Billy Joel: The Stranger (1977)

As I'm about to write up my thoughts on the fifth Billy Joel album, the classic "The Stranger" released 29 September 1977 on Columbia Records, produced by Phil Ramone, the opening theme for the title song is running through my mind. It's so clear, in fact, I almost feel like I'm listening to it right now on my headphones.

When Billy released "Turnstiles" in 1976 (see my earlier post), there was feeling among the record company of, well, apprehension. He'd had a great start with "Piano Man", the album had gone platinum, followed up by "Streetlife Serenade" and "Turnstiles" in the next three years, but "Turnstiles" hadn't really performed to company expectations. Billy might be dropped if the next album wasn't a bigger success. So you might know what actually happened next then.

Billy was seeking out a producer, and he knew that he wanted to use his touring band which had worked very successfully before on "Turnstiles". A producer that he met with was none other than Sir George Martin who had produced Billy's idols the Beatles, recording such greats as "Revolver", "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band", and more. Need I mention them at this point, if you're a fan?

Sir George was interested, but he didn't want to use the band. He wanted to use session musicians, which was how the first three albums were recorded, and "Turnstiles" too before Billy started over again in New York. This was where the meeting of the great minds had a parting of the ways. It had to be the band. It was all or nothing.

By the time of his death in March 2013, producer and sound engineer Phil Ramone had worked with such artists as Burt Bacharach, the Band, Bono, Ray Charles, Karen Carpenter, Chicago, Natalie Cole, Bob Dylan, Gloria Estefan, Aretha Franklin, Debbie Gibson, Elton John, Quincy Jones, B.B. King, Julian Lennon, Madonna, Barry Manilow, Paul McCartney, George Michael, Liza Minnelli, Anne Murray, Oliver Newton-John, Luciano Pavarotti, Peter Paul and Mary, Carly Simon, Paul Simon, Frank Sinatra, Phoebe Snow, Dusty Springfield, Rod Stewart, Barbra Streisand, James Taylor and so many more wonderful iconic artists (thank you, Wikipedia!).

Billy met with him to discuss the new album, the result of which is... well, history. Look at these songs and listen to how they were played and put together in the studio: "Movin' Out (Anthony’s Song)", "Just the Way You Are", "Scenes from an Italian Restaurant", "Vienna", "Only the Good Die Young", "She's Always a Woman" and so on. This collaboration with Phil and the band produced one of Billy's most successful albums and one of the finest albums of the twentieth century.

By 1978, "The Stranger" had reached as high as 3 on the Australian Albums chart, 2 on the Canadian and New Zealand Albums charts, 24 on the UK Albums and 2 on the US Billboard 200. Four singles were released and they all entered the top 40 on the US Billboard Hot 100 charts. These were: "Just the Way You Are", "Movin' Out (Anthony's Song)", "She's Always a Woman" and "Only the Good Die Young". At the 1978 Grammy Awards, the album won Song of the Year for "Just the Way You Are" and Record of the Year on top of that. It's sold in excess of 10 million copies worldwide since (thank you, Uncle Wiki again, for clarifying all of that for me.)

So Billy had done very well indeed. He avoided the chopping block at least. Not only now would he be able to continue recording and touring the music he wanted to make, but the success was such that interest was now growing in his earlier albums too. Even "Cold Spring Harbor" with its Alvin and the Chipmunks mastering disaster was sought after by avid fans. It was the beginning of a new and triumphant era.

In listening to this album again, after having enjoyed it for so much of my life, I can see why it did as well as it did. It was supposed to. Let's have a look at these songs.

"Movin' Out (Anthony's Song)" --- the album begins with this rocker, which lyrically feels like I could be watching an episode of a TV show or a film. Yet again, I have the feeling that Billy should be writing for the theatre or film.

"The Stranger" --- and here it comes, the whistling intro that I was talking about earlier. Again, it feels like something from a movie or a TV show. I can imagine it playing in the background with Robert De Niro walking out onscreen. Those lyrics are haunting brilliance.

"Just the Way You Are" --- one of the biggest hits in the whole catalogue. That's why I find it hard to listen to sometimes, because I know it so well. But you can see what a great love song it is. Without the over-familiarity, it's a great song.

"Scenes from an Italian Restaurant" --- truly one of the highlights of an exceptional album, and I've loved it all these years. In the 30th anniversary of "The Stranger" it is revealed that Billy had written another section to this called "Allentown". Was this the same song from "The Nylon Curtain" (1982) because now suddenly I want to hear what this would sound like!

"Vienna" --- if there's one song I want listeners to revisit here, it's this one. Out of so many great songs on this album, this is my personal favourite. If I had my way, this would have been as big as "Just the Way You Are". To me, it is. "When will you realize Vienna waits for you?" It means everything.

"Only the Good Die Young" --- one of the big hits from this album. It was also a controversial one. When attempts were made to censor the song, it only made more people want to listen to it. Originally, if you didn't know this, it was recorded with a reggae beat. You can hear that version on the 2005 My Lives set.

"She's Always a Woman" --- suddenly this total killer of a song comes along. It's such a treat when this one comes onto the radio. Just stop and have a listen to those lyrics sometime.

"Get it Right the First Time" --- this is the weakest moment here for me. I've tried to like it more, especially on the last album, but it never really clicks. Maybe one day it will. I do appreciate it though.

"Everybody has a Dream" --- we end on a song that Billy apparently wrote in 1971, which might have made it a very good inclusion for "Cold Spring Harbor". To me, as well as the reprisal of the whistling theme from earlier, this brings Billy's musical story up to this point full circle. You could almost put on "Cold Spring" afterward.

And so we come to the end of "The Stranger". As I wrap up this post, the whistling tune is still whistling in my head, as all of the lights at the movie theatre are shut down and everyone has gone home.

Thank you for reading,

Ryan.