Author Topic: Billy Joel Appreciation  (Read 12982 times)

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Offline PlaysLikeMyung

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Billy Joel Appreciation
« on: December 28, 2009, 09:09:26 PM »
All hail the great pianist Billy Joel! He is hands down one of the most amazing composers in the world, and he can handle a piano like nobody's business.

Who else here is a fan? I know there's at least one other person here who likes him

Offline ZBomber

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Re: Billy Joel Appreciation
« Reply #1 on: December 28, 2009, 09:28:21 PM »
Love Billy Joel!  :tup I've been lucky enough to see him in concert 3 times so far. I think his discography is very consistent too... Cold Spring Harbor, Turnstiles, and The Stranger are probably my top three favorites.

Offline KevShmev

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Re: Billy Joel Appreciation
« Reply #2 on: December 28, 2009, 10:18:45 PM »
Been a fan for as long as I can remember.  Most of his 70s albums are very good, and his 80s records all have their fair share of good songs, too; some good stuff in the 90s, as well. 

"Allentown" is easily one of my favorite songs ever.

Offline brakkum

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Re: Billy Joel Appreciation
« Reply #3 on: December 28, 2009, 11:58:45 PM »
Seeing him this year with Elton John was so damn fantastic.
https://concertculture.blogspot.com/

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Offline yeshaberto

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Re: Billy Joel Appreciation
« Reply #4 on: December 29, 2009, 12:06:28 AM »
I've got a few dozen of his songs and love 'em

Offline ZeppelinDT

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Re: Billy Joel Appreciation
« Reply #5 on: December 29, 2009, 07:36:51 AM »
I live on Long Island (in Billy Joel central actually - the next town over from me is Cold Spring Harbor), so its pretty much mandatory that I be a fan.  Billy Joel was probably the first musician I was ever really an actual "fan" of... been listening to him for as far back as I can remember.  (I still have vague memories of being in elementary school when "We Didn't Start the Fire" came out, and the most impressive thing anybody could imagine doing at that time was memorizing all of the lyrics).

One of my all-time favorites (and a tragically overlooked song) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0qSNcgJtqzw

Offline 73109

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Re: Billy Joel Appreciation
« Reply #6 on: December 29, 2009, 10:05:43 AM »
Seeing him this year with Elton John was so damn fantastic.

This. The concert was by far one of the best I have ever been to. The man is one of the better showmen of all time and really really is just amazing. What sucked though, is that I did not get to hear my favorite song by him. I mean, I know the man has a thousand hits but how can you not play Captain Jack!?!?!? That sucked. But it still was an amazing show. Watching Elton John and Billy Joel play Piano Man to a stadium of more than 65,000 people, was just actually tear jerker worthy. He was also the surprise guest when I saw the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame 25th Anniversary concert. Warching him play You Could Be Right, Only the Good Die Young, New York State of Mind, and Born to Run, all with Bruce Springsteen himself, was just...there are no words.

Offline ariich

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Re: Billy Joel Appreciation
« Reply #7 on: December 29, 2009, 10:26:39 AM »
I have to be honest, I've never really listened to his stuff. The only song I'm particularly familiar with is And So It Goes, and only because of the glorious choral arrangement done by The Kings Singers.

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Offline Zydar

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Re: Billy Joel Appreciation
« Reply #8 on: December 29, 2009, 10:28:21 AM »
One of my all-time favorites (and a tragically overlooked song) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0qSNcgJtqzw

That is easily my favourite song of his.
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Online hefdaddy42

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Re: Billy Joel Appreciation
« Reply #9 on: December 29, 2009, 10:29:19 AM »
I have to be honest, I've never really listened to his stuff. The only song I'm particularly familiar with is And So It Goes, and only because of the glorious choral arrangement done by The Kings Singers.
*smacks*
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Offline ariich

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Re: Billy Joel Appreciation
« Reply #10 on: December 29, 2009, 10:31:32 AM »
I have to be honest, I've never really listened to his stuff. The only song I'm particularly familiar with is And So It Goes, and only because of the glorious choral arrangement done by The Kings Singers.
*smacks*
:lol Hey, I never said I had no desire to check it out, just that I haven't gotten round to it. :P

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Offline PlaysLikeMyung

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Re: Billy Joel Appreciation
« Reply #11 on: December 29, 2009, 10:34:05 AM »
I have to be honest, I've never really listened to his stuff. The only song I'm particularly familiar with is And So It Goes, and only because of the glorious choral arrangement done by The Kings Singers.
*smacks*
:lol Hey, I never said I had no desire to check it out, just that I haven't gotten round to it. :P

