Singer and songwriter Billy Joel tried to commit suicide drinking furniture polish, because of his affair with the wife of his drummer.

Author Hank Bordowitz published a new book entitled, "Billy Joel: The Life & Times of an Angry Young Man", where he claims the singer had battled many years with depression and alcoholism.

In the book, Joel apparently confessed: "I drank furniture polish… It looked tastier than bleach."

Ironic, Joel was saved by the same man he betrayed, his drummer Jon Small, who rushed him to the hospital where he was submitted to a psychiatric ward and put on suicide watch. The singer left a suicidal note, which later became the lyrics to "Tomorrow Is Today".

Joel entered the Betty Ford Center in March of 2005, for treatment of alcohol abuse, after what his publicist called "a recent bout of severe gastrointestinal distress". He checked out of the center in April of 2005.

A friend who saw Joel after he has checked out said that Billy has completely sworn off all alcohol. Joel had been treated previously for alcohol abuse in 2002, when he spent two weeks at Silver Hill Hospital in Connecticut.