In 1970 after the breakup of Joel's duo Attila and a failed relationship, Joel attempted to commit suicide by drinking furniture polish alone in his bedroom. The song analyzes Joel's thoughts as he attempted to commit suicide. The lyrics state that 'Nothing comes to change my life, so tomorrow is today,' meaning he doesn't believe his life could improve.The overall theme is the feeling of being completely fed up with the circumstances his life has come to. The narrator feels that life is monotonous and he feels that every day is the same as the previous one. This is best represented by the line, "What's the use of always dreaming if tomorrow is today?" He has to intention of dreaming of something better. Joel has often referred to this song as a "suicide note" rather than a true composition.