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James Lyrics by Billy Joel

Turnstiles

1976

James, we were always friends
From our childhood days
And we made our plans
And we had to go our separate ways

I went on the road
You pursued an education

James, do you like your life?
Can you find release?
And will you ever change?
Will you ever write your masterpiece?

Are you still in school?
Living up to expectations?
James, you were so relied upon
Everybody knows how hard you tried

Hey, oh, look at what a job you've done
Carrying the weight of family pride

James, you've been well behaved
You've been working hard
But will you always stay
Someone else's dream of who you are?

Do what's good for you
Or you're not good for anybody
James

I went on the road
You pursued an education

James, how you gonna know for sure?
Everything was so well organized

Hey, oh, now everything is so secure
And everybody else is satisfied

James, do you like your life?
Can you find release?
And will you ever change?
When will you write your masterpiece?
Do what's good for you
Or you're not good for anybody
James
Credits

About “James” by Billy Joel

Read the complete lyrics to "James" by Billy Joel from the album "Turnstiles" in 1976. On Lyrks you can follow along with the full text, explore the artist's discography, and discover related songs. The track is often categorized under Rock.

"James" is performed by Billy Joel. from the album "Turnstiles" in 1976 This page provides the full lyric text for fans who want to sing along, study the songwriting, or compare versions across releases. Lyrks organizes lyrics by artist and song slug so you can bookmark and share a stable URL. Music lyrics help listeners connect with emotion, narrative, and rhythm in a track. Whether you are learning English, researching a favorite chorus, or preparing for karaoke, having accurate line breaks and section labels (verse, chorus, bridge) makes the experience easier. We link to the official artist profile on Lyrks where available, including biography snippets, top songs, and chart placements when we have that data. If you enjoy "James", explore more songs by Billy Joel using the links below. Chart and trending pages on Lyrks highlight what listeners are searching for this week. For copyright or correction requests, see our DMCA and contact pages.

View all songs and biography for Billy Joel · Trending lyrics · Billboard Hot 100

Frequently asked questions

"James" is credited to Billy Joel. Songwriting credits may include additional writers listed on the release; check the credits section on this page for linked collaborators.

"James" appears on "Turnstiles" in 1976.

Visit the Billy Joel artist page at /artist/billy-joel for biography, popular tracks, and links to more lyric pages.


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