"Tomorrow Is Today" is a song written by Billy Joel, released on his first studio album, Cold Spring Harbor (1971). It was originally released as Joel's first single in the United States, backed by the track "Everybody Loves You Now" in 1972.[1]
Lyrics and context
In 1970 after the breakup of Joel's duo Attila and a failed relationship, Joel attempted to commit suicide by drinking furniture polish alone in his bedroom.[2] The song analyzes Joel's thoughts as he attempted to commit suicide. The lyrics state that 'Nothing comes to change my life, so tomorrow is today,' meaning he doesn't believe his life could improve.[3]
The overall theme is the feeling of being completely fed up with the circumstances his life has come to. The narrator feels that life is monotonous and he feels that every day is the same as the previous one. This is best represented by the line 'What's the use of always dreaming if tomorrow is today.' He has to intention of dreaming of something better.[3] Joel has often referred to this song as a "suicide note" rather than a true composition.[4]
Musical compostion
The time signature of the song is 4/4 and is in C major. This is a similar structure to many of the songs on Billy Joel's first album "Cold Spring Harbor". The song tracks at 85bpm and has a slow and methotical pace.[5] The songs also modulates to A minor during the bridge section of the chorus.
Critical reception and charts
The single was released under Family Productions records in 1972. The single failed to chart in the United States, as Joel's first album suffered from poor mastering and failed advertising.[citation needed]
The critical reception of the song is generally favorable.[6] The lyrical composition is often praised for its general relatability and sensitivity. The chordal compistion of the song is noted as a generally intricute chordal progression with a strong melody. The song is noted as being "beatifully depressing" by OneFinalSerenade.[1]
Live performances
Joel has shied away from playing the song live due to its dark lyrical connections to his suicide attempts. Despite this, Joel is known to have played the song live nine times between 1972 and 1974.[7] One of these performance was in 1972 at Sigma Sound Studios during a live WMMR radio broadcast concert. This live performance would later be released on the legacy edition of Piano Man.[8] Since 1974, Joel has not played the song live.[7]
Legacy
Joel has spoke negatively of the song in interviews since the 1970s. "I was really depressed at the time I wrote that," Joel told Sirius XM in 2016. "I was 21, and I was just bummed out. When you're that age, you're going from adolescence into adulthood. You become so self-absorbed that your head can literally go up your ass, and you gotta pull it out 'cause if you stay there too long, it's not a good atmosphere. It's a very self-pitying song. I actually rarely go back to that album and listen to that. Although the lyric was meaningful to me at the time, now from this perspective, I can say, 'What did he know, he's 21.".[citation needed]