Get "The Stranger" first. It's the 'must-have' Billy Joel album

Offline ZeppelinDT

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Re: Billy Joel Appreciation
« Reply #12 on: December 29, 2009, 10:35:46 AM »
I have to be honest, I've never really listened to his stuff. The only song I'm particularly familiar with is And So It Goes, and only because of the glorious choral arrangement done by The Kings Singers.
*smacks*
:lol Hey, I never said I had no desire to check it out, just that I haven't gotten round to it. :P

I'd suggest you start right now with the clip I posted earlier (I'll even post it again so you don't have to scroll up! - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0qSNcgJtqzw)

Or go with a more recent performance of another one of my favorites:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xoiuLxO6cgA

Offline LudwigVan

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Re: Billy Joel Appreciation
« Reply #13 on: December 29, 2009, 04:57:01 PM »
Billy Joel is one of those rare artists whose music has this uncanny way of conjuring a visual picture or vignette in my mind.   His music is very much "grounded" in the vagaries of daily life. 
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Offline Neon

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Re: Billy Joel Appreciation
« Reply #14 on: December 29, 2009, 07:27:41 PM »
I'm honestly not that big a Billy Joel fan, but he does have some songs that I absolutely love.  "New York State of Mind" immediately comes to mind.
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Offline brakkum

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Re: Billy Joel Appreciation
« Reply #15 on: December 29, 2009, 09:41:06 PM »
Angry Young Man is an absolutely amazing song.
https://concertculture.blogspot.com/

https://brakmusic.tumblr.com/

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Offline ZBomber

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Re: Billy Joel Appreciation
« Reply #16 on: December 30, 2009, 12:23:00 AM »
I live on Long Island (in Billy Joel central actually - the next town over from me is Cold Spring Harbor), so its pretty much mandatory that I be a fan.  Billy Joel was probably the first musician I was ever really an actual "fan" of... been listening to him for as far back as I can remember.  (I still have vague memories of being in elementary school when "We Didn't Start the Fire" came out, and the most impressive thing anybody could imagine doing at that time was memorizing all of the lyrics).

One of my all-time favorites (and a tragically overlooked song) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0qSNcgJtqzw

I feel like the whole Cold Spring Harbor album is really overlooked. Sure, it was his debut and not as strong as some of his later material, but a lot of the songs on there are simply brilliant.... especially Shes Got A Way and Tomorrow is Today.

Offline ZeppelinDT

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Re: Billy Joel Appreciation
« Reply #17 on: December 30, 2009, 07:44:48 AM »
^^^  Apparently the lyrics to "Tomorrow is Today" are based on a suicide note he wrote when he tried to kill himself.

Offline True Death of Life

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Re: Billy Joel Appreciation
« Reply #18 on: December 30, 2009, 08:29:30 AM »
"Well we're lving here in Allentown" :neverusethis:

Seriosuly, I adore Billy Joel. I own nearly all his albums and know way too many of his songs. He's the only reason I'm jealous of my brother for anything at all; my brother plays the piano. :p

Also, listening to him actually makes me want to learn how to play the harmonica, like in Piano Man or the Ballad of Billy the Kid.

I was obsessed with the song "Runing on Ice" when I was little...around 4. Does anyone else absolutely adore this song? I don't think it's on his greatest hits.

Offline PlaysLikeMyung

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Re: Billy Joel Appreciation
« Reply #19 on: December 30, 2009, 08:30:56 AM »
Angry Young Man is an absolutely amazing song.

It absolutely is

Offline KevShmev

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Re: Billy Joel Appreciation
« Reply #20 on: December 30, 2009, 10:49:10 PM »
Angry Young Man is an absolutely amazing song.

Damn right it is.  If I had to make a Billy Joel top 10, these songs would make the cut (in no particular order):

"Allentown"
"Prelude/Angry Young Man"
"Captain Jack"
"Scenes from an Italian Restaurant"
"The Downeaster 'Alexa'"
"The Stranger"
"Uptown Girl"
"The Entertainer"
"Piano Man" (awesome song, no matter how many times I hear it)
"New York State of Mind"

Offline Zook

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Re: Billy Joel Appreciation
« Reply #21 on: December 31, 2009, 10:07:59 AM »
Angry Young Man is an absolutely amazing song.

They play this at Fry's (the grocery store I work at) and I really like the intro. The whole song is pretty good as well, if not a bit goofy.

