Photo by Myrna Suárez

Last night, April 25, American icon Billy Joel played his song “Los Angelenos” for the first time since 1981 at New York’s Madison Square Garden. “We never do this song,” Before breaking into the ballad, Joel told the crowd, “We haven’t done this since the Eighties, I think. We’ll give it a shot.”

Joel wrote “Los Angelenos” while living in Los Angeles in the early 1970s after his debut album, Cold Spring Harbor, fell flat, and he worked at the Executive Room piano bar on Wilshire Boulevard – inspiring his iconic song “Piano Man.” “Los Angelenos” takes a broader look at being down and out and outsiders moving to L.A., with lyrics such as “Tanning out in the beaches/ With their Mexican reefers/ No one ever has to feel like a refugee.”

It is the second track on 1974’s Streetlife Serenade, which was widely panned by critics and ignored by the public. In later years, Joel criticized his early albums, saying that he wasn’t allowed to record with his touring band.

After almost being dropped by his label, Joel teamed up with producer Phil Ramone for 1977’s The Stranger, where he was welcomed to use his road band at the sessions. The resulting album was an enormous success that turned him into the superstar he remains today. Later he revisited his early work in 1981 with the live album Songs in the Attic, which showcased the transformative effect the chemistry and connection with his touring band had on his songs.

“Los Angelenos” was one of the tracks introduced to fans that came on board with The Stranger, but it was dropped from his live repertoire after a set at Sparks in Hunting, N.Y., on July 1, 1981. Its revival was received with nothing but warmth, love, admiration and, finally, applause. After Joel sang with vigor and his band dished out their segments, he said with a coy cadence, “Thank you. That’s what I thought too. It’s okay.”

Watch Joel play “Los Angelenos” below.