--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It's nine o'clock on a Saturday, the…" description: "\"It's nine o'clock on a Saturday, the regular crowd shuffles in / There's an old man sitting next to me making love to his tonic and gin / He says, 'Son..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c4d/billy-joel-1000_clock_it-s-nine-o-clock-on-a-saturday-the-regu_1965623.jpg" --- # It's nine o'clock on a Saturday, the regular crowd… ![“It's nine o'clock on a Saturday, the regular crowd shuffles in / There's an old man sitting next to me making love to his tonic and gin / He says, 'Son, can you play me a memory?/ I'm not really sure how it goes / But it's sad and it's sweet, and I knew it complete when I wore a younger man's…” quote by Billy Joel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c4d/billy-joel-1000_clock_it-s-nine-o-clock-on-a-saturday-the-regu_1965623.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c4d/billy-joel-1000_clock_it-s-nine-o-clock-on-a-saturday-the-regu_1965623.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c4d/billy-joel-1000_clock_it-s-nine-o-clock-on-a-saturday-the-regu_1965623.jpg) > “It's nine o'clock on a Saturday, the regular crowd shuffles in / There's an old man sitting next to me making love to his tonic and gin / He says, 'Son, can you play me a memory?/ I'm not really sure how it goes / But it's sad and it's sweet, and I knew it complete when I wore a younger man's clothes.'” [Billy Joel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-joel/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A reflective scene where an older man asks for a nostalgic memory, blending melancholy and sweetness, evoking past identity. **In simple terms:** An older man seeks a bittersweet memory, recalling youth. Key Takeaway Listen to the stories of elders for hidden wisdom. Themes memory nostalgia identity generational dialogue Mood melancholic contemplative Type lyetic reflective When to use this quote - bars gatherings - personal reflection - intergenerational conversation - seeking inspiration Key Concepts reflection music storytelling Questions to Reflect On - What memories from your past shape your present? - How can you honor the past while living now? A Different Perspective Memory may be selective and not fully accurate. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Clock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/clock/) [Clothes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/clothes/) [Crowds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/crowds/) [Gin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gin/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Making love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/making-love/) [Memories](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/memories/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Next](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/next/) [Nine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nine/) [Old man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/old-man/) [Play](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/play/) [Play Memory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/play-memory-3269769/) [Saturday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/saturday/) [Says Son](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/says-son-1526818/) [Shuffle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shuffle/) [Shuffles Old](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shuffles-old-3269768/) [Sitting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sitting/) [Son](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/son/) [Sweet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sweet/) ## Related quotes > [“Son, can you play me a memory. I'm not really sure how it goes. It was sad and it was sweet and I knew…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-joel/son-can-you-play-me-a-memory-i-m-not-really-sure-how-it-goes-it-was/) [Billy Joel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-joel/) > [The greatest thing for me is when someone comes up and says, 'My son started playing golf because of you,' or, 'I started playing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-daly/the-greatest-thing-for-me-is-when-someone-comes-up-and-says-my-son/) [John Daly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-daly/) > [ \[Pope\] Francis ought to be taken at his word when he says, as he has often done, that he is a son of the… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-weigel/pope-francis-ought-to-be-taken-at-his-word-when-he-says-as-he-has/) [George Weigel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-weigel/) > ['Mnemonic' is a play about memory.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-mcburney/mnemonic-is-a-play-about-memory/) [Simon McBurney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-mcburney/) > [There's an old man sitting next to me, making love to his tonic and gin.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-joel/there-s-an-old-man-sitting-next-to-me-making-love-to-his-tonic-and-gin/) [Billy Joel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-joel/) > [“Walking on a path of uncertainties, Shuffling on the probabilities of uncertainties, Waging on the possibilities of uncertainties, Waiting for the occurrences of uncertainties,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pushpa-rana/walking-on-a-path-of-uncertainties-shuffling-on-the-probabilities-of/) [Pushpa Rana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pushpa-rana/) > [When it's time to shuffle off this mortal coil, you leave your ashes to be composted.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bette-midler/when-it-s-time-to-shuffle-off-this-mortal-coil-you-leave-your-ashes/) [Bette Midler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bette-midler/) > [In White Boy Shuffle, I combined my seventh-grade teacher, Mr. Takemoto, who really saved me - I don't think I've ever told anyone this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-beatty/in-white-boy-shuffle-i-combined-my-seventh-grade-teacher-mr-takemoto/) [Paul Beatty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-beatty/) > [Sometimes my brain goes on CD shuffle. You know, you put a bunch of CD's on and hit play and random things come out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bette-midler/sometimes-my-brain-goes-on-cd-shuffle-you-know-you-put-a-bunch-of-cd/) [Bette Midler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bette-midler/) > [Digo, paciencia y barajar. What I say is, patience, and shuffle the cards.