My Life (Billy Joel song) 1978
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Single by Billy Joel
from the album 52nd Street
B-side “52nd Street”
Released October 28, 1978
Format 7″
Recorded 1978
Genre Pop rock
Length 4:44 (Album Version)
3:50 (Single Version)
Label Columbia
Writer(s) Billy Joel
Producer(s) Phil Ramone
“My Life” is a song by Billy Joel that first appeared on his 1978 album 52nd Street. A single version was released in the fall of 1978 and reached #2 on the U.S. adult contemporary chart. Early the next year it peaked at #3 on the Billboard Hot 100.
The song begins with drums and electric bass, followed by a keyboard riff. The riff is also used as a fill between verse and chorus sections and is also played at the end. The section order is intro-verse-fill-chorus-bridge-v-f-c-b-solo-c-outro.
Chicago members Peter Cetera and Donnie Dacus performed the backing vocals and sang along with Billy Joel during the bridge and in the outro (“Keep it to yourself, it’s my life”).
“My Life” was used as the theme song for the ABC television series Bosom Buddies (1980–82), albeit in a re-recorded version with a different vocalist. However, due to licensing issues it does not appear on the VHS and DVD releases of the series, nor is it used in the show’s syndicated airings; in both cases, it is replaced by a vocal version of the show’s closing instrumental theme, “Shake Me Loose”, sung by Stephanie Mills, who, like Joel, also originated from New York City.