Almost five hours in length, the two-part look at the hard-to-pin-down artist flows effortlessly, making for a riveting watch even for those coming to it with little affection for his work.

And So It Goes recruits many of the title legend’s musician pals, from Bruce Springsteen and Sting to, surprisingly, Nas, who speaks to the way “Piano Man” still resonates. They all testify to Joel’s songwriting chops,

He didn’t see the film until it was finished, so he stuck by that, and we took that as permission to tell the real story about Billy Joel.”

I’ve long believed that the first hugely popular music you realize you hate is in many ways as important a discovery as the first music you realize you love. There’s something crucial and formative about the recognition that an artist whose music is beloved by millions makes your skin crawl,

Alexa Ray Joel watched the new documentary about her father, 'Billy Joel: And So It Goes,' with mom Christie Brinkley. The film premieres in two parts on July 18 and July 25, on HBO Max.

Billy Joel's initial reaction to the success of "Piano Man" might be surprising, but it's also relatable for any artist.

The father-and-son reunion inspired Joel to write the song “Vienna.” Joel learned that his father suffered from great trauma as much of his family was executed at Auschwitz. Helmut, who went by the name Howard when he immigrated to the U.S., served in the U.S. Army and helped liberate Dachau.

Out of those dark days, Joel wrote the songs that comprised his debut, Cold Spring Harbor (1971). Due to a tape-playback error in mastering and later overdubs to correct the mistakes, the best parts of the album must be retrieved from other resources today.