"Root Beer Rag" is a composition from Billy Joel's 1974 album '' Streetlife Serenade''. An instrumental track in a very fast

ragtime Ragtime, also spelled rag-time or rag time, is a musical style that flourished from the 1890s to 1910s. Its cardinal trait is its syncopated or "ragged" rhythm. Ragtime was popularized during the early 20th century by composers such as Scott J ...

style, it was later released as the B-side of several singles from Joel's ''

52nd Street 52nd Street is a -long one-way street traveling west to east across Midtown Manhattan, New York City. A short section of it was known as the city's center of jazz performance from the 1930s to the 1950s. Jazz center Following the repeal of ...

'' album, including "

Big Shot Big Shot may refer to: Fiction * Big Shot, an animated superhero character on the television show '' The Tick'' created by cartoonist Ben Edlund in 1986 * Big Shot, the former mascot of the Philadelphia 76ers until 1996 * ''Big Shot'', a fiction ...

" in the US, " Until the Night" in the UK, and "

Honesty Honesty or truthfulness is a facet of moral character that connotes positive and virtuous attributes such as integrity, truthfulness, straightforwardness, including straightforwardness of conduct, along with the absence of lying, cheating, theft ...

" in Japan and some European countries. A live version was included with the DVD that was part of the 30th anniversary re-release of '' The Stranger''. The piece is in C major (though the recording is sped up a microtone) and is one of three studio instrumentals that Joel has released. Joel has played the piece in concert frequently over the years, stating that he uses it as "a kind of instrumental palate cleanser." He further stated that it requires his "full attention as the notes spill out."

Background

Author Ken Bielen describes "Root Beer Rag" as a fast

piano work. Joel biographer Hank Bordowitz describes the composition as "homebrewed ragtime". Music critic

Mark Bego Mark Joseph Bego (born 23 September 1952, in Pontiac, Michigan) is an author known for his biographies focusing on the rock & roll and show business genres. Bego has written a total of 59 books, two of which have gone on to become New York Times ...

describes it as Joel "doing his best Scott Joplin impersonation" and "his one recorded ragtime number." In response to an audience question about the song's origin during one of Joel's musical lectures, he gave the following explanation:

I got my first Moog Synthesizer. This was in the mid 70s and I got my first Moog and I put it on every record. I said 'I have to write an instrumental where I can use this Moog Synthesizer. It kinda turned me off the synthesizers forever after. That's why I wrote that song. Just purely out of stupid self-indulgence.

However, Joel did feature synthesizers on subsequent albums, including ''

Turnstiles A turnstile (also called a turnpike, gateline, baffle gate, automated gate, turn gate in some regions) is a form of gate which allows one person to pass at a time. A turnstile can be configured to enforce one-way human traffic. In addition, a ...

'' (1976), '' The Stranger'' (1977) - as credited in the liner notes and there is a Mellotron on "

She's Always a Woman "She's Always a Woman" is a song by Billy Joel from his 1977 album, '' The Stranger''. It is a love song about a modern woman whom the singer has fallen totally in love with to the extent of falling for her endearing quirks as well as her flaws ...

" - '' Glass Houses'' (1980), '' The Nylon Curtain'' (1982), '' The Bridge'' (1986), '' Storm Front'' (1989) and ''

River of Dreams ''River of Dreams'' is the twelfth studio album by American singer-songwriter Billy Joel, released on August 10, 1993. ''River of Dreams'' presented a more serious tone than found in Joel's previous albums, dealing with issues such as trust and ...

'' (1993). Other instruments include a pedal steel guitar and drums, the latter of which are played with

drum brush A percussion mallet or beater is an object used to strike or beat a percussion instrument in order to produce its sound. The term beater is slightly more general. A mallet is normally held in the hand while a beater may be foot or mechanically ...

es. A

figure Figure may refer to: General *A shape, drawing, depiction, or geometric configuration *Figure (wood), wood appearance *Figure (music), distinguished from musical motif *Noise figure, in telecommunication *Dance figure, an elementary dance pattern ...

used in the beginning and then throughout the song is similar to one that Joel would use the introductions of later songs, including "

Prelude/Angry Young Man "Prelude/Angry Young Man" is a song written by Billy Joel which appeared as the sixth song on the album '' Turnstiles'' in 1976. Live versions have been released as the second track of '' KOHЦEPT'', the 11th track of the first disc of '' 2000 Y ...

Critical reception

AllMusic AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the databa ...

critic Stephen Thomas Erlewine called the tune "admittedly enjoyable" and suggests that it was influenced by the movie ''

The Sting ''The Sting'' is a 1973 American caper film set in September 1936, involving a complicated plot by two professional grifters (Paul Newman and Robert Redford) to con a mob boss ( Robert Shaw).'' Variety'' film review; December 12, 1973, pag ...

'' and that movie's Scott Joplin-based soundtrack. Bego praises Joel's "stellar" piano work noting "lightning fast keyboard work." However, ''

Rolling Stone ''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner, and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. It was first known for its ...

'' critic Stephen Holden describes it as "nothing more than filler."

References

{{Authority control 1974 songs 1970s instrumentals Billy Joel songs Rags Rock instrumentals Song recordings produced by Michael Stewart (musician) Songs written by Billy Joel