I searched all over the Internet last year until I found it, and then I bought The Stranger album. I heard it for the first time on a rerun of Taxi when I was probably 10 years old. I can't believe nobody has posted on this one yet. The overall message reminds me of John Lennon's 'Instant Karma' - 'we all shine on/like the moon and the stars and the sun.' Basically, everything is going to be alright. It isn't going to pass him by because 'Vienna waits for you'. Vienna symbolizes some kind of future happiness. He's encouraging him to keep looking forward to the future ('dream on/But don't imagine they'll all come true') without committing himself to it yet ('you can't be everything you want to be before your time'). He's telling the kid to calm down because there is plenty of time to get life in order. Maybe he's a college student who is freaking out about having to go into the real world soon ('if you're so smart tell me why are you still so afraid?'). The narrator is just telling this 'crazy child' to enjoy life more. Anyway, to me, this song is pretty self-explanatory. Why don't you realize Vienna waits for you? It's alright, you can afford to lose a day or two, ooh

You've got your passion, you've got your prideīut don't you know that only fools are satisfied?ĭream on, but don't imagine they'll all come true, oohĪnd take the phone off the hook and disappear for awhile You know, you can't always see when you're right, you're right You're so ahead of yourself that you forgot what you need You can't be everything you wanna be before your timeĪlthough it's so romantic on the borderline When will you realize Vienna waits for you? You're gonna kick off before you even get halfway through, ooh That you can get what you want or you can just get old You'd better cool it off before you burn it out Where's the fire, what's the hurry about? But then if you're so smart, well, tell me

Billy joel vienna waits for you