Billy Joel – Angry Young Man lyrics

The song is describing the typical young, idealistic person who is always protesting social and political injustice. The angry young man, believing that he knows how the world should be run, spends his days making up radical plans to root out these injustices.
However, as can be seen from history, these changes are rarely implemented, if at all. As a result, life goes on no matter who is wrong or right. The angry young man stays inside concocting his plans to change the world, and only gets angrier when nothing happens. As a result, he spends his days being angry at the world for not being idealistic and perfect, and ends up only torturing himself in the end.
Basically, Billy Joel is trying to tell young, idealistic people that the world is never going to be perfect and you shouldn't obsess over trying to make it that way. Instead, just learn to live with it and don't get angry because the world isn't how you like it.

I think this speaks to the angry young man and the evolution of the person, soul and values that are developed from his struggles. All people have their problems and need to overcome. Perhaps his fist is in the air to say he is not done yet but his head is in the sand as it hurts too much to see others pain and he doesn't know where to start. Maybe he's started to act everyday in small little ways, in things unseen, trying to be more aware. No one can understand the mind of someone else until they have an informed conversation. Maybe he is even angrier because he has reached out to people in positions of power and they doubted his words? The very same people that seem confused by his inaction or struggles to discern truth may only be confusing him because of their inability to see his confusion. Perhaps he has struggled to express himself his whole life? Some will see it and try to be more and some will not. Maybe trying to protect others too so they do not have the scars that he does and it seems too late. True change starts with him and maybe his anger is that it seems that those around him do not seem to see or hear what is being told or shown. It is his ultimate failure as he does not feel he is a quitter but seems to be getting the impression that some people just won't be helped and are doomed to be blind and def to other possibilities. The return to the cross is symbolic of everyone's understanding that only in true sacrifice to others can we be free. It does not mean a true death. Maybe he just has questions unanswered so he can make some decisions and that is why he keeps going home with his back to the wall. Maybe he is not stitious but it is the ides of March....it is truly a wondrous world full of possibilities but he needs to understand them all before he commits and needs to trust the communicator. Or maybe he is just a confused fuck who doesn't know who to turn to because he's been burned too many times? Hard to say? I think however, he is less angry and more concerned with solutions than anyone gives him credit for.