Billy Joel Appreciation

[cfmoran13]

The first song I heard played on the radio from River Of Dreams before it came out was "No Man's Land".  And, it was on the local rock station.  I heard that song and was like "Holy Crap!  Billy Joel is doing rock again."  I was fully expecting (or, should I say "hoping") for it to be back to more of a Glass Houses feel than Storm Front.  Obviously, I was sadly mistaken.  There are some good songs on it.  But, overall, I wasn't thrilled with it.

[Stadler]

My joke for years has been that Rivers of Dreams being the most popular song off the album of the same name was a clear sign to Billy that the creative well had run dry, but my joke doesn't disguise the fact that I think that song sucks.

That song is weird; every time I hear it I get the sense of deja vu, like it's a cover of some other song, but it's not.  I don't know what that means; that I think it's derivative?  I don't know. It doesn't SUCK, but it's not one of my favorites.  It's just a song that I don't really associate with Billy Joel all that much.

[Stadler]

The first song I heard played on the radio from Storm Front before it came out was "No Man's Land".  And, it was on the local rock station.  I heard that song and was like "Holy Crap!  Billy Joel is doing rock again."  I was fully expecting (or, should I say "hoping") for it to be back to more of a Glass Houses feel than Storm Front.  Obviously, I was sadly mistaken.  There are some good songs on it.  But, overall, I wasn't thrilled with it.

No Man's Land is from River of Dreams; Storm Front - one of my favorite albums, by the way - has the following songs:

"That's Not Her Style" – 5:10
"We Didn't Start the Fire" – 4:50
"The Downeaster 'Alexa'" – 3:44
"I Go to Extremes" – 4:23
"Shameless" – 4:26
"Storm Front" – 5:17
"Leningrad" – 4:06
"State of Grace" – 4:30
"When in Rome" – 4:44
"And So It Goes" – 3:38

I'm sort of over the hit - "We Didn't Start The Fire"; it was cute the first five times - but "...Alexa", "Extremes", and "Leningrad" are all top tier Billy Joel.   Especially "Extremes"; how naked can you be as an artist?  I also grew up in CT along the Long Island Sound, and even lived on Block Island for a summer, so the names and places in "...Alexa" are home to me.  I think that probably matters.

[Samsara]

Stormfront is one of my favorites too. But man, yeah, if I ever hear We Didn't Start the Fire again, it'll be too soon. Cool tune, but it got annoying quickly.

That whole record is great.

I thought what Billy did by firing his band before River of Dreams was lame. I always have. And while he, Liberty Devito, Richie, Russel, etc., have apparently mended fences, it still doesn't make it right. Those guys have this swing and feel that really made Billy's songs come to life. I am sure folks about NY know this around, but BIlly's old band have christened themselves the "Lords of 52nd Street" and play gigs all the time.

re: Famous Last Words - yeah, Billy knew. Fitting.

[Stadler]

Stormfront is one of my favorites too. But man, yeah, if I ever hear We Didn't Start the Fire again, it'll be too soon. Cool tune, but it got annoying quickly.

That whole record is great.

I thought what Billy did by firing his band before River of Dreams was lame. I always have. And while he, Liberty Devito, Richie, Russel, etc., have apparently mended fences, it still doesn't make it right. Those guys have this swing and feel that really made Billy's songs come to life. I am sure folks about NY know this around, but BIlly's old band have christened themselves the "Lords of 52nd Street" and play gigs all the time.

re: Famous Last Words - yeah, Billy knew. Fitting.

I've been meaning to see "Lords..."; they play regularly at the local theater I go to (Ridgefield Playhouse). 

[Samsara]

Yeah, I want to go see them too, but being on the west coast now for 20 years, it's hard to justify flying back for that. 

[Stadler]

Yeah, I want to go see them too, but being on the west coast now for 20 years, it's hard to justify flying back for that. 

I get priority seating for any show at the Playhouse. Just throwing it out there, but if the planets ever align and you're this way and they are there, let's go!

[Samsara]

Yeah, I want to go see them too, but being on the west coast now for 20 years, it's hard to justify flying back for that. 

I get priority seating for any show at the Playhouse. Just throwing it out there, but if the planets ever align and you're this way and they are there, let's go!

Thanks man! Absolutely. Would be fun!

Getting home has been difficult in recent years. Last time I was there was spring 2013. I've been back east, just not up to the Island.

[hefdaddy42]

My joke for years has been that Rivers of Dreams being the most popular song off the album of the same name was a clear sign to Billy that the creative well had run dry, but my joke doesn't disguise the fact that I think that song sucks.

That song is weird; every time I hear it I get the sense of deja vu, like it's a cover of some other song, but it's not.  I don't know what that means; that I think it's derivative?  I don't know. It doesn't SUCK, but it's not one of my favorites.  It's just a song that I don't really associate with Billy Joel all that much.

It's reminiscent of The Lion Sleeps Tonight.  That might be what you are thinking of.

[Kram]

The first song I heard played on the radio from Storm Front before it came out was "No Man's Land".  And, it was on the local rock station.  I heard that song and was like "Holy Crap!  Billy Joel is doing rock again."  I was fully expecting (or, should I say "hoping") for it to be back to more of a Glass Houses feel than Storm Front.  Obviously, I was sadly mistaken.  There are some good songs on it.  But, overall, I wasn't thrilled with it.

