The Music List

The Floating Men, the Beatles, the Grateful Dead, Bob Dylan, the Moody Blues, the Electric Light Orchestra, Cat Stevens, Billy Joel, Paul Simon, Pink Floyd

Billy Joel:

I by no means consider myself a music expert. This is simply my opinion of Billy Joel's work, an artist whom I greatly admire. My intention is to help people decide what to buy, and to spur some discussion with me of Billy Joel and other artists featured on this page via e-mail. Thanks.

Cold Spring Harbor: the only track from this excellent debut album featured on Billy's greatest hits album is "She's Got a Way," in the form of the live version from "Songs in the Attic." The album is dominated by short piano features. "Everybody Loves You Now" features guitar, and is the other track included on "Songs in the Attic." Watch for the English folk tale-ish bridge in "Tomorrow is Today." Not what would be considered the usual Joel, yet it is a classic for any devoted fan.

Piano Man: Billy's trademark song, "Piano Man," is perhaps his all time best-known song. Owners of the greatest hits CD know "Captain Jack," one of Billy's less favorable tracks, yet it doesn't set the tone for the album. We still hear the early sound of Billy, in his unique "Travelin' Prayer," and his big piano feature "The Ballad of Billy the Kid." Three songs from this album are featured on "Songs in the Attic." Finally, this album contains a personal favorite, "If I Only had the Words (to Tell You.)"

Streetlife Serenader: Streetlife Serenader is still what I would consider old Billy. Only one song is featured on the greatest hits, and two others on "Songs in the Attic," yet this album is still enjoyable for someone accustomed to the style of his usual hits. This album contains Billy's only two released instrumentals, and the beautiful love song "Roberta," with a none too typical theme.

Turnstiles: with "Turnstiles" Billy begins the moment towards the style that brought him the majority of his hits. "Miami 2017" features his showman grandeur, "James" his versatility in theme, and "All You Want to Do is Dance" his array of "feels."

The Stranger: if you are unfortunate in your life to only own one Billy Joel album, it is of the utmost importance that it be this one. Six tracks made his greatest hits album, and another, "Vienna," is featured in an episode of Taxi. This is perhaps the peak of Billy's modern popularity, as his future albums contain fewer and fewer well-known songs to the less than top 40 crowd.

52nd Street: another unique album, it moves beyond "The Stranger," with two truly sweet melodies, and a number of more sinister tracks, including "Stiletto." One criticism of this album is that "52nd Street" the song appears to be an out of place add-on, much like the Beatles "Her Majesty" in order selection. It's musical value is limited, and I am inclined to believe that it was written simply for the title, and have programed my CD player to skip it, as "Until the Night" gives true closure to Billy's first gold.

Songs in the Attic: no new tracks were released on this album, it is an anti, or at best psuedo, greatest hits album, featuring songs that "didn't make it," as Billy personally feels they are best heard, live. He remarks that Piano Man sounds basically the same every where you hear it, yet these tracks take on new life on this album. You'll never listen to the "Turnstiles" version of "Miami 2017" again, and the variant "Ballad of Billy the Kid" makes the album wonderful.

Glass Houses: In a word, this album is "Big Shot" short of being cynical. It further illustrates Billy's changing style, as he begins his period that continues through "The Nylon Curtain." No track is quite as aggressive as this album until you reach "No Man's Land" on "River of Dreams." Two of the last three tracks provide the only respite into true love and wonderful emotion, yet it is an achievement for Billy to present the bad with the good.

The Nylon Curtain: this is perhaps Billy's most peculiar collection of songs. The latter part of the album is truly confusing, only the reason of "A Room of Our Own" shining through the "She's Right on Time" through "Where's the Orchestra?" sequence.

An Innocent Man: potentially the all-time greatest song of the '80s (and beyond?) is Billy's "The Longest Time." It is this track that first turned me on to Joel. Beethoven is featured on this album, in the piano part of "This Night."

The Bridge: maybe Billy's weakest offering in his post-"Nylon Curtain", pop period. This album has a very strong feel to it, and Billy's vocal chords are put to the true test in "Big Man on Mulberry Street." This album features Cyndi Lauper, Ray Charles, and Steve Winwood.

Storm Front: for Billy's fans that prefer the pre-"An Innocent Man" Joel, this album may be a let down. It is again in the pop tradition, yet features "Shameless," a hit for Garth Brooks. This album opens and ends strong though. I would not say any of the tracks are weak, they are just sub-"The Stranger" par.

River of Dreams: the progression from Billy's isolation from betrayal in "No Man's Land" and "The Great Wall of China," through to pseudo-forgiveness in "The River of Dreams" and "Famous Last Words." Though not a concept album per se, there is a definite transition that may be felt as one listens to Billy's latest offering.