One Gen Z user on X had the internet buzzing after labeling Billy Joel’s upbeat hit “Uptown Girl” as “sinister.” The viral post detailed the user’s first encounter with the classic track during an Uber ride, where she and her friends reportedly sat in “dead silence,” unsettled by its “energy.”
I was in an Uber share today and a song came on that had the most sinister vibes ever and all three of us were sitting in dead silence I wish I could rmbr the song imma try to find it
— erm (@plumjae) January 4, 2025
Her post, featuring the song’s iconic music video of Joel as a singing mechanic, garnered over 30 million views. While she joked the song made her fear the Uber would “drive off the road,” the backlash came in waves. Fans of the 1983 hit defended the song, calling it a “classic bop” and playfully dismissing the “sinister vibes” claim.
For context, “Uptown Girl” was inspired by Joel’s time in St. Barts with supermodels Elle Macpherson, Whitney Houston, and his future wife, Christie Brinkley. Brinkley, who starred in the music video, later revealed Joel told her, “I was writing a song about you, and I didn’t even know it.”
Despite the uproar, one thing is clear: “Uptown Girl” remains a beloved anthem. As Joel once said, his ability to woo someone like Brinkley should give “hope to every ugly guy in the world.”
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