No Man's Land is from River of Dreams; Storm Front - one of my favorite albums, by the way - has the following songs:

"That's Not Her Style" – 5:10
"We Didn't Start the Fire" – 4:50
"The Downeaster 'Alexa'" – 3:44
"I Go to Extremes" – 4:23
"Shameless" – 4:26
"Storm Front" – 5:17
"Leningrad" – 4:06
"State of Grace" – 4:30
"When in Rome" – 4:44
"And So It Goes" – 3:38

I'm sort of over the hit - "We Didn't Start The Fire"; it was cute the first five times - but "...Alexa", "Extremes", and "Leningrad" are all top tier Billy Joel.   Especially "Extremes"; how naked can you be as an artist?  I also grew up in CT along the Long Island Sound, and even lived on Block Island for a summer, so the names and places in "...Alexa" are home to me.  I think that probably matters.

I’ll throw “And So It Goes” in there with the other 3 you mention as a “top tier Billy Joel” song.

[cfmoran13]

No Man's Land is from River of Dreams; Storm Front - one of my favorite album

Oh, snap!  I can't believe I put that.  I went back and edited that first sentence when I was writing and put Storm Front by mistake.  Storm Front is fine.  But, like I said, I was definitely hoping for something a little more "rock" on the next one.   

[Stadler]

My joke for years has been that Rivers of Dreams being the most popular song off the album of the same name was a clear sign to Billy that the creative well had run dry, but my joke doesn't disguise the fact that I think that song sucks.

That song is weird; every time I hear it I get the sense of deja vu, like it's a cover of some other song, but it's not.  I don't know what that means; that I think it's derivative?  I don't know. It doesn't SUCK, but it's not one of my favorites.  It's just a song that I don't really associate with Billy Joel all that much.

It's reminiscent of The Lion Sleeps Tonight.  That might be what you are thinking of.

Ooh, you may be right!  It's got that same looping melody. 

[Samsara]

I’ll throw “And So It Goes” in there with the other 3 you mention as a “top tier Billy Joel” song.

Agreed.

[KevShmev]

No Man's Land is from River of Dreams; Storm Front - one of my favorite albums, by the way - has the following songs:

"That's Not Her Style" – 5:10
"We Didn't Start the Fire" – 4:50
"The Downeaster 'Alexa'" – 3:44
"I Go to Extremes" – 4:23
"Shameless" – 4:26
"Storm Front" – 5:17
"Leningrad" – 4:06
"State of Grace" – 4:30
"When in Rome" – 4:44
"And So It Goes" – 3:38

I'm sort of over the hit - "We Didn't Start The Fire"; it was cute the first five times - but "...Alexa", "Extremes", and "Leningrad" are all top tier Billy Joel.   Especially "Extremes"; how naked can you be as an artist?  I also grew up in CT along the Long Island Sound, and even lived on Block Island for a summer, so the names and places in "...Alexa" are home to me.  I think that probably matters.

I think I only know the hits from Storm Front, but I agree about ...Alexa, Lennigrad and I Go to Extremes.  I once karaoke'd The Downeaster Alexa (I had had way too many beers); such a great song.  And there are few songs as fun to air piano as I Go to Extremes. And So It Goes is very nice as well.  And I am with ya on We Didn't Start the Fire.  It's fine if it comes on, but I never turn it on myself anymore.

[Samsara]

I'm a singer, very much in the range of Billy Joel, so I tended to sing his stuff a lot in the late-1990s and early 2000s with friends' bands and karaoke. I used to do "A Matter of Trust" and from Stormfront, "I Go to Extremes." Good times.

[hefdaddy42]

I'm a singer, very much in the range of Billy Joel, so I tended to sing his stuff a lot in the late-1990s and early 2000s with friends' bands and karaoke. I used to do "A Matter of Trust" and from Stormfront, "I Go to Extremes." Good times.

I like both of those songs a lot.

[Kram]

I'm a singer, very much in the range of Billy Joel, so I tended to sing his stuff a lot in the late-1990s and early 2000s with friends' bands and karaoke. I used to do "A Matter of Trust" and from Stormfront, "I Go to Extremes." Good times.

I like both of those songs a lot.

Yeah, me too.  I forgot about A Matter of Trust - but that's a cool tune!

[KevShmev]

My dad is not a big Billy Joel fan, but he loves A Matter of Trust.  The video is a big reason why.

[Stadler]

My dad is not a big Billy Joel fan, but he loves A Matter of Trust.  The video is a big reason why.

What babe is in that video? 

Mentioning Dad, it's interesting to me that my Dad's music didn't really register with me till later on in life. He loved Johnny Cash, Kris Kristofferson and Elvis, and I've come to appreciate them all very much as I get older.  One thing that did resonate at the time is, he LOVED the song "An Innocent Man" from the album of the same name (a concept album where each track is an overt homage or pastiche of songs/groups/styles that Joel listened to as a kid). 

[Samsara]

"An Innocent Man" is an incredible song. Always pops up for me in my top-six or seven Billy tunes. A lot of people forget about that record and that song. Good stuff.

[KevShmev]

My dad is not a big Billy Joel fan, but he loves A Matter of Trust.  The video is a big reason why.

What babe is in that video? 

Mentioning Dad, it's interesting to me that my Dad's music didn't really register with me till later on in life. He loved Johnny Cash, Kris Kristofferson and Elvis, and I've come to appreciate them all very much as I get older.  One thing that did resonate at the time is, he LOVED the song "An Innocent Man" from the album of the same name (a concept album where each track is an overt homage or pastiche of songs/groups/styles that Joel listened to as a kid).

Christine Brinkley!

And isn't that their baby Alexa she is holding?

My dad was always a big Elvis fan, which I cannot say I ever was, but my dad was instrumental in getting me to listen to Sgt Pepper when I was like 8, so that was big in my formative years as a music fan.