Few people know that Billy Joel is a total badass. That’s him on the right, dressed like a medieval warrior standing in the meat factory that Rocky used to train in. The guy on the left is his partner in the band Attila. They released an album that actually looks way worse than it is. If you like old school keyboard-driven Deep Purple you will appreciate Attila.

“Piano Man” was released three years later and was Joel’s major label debut and second solo album. Knowing where he came from, it’s hard to believe that this is the same artist. The album features two songs that would become staples of Joel’s concerts, “Piano Man” and “Captain Jack”, and it was a live performance of “Captain Jack” that caught the attention of Capitol Records in the first place.

A radio station in Philadelphia broadcast Joel’s local concert live in 1972. The station then gave the recording of “Captain Jack” from that concert regular airplay. The song was noticed by several labels and Joel fielded multiple offers. He signed with Columbia Records in 1973 and released the album “Piano Man” later that year. “Captain Jack” was quite an unlikely hit. It has been misinterpreted in many ways over the years and fans have thought the song glorified everything from whiskey drinking to masturbation. Critics have used it as an example of the evils of rock and roll music. In reality the song is about a suburban heroin dealer named Captain Jack and the boredom and habits of his customers.

“Piano Man” was not an overwhelming hit immediately but would go on to sell over 2 million copies. Joel would go on to an incredible career in which he released top 40 songs in three consecutive decades, won six Grammys and sold more than 150 million albums. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1999 and also married way, way out of his league.

Here’s the controversial hit from 1973, “Captain Jack”: