The music and lyrics of Billy Joel run deep in the fabric of American popular song: "Sing us a song, you're the piano man." "I'm in a New York state of mind." Joel was that rare singer/songwriter whose career took off in the 1970s, with one foot rooted in the Tin Pan Alley tradition and another squarely in rock-and-roll, who continued to soar in the 1980s with indelible videos for the MTV era, among them "Uptown Girl" opposite his soon-to-be-wife Christie Brinkley. He had proven his cross-generational appeal with a series of hit albums and indelible singles.
But a few years later, Joel did something truly rare. He stepped back from the spotlight after 1993's River of Dreams, vowing that the best-selling album would be his swan song to pop/rock songwriting. Eighteen years later and much to dismay of his fans, Joel has kept true to his word. He's only turned out the occasional song ("Christmas in Fallujah," performed by Cass Dillon, and "All My Life," written for his now-ex-wife Katie Lee, both from 2007) and one album of classical piano compositions, 2001's Fantasies and Delusions, performed by Richard Joo. Yet Joel's music remains in the spotlight. Joel has continued a lucrative live career (including high-profile shows closing the New York Mets' original home, Shea Stadium!), seen his songs feted in Twyla Tharp's hit 2002 Broadway musical Movin' Out, and remained a sort of musical godfather to younger piano-pounding rockers such as Ben Folds (recently interviewed by The Second Disc here). Unfortunately Joel recently scrapped plans for a memoir which he had reportedly completed, preferring to let his remarkable catalogue of music speak for itself.
To commemorate Joel's fortieth anniversary as a recording artist, Columbia Records and Legacy Recordings today made available for pre-order two deluxe releases: The Complete Albums Collection (joining similar releases for Tony Bennett, Miles Davis and a host of others) and a 2-CD Legacy Edition of Joel's 1973 major label breakthrough, Piano Man.
Billy Joel: The Complete Albums Collection brings together 14 albums and a disc of "additional masters" in one sturdy box. Ted Jensen has remastered every album, and each is housed in a replica cardboard jacket and sleeve replicating the original LP release. Two 60-page booklets include complete lyrics to every song, plus rare photos and a new interview with Joel. The bonus "Additional Masters" disc offers B-sides, soundtrack contributions and assorted miscellany. Among the B-sides collected are "Elvis Presley Boulevard" (B-side of the "Allentown" single, 1982); the live cover version of the Beatles' "I'll Cry Instead" (B-side of "An Innocent Man," 1983); "House of Blue Light" (B-side of "We Didn't Start The Fire," 1989); and "You Picked A Real Bad Time" (B-side of "All About Soul," 1993). "You're Only Human (Second Wind)" and "The Night Is Still Young" are both familiar from their inclusion on Joel's perennial 1985 Greatest Hits.
Several tracks on the bonus disc are derived from soundtrack recordings: his covers of the Elvis Presley hits "Heartbreak Hotel" and "All Shook Up" (Honeymoon In Vegas, 1992), Lloyd Price's 1959 hit, "Where Were You On Our Wedding Day," (Runaway Bride, 1999), and Duke Ellington's "In A Sentimental Mood" (A League of Their Own, 1992). An original song, "Nobody Knows But Me," was Joel's contribution to In Harmony II, a Columbia LP to benefit Sesame Street/Children's Television Workshop.
There are more previously released cover versions appearing together for the first time, too, from Bob Dylan's "To Make You Feel My Love" and Leonard Cohen's "Light as the Breeze" to the Gerry Goffin/Carole King hit "Hey Girl." From the Disney songbook comes "When You Wish Upon A Star" which originally appeared on Columbia's Simply Mad About The Mouse, while 2001's An All-Star Tribute to Brian Wilson yielded Joel's performance of the Beach Boys' "Don't Worry Baby," live at Radio City Music Hall.
Hit the jump for the specs on Piano Man!
November 8 brings the 2-CD Legacy Edition of 1973's Piano Man, previously released overseas in certain markets. It includes the 10-song original album in its entirety, remastered for this release, as well as a second disc premiering Joel's radio broadcast performance at Philadelphia's legendary home of classic soul, Sigma Sound Studios. This April 15, 1972 performances predates his signing with Columbia Records by one year, and offers a hungry singer and eager performer whose star was in the ascendant.
The Legacy Edition of Piano Man is highlighted by three compositions performed at Sigma which are not available on another Billy Joel album: "Long, Long Time," "Josephine," and "Rosalinda." The most legendary track may be the then-controversial "Captain Jack" which became a notorious underground radio favorite. Philadelphia Daily News music writer Jon Takiff contributes a detailed, new essay in the thick booklet recalling Joel's historic performance. In addition, the entire concert has been remixed for its compact disc premiere. The Sigma performance is not included on the Complete Albums Collection box, so this expansion of Piano Man marks its only appearance!
The Legacy Edition of Piano Man arrives in stores on November 8 from Columbia Records and Legacy. An Amazon link follows! The Complete Albums Collection is exclusively available for order now at the link below directly from Billy Joel's own website!
Billy Joel, The Complete Albums Collection (Columbia/Legacy, 2011)
Disc 1: Cold Spring Harbor (originally released as Family Productions FPS-2500, 1971 - remixed and reissued as Columbia PC 38984, 1983)
- She's Got a Way
- You Can Make Me Free
- Everybody Loves You Now
- Why Judy Why
- The Falling of the Rain
- Turn Around
- You Look So Good to Me
- Tomorrow is Today
- Nocturne
- Got to Begin Again
Disc 2: Piano Man (originally released as Columbia KC 32544, 1973)
- Travelin' Prayer
- Piano Man
- Ain't No Crime
- You're My Home
- The Ballad of Billy the Kid
- Worse Comes to Worst
- Stop in Nevada
- If I Only Had The Words (to Tell You)
- Somewhere Along the Line
- Captain Jack
Disc 3: Streetlife Serenade (originally released as Columbia PC 33146, 1974)
- Streetlife Serenader
- Los Angelenos
- The Great Suburban Showdown
- Root Beer Rag
- Roberta
- The Entertainer
- Last of the Big Time Spenders
- Weekend Song
- Souvenir
- The Mexican Connection
Disc 4: Turnstiles (originally released as Columbia PC 33848, 1976)
- Say Goodbye to Hollywood
- Summer, Highland Falls
- All You Wanna Do is Dance
- New York State of Mind
- James
- Prelude/Angry Young Man
- I've Loved These Days
- Miami 2017 (Seen the Lights Go Out on Broadway)
Disc 5: The Stranger (originally released as Columbia JC 34897, 1977)
- Movin' Out (Anthony's Song)
- The Stranger
- Just the Way You Are
- Scenes from an Italian Restaurant
- Vienna
- Only the Good Die Young
- She's Always a Woman
- Get It Right the First Time
- Everybody Has a Dream
Disc 6: 52nd Street (originally released as Columbia PC 35609, 1978)
- Big Shot
- Honesty
- My Life
- Zanzibar
- Stiletto
- Rosalinda's Eyes
- Half a Mile Away
- Until the Night
- 52nd Street
Disc 7: Glass Houses (originally released as Columbia FC 36384, 1980)
- You May Be Right
- Sometimes a Fantasy
- Don't Ask Me Why
- It's Still Rock and Roll to Me
- All for Leyna
- I Don't Want to Be Alone
- Sleeping with the Television On
- C'Etait Toi (You Were the One)
- Close to the Borderline
- Through the Long Night
Disc 8: Songs in the Attic (originally released as Columbia PC 37461, 1981)
- Miami 2017 (Seen the Lights Go Out on Broadway) (Live)
- Summer, Highland Falls (Live)
- Streetlife Serenader (Live)
- Los Angelenos (Live)
- She's Got a Way (Live)
- Everybody Loves You Now (Live)
- Say Goodbye to Hollywood (Live)
- Captain Jack (Live)
- You're My Home (Live)
- The Ballad of Billy the Kid (Live)
- I've Loved These Days (Live)
Disc 9: The Nylon Curtain (originally released as Columbia QC 38200, 1982)
- Allentown
- Laura
- Pressure
- Goodnight Saigon
- She's Right on Time
- A Room of Our Own
- Surprises
- Scandinavian Skies
- Where's the Orchestra?
Disc 10: An Innocent Man (originally released as Columbia QC 38837, 1983)
- Easy Money
- An Innocent Man
- The Longest Time
- This Night
- Tell Her About It
- Uptown Girl
- Careless Talk
- Christie Lee
- Leave a Tender Moment Alone
- Keeping the Faith
Disc 11: The Bridge (originally released as Columbia OC 40402, 1986)
- Running on Ice
- This is the Time
- A Matter of Trust
- Modern Woman
- Baby Grand (Duet with Ray Charles)
- Big Man on Mulberry Street
- Temptation
- Code of Silence
- Getting Closer
Disc 12: Storm Front (originally released as Columbia OC 44366, 1989)
- That's Not Her Style
- We Didn't Start the Fire
- The Downeaster "Alexa"
- I Go to Extremes
- Shameless
- Storm Front
- Leningrad
- State of Grace
- When in Rome
- And So It Goes
Disc 13: River of Dreams (originally released as Columbia CK 53003, 1993)
- No Man's Land
- The Great Wall of China
- Blonde Over Blue
- A Minor Variation
- Shades of Grey
- All About Soul
- Lullaby (Goodnight, My Angel)
- The River of Dreams
- Two Thousand Years
- Famous Last Words
Disc 14: Fantasies & Delusions (originally released as Columbia CK 85397, 2001)
- Op. 3: Reverie (Villa D'Este)
- Op. 2: Waltz #1 (Nunley's Carousel)
- Op. 7: Aria (Grand Canal)
- Op. 6: Invention in C minor
- Op. 1: Soliloquy (On a Separation)
- Op. 8: Suite for Piano (Star-Crossed) I - Inamoretto
- Op. 8: Suite for Piano (Star-Crossed) II - Sorbetto
- Op. 8: Suite for Piano (Star-Crossed) III - Delusion
- Op. 5: Waltz #2 (Steinway Hall)
- Op. 9: Waltz #3 (For Lola)
- Op. 4: Fantasy (Film Noir)
- Op. 10: Air (Dublinesque)
Disc 15: Collected Additional Masters (1985-2007)
- Elvis Presley Boulevard (B-side to "Allentown" - Columbia 38-03413, 1982)
- Nobody Knows But Me (from In Harmony II - Columbia FC 37641, 1982)
- I'll Cry Instead (Live) (B-side to "An Innocent Man" - Columbia 38-04259, 1983)
- You're Only Human (Second Wind) (from Greatest Hits Volume I & Volume II - Columbia C2 40121, 1985)
- The Night is Still Young (from Greatest Hits Volume I & Volume II - Columbia C2 40121, 1985)
- House of Blue Light (B-side to "We Didn't Start the Fire" - Columbia 38-73021, 1989)
- When You Wish Upon a Star (from Simply Mad About the Mouse - Columbia CK 46019, 1991)
- Heartbreak Hotel (from Honeymoon in Vegas: Music from the Motion Picture Soundtrack - Epic Soundtrax EK 52845, 1991)
- All Shook Up (from Honeymoon in Vegas: Music from the Motion Picture Soundtrack - Epic Soundtrax EK 52845, 1991)
- In a Sentimental Mood (from A League of Their Own: Music from the Motion Picture - Columbia CK 52919, 1992)
- You Picked a Real Bad Time (B-side to "All About Soul" - Columbia 38-77254, 1993)
- To Make You Feel My Love (from Greatest Hits Volume III - Columbia CK 67347, 1997)
- Hey Girl (from Greatest Hits Volume III - Columbia CK 67347, 1997)
- Light As the Breeze (from Greatest Hits Volume III - Columbia CK 67347, 1997)
- Where Were You (on Our Wedding Day?) (from Runaway Bride: Music from the Motion Picture - Columbia/Sony Music Soundtrax CK 69923, 1999)
- Don't Worry, Baby (Live) (from An All-Star Tribute to Brian Wilson (Image Entertainment, 2001) and My Lives (Columbia C5K 93520, 2005))
- All My Life (non-LP single - Columbia 88697 07255-2, 2007)
Billy Joel, Piano Man: Legacy Edition (Columbia/Legacy, 2011)
Disc 1: Original LP (previously released as Columbia KC 32544, 1973)
- Travelin' Prayer
- Piano Man
- Ain't No Crime
- You're My Home
- The Ballad of Billy the Kid
- Worse Comes to Worst
- Stop in Nevada
- If I Only Had The Words (to Tell You)
- Somewhere Along the Line
- Captain Jack
Disc 2: The Sigma Sound Studios Performance - April 15, 1972
- Introduction
- Falling of the Rain
- Travelin' Prayer
- The Ballad of Billy the Kid
- She's Got a Way
- Everybody Loves You Now
- Nocturne
- Turn Around
