Song of the Week: “Lullabye (Goodnight, My Angel)” by Billy Joel

Welcome to Song of the Week, Metro.Style Culture’s new weekly series where we bring you one song every week—complete with history, the best scenarios to play them in, and what to listen to next if you liked it.

“Lullabye (Goodnight, My Angel),” Billy Joel

The start of this week was met with devastating news: Kobe Bryant had died in a helicopter crash, along with his 13-year-old daughter Gianna and seven other people on board. The Grammys, which happened later that night, had dedicated their show to the late basketball legend, with Grammy winner Lizzo singing her song “Cuz I Love You” for him. 

This week’s song, Billy Joel’s “Lullabye” is a tribute to those who perished in the crash. It reminds us of the love between a father and a daughter, and encourages us to reflect on the frailty and unpredictability of life—something that now, more than ever, is abuzz in the general public’s consciousness after Bryant’s death. 

The inspiration for Joel’s “Lullabye” is his daughter, Alexa Ray Joel. According to Genius, the song was originally written as a monophonic Gregorian chant in Latin, as an interlude before “The River of Dreams.” That idea was scrapped and instead became a sentimental piece dedicated to his daughter. 

“Lullabye” is the fourth single from Joel’s River of Dreams album and peaked at the Billboard Hot 100 at number 12. If you liked this song, listen to Sarah McLachlan’s “Song For My Father,” a song she had written in 2014 in tribute to her dad who had passed away. 

Lead photos from Billy Joel/YouTube