A Gen Z user recently sparked a stir online after calling out a classic Billy Joel hit, bizarrely labeling it as having “sinister vibes.”
The user, @plumjae, shared her reaction to hearing the chart-topping song “Uptown Girl” for the first time during an Uber ride, which left her and three others in “dead silence.” The song, which is far from eerie, features lyrics about a working-class man trying to win over a high-society woman.
Despite initially feeling what she described as “the most sinister vibes ever,” the user didn’t recall the song’s name until later when she shared its music video, showing Billy Joel as a mechanic in the video. “I do not like the energy this song brought into the car,” she commented, adding she feared the Uber would “just drive us off the road.”
Her post quickly went viral, garnering over 30 million views on January 4. However, the reaction was overwhelmingly critical, with many people taking to social media to express their disbelief.
“Sorry to inform you there is not ONE Billy Joel song with ‘sinister vibes,’” one commenter replied.
“I’ve now listened to this song 30 times in the last day because of this tweet. I hope it’s grown on you since you first heard it [because] man, what a classic bop,” another said.
A third quipped, “Well, I’m glad you’re ok. That’s the important thing. Had it been Huey Lewis and the News, I’m not sure you’d have made it out.”
As for the “sinister vibes” the user sensed, the 1983 hit “Uptown Girl” is actually inspired by Joel’s relationship with supermodel Christie Brinkley. According to Brinkley, Joel came up with the song while vacationing with her, fellow supermodel Elle Macpherson, and singer Whitney Houston in St. Barts. In an interview with Howard Stern, Brinkley shared that Joel told her, “I was writing a song about you, and I didn’t even know it.”
Joel later confirmed in a 1987 interview that the song was inspired by Brinkley, and he added that her beauty should give hope to “every ugly guy in the world.”
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