Billy Joel Kills The Romance With ‘Stories Behind the Hits’ on ‘The Late Show’

On The Late Show With Stephen Colbert, Billy Joel knocked a little romance out of some of his famous songs by sharing some “true stories” about their origins. For instance, did you know that in “Tell Her About It,” the “it” Billy wanted him to tell her about is his third nipple? Or that Billy’s doo-wop song “The Longest Time” was inspired by how long it took his toaster strudel to cool from the microwave? You may have thought it was about unrequited love. Silly you.

Perhaps nothing could be stranger than how “Only the Good Die Young” was originally titled, “The Evil Shall Live Forever.” That certainly adds a whole new slant to the Catholic school crush. And little did you know that in “Scenes From an Italian Restaurant,” the “bottle of red” was ketchup, and the “bottle of white” was “horsey sauce” and the “Italian restaurant” was really an Arby’s.

The Late Show With Stephen Colbert airs weeknights at 11:35 p.m. on CBS.

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