The Ballad of Billy the Kid - wikipedia The Ballad of Billy the Kid `` The Ballad of Billy the Kid '' Single by Billy Joel from the album Piano Man B - side `` If I Only Had the Words ( To Tell You ) '' Released April 1974 Recorded 1973 Genre Rock Length 5 : 35 Label Columbia Songwriter ( s ) Billy Joel Producer ( s ) Michael Stewart Billy Joel singles chronology `` Travelin ' Prayer '' ( 1974 ) `` The Ballad of Billy the Kid '' ( 1974 ) `` The Entertainer '' ( 1975 ) `` Travelin ' Prayer '' ( 1974 ) `` The Ballad of Billy the Kid '' ( 1974 ) `` The Entertainer '' ( 1975 ) `` The Ballad of Billy the Kid '' is a song by American singer - song writer Billy Joel from the album Piano Man. It was also issued as a single in the UK backed with `` If I Only Had The Words ( To Tell You ). '' Contents 1 Historical inaccuracies 2 Background 3 Influences 4 Live versions 5 Critical reception 6 Pop culture reference 7 References 8 External links Historical inaccuracies The song is Joel 's fictionalized version of the story of Billy the Kid. In an interview from 1975, Joel admitted, `` Basically ( the song ) was an experiment with an impressionist type of lyric. It was historically totally inaccurate as a story. '' Examples of these inaccuracies include when Joel sings that Billy the Kid was `` from a town known as Wheeling, West Virginia '' and that `` he robbed his way from Utah to Oklahoma. '' But the real Billy the Kid never robbed a bank and although his birthplace is uncertain, no account suggests that he was from West Virginia. The song also says that Billy the Kid was captured and hanged, with many people attending the hanging ; in reality, he was shot and killed by Pat Garrett. Background In the last verse of the song, the lyrics switch from Billy the Kid to a `` Billy '' from Oyster Bay, Long Island. The writer Ken Bielen has interpreted the `` Billy '' in the final verse as being a portrait of Billy Joel himself since Joel was from Oyster Bay. However, in the liner notes to his album Songs in the Attic Joel claims that the `` Billy '' in the final verse is not himself but rather a bartender who worked in Oyster Bay, by the name of Billy Nastri. In an interview once Billy Joel mentioned that this song was about `` record company PR hype ''. The lyrics may have been inspired in part by the liner notes from his earlier two - man album `` Attila '', which go on and on about the historic Attila the Hun, and then conclude, `` Attila - the hottest band to come along since the Huns sacked Europe ''. Influences According to one of Joel 's unofficial biographers, Hank Bordowitz, the instrumentation of `` The Ballad of Billy the Kid '' has details reminiscent of the composers Aaron Copland and Ennio Morricone. Copland himself wrote the music for a ballet titled Billy The Kid. Live versions The song was a concert staple from 1974 - 1979. In 1981, Joel 's song was released in a live version on the album Songs in the Attic. The live version was used as the B - side to the live single of `` She 's Got a Way. '' Another live version of the song was released on Live at Shea Stadium : The Concert in 2011. Critical reception Critical response to the song has been mixed. In The New Rolling Stone Album Guide, Paul Evans called `` The Ballad of Billy the Kid '' one of the `` ambitious story songs '' on Piano Man and Dennis Hunt of The Los Angeles Times agreed that the song showed Joel 's `` knack for story songs. '' But other critics have dismissed the song. For example, The New York Times critic Laura Sinagra called the song a `` bombastic throwaway '' and Tom Phalen of The Seattle Times was also critical of the song, arguing that Joel 's `` outlaw '' character does n't match Joel 's light, catchy `` Marlboro Man melodies. '' Bordowitz comments on the `` interesting, if somewhat jejune parallel '' in the lyrics between a teenage rebel in the 1800s American West and in the 1900s American suburbs. Pop culture reference `` The Ballad of Billy the Kid '' is featured during the Family Guy episode `` Dial Meg for Murder ''. References Jump up ^ `` Billy Joel -- The Ballad Of Billy The Kid / If I Only Had The Words ( To Tell You ) ''. Discogs. Retrieved 2012 - 07 - 18. Jump up ^ `` The Ballad Of Billy The Kid by Billy Joel ''. ZigZag. 