William Martin Joel is an American singer, songwriter and pianist. Commonly nicknamed the "Piano Man" after his signature 1973 song of the same name, Joel has had a successful music career as a solo artist since the 1970s. From 1971 to 1993, he released twelve studio albums that spanned the genres of pop and rock music, and in 2001 released a one-off studio album of classical music compositions. Joel is one of the world's best-selling music artists and the fourth-best-selling solo artist in the United States, with over 160 million records sold worldwide. His 1985 compilation album, Greatest Hits – Volume I & Volume II, is one of the best-selling albums in the United States.
Philip Rabinowitz, better known as Phil Ramone, was a South African-born American recording engineer, record producer, violinist and composer, who in 1958 co-founded A & R Recording, Inc., a recording studio with business partner Jack Arnold at 112 West 48th Street, New York, upstairs from the famous musicians' watering hole, Jim & Andy's, and several doors east of Manny's Music. The success of the original A & R Recording allowed it to expand into several studios and a record production company. He was described by Billboard as "legendary", and the BBC as a "CD pioneer".
An Innocent Man is the ninth studio album by American singer-songwriter Billy Joel, released on August 8, 1983. The concept album is a tribute to the American popular music of Joel's adolescent years with Joel paying homage to a number of different and popular American musical styles from the late 1950s and early 1960s, most notably doo-wop and soul music. The album cover artwork was taken on the front steps of 142 Mercer Street, just north of the intersection of Mercer and Prince Street in the SoHo neighborhood of Manhattan, New York City.
The Stranger is the fifth studio album by American singer-songwriter Billy Joel, released on September 29, 1977, by Columbia Records. It was the first of Joel's albums to be produced by Phil Ramone, with whom he would work for five subsequent albums.
52nd Street is the sixth studio album by American singer-songwriter Billy Joel, released on October 11, 1978, by Columbia Records. Presenting itself as the follow-up to his breakthrough studio album, The Stranger, Joel tried to give the new album a fresh sound, hiring various jazz musicians to differentiate it from his previous studio albums.
Songs in the Attic is the first live album by Billy Joel, released in 1981.
"The Stranger" is a song by rock artist Billy Joel and the title track from his 1977 album of the same name. The song was released as a single in Japan where it became very popular and peaked at #2 on the Oricon chart, selling more than 471,000 copies, charting as well in Australia, New Zealand and France. It was the last single from the album in Japan, while the US and UK saw "She's Always a Woman", released the previous year, as the last single from the album. The single is featured on Joel's greatest hits album, Greatest Hits - Volume I & II.
"Los Angelenos" is a song written by Billy Joel that was first released on his 1974 album Streetlife Serenade. A live version was released on the 1981 album Songs in the Attic.
"You're My Home" is a single by Billy Joel. It was originally on Joel's 1973 album Piano Man, and also appears on Songs in the Attic (1981), The Ultimate Collection (2000), The Essential Billy Joel (2001) and 12 Gardens Live (2006). The song appears as a B-side on "Piano Man" and "All My Life" singles. The song was also covered by Helen Reddy on her album Love Song for Jeffrey, which was released as the flipside of her "Keep On Singing" single. It was also recorded by Sami Jo Cole on her album Sami Jo produced by Jimmy Bowen.
"Honesty" is a song by American singer-songwriter Billy Joel, released by Columbia Records as the third US single from his sixth studio album 52nd Street (1978) in 1979. "Honesty" was solely written by Joel, while production was handled by Phil Ramone. The song appears on the Dutch and Japanese editions of Greatest Hits Volume 2, replacing "Don't Ask Me Why" (1980).
"She's Got a Way" is a song by American singer-songwriter Billy Joel, originally released on his first studio album, Cold Spring Harbor (1971) as the opening track of it and as a single from that album in some countries. It was also featured as a single from the 1981 live album Songs in the Attic, peaking at number 23 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in early 1982.
"Goodnight Saigon" is a song written by Billy Joel, originally appearing on his 1982 album The Nylon Curtain, about the Vietnam War. It depicts the situation and attitude of United States Marines beginning with their military training on Parris Island and then into different aspects of Vietnam combat.
"Until the Night" is a song written by Billy Joel for his 1978 album, 52nd Street. Although passed over for single release in the US, "Until the Night" was issued as the second single from 52nd Street in the UK - following "My Life" - in March 1979 and reached #50 on the UK Singles Chart.
"Root Beer Rag" is a composition from Billy Joel's 1974 album Streetlife Serenade. An instrumental track in a very fast ragtime style, it was later released as the B-side of several singles from Joel's 52nd Street album, including "Big Shot" in the US, "Until the Night" in the UK, and "Honesty" in Japan and some European countries. A live version was included with the DVD that was part of the 30th anniversary re-release of The Stranger.
"Travelin' Prayer" is a song written and performed by singer Billy Joel, and released as the third US single from his 1973 album Piano Man as its opening track. The song is "urgent" and "banjo-fueled". It reached number No. 77 on the Billboard Hot 100 and No. 34 on the Adult Contemporary chart in 1974. It was a slightly bigger hit in Canada, where it reached No. 61.
"Zanzibar" is a song written by Billy Joel and recorded for his 1978 album 52nd Street. It has also appeared on several live albums.
"Scandinavian Skies" is a song written by Billy Joel that was first released on his 1982 album The Nylon Curtain. Commentators have noted its Beatle-esque elements and obscure lyrics. Joel has stated that the song was inspired by an experience with heroin. Although not released as a single, it reached #38 on Billboard's Mainstream Rock chart.
"Laura" is a song written by Billy Joel that was first released on his 1982 album The Nylon Curtain.
"I've Loved These Days" is a song written and performed by Billy Joel from his fourth studio album Turnstiles (1976). It was released as the album's second single in October 1976, backed with "Say Goodbye to Hollywood". American Songwriter has described the song as "essentially one man's farewell to a lifestyle that is as alluring as it is unsustainable", while also drawing a connection between its theme and Joel's real-life move from Los Angeles to New York during the creation of the Turnstiles album. An early version of the song with different lyrics was called "These Rhinestone Days".
Greatest Hits – Volume I & Volume II is the first greatest hits album by American singer-songwriter Billy Joel, released on July 1, 1985. The album has been certified double diamond by the RIAA, selling over 11.5 million copies as sixth most certified album of all time in the US. The album includes hits from 1973 to 1985 in chronological order with one exception. Some foreign pressings include "Honesty" in place of "Don't Ask Me Why".