- Long, Long Time
- Captain Jack
- Josephine
- Rosalind
- Tomorrow is Today
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what a rip off! 80% of all the songs included on the so called "Additional Masters" Bonus Disc, can be found on the "My Lives" boxset, released in 2005, with the exception of the Beach Boys' cover and the 2007 single only release of "All my Life". Its really a shame that Legacy didnt put in more effort to dig up those rare and unreleased gems from their vaults, if one is celebrating its 40th Anniversary. What about the Souvenir EP, the original 45 single remix of "Sometimes a Fantasy", other b-sides, alternate mixes, maybe even outtakes.
On the other hand the Bonus Disc included on the "Piano Man" legacy edition sounds rather good and interesting. I'll be buying that for sure.
"What about the Souvenir EP, the original 45 single remix of “Sometimes a Fantasy”, other b-sides, alternate mixes, maybe even outtakes."
Indeed. Not to mention 12'' mixes and bonus tracks.
Absolutely no reason to trade in my 1998 remasters. Not one.
Sven, the performance of "Don't Worry Baby" actually IS on My Lives... In fact, I just listened to it this morning! Excellent performance, and Billy's really into it. Great stuff, but yet another track that was previously released elsewhere.
Not including the long version of "Sometimes a Fantasy," yet again, is infuriating. I agree with you that the live tracks from the Souvenir promotional album (and the unreleased track instrumental "Handball," for that matter) should've been included too.
Yeah, no reason to get this. It should have/could have included these never-before-on-CD tracks:
Movin' Out (45 single mix -- no motorcycle sound effects)
Sometimes a Fantasy (longer 45 single version)
Keepin' the Faith (single remix [version on "My Lives" is similar to but is NOT the 45 single mix!])
You're Only Human (single edit)
I hate the way they package the cds in these box sets, the discs are scratched half the time before you even open the box. At least put them in a digipack that has the holder for the cd to offer some protection.
Well, this is partly good news. The release of the Sigma Sound/WMMR performance is indeed welcome news. I have a decent sounding bootleg, but I'll happily plunk down cash for a pristine, official release. The entire show, banter and all, fits on one CD so Sony had better not edit out anything. Great performance!
The complete album collection looks cool, but there's no reason for me to replace the same 1998 remasters that RoyalScam mentioned. I have them all, they all sound great, and the "Additional Masters" disc is all previously released stuff, all really easy to find. Nearly all of it is on the My Lives box (which I'm guessing is either out of print, or will be once this new set is released?). Then you have the songs that were new to the three volumes of Greatest Hits, which many people already have, and finally "All My Life," a decent, but subpar-Billy song. Biilly trying to be Sinatra? Eh... Interesting, but no thanks.
The ONE song that has me curious here is "House of Blue Light." Is this truly the version that was the B-side of "We Didn't Start the Fire," or is it the bullshit, alternate version that was on My Lives? The original B-side had some killer Hammond organ from Billy, but the version on My Lives had the organ taken out of the mix and replaced by a harmonica. I was really upset about that... Billy playing organ is a rare treat. Why remove it?
Even if it is the "real" version of "House of Blue Light," that's not enough for me to plunk down over $100 for the set. Good thing I have that version on a German CD single!
Yeah, I was gonna say, you could get the original version on a used CD single for probably around 20 bucks of less!
