Uploaded June 2023 | Updated September 2026, 2 hours ago
"Only the Good Die Young"
I was writing a song about dying, when I noticed that everyone who writes or sings about death, dies ... and usually tragically.
Doug Stegmeyer was Billy Joel's long time bassist, joining the band to play bass in Joel's backing band from his third album to his tenth.
While Billy Joel's brand of pop music usually has lighter lyrics, there was at least one song about life, death or dying on every album that Stegmeyer played on.
As the 90s approached, Joel wanted to change up his band and he didn't asked Doug to join the new band. Stegmeyer fell into a state of depression and died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound in 1995.
Side Note: I quickly reworked the theme of my tune to be about returning home through space and time (totally not dying). I then dropped the lyrics and turned the melody into a guitar instrumental. That should be safe (youtu.be/1FuUKGrjEGY)!
"Only the Good Die Young"
I was writing a song about dying, when I noticed that everyone who writes or sings about death, dies ... and usually tragically.
Doug Stegmeyer was Billy Joel's long time bassist, joining the band to play bass in Joel's backing band from his third album to his tenth.
While Billy Joel's brand of pop music usually has lighter lyrics, there was at least one song about life, death or dying on every album that Stegmeyer played on.
As the 90s approached, Joel wanted to change up his band and he didn't asked Doug to join the new band. Stegmeyer fell into a state of depression and died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound in 1995.
Side Note: I quickly reworked the theme of my tune to be about returning home through space and time (totally not dying). I then dropped the lyrics and turned the melody into a guitar instrumental. That should be safe (youtu.be/1FuUKGrjEGY)!