1975. Retrieved March 11, 2018 -- via songfacts.com. Jump up ^ Joel, Billy. `` The Ballad of Billy the Kid ''. Piano Man. Columbia Records, 1973. Jump up ^ Joel, Billy ( 2016 ). Billy Joel Channel. Sirius XM Radio. ^ Jump up to : Bielen, K. ( 2011 ). The Words and Music of Billy Joel. ABC - CLIO. p. 25. ISBN 9780313380167. ^ Jump up to : Joel, Billy ( 1981 ). Songs in the Attic ( LP ). Billy Joel. New York : Columbia Records. TC 37461. ^ Jump up to : Bordowitz, H. ( 2006 ). Billy Joel : The Life & Times of an Angry Young Man. Random House. pp. 75, 202. ISBN 9780823082483. Jump up ^ `` Billy Joel -- She 's Got A Way / The Ballad Of Billy The Kid ''. Discogs. Retrieved 2012 - 07 - 18. Jump up ^ Erlewine, S.T. `` Live at Shea Stadium : The Concert ''. Allmusic. Retrieved 2012 - 07 - 18. Jump up ^ Evans, P. ( 2004 ). Brackett, N. ; Hoard, C., eds. The New Rolling Stone Album Guide ( 4th ed. ). Simon and Schuster. p. 434. ISBN 9780743201698. Jump up ^ Hunt, D. ( January 10, 1987 ). `` Billy Joel Keeps His Cool Despite Success as a Rock Star ''. The Vindicator. p. 20. Retrieved 2012 - 07 - 18. Jump up ^ Sinagra, L. ( January 24, 2006 ). `` At Garden, Billy Joel Is Out to Prove He 's in Control ''. New York Times. Retrieved 2012 - 07 - 18. Jump up ^ Phalen, T. ( November 26, 1993 ). `` An Ode To Billy Joel -- ` River Of Dreams ' Tour Is Turning Point For Once - Angry Pop Star ''. The Seattle Times. Retrieved 2012 - 07 - 18. External links Lyrics of this song at MetroLyrics Billy Joel Studio albums Cold Spring Harbor Piano Man Streetlife Serenade Turnstiles The Stranger 52nd Street Glass Houses The Nylon Curtain An Innocent Man The Bridge Storm Front River of Dreams Fantasies & Delusions Live albums Songs in the Attic KOHЦEPT 2000 Years : The Millennium Concert 12 Gardens Live Live at Shea Stadium : The Concert Compilations Greatest Hits, Vol. 1 -- 3 Souvenir : The Ultimate Collection The Ultimate Collection The Essential Billy Joel Piano Man : The Very Best of Billy Joel My Lives The Hits Singles `` She 's Got a Way '' `` Piano Man '' `` You 're My Home '' `` Worse Comes to Worst '' `` Travelin ' Prayer '' `` The Ballad of Billy the Kid '' `` The Entertainer '' `` Just the Way You Are '' `` Movin ' Out ( Anthony 's Song ) '' `` Only the Good Die Young '' `` She 's Always a Woman '' `` Vienna '' `` The Stranger '' `` My Life '' `` Big Shot '' `` Honesty '' `` Until the Night '' `` All for Leyna '' `` You May Be Right '' `` It 's Still Rock and Roll to Me '' `` Do n't Ask Me Why '' `` Sometimes a Fantasy '' `` Say Goodbye to Hollywood '' ( Live ) `` She 's Got a Way '' ( Live ) `` Pressure '' `` Allentown '' `` Goodnight Saigon '' `` Tell Her About It '' `` Uptown Girl '' `` An Innocent Man '' `` The Longest Time '' `` Leave a Tender Moment Alone '' `` This Night '' `` Keeping the Faith '' `` You 're Only Human ( Second Wind ) '' `` The Night Is Still Young '' `` Modern Woman '' `` A Matter of Trust '' `` This Is the Time '' `` Baby Grand '' `` Back in the U.S.S.R. '' ( Live ) `` We Did n't Start the Fire '' `` Leningrad '' `` I Go to Extremes '' `` The Downeaster ' Alexa ' '' `` That 's Not Her Style '' `` And So It Goes '' `` Shameless '' `` All Shook Up '' `` The River of Dreams '' `` All About Soul '' `` No Man 's Land '' `` Lullabye ( Goodnight, My Angel ) '' `` To Make You Feel My Love '' `` Hey Girl '' `` All My Life '' `` Christmas in Fallujah '' Other songs `` Everybody Loves You Now '' `` Captain Jack '' `` Los Angelenos '' `` Root Beer Rag '' `` New York State of Mind '' `` Prelude / Angry Young Man '' `` Miami 2017 ( Seen the Lights Go