Scenes from an Italian Restaurant

Remember how we very loosely interpreted the theme of Halloween? We’re doing that with Thanksgiving this week. We had some “Gratitude” from Earth, Wind & Fire yesterday. And of all the things we could focus on, I chose food. Well, sort of. I considered “Pass the Peas” by James Brown and the JB’s, and “Vegetables” by the Beach Boys, but great as they are, especially the JB’s jazz jam, it felt just too on the nose for a theme.

So instead, I’ve planned some songs set in dinners, restaurants, coffee shops . . . Why not? We’ll conclude these four days with a special song that Jeff used to send out traditionally on Thanksgiving.

So, here’s Billy Joel with one of my favorites, a song that feels like several songs. It’s about Brenda and Eddie who kind of peaked in high school. But then again, it’s more than that. Have you ever wondered if the the couple at the Italian restaurant are in Fact Brenda and Eddie meeting up again decades later, or are they some other couple just reminiscing about the popular kids from school and sort of wondering “where are they now?” I like that the song leaves it a bit ambiguous. How do you see it?

I always found this tune oddly inspiring, a reminder that as long as I’m not dead yet, there’s still more room for new pages in my life story.

“Scenes from an Italian Restaurant” was from the Billy’s 1975 album The Stranger, and in 2021, more than 45 years later, it finally got its own music video!