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miguel-de-cervantes/digo-paciencia-y-barajar-what-i-say-is-patience-and-shuffle-the-cards/) [Miguel de Cervantes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miguel-de-cervantes/) > [I think we'd all like to believe that after we shuffle off this mortal coil, that there's going to be something on the other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/i-think-we-d-all-like-to-believe-that-after-we-shuffle-off-this/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [More people are interested in trying to shuffle paper assets around than building lasting assets by producing real goods.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/akio-morita/more-people-are-interested-in-trying-to-shuffle-paper-assets-around/) [Akio Morita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/akio-morita/) > [Scobe's Eighth Law: The moron will enter the single deck game when the count is sky high and the dealer is deciding whether or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-scoblete/scobe-s-eighth-law-the-moron-will-enter-the-single-deck-game-when-the/) [Frank Scoblete](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-scoblete/) > [To me, White Boy Shuffle is sort of like Catcher in the Rye, the story is so universal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-phillippe/to-me-white-boy-shuffle-is-sort-of-like-catcher-in-the-rye-the-story/) [Ryan Phillippe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-phillippe/) > [I usually write from the rhythm section...If a drummer got a funky beat on some things - like a half-shuffle or a shuffle or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miles-davis/i-usually-write-from-the-rhythm-section-if-a-drummer-got-a-funky-beat/) [Miles Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miles-davis/) ## More by Billy Joel > [Everybody is different. Some writers can write reams of great books and then J. D. Salinger wrote just a few. Beethoven wrote nine symphonies.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-joel/everybody-is-different-some-writers-can-write-reams-of-great-books/) [Billy Joel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-joel/) > [Only the good die young.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-joel/only-the-good-die-young/) [Billy Joel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-joel/) > [In a way, we are magicians. We are alchemists, sorcerers and wizards. We are a very strange bunch. But there is great fun in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-joel/in-a-way-we-are-magicians-we-are-alchemists-sorcerers-and-wizards-we/) [Billy Joel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-joel/) > [I don't want some pretty face to tell me pretty lies, all I want is someone to believe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-joel/i-don-t-want-some-pretty-face-to-tell-me-pretty-lies-all-i-want-is/) [Billy Joel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-joel/) > [I've always said about 50% of what happens at a concert has to do with the audience. If you play for a dead audience…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-joel/i-ve-always-said-about-50-of-what-happens-at-a-concert-has-to-do-with/) [Billy Joel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-joel/) > [She's the quiet type who's into heavy metal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-joel/she-s-the-quiet-type-who-s-into-heavy-metal/) [Billy Joel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-joel/) > [Rock and roll just used to be for kicks, now a days it's politics.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-joel/rock-and-roll-just-used-to-be-for-kicks-now-a-days-it-s-politics/) [Billy Joel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-joel/) > [Don't make music for some vast, unseen audience or market or ratings share or even for something as tangible as money. Though it's crucial…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-joel/don-t-make-music-for-some-vast-unseen-audience-or-market-or-ratings/) [Billy Joel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-joel/) > [Usually when I'm writing, I try to write fairly quickly. If a song sits around too long, it starts to take on a stink.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-joel/usually-when-i-m-writing-i-try-to-write-fairly-quickly-if-a-song-sits/) [Billy Joel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-joel/) > [My daughter sent me on a mission to get as many autographs as possible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-joel/my-daughter-sent-me-on-a-mission-to-get-as-many-autographs-as-possible/) [Billy Joel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-joel/) > [ I was listening to stuff and I realized that I've had a lot of different lives. You know the theory \[that says\] every seven… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-joel/i-was-listening-to-stuff-and-i-realized-that-i-ve-had-a-lot-of/) [Billy Joel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-joel/) > [If you said good-bye to me tonight, There would still be music left to write.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-joel/if-you-said-good-bye-to-me-tonight-there-would-still-be-music-left-to/) [Billy Joel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-joel/) > [If I need a cause for celebration, Or a comfort I can use to ease my mind, I rely on my imagination, And I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-joel/if-i-need-a-cause-for-celebration-or-a-comfort-i-can-use-to-ease-my/) [Billy Joel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-joel/) > [I'm carrying the weight of all the useless junk and modern man accumulates.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-joel/i-m-carrying-the-weight-of-all-the-useless-junk-and-modern-man/) [Billy Joel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-joel/) > [What will it take for you to believe in me, the way that I believe in you?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-joel/what-will-it-take-for-you-to-believe-in-me-the-way-that-i-believe-in/) [Billy Joel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-joel/) [Explore all 311 Billy Joel quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-joel/) ## More Clock quotes > [Even Einstein had to rely for his time on his clock.