Out on Broadway ) '' `` Scenes from an Italian Restaurant '' `` Zanzibar '' `` Laura '' `` Scandinavian Skies '' `` Big Man on Mulberry Street '' Tours An Innocent Man Tour Face to Face 1994 Face to Face 1995 Face to Face 1998 Face to Face 2001 Face to Face 2003 Face to Face 2009 Face to Face 2010 Billy Joel in Concert Film Oliver & Company The Last Play at Shea See also Discography Movin ' Out Billy Joel Band The Hassles Attila Alexa Ray Joel Christie Brinkley Katie Lee `` Movin ' Out '' ( Glee episode ) Book Category Billy the Kid in popular culture Films Billy the Kid ( 1911 ) Billy the Kid ( 1930 ) Billy the Kid Returns ( 1938 ) Billy the Kid ( 1941 ) The Outlaw ( 1943 ) The Kid from Texas ( 1950 ) The Left Handed Gun ( 1958 ) Billy the Kid Versus Dracula ( 1966 ) Dirty Little Billy ( 1972 ) Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid ( 1973 ) Billy the Kid and the Green Baize Vampire ( 1985 ) Young Guns ( 1988 ) Gore Vidal 's Billy the Kid ( 1989 ) Young Guns II ( 1990 ) Lola and Billy the Kid ( 1999 German - Turkish ) Billy the Kid film series ( 1940 -- 46 ) Bob Steele as Billy the Kid Billy the Kid Outlawed ( 1940 ) Billy the Kid in Texas ( 1940 ) Billy the Kid 's Gun Justice ( 1940 ) Billy the Kid 's Range War ( 1941 ) Billy the Kid 's Fighting Pals ( 1941 ) Billy the Kid in Santa Fe ( 1941 ) Buster Crabbe as Billy the Kid Billy the Kid Wanted ( 1941 ) Billy the Kid 's Round - Up ( 1941 ) Billy the Kid Trapped ( 1942 ) Billy the Kid 's Smoking Guns ( 1942 ) Law and Order ( 1942 ) Sheriff of Sage Valley ( 1942 ) The Mysterious Rider ( 1942 ) The Kid Rides Again ( 1943 ) Fugitive of the Plains ( 1943 ) Western Cyclone ( 1943 ) Cattle Stampede ( 1943 ) The Renegade ( 1943 ) Blazing Frontier ( 1943 ) Buster Crabbe as Billy Carson Devil Riders ( 1943 ) Frontier Outlaws ( 1944 ) Valley of Vengeance ( 1944 ) The Drifter ( 1944 ) Rustlers ' Hideout ( 1944 ) Wild Horse Phantom ( 1944 ) Oath of Vengeance ( 1944 ) His Brother 's Ghost ( 1945 ) Thundering Gunslingers ( 1945 ) Shadows of Death ( 1945 ) Gangster 's Den ( 1945 ) Fuzzy Settles Down ( 1945 ) Stagecoach Outlaws ( 1945 ) Border Badmen ( 1945 ) Fighting Bill Carson ( 1945 ) Prairie Rustlers ( 1945 ) Lightning Raiders ( 1945 ) Terrors on Horseback ( 1946 ) Gentlemen with Guns ( 1946 ) Ghost of Hidden Valley ( 1946 ) Prairie Badmen ( 1946 ) Overland Riders ( 1946 ) Outlaws of the Plains ( 1946 ) TV The Tall Man ( 1960 ) The Legend of Billy the Kid ( 1994 ) Music `` The Ballad of Billy the Kid '' Pat Garrett & Billy the Kid ( album ) `` Billy the Kid '' `` Las Cruces Jail '' Stage Billy the Kid ( ballet ) Comics Billy the Kid ( Charlton Comics ) Billy the Kid ( Lucky Luke ) Billy the Kid 's Old Timey Oddities Literature The Authentic Life of Billy, the Kid ( Pat Garrett ) Billy the Kid : A Handbook ( Jon Tuska ) Billy the Kid : A Short and Violent Life ( Robert M. Utley ) The Old West : The Gunfighters ( Paul Trachtman ) Art Dick Brewer, Billy the Kid and the Regulators Related Brushy Bill Roberts Lincoln County Regulators Category Commons Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=The_Ballad_of_Billy_the_Kid&oldid=829919972 '' Categories : Billy Joel songs 1974 singles 1973 songs Cultural depictions of Billy the Kid Songs about criminals Songs written by Billy Joel Song recordings produced by Michael Stewart ( musician ) Columbia Records singles Hidden categories : Articles with hAudio microformats Talk Contents About Wikipedia Norsk nynorsk Edit links This page was last edited on 11 March 2018, at 16 : 46. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution - ShareAlike License ; additional terms may apply. By using this site, you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Wikipedia ® is a registered trademark of the Wikimedia Foundation, Inc., a non-profit organization. About Wikipedia

Question: who wrote the ballad of billy the kid
Answer: American singer-song writer Billy Joel