An Innocent Man (song)

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"An Innocent Man"
An Innocent Man single.jpg
Single by Billy Joel
from the album An Innocent Man
B-side "I'll Cry Instead" (live)
ReleasedDecember 1983 [1]
Genre
Length5:17
Label Columbia
Songwriter(s) Billy Joel
Producer(s) Phil Ramone
Billy Joel singles chronology
"Uptown Girl"
(1983)
"An Innocent Man"
(1983)
"The Longest Time"
(1984)

"An Innocent Man" is a 1983 song performed by Billy Joel released as the third single from his album of the same name. The song, whose musical style is an homage to Ben E. King and the Drifters, reached No. 10 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, the third consecutive top 10 single from the album. [4] It also spent one week at No. 1 on the Billboard adult contemporary chart. [5]

Contents

Joel was quoted in a 1997 interview describing the high notes he sang during the song: "I had a suspicion that was going to be the last time I was going to be able to hit those notes, so why not go out in a blaze of glory? That was the end of Billy's high note." [5]

Reception

Cash Box said that "sounding soulful with a suburban lilt, Joel takes a cue from the Righteous Bros. in a performance that recalls Joel’s previous 'Until the Night.'" [6]

Walter Everett described the song's lyrics as "one of Joel's deepest". [7]

Chart positions

Chart (1983-1984)Peak
position
Australia (Kent Music Report) [8] 23
Canada Top Singles (RPM) [9] 16
Ireland (IRMA)3
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ) [10] 24
UK Singles (OCC) [11] 8
US Billboard Hot 100 [12] 10
US Billboard Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks [13] 1
Year-end chart (1984)Rank
UK Singles (Gallup) [14] 64
US Top Pop Singles (Billboard) [15] 72

Certifications

RegionCertification Certified units/sales
United Kingdom (BPI) [16] Silver250,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

See also

Related Research Articles

<i>An Innocent Man</i> 1983 studio album by Billy Joel

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.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">My Life (Billy Joel song)</span> 1978 single by Billy Joel

"My Life" is a song by Billy Joel that first appeared on his 1978 album 52nd Street. A single version was released in the fall of 1978 and reached No. 2 on the U.S. adult contemporary chart. Early the next year, it peaked at No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100.

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"I Don't Want to Talk About It" is a song written by American guitarist Danny Whitten. It was first recorded by American rock band Crazy Horse and issued as the final track on side one of their 1971 eponymous album. It was Whitten's signature tune, but gained more fame via its numerous cover versions, especially that by Rod Stewart. Cash Box magazine has described it as "a magnificent ballad outing."

<span class="mw-page-title-main">It's Still Rock and Roll to Me</span> 1980 single by Billy Joel

"It's Still Rock and Roll to Me" is a song written and performed by Billy Joel, from the hit album Glass Houses. Released in 1980, the song peaked at number 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 for two weeks, from July 19 through August 1, 1980, making it Joel's first number 1 hit single in the United States. The song spent 11 weeks in the top 10 and was the 7th biggest hit of 1980 according to American Top 40.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tell Her About It</span> 1983 single by Billy Joel

"Tell Her About It" is a song written and performed by Billy Joel from his album An Innocent Man (1983), released as the album's first single in 1983. In the song, the singer exhorts a young man to tell the woman he loves how he feels about her before he misses his chance. It hit the number one spot on the Billboard Hot 100 chart for one week on September 24, 1983, replacing "Maniac" by Michael Sembello. The single was certified Gold by the RIAA for US sales of over 500,000 copies.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">I Won't Hold You Back</span> 1983 single by Toto

"I Won't Hold You Back" is a song by American rock band Toto, written and sung by Steve Lukather for their fourth album, Toto IV, released in 1982. The song features the Eagles' bass player Timothy B. Schmit on backing vocals during the choruses.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Longest Time</span> 1984 single by Billy Joel

"The Longest Time" is a doo-wop song by Billy Joel, released in 1984 as the fourth single from the 1983 album An Innocent Man. Following the theme of the album in paying tribute to Joel's musical influences, the song is presented in the style of Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers. It reached number 14 on the Billboard Hot 100 and number 1 on Billboard's Adult Contemporary chart. In the United Kingdom the song reached number 25 on the UK Singles Chart.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Keeping the Faith (song)</span> 1985 single by Billy Joel

"Keeping the Faith" is a song by rock singer-songwriter Billy Joel, from his 1983 album An Innocent Man, serving as its closing track and the final single released from the album. The cover for the single shows an image of Joel and the judge in the "jukebox" courtroom from the video.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The River of Dreams</span> 1993 single by Billy Joel

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Don't Ask Me Why (Billy Joel song)</span> 1980 single by Billy Joel

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">All About Soul</span> 1993 single by Billy Joel

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Leave a Tender Moment Alone</span> 1984 single by Billy Joel

"Leave a Tender Moment Alone" is a song performed by Billy Joel and the fifth single from his album An Innocent Man. Toots Thielemans makes a guest appearance on harmonica. The song reached number 27 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 charts and spent two weeks at number one on the Adult Contemporary chart.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">When the Going Gets Tough, the Tough Get Going (song)</span> 1985 single by Billy Ocean

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References

  1. "Great Rock Discography". p. 437.
  2. 1 2 Mitchell, Matt (January 20, 2024). "The 25 Greatest Billy Joel Songs of All Time". Paste . Retrieved January 20, 2024.
  3. Molanphy, Chris (April 30, 2020). "Still Billy Joel to Me Edition". Hit Parade | Music History and Music Trivia (Podcast). Slate . Retrieved April 2, 2024.
  4. Whitburn, Joel (2004). The Billboard Book of Top 40 Hits, 8th Edition (Billboard Publications)
  5. 1 2 Hyatt, Wesley (1999). The Billboard Book of #1 Adult Contemporary Hits (Billboard Publications)
  6. "Reviews" (PDF). Cash Box. December 10, 1983. p. 7. Retrieved July 20, 2022.
  7. Everett, Walter (2000). "The learned vs. the vernacular in the songs of Billy Joel". Contemporary Music Review. 18 (4): 117. doi:10.1080/07494460000640051. ISSN   0749-4467.
  8. Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 . St Ives, NSW: Australian Chart Book. ISBN   0-646-11917-6.
  9. "Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada". Collectionscanada.gc.ca. Retrieved January 11, 2012.
  10. "Billy Joel – An Innocent Man". Top 40 Singles.
  11. "Billy Joel: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company.
  12. "Billy Joel Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved December 21, 2023.
  13. "Billy Joel Chart History (Adult Contemporary)". Billboard. Retrieved December 21, 2023.
  14. "Top 100 Singles 1984" (PDF). Music Week. Retrieved September 18, 2022.
  15. "Talent Almanac 1985: Top Pop Singles". Billboard. Vol. 96, no. 51. December 22, 1984. p. TA-19.
  16. "British single certifications – Billy Joel – An Innocent Man". British Phonographic Industry . Retrieved November 3, 2023.