Billy Joel C/D?

"The Stranger" was among the better AOR albums.

I think you speak for all of us.

You do know he played piano on "Remember (Walkin' in the Sand)" now don't you?

"Do you know who Billy Joel is?" Yes. "Good."

Oh no, dear Amateurist. I've had well over twenty years to build up to that one. ;-)

When you're forced to listen to something that much eventually you have to develop a relationship with it a little more complicated that pure antipathy.

Truly OTM. Ned may have built nothing but hostility toward the man over the years, but most of us have had to also admit his good points at one time or another. And that creates confusion. He sucks. mostly, but not in some opressive, ubiquitous, meat-headed Phil Collins way. I'll admit, much of The Stranger still charms me, especially "Vienna" and "Movin' Out." They're little New Jersey symphonies, for all that's worth, which is admittedly not much. But at leat Billy Joel doesn't distance himself from his material -- he always honestly comes off as exactly the schlub that he is. And that's kind of admirable, though again, not much.

I think that's "Scenes from An Italian Restaurant" from The Stranger. But that's not why I'm responding to this. I think all Billy Joel songs should from here on be referred to as BJ songs. That's hilarious.

I'm coming in late to this thread, and rading it in pieces, so forgive if my responses are out of order of importance.

Did he really say that? When? Because that's perfect. If he can sum himself up in such an astute way, my respect for him has just jumped three notches.

He said it on Tuesday night's episode of American Idol, for which he provided the "music" (ie, they all just sang his songs). I thought it was a pretty honest self-assessment, actually. I still don't like him tho.

I wouldn't be so sure about that. And as for that quote, it says nothing. I don't care if he's competent, for fuck's sake, I care if he (or anybody) does something that interests me, and he interests me only in the sense that I wouldn't mind browbeating him for all his albums-worth o' crap.

And "Uptown Girl" has this Nazi-step march ham-fisted oppression that top none other. I had his greatest hits I & II when I was in 7th grade, but just because I learned to play "She's got a way" for this girl I had a crush on. He is a miserable sod, on top of everything. He must hate life. He has his few, few moments, but on the whole, the most abhorrent artist I can bring to mind. Sorry.

see: Elvis Costello

Anyone seen "Movin' Out" yet?

WTF? Have you ever heard Elvis Costello?

Joel's addiction to WINE is also a bit sad. I mean, Christie won't even let him near the kids.

And that song "River Of Dreams"?

>quiver<

i've own all those "great" records he's made and really really tried to like him. really. i tried. i failed.

Maybe BJ can help me out here:

I must be looking for something
Something sacred I lost
But the river is wide
And it's too hard to cross

indeed.

I have a soft spot in my heart for "Pressure," "It's Still Rock n' Roll...," and the ultimate (wait for it)...

..."It's My Life." How can a guy who's song was used as the theme for "Bosom Buddies" be a dud?

This is going to be like "The Linda McCartney Story" where Wings plays "Kansas City" about a half a million times.

Starring new upstart singer Mikey Jim

Also, finally a movie that should have been directed by Hal Needham.

Exactly; skip all the music stuff and just write a movie about a Long Island neighborhood where some guy keeps crashing his car into people's houses.

give me a call, I'm the insurance man

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eXISPB6c1pw

my mom and i don't agree on everything, but the woman just detests billy joel. that's how i know she's all right

"Vienna" (always been my favorite BJ song) is having a moment:

‘No one understands a woman in her 20s like Billy Joel’: gen z finds solace in anti-hustle anthem Vienna https://t.co/lOdfGAM8Kh

— The Guardian (@guardian) July 1, 2024

My 17-year-old loves "Vienna," and I p much thought that was her only Joel knowledge. Then last week I caught her listening to "The Stranger."

On second thought, when she was in middle school she was auditioning for "Little Shop of Horrors," and needed something in a doo-wop style. I taught her "For the Longest Time."

Was just thinking the other day that “Vienna” is a clear standout in his catalog.

“I want to name my child Vienna but everyone says it reminds them of sausage,”

It reminds me of Joan Crawford's character in Johnny Guitar which is maybe another reason to reconsider naming someone that

Ha, OTM!

It's a tik tok thing. The girlies love Vienna. It's so weird.

as i've said in multiple billy joel threads now, patient zero is 13 going on 30. gave that song its own life

Kind of funny that a full 6 out of 9 songs from The Stranger are included on Greatest Hits Vol 1 and 2, and "Vienna" is not one of them

Has more Spotify plays than anything else from the album at this point

Yeesh.

