Celebrated musical icon Billy Joel has just released his song “Turn The Lights Back On” –– which marks his latest single in over 17 years.
The “Uptown Girl” hitmaker came out of retirement to work on the track with producer Freddy Wexler, who has worked with artists like Justin Bieber, Selena Gomez, Ariana Grande, BLACKPINK, Celine Dion, Jonas Brothers, ZAYN, and Kanye West. The song, which doubles as an emotional ballad to a lover and a message to fans who have waited all these years for new music, was written by Joel, Wexler, British songwriter Wayne Hector, and Arthur Bacon. In the track’s lyrics, Joel ponders: “I’m late, but I’m here right now / Is there still time for forgiveness?” the song asks its listeners. “Did I wait too long to turn the lights back on?”
Courtesy of Columbia Records
Turn The Lights Back On follows the release of his 2007 hit track “All My Life“, which reached number one on the U.S. Billboard Hot Singles Sales chart. Prior to that, Joel’s last musical work was his 1993 record River of Dreams, with the final song “Famous Last Words” alluding to the singer-songwriter’s desire to retire from the recording studio. Though Joel did indeed leave songwriting for quite some time, he never left music entirely –– having continued his series of live performances, including his decade-long Madison Square Garden residency which is set to end this July 25, 2024.
Listen to Billy Joel’s musical comeback Turn The Lights Back On below: