In a conversation with WCRB’s Tony Rudel, Billy Joel describes the way a single melodic idea led to a song that, 40 years after its release, seems to speak to our time with uncanny accuracy. Hear their entire conversation about “Miami 2017 (I’ve Seen The Lights Go Out On Broadway)” on WCRB’s podcast, The Answered Question.

Photo: Billy Joel and Tony Rudel backstage at Fenway Park in Boston, MA. Photo by Jeff Schock