Is there an accordion in Vienna by Billy Joel?

A fictional cover I created.  Someone uploaded it to Genius lyrics, and now it's all over.  But 'Vienna" was not a single.

You got your passion you got your pride
But don't you know that only fools are satisfied?
Dream on, but don't imagine they'll all come true
When will you realize, Vienna waits for you

      For Billy Joel fans, "Vienna" ranks as one of his finest songs.  Although it was never released as a single, many fans and critics point to this song as the epitome of Billy's craftsmanship and talent.  

     "Vienna" begins with a wistful Kurt Weil-like piano intro, evoking a melancholy European cabaret tune, and then moves into a nicely paced ballad.   The accordion solo by Dominic Cortese in the bridge reinforces the European sensibility, and really gives the song its character, not unlike a starlit night on a European river such as in Van Gogh's Starry Night Over The Rhone (see below right).

Billy on the Kurt Weil-like intro to "Vienna" on SiriusXM.

Billy discusses "Vienna."   Subscribe to SiriusXM.

     In "Vienna," Billy urges us to "take the phone off the hook and disappear for a while" as "Vienna waits for you."   It's something we should listen to especially in the modern age as our world becomes more technology-oriented and electronically-connected, but become increasingly more  emotionally-disconnected.  Put your cell phone and tablet away.   You won't miss anything.   "It's alright you can afford to lose a day or two" since Vienna waits for you.   ​

​Words and Music by Billy Joel

S low down you crazy child
You're so ambitious for a juvenile
But then if you're so smart tell me why
Are you still so afraid?
Where's the fire, what's the hurry about?
You better cool it off before you burn it out
You got so much to do and only
So many hours in a day

But you know that when the truth is told
That you can get what you want
Or you can just get old
You're gonna kick off before you even get halfway through
When will you realize...Vienna waits for you

Slow down you're doing fine
You can't be everything you want to be before your time
Although it's so romantic on the borderline tonight, tonight
Too bad but it's the life you lead
You're so ahead of yourself
That you forgot what you need
Though you can see when you're wrong
You know you can't always see when you're right, you're right

You got your passion you got your pride
But don't you know that only fools are satisfied?
Dream on but don't imagine they'll all come true
When will you realize
Vienna waits for you

Slow down you crazy child
And take the phone off the hook and disappear for a while
It's alright you can afford to lose a day or two
When will you realize...
Vienna waits for you.

And you know that when the truth is told
That you can get what you want
Or you can just get old
You're gonna kick off before you even get halfway through

Why don't you realize...Vienna waits for you
When will you realize...Vienna waits for you.

DOMINIC CORTESE:  ACCORDION

Starry Night over The Rhone by Vincent Van Gogh.

     "Vienna" is a metaphor for old age, it is not something to dread, but something to embrace. You can still have a productive and peaceful old age. Billy said that the inspiration for the song came when he was visiting his estranged father, Helmut (Howard) Joel, in Vienna. He saw an elderly woman sweeping the streets, and told his father that it was awful to see an old woman doing that, but his father pointed out that she was doing something useful and productive (click on the video, below right, to hear Billy explain it). In America, we tend to push aside the elderly, but in many other countries the elderly are revered and respected, and contribute to society in many unrecognized ways.

Billy and his father, Howard Joel.  Source unknown.