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanislaw-jerzy-lec/even-einstein-had-to-rely-for-his-time-on-his-clock/) [Stanislaw Jerzy Lec](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanislaw-jerzy-lec/) > [“Time was never neutral and often felt dangerous. We either think we have all the time in the world or time moves too fast…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-reay/time-was-never-neutral-and-often-felt-dangerous-we-either-think-we/) [Katherine Reay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-reay/) > [Before a clock was in the tower, Or e'er a watch was worn; I knew of night the passing hour, And prophesied the morn;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/before-a-clock-was-in-the-tower-or-e-er-a-watch-was-worn-i-knew-of/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [A clock struck out the hour of twelve, and the bird in the hedgerow was still singing as we marched out to the roadway,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-macgill/a-clock-struck-out-the-hour-of-twelve-and-the-bird-in-the-hedgerow/) [Patrick MacGill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-macgill/) > [“Time is, to put it in its most impressive and some might say poncy-sounding form, my domain. I can see things that once happened,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacqueline-rayner/time-is-to-put-it-in-its-most-impressive-and-some-might-say-poncy/) [Jacqueline Rayner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacqueline-rayner/) > [Time travel offends our sense of cause and effect - but maybe the universe doesn't insist on cause and effect.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-m-lerner/time-travel-offends-our-sense-of-cause-and-effect-but-maybe-the/) [Edward M. Lerner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-m-lerner/) > [My only aim is to clock a time that everyone remembers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hima-das/my-only-aim-is-to-clock-a-time-that-everyone-remembers/) [Hima Das](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hima-das/) > [Time.The greatest creator, and the worst destroyer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/levi-keely/time-the-greatest-creator-and-the-worst-destroyer/) [Levi Keely](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/levi-keely/) > [Steven Spielberg seems to have wanted to be a director from 13. He put his dog in a certain position and made him eat…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-brooks/steven-spielberg-seems-to-have-wanted-to-be-a-director-from-13-he-put/) [Albert Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-brooks/) > [No life goes past so swiftly as an eventless one, no clock spins like a clock whose days are all alike.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wallace-stegner/no-life-goes-past-so-swiftly-as-an-eventless-one-no-clock-spins-like/) [Wallace Stegner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wallace-stegner/) > [Those who stop marketing to save money are like those who stop a clock to save time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ford/those-who-stop-marketing-to-save-money-are-like-those-who-stop-a/) [Henry Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ford/) > [Time is the nervous system of narration, whether factual or fictive. If it gets confused some of the minutiae of human nature are certain…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenway-wescott/time-is-the-nervous-system-of-narration-whether-factual-or-fictive-if/) [Glenway Wescott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenway-wescott/) > [I don't know if it's just me or everyone, but the whole vibe with skiing is not so much thriving on competition against others…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/picabo-street/i-don-t-know-if-it-s-just-me-or-everyone-but-the-whole-vibe-with/) [Picabo Street](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/picabo-street/) > [Time goes on, even when yer not looking.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-ness/time-goes-on-even-when-yer-not-looking/) [Patrick Ness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-ness/) > [CLOCK, n. A machine of great moral value to man, allaying his concern for the future by reminding him what a lot of time…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/clock-n-a-machine-of-great-moral-value-to-man-allaying-his-concern/) [Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) [Browse all 2,738 Clock quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/clock/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "It's nine o'clock on a Saturday, the regular crowd shuffles in / There's an old man sitting next to me making love to his tonic and gin / He says, 'Son, can you play me a memory?/ I'm not really sure how it goes / But it's sad and it's sweet, and I knew it complete when I wore a younger man's clothes.'", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Billy Joel" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-joel/it-s-nine-o-clock-on-a-saturday-the-regular-crowd-shuffles-in-there-s/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Clock" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-joel/it-s-nine-o-clock-on-a-saturday-the-regular-crowd-shuffles-in-there-s/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c4d/billy-joel-1000_clock_it-s-nine-o-clock-on-a-saturday-the-regu_1965623.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c4d/billy-joel-1000_clock_it-s-nine-o-clock-on-a-saturday-the-regu_1965623.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c4d/billy-joel-1000_clock_it-s-nine-o-clock-on-a-saturday-the-regu_1965623.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“It's nine o'clock on a Saturday, the regular crowd shuffles in / There's an old man sitting next to me…” — Billy Joel", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Billy Joel", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-joel/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "It's nine o'clock on a Saturday,...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-joel/it-s-nine-o-clock-on-a-saturday-the-regular-crowd-shuffles-in-there-s/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-joel/it-s-nine-o-clock-on-a-saturday-the-regular-crowd-shuffles-in-there-s/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```