I love Billy Joel. I think his catalog is uneven, but he is overall a great songwriter, and his songs are incredibly passionate. I had all several of his albums on cassette as a youngster, and there are so many great tracks. My favs (recently re-purchased from the apple music service for .99 a pop, thank you very much):

All About Soul
Lullabye
River of Dreams
Two Thousand Years
An Innocent Man
The Longest Time
Uptown Girl
Leave a Tender Moment Alone
Piano Man
Just The Way You Are
New York State of Mind

Billy Joel's probably in my top five favorite artists. I don't even see his catalog as uneven, in fact, I'd be hard pressed to find a single bad track on any of his studio albums. He made brilliant albums from Cold Spring Harbor all the way up through River of Dreams, and I'm still upset 10 years down the road that he retired from pop music (or at least recording new albums).

Just yesterday I watched the Yankee Stadium concert. Was it in 1990? That storm front album was great!

What does he do today? Nothing new?

BlueNote

Hey,can one of you guys recommend a good Billy Joel compilation? He seems to have several different ones and I don't know which one to buy.Any suggestions?

ONLY THE GOOD DIE YOUNG
Billy Joel

Come out Virginia, don't let me wait
You Catholic girls start much too late
Ah but sooner or later it comes down to fate
I might as well, will be the one

Well they showed you a statue and told you to pray
They built you a temple and locked you away
Ah but they never told you the price that you pay
For things that you might have done

Only the good die young
That's what I said
Only the good die young
Only the good die young

You might have heard I run with a dangerous crowd
We ain't too pretty, we ain't too proud
We might be laughing a bit too loud
Ah but that never hurt me once

So come on Virginia show me a sign
Send up a signal I'll throw you a line
That stained glass curtain you're hiding behind
Never lets in the sun

Darlin only the good die young
I tell you only the good die young
Only the good die young

You get a nice white dress
And a party on your confirmation
You've got a brand new soul
Mm and a cross of gold
But Virginia they didn't give you
Quite enough information
You didn't count on me
When you were counting on your rosary
And they say there's a heaven for those who will wait
Some say it's better but I say it ain't

I'd rather laugh with the sinners
Than cry with the saints
The sinners are much more fun

You know that only the good die young
I tell you only the good die young
Only the good die young

You said your mother told you
All I could give you was a reputation
Ah she never cared for me
But did she ever say a prayer for me?

Come out, come out, come out Virginia
Don't let me wait
You Catholic girls start much too late
Sooner or later it comes down to fate
I might as well, will be the one
You know that only the good die young
Tell you baby
You know that only the good die young

tackam said:

Cool that you bought them!

I love An Innocent Man, fabulous song with a great production, and amazing vocal performance! I think he reaches all the scales! Passionate!

I also love Just the Way you Are and the Bussom Buddies song, My Life

And Scenes From an Italian Restaurant, that's a big song, with fabulous lyrics and atmosphere, you feel the place!

Allentown is also fantastic! Great anti-corporate machine song!

And how can we forget Don't Ask Me Why!!!

Can't thank Billy enough for so many feel good/meaningful songs, like The Beatles, his music just makes you feel happy and warm and energized!

PRESSURE!!!

My Baby Grand

He's ok. I like a few of his 80s songs. I think I resent him a little bit because my mom would play him a lot when I was younger. I respect him though.

His Stuff for Me from 73-80 was cool for me.I Like Him more as a Singles Artist.His Best of Double St from 73-85 pretty much covered things for me.the Best of third set didn't move me much."The Stranger" is still my cut by Him.in a strange way this is only on Me but He reminded me of a Cross between Bruce Sprinsteen&Barry Manilow.He was like the Link between those two in that He sold a Certain Image through His Work&Yet He was very Accessible with it.after "An Innocent Man" I Cooled on Him&just dug Some Songs here&there.

I REALLY love She's Always A Woman.

I'm not sure what it is, but Billy Joel always sounds genuine in his songs...

rdhull said:

That's like admitting he's no good at all.

I want a clones made of Paul McCartney, John Lennon, Billy Joel, Prince, and who else? to be forced to compose together in a band from their teen years onward...

ufoclub said:

Add Bacharach and Elton John and his composer buddy, forgot his name right now...oh...

ufoclub said:

Add Bacharach and Elton John and his composer buddy, forgot his name right now...oh...

ecnirpnz said:

YES!! There are sooo many Billy Joel gems out there. I've only seen him in concert once (actually, my very first concert experience) and he was totally awesome.

I want to see him and Elton John sooo bad!!! He is a great performer.

Does Billy Joel have some kind of box set? I would be interested in going back and discovering his older music.I like most of his late-70s singles.

DavidEye said:

There's a pack with Greatest Hits, Vols. 1, 2 & 3,although if you prefer the first period you can buy Vols. 1&2 which cover 1973-1985.

Just the way you are

nuff said

He does have a box set, I've seen it in a music store, it's different and a much bigger collection than the Greatest hits 1,2&3. It's just called Billy Joel I think...

Peace

PANDURITO said:

That sounds perfect.Thanks alot!

I just ordered one of his greatest hits comps the other day for my nephew. "NY State of Mind" is on it too!? I'm gonna need my own copy!