Offline yeshaberto

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Re: Billy Joel Appreciation
« Reply #22 on: December 31, 2009, 10:09:22 AM »
Goodnight Saigon is such a sobering song for me

Offline ytserush

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Re: Billy Joel Appreciation
« Reply #23 on: December 31, 2009, 04:03:57 PM »
 Love most everything he ever did through Glass Houses and about half of Nylon Curtain and half of Storm Front.

I should really make a compilation one of these days.

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Re: Billy Joel Appreciation
« Reply #24 on: January 02, 2010, 08:02:06 AM »
Popped into a CD fair thing today and they had Storm Front for £4, so I thought why not.

Looking forward to giving it a listen when I get home.

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Offline skydivingninja

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Re: Billy Joel Appreciation
« Reply #25 on: January 02, 2010, 08:19:45 AM »
Scenes From an Italian Restaurant is the best them.  Been listening to Billy Joel since Middle School.

Offline ZBomber

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Re: Billy Joel Appreciation
« Reply #26 on: January 02, 2010, 08:57:50 AM »
Popped into a CD fair thing today and they had Storm Front for £4, so I thought why not.

Looking forward to giving it a listen when I get home.

Storm Front isn't the most solid Billy Joel album to start off with, but it still has a lot of good songs on it. However, if you don't like that, I still recommend you check out The Stranger or 52nd Street as those are much better representations of his music, imo. ;)

Offline ariich

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Re: Billy Joel Appreciation
« Reply #27 on: January 02, 2010, 12:46:10 PM »
Some average songs, but the good ones are GREAT.

Will definitely check out more stuff, think there's a decent amount on Spotify.

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Re: Billy Joel Appreciation
« Reply #28 on: January 02, 2010, 04:32:02 PM »
Most definitely appreciates. I think my top 3 fav songs of his are "Piano Man", "Italian Restuarant", and "NYSOM"

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Re: Billy Joel Appreciation
« Reply #29 on: January 04, 2010, 04:11:45 PM »
He's definitely the man. Scenes From an Italian Restaurant is one of my favorites of all time. The changes were awesome in that song. I see that he has a new greatest hits out that I want to get. It has some of his classical stuff on it.
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Offline bosk1

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Re: Billy Joel Appreciation
« Reply #30 on: January 05, 2010, 10:25:11 AM »
Billy Joel is one of those rare artists whose music has this uncanny way of conjuring a visual picture or vignette in my mind.   His music is very much "grounded" in the vagaries of daily life. 

Definitely.  One of the all-time greats for sure.

Anyone on here see the musical Movin' Out that was based on Billy Joel songs?  Very well done, IMO.
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Offline ZeppelinDT

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Re: Billy Joel Appreciation
« Reply #31 on: January 05, 2010, 10:36:19 AM »
Goodnight Saigon is such a sobering song for me

Have you seen the music video?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qjzjhl-QztE

Offline PlaysLikeMyung

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Re: Billy Joel Appreciation
« Reply #32 on: January 05, 2010, 11:25:47 AM »
Billy Joel is one of those rare artists whose music has this uncanny way of conjuring a visual picture or vignette in my mind.   His music is very much "grounded" in the vagaries of daily life. 

Definitely.  One of the all-time greats for sure.

Anyone on here see the musical Movin' Out that was based on Billy Joel songs?  Very well done, IMO.

No! I really wanted to, too.... It's up there next to Avenue Q in the musicals I need to see

Offline bosk1

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Re: Billy Joel Appreciation
« Reply #33 on: January 05, 2010, 11:31:09 AM »
It's sort of an odd musical in terms of format because none of the performers sing except the band.  The character performers act out their parts solely in dance format.  It is almost a modern "ballet" set to Billy Joel music, which I know sounds odd to those who haven't seen it.  But it somehow works pretty brilliantly.
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Offline ariich

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Re: Billy Joel Appreciation
« Reply #34 on: January 05, 2010, 12:01:29 PM »
Billy Joel is one of those rare artists whose music has this uncanny way of conjuring a visual picture or vignette in my mind.   His music is very much "grounded" in the vagaries of daily life. 

Definitely.  One of the all-time greats for sure.

Anyone on here see the musical Movin' Out that was based on Billy Joel songs?  Very well done, IMO.

No! I really wanted to, too.... It's up there next to Avenue Q in the musicals I need to see
You definitely need to see Avenue Q. Funniest show ever.

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I be am boner inducing.