Another thing I noticed... This is NOT a "Complete Album" collection. Where's KOHUEPT, the live album from the 1987 Russian tour? It wasn't his best received album, but it still scraped up platinum sales and it's an album released during his time as an active recording artist. Personally, I like the album a lot even though it has some flaws (mostly in the editing process). It's got a lot of great stuff on it though, and it should be represented here. Songs In the Attic was included, as it should, so KOHUEPT should too.
The later live albums, all from after he stopped recording, are a different matter. Those can, and should stand alone. 12 Gardens is the only one of those worth having anyhow.
By fan request, we recently featured BJ all day during one of our marathons this past summer on 88.3FM in Cleveland - I was thrilled that we had basically everything he'd ever recorded on-hand, even a preview track of "Josaphine" (live) from an FMQB sampler, before the PIANO MAN reissue was delayed. I'm a bit sad that the reissue of the album isn't more like the one done for THE STRANGER, but I'll take what I can get. As for the "complete" series, I have to agree with others above - that all these things are "very" available (what - no "Percappella" mix of "River Of Dreams"?) and therefore, not interesting to me...
I agree with the panel. I'll wait to see if iTunes has the "bonus" tracks, but I will pick up Piano Man.
Is "Rosalinda" a relative of the 52nd Street track "Rosalinda's Eyes," or something completely different?
It's a wholly different song - equally beautiful, perhaps more haunting, in more of an art-song vein. (Billy clearly liked the name, though!) The Sigma concert on Disc 2 of the Legacy Edition is great stuff - highly recommended!
Billy's mom's name is Rosalyn. Thus the affection for the name.
I'm assuming at some point he will do legacy editions for all his LP's - of course if I'm still alive - Piano Man looks good, the rest (yawn) i will skip.
What is it with recent 40th's - The Paul Simon ones were duds and even the Bridge Over Troubled was a dud, and there is also another worrying trend of putting bonus stuff on DVD as the second discs etc (Art of Noise, Jethro Tull etc)
Here in the UK that is fine, but for my US cousins that's a bit worrying.
The only deluxe edition I think I would buy is if Cold Spring Harbor corrected all its production mistakes. Tape speed too fast (Billy sounds like he's on helium), restoring the full length versions instead of edits, etc.
CSH would be an excellent Legacy Edition release, but ONLY if they'd put out the original version that has the full length songs. The 1984 reissue corrected the tape speed issues, but the butchering of several songs (most notably "You Can Make Me Free") makes it disappointing. I'm guessing this "Complete" Album Collection will still be using the 1984 reissue.
I would definitely be interested in Legacy Editions for any of Billy's albums, depending on what the bonus disc includes. I'd actually like to see DVDs come with some of them. Put the "Billy Joel Tonight" video on a DVD with Turnstiles, "Live From Long Island" on a DVD with The Nylon Curtain, and the London '84 concert (televised by the BBC) on a DVD with An Innocent Man. As for bonus CDs, I'd love to hear the "Shelter Island Sessions" included with River of Dreams, and the outtakes from The Bridge (which included Steve Winwood on organ (would be awesome).
And for f*ck's sake... The long version of "Sometimes a Fantasy" with Glass Houses, please!
I'll be getting Piano Man, but I agree with everyone... the albums box isn't worth it. I have all the 1998 issues and they sound great to me. At this point you can find most of them for under $5 new in bargain bins at Best Buy, Hastings, even truck stops. When I heard about the catalogue reissue campaign I was super excited thinking it was time for extended albums with bonus cuts... not-a-one?!?
My only guess is that in order to squeeze money out of the fans one more time after this is that they will release Legacy Editions one at a time of each album, because really, most all are deserved of it in my opinion anyway. If they do that, though, they better make the second disc (no pun intended) of each album very worth it and not squander the opportunity again.
I'm not disagreeing with anyone regarding the value of the complete albums set, especially if you have all (or as many as you care to have) of the CDs anyway. Since I don't have a lot of the early or late albums on disc (still have a lot of them on vinyl though), I might check it out.
BUT I'm not getting it on the site. It keeps giving me a page for Piano Man. Anyone else having a problem, or is it just because I'm Canadian?
are they going to release all ofhis albums in expanded editions of just the upcoming piano man and the stranger, which has been done already
I could not agree with you more..