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.
"1979" is a song by American alternative rock band the Smashing Pumpkins. It was released in 1996 as the second single from their third studio album, Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness. "1979" was written by frontman Billy Corgan, and features loops and samples uncharacteristic of previous Smashing Pumpkins songs. The song foreshadows the synth-pop sound the band would embrace more openly on Adore and its tracks "Ava Adore" and "Perfect". The song was written as a nostalgic coming-of-age story by Corgan. In the year 1979, Corgan was twelve, and this is what he considered his transition into adolescence.
"Uptown Girl" is a song written and performed by American musician Billy Joel from his ninth studio album An Innocent Man (1983), released in September 1983 as the album's second single. The lyrics describe a working-class "downtown man" attempting to woo a wealthy "uptown girl". The 12" EP has the tracks "My Life", "Just the Way You Are" and "It's Still Rock and Roll to Me", whereas some 7" single versions featured "Careless Talk" as a B-side.
"Epic" is a song by American rock band Faith No More. It was released as the second single from their third album, The Real Thing (1989), in 1990 in United States, the United Kingdom, and Europe. The song was the band's breakthrough hit, peaking at number nine on the US Billboard Hot 100, number two in New Zealand, and number one in Australia for three weeks. It is among the band's most popular songs and a staple in their concerts.
"Until You Come Back to Me (That's What I'm Gonna Do)" is a song written by Morris Broadnax, Clarence Paul, and Stevie Wonder. The song was originally recorded by Stevie Wonder in 1967, but his version was not released as a single and did not appear on an album until 1977's anthology Looking Back. The best-known version of this song is the 1973 release by Aretha Franklin, who had a million-selling top 10 hit on Billboard charts. The song reached No. 1 on the R&B chart and No. 3 on the Hot 100 chart in 1974. It became an RIAA Gold record.
"The Woman in Me" is a song by American singer Donna Summer, released as the third and final single from her eponymous tenth studio album (1982). The song reached number 33 on the Billboard Hot 100, number 30 on the Black Singles chart, and number 17 on the Adult Contemporary chart in early 1983. It was written by John Bettis of Carpenters fame.
Here is the discography of American singer-songwriter Billy Joel. He has released 13 studio albums, seven live albums, 18 compilation albums, 10 video albums, 82 singles, three promotional singles, and 45 music videos. Throughout his career, he has sold more than 150 million records worldwide, making him one of the best-selling music artists in history. According to Recording Industry Association of America, Joel has sold 85 million certified albums in the United States, making him the 4th best-selling solo artist of all time. Billboard ranked him as the 9th Greatest male soloist of all time.
"The Downeaster 'Alexa'" is a song by Billy Joel from his eleventh studio album Storm Front (1989), released as the album's fourth single. It peaked at No. 57 in the Billboard Hot 100 and was included on Joel's Greatest Hits Vol. 3 album in 1997. The song was named for his boat, which in turn was named after his daughter Alexa Ray Joel.
"Mony Mony" is a 1968 single by American pop rock band Tommy James and the Shondells, which reached No. 1 on the UK Singles Chart and No. 3 in the U.S. Written by Bobby Bloom, Ritchie Cordell, Bo Gentry, and Tommy James, the song has appeared in various film and television works such as the Oliver Stone drama Heaven & Earth. It was also covered by English singer-songwriter Billy Idol in 1981. Idol's version, which took in more of a rock sound, became an international top 40 hit and additionally revived public interest in the original garage rock single. Idol recorded a live version in 1985 which was ultimately released in 1987 where it became an even bigger hit than the Shondells' 1968 original, reaching No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100.
"One Bad Apple" is a song by the Osmonds, released as a single on November 14, 1970. It debuted on the Billboard Hot 100 on January 2, 1971. It hit the top of the chart on February 13, 1971 and stayed there for five weeks. It also reached No. 6 on the R&B chart. Billboard ranked it as the No. 4 song for 1971. Both "One Bad Apple" and the Donny Osmond-credited single "Sweet and Innocent" are on the 1970 album Osmonds. It was certified Gold by the RIAA on February 4, 1971.
"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.
"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.
"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.
"Solitaire" is a 1981 song sung and written by Martine Clémenceau. The English version was later released in March 1983 as the lead single of American singer Laura Branigan's second studio album, Branigan 2 (1983). It was lyricized in English by Diane Warren and produced by Jack White and Robbie Buchanan.
"Sometimes a Fantasy" is a song by Billy Joel, released in 1980 as the last single from his seventh studio album Glass Houses. The single peaked at No. 36 on the US Billboard Hot 100. The song is a "melodic, fast paced rocker" and starts with Joel dialing a number on a telephone.
"All About Soul" is a song by American musician Billy Joel, released in October 1993 by Columbia Records as the third single from his 12th studio album, River of Dreams (1993). The single was produced by Danny Kortchmar and Joe Nicolo and features backing vocals by Color Me Badd. The song peaked at No. 29 in the United States and No. 32 in the United Kingdom, becoming his final top-40 single in either country. The compilation box set My Lives contains an unfinished demo version of "All About Soul" called "Motorcycle Song".
"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. It also spent one week at No. 1 on the Billboard adult contemporary chart.
"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.
"This Night" is a song by Billy Joel released as the sixth single from his album An Innocent Man. The basis of the song's chorus uses the second movement of Ludwig van Beethoven's Pathétique Sonata. Beethoven is credited as one of the song's writers on the sleeve of the album as "L.v. Beethoven". Joel has said in interviews that "This Night" was written about his brief relationship with supermodel Elle Macpherson, whom he dated just prior to second wife Christie Brinkley.
The First Lady is a studio album by American country artist, Tammy Wynette. It was released on October 5, 1970 via Epic Records and contained 11 tracks. It was the ninth studio album in Wynette's career. The disc featured both new material and covers of previously-recorded material. Many of the recordings featured on the disc centered around themes about housewives keeping their spouses happy. The First Lady reached positions on both the American country albums and pop albums charts. Its only single, "Run, Woman, Run", topped the country charts. The album was met with mixed reviews following its release.
