No Man's Land (Billy Joel song)
Encyclopedia
"No Man's Land" is a single by Billy Joel
. It was the third single from his 1993 album River of Dreams
. The song is about the growth of suburbia and its negative environmental and social aspects. It presumably refers somewhat specifically to Long Island
(the line about "lots more to read about Lolita and suburban lust" is an indirect reference to Amy Fisher
). It was the first song performed on Late Show with David Letterman
in October 1993.
Joel often opened concerts on the 1994 River of Dreams Tour with "No Man's Land".
Billy Joel
William Martin "Billy" Joel is an American musician and pianist, singer-songwriter, and classical composer. Since releasing his first hit song, "Piano Man", in 1973, Joel has become the sixth best-selling recording artist and the third best-selling solo artist in the United States, according to...
. It was the third single from his 1993 album River of Dreams
River of Dreams
River of Dreams is the 12th studio album by Billy Joel, released in 1993. This is the last pop album made by Joel, and presented a much more serious tone as a whole, dealing with issues such as trust and long-lasting love; it was rumored that the themes of trust and betrayal, particularly certain...
. The song is about the growth of suburbia and its negative environmental and social aspects. It presumably refers somewhat specifically to Long Island
Long Island
Long Island is an island located in the southeast part of the U.S. state of New York, just east of Manhattan. Stretching northeast into the Atlantic Ocean, Long Island contains four counties, two of which are boroughs of New York City , and two of which are mainly suburban...
(the line about "lots more to read about Lolita and suburban lust" is an indirect reference to Amy Fisher
Amy Fisher
Amy Elizabeth Fisher is an American woman who became known as "the Long Island Lolita" by the media in 1992, when, at the age of 17, she shot and severely wounded Mary Jo Buttafuoco, the wife of her lover Joey Buttafuoco...
). It was the first song performed on Late Show with David Letterman
Late Show with David Letterman
Late Show with David Letterman is a U.S. late-night talk show hosted by David Letterman on CBS. The show debuted on August 30, 1993, and is produced by Letterman's production company, Worldwide Pants Incorporated. The show's music director and band-leader of the house band, the CBS Orchestra, is...
in October 1993.
UK CD single
All songs written by Billy Joel.- "No Man's Land" (LP version) - 4:45
- "No Man's Land" (Live) - 5:03
Chart positions
| Chart (1993) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| UK Singles Chart UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ... |
50 |
| U.S. Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks Mainstream Rock Tracks Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks is a ranking in Billboard magazine of the most-played songs on mainstream rock radio stations, a category that includes stations that play primarily rock music. Modern rock tracks are counted in the Alternative Songs chart.This chart began with the March 21, 1981, issue... |
18 |
Joel often opened concerts on the 1994 River of Dreams Tour with "No Man's Land".