“Vienna”: the song that would hug you if it could

EDINBURG, Texas- The first time I heard “Vienna” by Billy Joel was many years ago. But the first time the song resonated with me was last month. I was running an errand with my younger sister when “Vienna” came out on her playlist. I immediately made a connection with the heart-warming song that would hug you if it could. 

To many, this might be just another famous song. To me, this song is about the pressure we put on ourselves. We tend to think that by a certain age, we should already be out of college, get a good job, be married and more. 

But in reality, we all accomplish tasks at different ages. You can be 50 and in college, or you can be 60 and get married for the first time, and guess what? There is nothing wrong with that. Your time will come when it comes, and that is exactly what this song is saying. 

The song’s lyrics said, “Where’s the fire, what’s the hurry about?

You better cool it off before you burn it out.” 

Another line says, “Slow down, you’re doing fine. 

You can’t be everything you want to be before your time.” 

These lyrics are perhaps the most prominent throughout the song because they clearly state the theme. Joel is saying that we should not rush in life because we have so much left to live. I think rushing through life because of the pressure we put on ourselves will burn us out completely. Joel is also telling us that we will be fine. There is no need to rush and we will get there when we are meant to get there. 

Lastly, the most repeated lyrics throughout the song are, “When will you realize Vienna waits for you?” Vienna can be seen as a metaphor representing life. To me, it can be translated as, when will you realize life is waiting for you and it’s not going anywhere?

That is why this song would give you a hug if it could. We all experience this anxiety while thinking we will not be successful or happy if we do not achieve certain goals by a certain age. It is definitely scary. You do not want to feel like you are glued down to the floor while everyone moves forward past you. That is how it feels at times.“Vienna” is a gentle reminder that your time will come at the right time.We must understand we all move through life differently and we must not rush through life. Rushing will not do you any good. 

Instead, enjoy the moment. Don’t stress about things you have no control over; don’t think you will never accomplish your dreams–you will, at the right time and most importantly, remember that “Vienna” will wait for you. It is not going anywhere.