8-track tape running order
1. "The Stranger" – "Just the Way You Are"
2. "Movin' Out (Anthony's Song)" – "Vienna" – "She's Always a Woman"
3. "Only the Good Die Young" – "Scenes from an Italian Restaurant (Part 1)"
4. "Scenes from an Italian Restaurant (Conclusion)" - "Get It Right the First Time" – "Everybody Has a Dream"

Article makes a good point in that the popularity of "Vienna" may stem from the fact that it hasn't been shoved down everybody's throats.

dying to know where scenes part 1 ends and where scenes conclusion begins.

It couldn't have been much of a conclusion!

Had "Scenes" been left alone, Side 3 would have lasted 11 minutes and 32 seconds. It appears that 11 minutes was the limit.

That said, Get It Right and Everyone Has a Dream combine for 10:35. So the conclusion of SfaIR must have been less than 57 seconds, otherwise, why break it up?

Running Times
Side 1: 10:02
Side 2: 10:25
Side 3: 3:55 + (7:37 - y)
Side 4: 10:35 + y

(^ Times do not include spaces between songs, where presumably you could hear "The Stranger" being played backwards.)

Maybe they cut the 2 minute instrumental "Stranger" reprise from the end of EHaD.

We disregard the danger (of the 8-track running time).

They did cut the reprise!

Shoulda had Snowy White come in and bang out a guitar solo that bridged the song with the reprise.

Side 3: 3:55 + (7:37 - y)
Side 4: 10:35 + y

excellent math-ing, thank you!

in billy joel circa 2020 news, i just finished season 2 of "the boys," which is super (pun intended) fun and features, in addition to sketchy acting and sketchier writing, what i'm reasonably sure is the best use of recurring billy references and music in tv history. some pretty cool billy t-shirts, too.

Well dammit, of course Hoffman would have the answer.

My first version was 8-track, and I still hear the sax fade out, <click>, and fade back in during "Scenes From An Italian Restaurant." It was a long time before I heard it uninterrupted.

So probably right around 6:59 or so.

Oh, man, it's actually worse than that.

Fast-forward to 26:40 of this podcast to hear it.

Works a lot like how movies come back from a break on Tubi.

yuck.

is that what tubi does? i've never used it. but youtube does the same thing with long videos. amazing how the best minds in media and tech have figured out how to use 2020s technology to exactly replicate the worst aspects of how things worked 50 years ago.

it's always the same in the end, as a wise man once said.

At least with the cassette version of "Pigs" by Pink Floyd, it just faded out of Side 1 and faded back in on Side 2, like they had just been jamming the whole time in those ten seconds you stepped out.

I've only watched one movie on Tubi. Not sure if or when I'll do it again.

Heh we just watched a Tubi movie and yeah some of the breaks were very awkward

Vampire Weekend played Scenes From an Italian Restaurant tonight at the Garden lol pic.twitter.com/41KVbDqLIT

— Spooky 🎃 Lolo (@LolOverruled) October 6, 2024

wow, with actors & everything! great-sounding cover

Ha, Billy's band used to do the same thing.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hRP1dF7Qlac

Riding the same cheese wavelength:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PkiKIJb8Y-M

Lib!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S2ZTGsoE8CQ

Somehow I recently came into possession of a copy of his memoir.

It was not only inscribed, but had a handwritten note from him inside (not addressed to me).

He's a great drummer, but I suspect he fell afoul of the Stan Lynch/Kenny Aronoff rule: never forget who's boss.

He angrily refused to play reggae according to some guy in the River of Dreams documentary.

I guess he really hated this

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KnxBDuJhOzY

Liberty DubVitto

Big news and not the best:

https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/billy-joel-cancels-tour-normal-pressure-hydrocephalus-1235346714/

As I've noted just now elsewhere on social media, this is the exact same condition my dad was diagnosed with and thankfully had successful surgery for the other week via the installation of a shunt. So it's no joke, but treatment can work wonders, though many factors are involved. This is an excellent piece on the condition and its treatment, which I especially recommend as guidance for anyone you know who may be exhibiting certain symptoms -- it can be tricky to narrow down:

https://www.brainandlife.org/articles/hydrocephalus-symptoms-diagnosis-treatment

Preshah!

https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcS_ftk5_vEGpzt4fpPuC_ycTLvJzxcN_m3OGr7QsgcZCA&s=10

Oh man, sad news. Glad your dad's doing better, Ned, but that sounds incredibly stressful for you.

raising a bottle of white to the continued health of ned's dad and a bottle of red to the speedy recovery of our billy.

poor Billy :( hope he pulls through

but yes, good news re yr Dad, Ned.

Too kind! Fear not, my dad seems to be very well. I'll be seeing him tomorrow to sense the results directly.