Allentown (song)

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This article is about the song by Billy Joel. For the city in Pennsylvania, United States, see Allentown. For the city in New Jersey, US, see Allentown, New Jersey.

"Allentown" is a Billy Joel song, which first appeared on Joel's The Nylon Curtain (1982) album, accompanied by a conceptual music video. It later appeared on Joel's Greatest Hits: Volume II (1985), 2000 Years: The Millennium Concert (2000), The Essential Billy Joel (2001), and "12 Gardens Live" (2006) albums.

The song's theme is of the resolve of those coping with the demise of the American manufacturing industry in the latter part of the 20th century. More specifically, it depicts the depressed, blue-collar livelihood of Allentown and Bethlehem, Pennsylvania's residents in the wake of Bethlehem Steel's decline and eventual closure. Joel witnessed this first-hand while performing at the Lehigh Valley's numerous music venues at the start of his career in the late 1960s and early 1970s.

In "Allentown", he sings: "No they never taught us what was real; / Iron and coke, /chromium steel; / And we're waiting here in Allentown."

The introductory rhythm of the song is reminiscent of the sound of a rolling mill converting steel ingots into I-beams or other shapes. Such a sound was commonly heard throughout South Bethlehem when the Bethlehem Steel plant was in operation.

"Allentown" is the lead track on The Nylon Curtain, which was the seventh best-selling album of the year in 1982. The song reached #17 on the Billboard Hot 100, making it one of the most-played radio songs of 1982. The video was also in heavy rotation on MTV during 1982 and 1983. The original airing of the song featured rear male nudity in the opening of the song as steelworkers showered; the scene was edited from subsequent airings on MTV.

Joel was awarded the key to the City of Allentown because of this song, despite the citizens' objections. There was controversy over the nature of the song, whether it degraded and stereotyped the town, or showed to the world the reality of American life.

Where's the Orchestra?

The song is bookended on the album The Nylon Curtain with the song "Where's the Orchestra?", which ends with a brief instrumental version of Allentown.

External links

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Last updated on Thursday February 14, 2008 at 06:51:20 PST (GMT -0800)
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