Which Billy Joel song was written after Piano Man was shortened for radio?

The Billy Joel song written after “Piano Man” was shortened for radio is “The Entertainer.” Joel turned his frustration with the editing process into a satirical song about the pressures of commercial music.

“Piano Man” originally ran 5 minutes and 40 seconds, but its radio edit was reduced to 3 minutes and 5 seconds. “The Entertainer” directly references that change with the lyric about making a hit fit the radio. The song presents fame as temporary: an artist must stay on the charts or risk being forgotten.

Joel recorded “The Entertainer” for Streetlife Serenade, released in 1974. Its album version runs 3:41, while the single version runs about 3:11, despite the 7-inch label listing 3:05. It reached No. 34 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100. Allentown, Pressure, and Big Shot are also recognizable Joel songs, but they do not contain this specific response to radio editing.