Billy Joel, The #8 Artist of the Rock Era, Part Four

 (Continued from Part Three)

 

Every album beginning with The Stranger had achieved mass appeal status, but longtime Joel fans know that his early work was some of his best.  That prompted Joel to release the album Songs in the Attic, which included live performances of some of his early undiscovered material.  The album peaked at #8 and included this song, which Billy wrote in the style of the Ronettes.  "Say Goodbye To Hollywood" is a #17 hit from 1981.

 

The live album has now sold over three million copies.  "She's Got A Way" was originally included on his debut album Cold Spring Harbour, but the live version was released as a single from Songs in the Attic.  Billy recorded it when he was just 22 years old as a Valentine's Day gift for his wife Elizabeth.  He was too poor to buy her anything, so he wrote this song.  Only a #23 hit overall, adults knew better, and the song raced to #4 on the AC chart, one of The Top Unknown/Underrated Songs of the Rock Era*.

 

Joel recorded the album The Nylon Curtain, which included the powerful song "Allentown".  Joel wanted to express concerns about changes in American politics during the Reagan Administration and the disappearing of the American Dream.  As he said, those changes meant that "all of a sudden you weren't going to be able to inherit [the kind of life] your old man had."

 

The album reached #1 in the Netherlands, #2 in Japan, and 8 in the U.S. and has sold over three million copies.  Joel was more involved in the production of this album than any other, but it had to be put on hold when Billy severely injured his hands in a motorcycle accident on Long Island on April 15, 1982.  There are few songs which tell the story of the American worker betrayed by corporations more than this one.  "Allentown" inexplicably peaked at #17, easily one of The Top Unknown/Underrated Songs of the Rock Era*.

 

Joel toured to support the album, with one show recorded for the video Live from Long Island, originally broadcast by HBO in 1983.  "Pressure" peaked at #20, but managed to land in the Top 10 in Canada.

Another of the biting songs on the album is "Goodnight Saigon", an Inside The Rock Era Top Track*.  It is Billy's tribute to many of his friends who served in the U.S. war with Vietnam.  "A lot of them came back and really had a hard time getting over it, and still to this day I think a lot of them are having a hard time," Joel said.  "They were never really welcomed back, and whether you agreed with the war or not, these guys really took it on the chin.  They went over there and they served, and they never really got their due."

Kudos to the Netherlands for recognizing it's greatness--a #1 smash there.

To this point, the versatile Joel had featured story songs, ballads, Rock & Roll, New Wave, and music with a message.  With his next album, he paid tribute to doo wop music made popular in the 1950's and '60's.  Another of his Top 100 Albums of the Rock Era*, An Innocent Man returned Joel to the limelight, the crème de la crème of all artists of the period. 

 

This song is Billy's advice to other men after meeting Christie Brinkley, whom he married in 1985.  Billy said in his biography, The Life and Times of an Angry Young Man, that Brinkley was the first person he could ever just talk to.  At that moment, Billy realized that it was possible to have a soulmate, and Brinkley was the closest he would ever get to having that. "Tell Her About It" gave Billy another multi-format #1 and another Gold record.

 

An Innocent Man reached #2 in the U.K. as British fans finally began to discover the magic.  It also hit #1 in New Zealand, #3 in Australia and Japan and #4 in the U.S. and included an incredible six hits.  "Uptown Girl", though many thought it was about his second wife Christie Brinkley, was actually written about his girlfriend at the time, Elle MacPherson. 

 

Brinkley was asked to star in the video, and when she visited Joel to inquire about it, Billy said "I don't dance."  Christie needed to help Joel with the dance steps for the video, and this work together led to sparks between the two and eventually their marriage in 1985. 

That video was nominated for Video of the Year at the MTV Music Video Awards.  "Uptown Girl" sold over two million copies and topped charts in the U.K., Australia, New Zealand, and Ireland and #2 on the Adult Contemporary chart and # overall in the U.S. Love the drums in this one!

Stephen Thomas Erlewine wrote, Joel was "in top form as a craftsman throughout the record, effortlessly spinning out infectious, memorable melodies in a variety of styles."  The title song was a #1 smash among adults though only #10 with teens in the U.S., and landed at #8 in the U.K.

 

The style of groups such as the Four Seasons is very evident on the album, especially on this song.  Joel recorded all the vocals himself, and the only accompanying instrument is the bass guitar.  "The Longest Time", a #1 smash on the Adult Contemporary chart but only #14 overall.  Joel's 11th million-selling single, it's another of The Top Unknown/Underrated Songs of the Rock Era*.

Six hits will usually earn you a Grammy for Album of the Year, but it was released the same time as Michael Jackson's Thriller, The #2 Album of the Rock Era*.  After writing this song, Joel could not decide on the backing sound.  "I couldn't find the right instrument for that song.  A saxophone?  A keyboard?  No, I was stuck," he said in the anniversary book for Toots Thielemans.  "Until producer Phil Ramone said to me:  'I got the guy!'  And he brought Toots Thielmans to the studio.  When Toots began to play [harmonica], my mouth fell open wide.  The man was amazing!  Toots played one riff after another and every note was like honey."

 

Joel was nominated for Favorite Pop (Rock) Male Artist and Favorite Pop (Rock) Video (for "Tell Her About It") at the American Music Awards.  "Leave A Tender Moment Alone" gave Billy another #1 AC smash, but a ridiculously underrated #27 overall.  It was Billy's third consecutive AC chart-topper and to this point, four of the five singles reached #1 with the other hitting #2.

 

So many great songs on another Joel album to top 7 million in sales.  "Keeping The Faith" (#3 Adult Contemporary) was released next, with the video again featuring Brinkley.

Joel was one of a cast of dozens of stars on the landmark USA for Africa single "We Are The World" in 1985, one of The Top 500 Songs of the Rock Era*.

Join us for Part Five of Billy Joel!