Billy Joel was in a tough spot in 1977. He wasn't just a "Piano Man" anymore; he was a guy trying to navigate a music industry that was basically a shark tank. At the center of his world was Elizabeth Weber, his first wife and, more importantly, his manager. She was tough. She was the kind of person who would walk into a room of record executives and demand what Joel was owed without blinking. People in the industry didn't like that. They called her "unfeminine" or "difficult." Joel saw it differently. He saw a woman who was simply doing her job in a world that wanted her to stay quiet. So, he wrote She's Always a Woman by Billy Joel as a defense. It wasn't just a melody; it was a middle finger to the critics.
The Complicated Reality Behind the Lyrics
You’ve heard the song a thousand times on soft rock radio. It sounds like a lullaby. But if you actually listen to the words, it’s kinda brutal. He calls her a thief. He says she can kill with a smile or wound with her eyes. This isn't your standard "I love you, you're perfect" ballad. It’s a portrait of a person with flaws, sharp edges, and a certain level of cruelty. Honestly, that’s why it’s stayed relevant for nearly fifty years. Most love songs are cardboard cutouts. This one has teeth.
The song appeared on The Stranger, the album that catapulted Joel into the stratosphere of superstardom. Phil Ramone produced it, and he knew exactly how to balance the bite of the lyrics with the sweetness of the acoustic guitar and flute. It was a gamble. You don't usually climb the charts by telling the world your wife is "frequently kind and she's suddenly cruel." But it worked because it felt real. It felt like a man who was exhausted but still deeply in love.
Elizabeth Weber was a polarizing figure. Before she married Billy, she was married to his bandmate, Jon Small. That’s a messy start. When she took over Billy’s management, she was ruthless. She had to be. In the 70s, artists were getting ripped off left and right. Joel’s previous deals were nightmares. Weber was the one who started cleaning up the mess. The line about her being "ahead of her time" wasn't just a nice sentiment; it was a literal description of her business acumen. She was playing chess while everyone else was playing checkers.
Why the Flute Matters
Ever notice that whistle-like sound? That’s Dominic Cortese on the accordion and a beautiful flute arrangement. It creates a contrast. The music says "everything is fine," while the lyrics say "this person might ruin your life." It’s a clever trick. It mimics the way we often view people we love—we ignore the red flags because the "melody" of the relationship is so beautiful.
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Critics at the time were split. Some thought it was a masterpiece of songwriting. Others thought it was a bit misogynistic. They missed the point. Joel wasn't attacking women; he was defending a specific woman's right to be complex. He was saying that she doesn't have to be a saint to be worthy of his devotion. She can be "the most versatile thing" he's ever known. She can be a nightmare and a dream at the same time.
Breaking Down the "Thief" Metaphor
When Joel sings "She can steal what she can't buy," he’s talking about power. Elizabeth didn't just manage his money; she managed his spirit. She was his protector. In a later interview, Joel mentioned that the song was a response to people who thought she was too "masculine" in her business dealings. He wanted to assert that her toughness didn't make her any less of a woman.
The structure of the song is interesting. It doesn't have a traditional bridge that shifts the key or the mood. It just keeps circling back to that central truth: she’s always a woman to him. It’s relentless. It’s a loop of adoration and frustration.
- The Smile: "She can kill with a smile." This is about the weaponization of charm.
- The Carelessness: "She's frequently kind and she's suddenly cruel." This captures the volatility of their relationship.
- The Promise: "She can lead you to love, she can take you or leave you." This is about autonomy. She isn't a prize to be won; she’s a person with her own agency.
The Cultural Longevity of the Track
It's funny how songs change over time. In the 2010s, the song had a massive resurgence in the UK because of a John Lewis Christmas advert. Fyfe Dangerfield covered it, stripping away the 70s production and making it sound even more fragile. Suddenly, a new generation was obsessed with She's Always a Woman by Billy Joel. They didn't know about the lawsuits or Elizabeth Weber. They just knew the feeling of loving someone who is hard to love.
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But we have to talk about the irony. Billy and Elizabeth divorced in 1982. The very things he celebrated in the song—her toughness, her independence—eventually became the things that pulled them apart. Weber reportedly asked for half of everything during the divorce, including his future royalties. It was a messy ending to a complicated story. Does that ruin the song? Not really. If anything, it makes it more poignant. It proves that the song was an honest snapshot of a moment in time, not a fairy tale.
The Technical Brilliance of "The Stranger" Sessions
Recording The Stranger was a make-or-break moment for Joel. If this album had flopped, Columbia Records might have dropped him. He fought for his live band to play on the record instead of session musicians. That’s why the song feels so intimate. It’s Liberty DeVitto on drums (playing very subtly) and Doug Stegmeyer on bass. These were guys who knew Billy. They knew Elizabeth. They were in the room when the drama was happening.
The song peaked at number 17 on the Billboard Hot 100, which is respectable but doesn't tell the whole story. Its "Adult Contemporary" success was where it really lived. It became a staple. It’s the kind of song that gets played at weddings by people who haven't really read the lyrics. If you're playing this at your wedding, you're basically telling your spouse they're a "thief" and "cruel," which is a bold choice, honestly.
Addressing the Misconceptions
People often think this is a "feminist anthem." That’s a stretch. It’s a song about one specific person. However, it does challenge the 1970s stereotype of what a "proper" woman should be. It rejects the idea that a woman has to be soft and submissive to be feminine. In that sense, it was ahead of its time. Joel was acknowledging that a woman could be a "man" in the boardroom and still be the person he wanted to hold at night.
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Is it a "dark" song? Sorta. It’s cynical. It acknowledges that love isn't enough to change someone's nature. "She can't be convicted, she's earned her degree." That line is pure Joel—witty, slightly bitter, and deeply observant. He’s admitting that he’s outmatched. He’s in love with someone who is smarter and tougher than he is.
Actionable Takeaways for Music Fans
If you want to truly appreciate the depth of this track, don't just stream it on a loop. You need to look at the context.
- Listen to the full album: The Stranger is a cohesive piece of work. Listen to how "She's Always a Woman" sits between the rock-and-roll energy of "Only the Good Die Young" and the epic storytelling of "Scenes from an Italian Restaurant."
- Read the liner notes: Find out who played what. The subtle instrumentation is what keeps the song from becoming too heavy.
- Compare it to "Uptown Girl": That’s a song about Christie Brinkley. It’s bright, poppy, and surface-level. Compare that to the grit of "She's Always a Woman." You can see how Joel’s songwriting shifted based on who he was dating.
- Watch live versions from 1977-1978: Watch his face when he sings it. There’s a defensiveness there that you don't see in his later performances.
Ultimately, the song is a masterpiece of character study. It’s not about a girl; it’s about a woman. A real one. One who is messy and difficult and brilliant. That’s why we’re still talking about it. That’s why, no matter how many times it gets covered by indie bands or used in commercials, the original version remains the definitive statement on the complexity of adult love.
If you're looking for a simple love song, go listen to something else. But if you want a song that understands how much it can hurt to love someone—and why you'd do it anyway—this is the one. It’s honest. It’s raw. And it’s always a woman.