If your dreams are noble and genuine, then, “When will you realize? / Vienna waits for you.” Bitahon, in this context, means trusting that God will help translate our effort into success. And yet, as much hishtadlut as we place into fulfilling our dreams, we must know that the true recipe calls for more than a few cups of Divine help. The most essential lesson appears in the refrain of the song, “When will you realize? / Vienna waits for you.”Īs ovedei Hashem, dreams and aspirations are essential.

How often do we-even momentarily-put our dreams on hold to be present in our relationships, thankful for what we have, and occasionally pat ourselves on the back for what we have accomplished? On the other hand, were any hopes for growth exhausted when we graduated yeshiva, midrasha, or college? Are we simply content basking in the here and now? Billy Joel’s “Vienna” articulates this fundamental but unsolvable tension that many of us feel in everyday life. Miller’s piano-and-vocal cover of Vienna is totally unlistenable a bit of studio foolishness attributed to his production alias Larry Fisherman. In life generally, and in avodat Hashem specifically, the apparent mutually exclusive themes of “Vienna” are difficult to inculcate. In practice, however, tunnel vision can wreak havoc on an individual’s physical well-being, diminish self-confidence and self-worth, and harm one’s relationships. In theory, ignoring all but one’s goals should prove the most efficient path to success. It’s alright you can afford to lose a day or two. Take the phone off the hook and disappear for a while You know you can’t always see when you’re right… You’re so ahead of yourself that you forgot what you need The problem of the song’s protagonist is not only that he is on the verge of giving up on his dreams, but that his intense work ethic itself is damaging: In the very same breath, however, “Vienna” also imparts a seemingly contradictory message. Vienna is the fifth track from American composer, singer and songwriter Billy Joel and his fifth studio album The Stranger, which was released in 1977. Only after laboring for years can we look back and see how far we have come. Torah study, in the midrash’s example, requires a lifetime’s worth of patience and perseverance. Rabba 8:3): Torah demands we dream big, but we cannot expect immediate satisfaction. These themes are also found in our own tradition (see, e.g., Deut. You’re gonna kick off before you’re even halfway through…ĭon’t you know that only fools are satisfied? You better cool it off before you burn it out… Where’s the fire, what’s the hurry about? Joel’s narrator warns of this impending danger: Often the moment we contemplate the grandness of our goals and the intensity of our efforts, we become impatient with our slow advances, deem ourselves fools for striving towards the impossible, and toss up our hands in defeat. Yet, a dreamer runs the risk of his ambitions turning against him and harming his progress. For the religious individual, aspiration is necessary for avodat Hashem, Torah study, and fulfilling one’s unique role or potential in this world. “We were walking in the city and I remember seeing an old lady sweeping the street and I said, ‘Dad it’s kind of sad that that poor old woman has to do that kind of work.’ He said, ‘No, she has a job, she feels useful, she has a place in our society,’” Joel recalls.Why this is The BEST: Ambition is a powerful force that can lead one to accomplish the unthinkable. Soon after, during a walk around the city with him, Joel was struck with the inspiration for his song of the same name.

Upon hearing this news, Joel went to visit his estranged father in Vienna. When I did my first tour of Europe, I was in my early 20s, and I was looking for him… I got word that my father was working in an office in Vienna, Austria. “He went back to Europe and I pretty much never heard from the guy again,” Joel said in a 2008 interview. When Joel was a child, his father and mother split with Helmut, returning to Europe-Vienna, Austria to be specific.

In this song, Joel’s perspective on getting older almost entirely stems from hearing his father’s take on aging. His father, born Helmut Joel in Germany (he later adopted the name Howard), was a pianist and businessman who felt out of place in the United States.

Cover of vienna by billy joel