Billy Joel

His voice makes me cringe especially when tries to pretend rock as someone mentioned. He has some nice songs, but Ive seen better singers in a lounge. If I ever hear My Life while driving, I may veer off the road! What an annoying song.

A matter of taste I guess. I know people who dislike Elvis´voice. Unbelievable, I think! Great voice in my book.

I was never wild about Joel's condescending tone towards the punk movement (Glass Houses, "It's Still Rock & Roll to Me"), and some of his more pretentious efforts ("We Didn't Start the Fire" -- hello, R.E.M.!) but always had a soft spot for singles like "Big Shot." He certainly learned a lot from Paul McCartney.

I listened to "52nd street" on my way to work today. The third track on the album, "My life", has a part that sounds extremely like Paul McCartney.

The entire song is an homage to Paul McCartney: vocal, arrangement, piano solo, verse, chorus, it's all there. Joel is not just a Paul fan, he is a long-time Beatles aficionado, and it may be heard in many tracks he's released.

I was never wild about Joel's condescending tone towards the punk movement (Glass Houses, "It's Still Rock & Roll to Me"), and some of his more pretentious efforts ("We Didn't Start the Fire" -- hello, R.E.M.!) but always had a soft spot for singles like "Big Shot." He certainly learned a lot from Paul McCartney.

I listened to "52nd street" on my way to work today. The third track on the album, "My life", has a part that sounds extremely like Paul McCartney.

The entire song is an homage to Paul McCartney: vocal, arrangement, piano solo, verse, chorus, it's all there. Joel is not just a Paul fan, he is a long-time Beatles aficionado, and it may be heard in many tracks he's released.

Very true. I could almost hear the Paul/Linda harmonies a ´la "Ram" too.

I bought The Stranger last week and it is a great album.Movin' Out,The Stranger,Scenes From An Italian Restaurant and Vienna are all top notch and the rest ain't bad either.I hadn't bought into Billy Joel but I got a cheap compilation recently and enjoyed it so I thought I'd try an album and I chose The Stranger.Glass Houses and 52nd Street should be with me shortly.

norrie

The Stranger is a fantastic album. 52nd street is a little bit more "jazzy", but still very good. Cold spring harbor and Piano man are my other two favourites. Glass houses is ordered.

Recieved and listened to 52nd St and Glass Houses.52nd St is a bit jazzy in places as you say dreambear but I love it.Glass Houses is a bit rockier than the other albums I've listened to but again I like it.Will have to get some more since they are going for less than a fiver on Amazon.Can't go wrong really.

norrie

His voice makes me cringe especially when tries to pretend rock as someone mentioned. He has some nice songs, but Ive seen better singers in a lounge. If I ever hear My Life while driving, I may veer off the road! What an annoying song.

But I still haven´t heard anything as bad as "Yoga is as yoga does" or "Dominic" in his repetoire

I got "Glass houses" a few days ago. I really don´t like a track like "Sometimes a fantasy", but hey it´s still a great pop record. What do you other guys think?

There's a bit of the Buddy Holly "hiccup" on Sometimes a Fantasy which shows Joel was influenced by the late Texan. Do you like the songs Don't Ask me Why and Through The Long Night on Glass Houses record ?

Yes! Those two songs are good tracks. The opener "You may be right" is a favourite. But there´s not a single track like "Scenes from an Italian restaurant". The whole "The stranger" album is fantastic. Glass houses is only very good

My favorite is "Piano Man":

A while ago I bought his live record "Songs in the attic" and I have to say it was a hell of a record. Very good audio and some versions are better performed than their studio brothers and sisters. It´s an highly recommended record.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Songs_in_the_Attic

Have nice weekend!