one guy’s failed romance and becomes a universal anthem for anyone who has ever felt vulnerable.
Common Misconceptions About the Song
People often think this was written about Christie Brinkley because it appeared on the same album as "Lullabye (Goodnight, My Angel)," which was for their daughter.
It wasn't.
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Joel has been very clear in interviews that this was about the "transition" period of his life. He was coming off a divorce (from Elizabeth Weber), he was dating a supermodel, and he felt like an old soul in a young man’s world. He felt out of place.
Another misconception? That it’s a "sad" song.
Well, okay, it is sad. But Billy Joel has argued it’s actually a song about courage. It’s about the courage to be "the fool." To say, "I know this is going to end badly, but I'm going to do it anyway." There's something weirdly brave about that.
A Masterclass in Word Economy
Look at the length of the verses. They are short. There’s no fluff.
"I tell my sins to many men / But I answer to my own."
That’s a heavy line for a pop song. It suggests a man who doesn't care about public judgment but is absolutely haunted by his own conscience. It adds a layer of "The Stranger" (the character from his earlier album) to the mix. It’s the sound of a man who has lived enough life to know that he is his own worst enemy.
Technical Breakdown of the Lyrics
The rhyme scheme is deceptive. It feels simple, but he uses internal rhymes and slant rhymes to keep it from feeling like a nursery rhyme.
- "Room" and "Strong" (Not a rhyme, but they share a weight).
- "Go" and "Know" (Simple, direct).
- "Mine" and "Make" (Alliteration over rhyme).
By breaking the expected patterns, he keeps the listener slightly off-balance. You’re waiting for the resolution, but it never quite feels "happy." Even the final chord of the song leaves you hanging a little bit. It doesn't end on a triumphant note. It just... fades.
Impact on Future Artists
You can hear the DNA of this song in a lot of modern indie-folk. When you listen to someone like Phoebe Bridgers or even some of Taylor Swift’s more stripped-back Folklore tracks, that "resigned sadness" is right there. Joel paved the way for the "sad piano ballad" to be something more than just a power ballad. He made it intellectual. He made it quiet.
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He proved you don't need a soaring high note or a key change to make a point. You just need the truth.
Actionable Insights for Music Lovers
If you're looking to appreciate this song on a deeper level, there are a few things you can do beyond just reading the lyrics.
Listen to the "Live at Shea Stadium" version. The way the crowd goes silent during this song—in the middle of a massive baseball stadium—is haunting. It shows the power of intimacy in a space designed for spectacle.
Compare it to "Vienna." "Vienna" is about "slow down, you're doing fine." "And So It Goes" is the older brother of that song. It’s what happens when you’ve slowed down and realized that even when you’re doing "fine," life still stings.
Check out the covers. Artists from Linda Ronstadt to Mitchel Forman have tackled this. Each one brings a different flavor. Ronstadt’s version is more lush, while the jazz arrangements lean into the complex chords.
Read the lyrics as poetry. Strip away the music. Read it out loud. It holds up as a standalone poem about the boundaries we set for ourselves.
The and so it goes lyrics billy joel wrote remain a high-water mark for 20th-century songwriting. They remind us that it’s okay to be guarded, but eventually, you have to let someone in, even if they’re just going to leave. It’s the price of admission for being human.
The song doesn't offer a solution. It doesn't tell you how to fix your heart. It just sits there with you in the dark and says, "Yeah, I know. It’s tough. And so it goes."
To get the most out of this track, try listening to it late at night with headphones. Notice the way the "hiss" of the recording adds to the atmosphere. Think about the "room" in your own heart and who has the keys to it right now. Understanding the context of Joel's life at the time—the transition from his first divorce to the chaos of international stardom—makes the vulnerability of the lyrics feel even more authentic. If you're a musician, try playing it on a piano; the chord voicing Joel uses is intentionally "open," creating that sense of space and emptiness that mirrors the lyrical themes of isolation and surrender.