HBO’s “And So It Goes”

HBO’s rock-u-mentary ” And So It Goes” delivers more than an easy-ride into the lifestyle of musical titan Billy Joel.  It’s also a psychological roadmap of how this celebrated chronicler of our sexual fantasies, backseat romances, and horrible heartbreaks articulate the most universal of human experiences.

Billy Joel’s personal catalogue of deep-cuts is, in many ways, a lyrical photo album of the international family of man.

“And So It Goes” landmarks the poetry of pop-culture. It’s rhythms rhyme with images of our times. This ‘doc’ rocks black-and-white stills of the birth of baby-booming, colorful days of conspicuous consumption and moving realities of how real life “goes on and on and on and on.”

Joel’s lyrics mirror how we manage and mis~manage the meaning of madness. His ability to access syncopated emotions in multiple formats set him apart from other gifted musicians. Mystically, his translations of temperament transcend this century, delivering listeners to the genre of genius we recognize as the orchestrations of Bach, Beethoven and Chopin. It’s the timelessness of those chords that resonate across generations and have transformed Billy Joel concerts into geopolitical frames of reference.

Through this two-part HBO series it becomes clear the sum of Joel’s day-to-day experiences have been assimilated into the soundtrack of our days. The five hour tour-d’voyeristic-force rewrites an understanding of the artist who rocked his world as much as he continues to rock ours.

Amplifying notes of  the sure passage of time, “And So It Goes”  is a fusion of cultural riches.

The maestro’s hits still spark memories. His lusty lyrics ricochet with allusions to ‘engineer boots, leather jackets and tight blue jeans.’  However, the most poignant takeaway of “And So It Goes” are refections of the genius as he mirrors the last of life’s common denominators.

The technicolor lights of the 76 year old Piano Man’s stage are dark now. Time and a lifetime of questionable choices are writing the last stanza of his chorus as much as our own.

“She” recommends enjoying HBO’s rock-u-memtary and reliving times as an Up-Town Girl  with a bottle of white a bottle of red, perhaps a bottle of rosé instead. It’s more than an easy ride into the life of rock-and-rollers, it’s a reminder of the human experience and how it goes ~for all of us.