Zanzibar by Billy Joel Lyrics Meaning – Exploring the Nostalgia of Hidden Treasures and Personal Dreams

You can view the lyrics, alternate interprations and sheet music for Billy Joel's Zanzibar at Lyrics.org.

Lyrics

Ali dances and the audience applauds
Though he’s bathed in sweat he hasn’t lost his style
Ali don’t you go downtown
You gave away another round for free

Me, I’m just another face at Zanzibar
But the waitress always serves a secret smile
She’s waiting out in Shantytown
She’s gonna pull the curtains down for me, for me

I’ve got the old man’s car
I’ve got a jazz guitar
I’ve got a tab at Zanzibar
Tonight that’s where I’ll be, I’ll be

Rose, he knows he’s such a credit to the game
But the Yankees grab the headline every time
Melodrama’s so much fun
In black and white for everyone to see

Me, I’m trying just to get to second base
And I’d steal it if she only gave the sign
She’s gonna give the go head
The inning isn’t over yet for me, for me

I’ve got the old man’s car
I’ve got a jazz guitar
I’ve got a tab at Zanzibar
Tonight that’s where I’ll be

Tell the waitress I’ll come back to Zanzibar
I’ll be hiding in the darkness with my beer
She’s waiting out in Shantytown
She’s gonna pull the curtains down for me, for me

I’ve got the old man’s car
I’ve got a jazz guitar
I’ve got a tab at Zanzibar
Tonight that’s where I’ll be

Billy Joel, known for his intricate storytelling and musical versatility, often wove complex narratives into the fabric of his songs. ‘Zanzibar,’ a track from his 1978 album ’52nd Street,’ is no exception. Rich in imagery and allusion, the song paints a portrait of escapism and the search for personal identity amid the humdrum of everyday life.

While the piece may be tucked away from the limelight of Joel’s greatest hits, it exhibits a mosaic of interpretive depth and cultural references. On the surface, ‘Zanzibar’ could be dismissed as a tribute to an exotic locale, but a closer examination of its lyrics reveals a compelling narrative of aspiration and longing, jazz, sports, and the allure of a simpler life.

Setting the Stage: The Zanzibar as a Symbolic Escape

As the lyrics guide the listener, Zanzibar emerges not just as a bar but as a metaphorical oasis where dreams can still flourish. In this sanctuary, tucked away from society’s glare, the protagonist lives out his fantasies. The mythical Zanzibar becomes a refuge, mixing the tangible—a tab, a car, a guitar—with the intangible aspirations of youth and tomorrow’s promises.

The repetition of possessions—’the old man’s car, a jazz guitar, a tab at Zanzibar’—serves as mantras of hope and symbols of what little he has, but also what defines him in his pursuit of happiness. Through this, Joel elucidates the juxtaposition between what is owned and what is yearned for.

The Alluring Game of Life: A Dive into Baseball and Boxing Metaphors

Life and sports intertwine in Joel’s storytelling, with baseball and boxing serving as powerful metaphors. The mention of the Yankees and Ali speaks to the competition that defines American culture and the protagonist’s own struggles. This parallel to American pastimes presents a microcosm of the pursuit of fame and recognition, contrasted with the protagonist’s simpler, more personal ambitions.

This blend of the grandiose and the mundane is classic Joel, layering his lyrics with a deeper message about our societal obsessions with success, while he, the everyman, looks inward to what personally drives him—a stolen base, a secret smile, moments of personal victory away from the condemning glare of public failure.

A Secret Smile Amidst the Crowd: The Quest for Connection

The waitress who ‘serves a secret smile’ symbolizes the intimate connections we seek out. She is a beacon of personal recognition in a world that often makes one feel anonymous. There’s a romanticism in her downplayed actions—the promise of ‘pull[ing] the curtains down for me’ suggests a curtain call on the day’s performance, a private moment of authenticity waiting to unfold.

Joel’s subtle storytelling in these lines invites listeners to yearn alongside the protagonist for that moment of escape where one can be truly seen. The quiet, personal victories we experience in human connections shine as brightly as any headline-grabbing accomplishment.

Dancing with Darkness: The Intricacy of Hiding in Plain Sight

The poetic line ‘I’ll be hiding in the darkness with my beer’ conjures an image of the everyman as both spectator and participant, veiled in plain sight. Billy Joel effectively conveys the sense of solace found in anonymity, where darkness becomes a cloak under which one can observe, reflect, and just be.

It’s about the safety one finds in shadows, away from judgment—the comfort in invisibility where one’s dreams and disappointments can coexist without scrutiny. Joel’s lyrics explore the nuances of escape, not in running away but in the concealment within one’s own little world.

Unveiling the Ballad’s Core: The Poignant Journey from Ambition to Acceptance

Underlying the catchy jazz-infused melodies and punctuating horns of ‘Zanzibar,’ lies the hidden meaning of life’s perpetual struggle between ambition and contentment. Joel weaves a tale of a man caught between societies expectations and his authentic self, a narrative encapsulated in the seemingly frivolous setting of a bar.

The power of ‘Zanzibar’ lies in its poignant reflection on life’s simplicity, the beauty of unnoticed moments, and the small, rebellious acts of individuality that define us. Ultimately, ‘Zanzibar’ is a ballad to humankind’s universal longing for meaning, for connection, and for a place to call our own even if it’s just a humble corner of a familiar bar.