Billy Joel - An Innocent Man, Underrated Songs of Billy Joel CD1 + CD2

BILLY JOEL

William Martin Joel (born May 9, 1949) is an American singer-songwriter, composer and pianist. Commonly nicknamed the "Piano Man", he has been making music since the 1960's, releasing popular albums throughout the 1970's, 1980's and 1990's.

He was born in 1949 in The Bronx, New York, and grew up on Long Island, New York, both places that influenced his music. After dropping out of high school, Joel took part in two short-lived bands, The Hassles and Attila, before signing a record deal with Family Productions and kicking off a solo career in 1971 with his first release, Cold Spring Harbor. In 1972, Joel caught the attention of Columbia Records after a live radio performance of the song "Captain Jack" became popular in Philadelphia, prompting him to sign a new record deal with the company and release his second solo album, Piano Man, which contained his first hit single of the same name. After releasing two more albums, Streetlife Serenade and Turnstiles, Joel released his critical and commercial breakthrough album, The Stranger, in 1977; this album became Columbia's best-selling release, selling over 10 million copies and spawning several hit singles, including "Movin' Out (Anthony's Song)" and "Just the Way You Are".  In 1978, Joel's album 52nd Street was his first album to peak at #1 on the Billboard 200 chart. Joel released his seventh studio album, Glass Houses, in an attempt to further establish himself as a rock and roll artist; this release featured "It's Still Rock & Roll to Me", Joel's first single to top the Billboard Hot 100 chart, as well as "Don't Ask Me Why" and "Sometimes a Fantasy". His next album, The Nylon Curtain, was released in 1982, and stemmed from a desire from Joel to create more lyrically and melodically ambitious music. An Innocent Man, released in 1983, served as an homage to genres of music which Joel had grown up with in the 1950's, such as rhythm and blues and doo-wop. After releasing the albums The Bridge and Storm Front in 1986 and 1989 respectively, Joel released his twelfth and final solo album, River of Dreams, in 1993. He went on to release Fantasies and Delusions, a 2001 album featuring classical compositions composed by Joel and performed by British-Korean pianist Richard Hyung-ki Joo. (Wikipedia)

Billy Joel has presented many personas in his presentation of his well crafted songs and it would be easy to say he is trying to sound like  "?" or is derivative but listen closely and you see the commitment of a true singer songwriter, one with vocal skills that are extraordinary. His musicianship and vocal talents are top-shelf.

Of course there are the Hits, love them or leave them, his songs are emotionally touching, catchy, distinct, and memorable.  I hope these 50 Billy Joel tracks are a great reminder that he's so much more than his huge catalog of hits. Here is Billy Joel's Underrated Songs. Enjoy!

================================================

================================================

Track list 1

01    Tomorrow Is Today    :04:42    1971
02    Why Judy Why    :02:57    1971
03    Everybody Loves You Now    :02:49    1971
04    Somewhere Along The Line    :03:20    1973
05    Stop In Nevada    :03:55    1973
06    Worse Comes To Worst    :03:16    1973
07    Ain't No Crime    :03:19    1973
08    If I Only Had the Words    :03:32    1973
09    You're My Home    :03:13    1973
10    Souvenir    :02:01    1974
11    Streetlife Serenader    :05:19    1974
12    Weekend Song    :03:32    1974
13    Los Angelenos    :03:42    1974
14    I've Loved These Days    :04:36    1976
15    Miami 2017 (Seen The Lights Go Out On Broadway)    :05:15    1976
16    Prelude / Angry Young Man    :05:17    1976
17    Summer, Highland Falls    :03:20    1976
18    Everybody Has A Dream    :06:37    1977
19    Get It Right The First Time    :03:57    1977
20    Vienna    :03:34    1977
21    Until The Night    :06:36    1978
22    Zanzibar    :05:13    1978
23    Stiletto    :04:42    1978
24    Rosalindas Eyes    :04:42    1978
25    Through the Long Night    :02:44    1980

Track list 2

26    Sometimes a Fantasy    :03:40    1980
27    All for Leyna    :04:14    1980
28    Close to the Boarderline    :03:47    1980
29    Sleeping With the Television On    :03:01    1980
30    Goodnight Saigon    :07:04    1982
31    Where's The Orchestra    :03:17    1982
32    Laura    :05:06    1982
33    Scandinavianskies    :06:01    1982
34    This Night    :04:17    1983
35    An Innocent Man    :05:20    1983
36    Leave A Tender Moment Alone    :03:55    1983
37    This Is The Time    :04:56    1986
38    Baby Grand (Duet With Ray Charles)    :04:02    1986
39    Big Man On Mulberry Street    :05:24    1986
40    Running On Ice    :03:14    1986
41    State of Grace    :04:30    1989
42    And So it Goes    :03:40    1989
43    Downeaster Alexa    :03:45    1989
44    Leningrad    :04:06    1989
45    Shameless    :04:30    1989
46    All About Soul    :06:01    1993
47    Blonde Over Blue    :04:55    1993
48    Famous Last Words    :04:54    1993
49    Lullabye (Goodnight, My Angel)    :03:34    1993
50    The End of the World (Demo)    :03:22    2005

======================================================
======================================================