The Essential Billy Joel
Encyclopedia
The Essential Billy Joel is a Sony
music compilation of songs by American singer/songwriter Billy Joel
. It was released on October 2, 2001, and has been certified Double Platinum by the RIAA. In conjunction with the release of the album, The Essential Video Collection was released, comprising Joel's most popular music videos.
On August 26, 2008, The Essential 3.0 was released containing a third disc with seven additional tracks.
Sony
, commonly referred to as Sony, is a Japanese multinational conglomerate corporation headquartered in Minato, Tokyo, Japan and the world's fifth largest media conglomerate measured by revenues....
music compilation of songs by American singer/songwriter Billy Joel
Billy Joel
William Martin "Billy" Joel is an American musician and pianist, singer-songwriter, and classical composer. Since releasing his first hit song, "Piano Man", in 1973, Joel has become the sixth best-selling recording artist and the third best-selling solo artist in the United States, according to...
. It was released on October 2, 2001, and has been certified Double Platinum by the RIAA. In conjunction with the release of the album, The Essential Video Collection was released, comprising Joel's most popular music videos.
On August 26, 2008, The Essential 3.0 was released containing a third disc with seven additional tracks.
Disc 1
- "Piano ManPiano Man (song)"Piano Man" was Billy Joel's first major hit and his signature song. "Piano Man" was released as a single in November 1st, 1973 and has been on several albums...
" - "You're My HomeYou're My Home"You're My Home" is a single by Billy Joel. It was originally on Billy Joel's 1973 album Piano Man, and also appears on Songs in the Attic , The Ultimate Collection The Essential Billy Joel and 12 Gardens Live ....
" - "Captain JackCaptain Jack (song)"Captain Jack" is a song by Billy Joel featured on his 1973 album Piano Man with a live version on his 1981 album Songs in the Attic. Joel originally wrote the song, an anti-drug song, in 1971, while observing some people from his window obtaining drugs from a dealer named "Captain Jack".It is the...
" - "The EntertainerThe Entertainer (song)"The Entertainer" is a single by singer Billy Joel released as the only single from his 1974 album Streetlife Serenade. The song peaked at #34 on the US charts, a Top 40 hit for Joel that year...
" - "Say Goodbye to HollywoodSay Goodbye to HollywoodFor the similarly named Eminem song, see: The Eminem Show."Say Goodbye to Hollywood" is a song written & performed by Billy Joel, first released in 1976 on his album Turnstiles. The song achieved greater notoriety in 1981 when a live version from Songs in the Attic was released as a single...
" - "Miami 2017 (Seen the Lights Go Out on Broadway)Miami 2017 (Seen the Lights Go Out on Broadway)"Miami 2017 " is a song written by Billy Joel which appeared as the final song on the album Turnstiles in 1976...
" - "New York State of MindNew York State of Mind"New York State of Mind" is a song written by Billy Joel which initially appeared on the album Turnstiles in 1976. While not a hit when it was first released, it has received much more frequent airplay in recent years...
" - "She's Always a WomanShe's Always a Woman"She's Always a Woman" is a song from Billy Joel's 1977 album The Stranger. It is a love song about a modern woman, with whom he falls in love for her quirks as well as her flaws. The single peaked at #17 in the U.S. and in 1986 peaked at #53 in the UK when released as a double A-side single with...
" - "Movin' Out (Anthony's Song)"
- "Only the Good Die YoungOnly The Good Die Young"Only the Good Die Young" is a song from Billy Joel's 1977 pop rock album, The Stranger. The song was controversial for its time, with the lyrics describing a boy who tries to convince a Catholic girl who is a virgin to have sex with him....
" - "Just the Way You Are"
- "HonestyHonesty (Billy Joel song)"Honesty" is a song by Billy Joel released in 1979 as the third single from his album 52nd Street. It was solely written by Joel, while production was handled by Phil Ramone. It reached number 24 on the U.S...
" - "My LifeMy Life (Billy Joel song)"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 #2 on the U.S. adult contemporary chart. Early the next year it peaked at #3 on the Billboard Hot 100....
" - "It's Still Rock and Roll to MeIt's Still Rock and Roll to Me"It's Still Rock & Roll to Me" is a hit 1980 song performed by Billy Joel, from the hit album Glass Houses. The song was #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 charts for two weeks, from July 19 through August 1, 1980...
" - "You May Be RightYou May Be Right (song)"You May Be Right" is a single written and performed by rock singer Billy Joel from his 1980 album Glass Houses. The song reached #7 on the US charts, but failed to chart in the UK unlike his preceding and succeeding singles "All for Leyna" and "It's Still Rock and Roll to Me"...
" - "Don't Ask Me WhyDon't Ask Me Why (Billy Joel song)"Don't Ask Me Why" is a Billy Joel song released in 1980. The lyrics talk about the oddities of life that have become obvious over time. It is more characteristic of a track that would have appeared on Joel's earlier albums in that it has a lighter folk sound as compared to the harder, more rock...
" - "She's Got a WayShe's Got a Way"She's Got a Way" is a song by Billy Joel. The original version is on the 1971 album Cold Spring Harbor, while the remade live version was released as a single from the 1981 album Songs in the Attic and peaked at number 23 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in early 1982.After its original recording,...
" (Live) - "AllentownAllentown (song)"Allentown" is a song by American singer Billy Joel, which first appeared on Joel's The Nylon Curtain album, accompanied by a conceptual music video. It later appeared on Joel's Greatest Hits: Volume II , 2000 Years: The Millennium Concert , The Essential Billy Joel , and "12 Gardens Live" albums...
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Disc 2
- "Goodnight SaigonGoodnight Saigon"Goodnight Saigon" is a song written by Billy Joel, originally appearing on his 1982 album The Nylon Curtain, about the Vietnam War. It depicts the situation and attitude of United States Marines beginning with their military training on Parris Island and then into different aspects of Vietnam...
" - "An Innocent ManAn Innocent Man (song)"An Innocent Man" is a 1983 song performed by Billy Joel and the third single from his album An Innocent Man.The song, whose musical style is an homage to Ben E. King and The Drifters, reached #10 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, the third consecutive top 10 single from the album...
" - "Uptown GirlUptown Girl"Uptown Girl" is a song written and performed by musician Billy Joel, first released in 1983 on his album An Innocent Man. The lyrics describe a working-class "downtown man" attempting to woo a wealthy "uptown girl." The single peaked at #3 on the Billboard charts in the US, and #1 in the UK,...
" - "The Longest TimeThe Longest Time"The Longest Time" is a doo-wop single by Billy Joel. The song was released as a single in 1984 as the fourth single from the album An Innocent Man. It reached number fourteen on the Billboard Hot 100 and number one on Billboards Adult Contemporary chart...
" - "Tell Her About ItTell Her About It"Tell Her About It" is a hit 1983 song performed by Billy Joel, from the hit album An Innocent Man. An apparent homage to the Motown Sound, the song was #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 charts for one week on September 24, 1983, replacing the Phil Ramone-produced song, "Maniac" by Michael Sembello. The...
" - "Leave a Tender Moment AloneLeave a Tender Moment Alone"Leave a Tender Moment Alone" is a song performed by Billy Joel and the fifth single from his album An Innocent Man.Paying homage to Marvin Gaye, in particular his musical style from the early 70s, the song reached only twenty-seven on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 charts and spent two weeks at number...
" - "A Matter of TrustA Matter of Trust"A Matter of Trust" is a song performed by Billy Joel released as the second single from his album The Bridge.The song was the second top 10 single off the album, after the album's previous single "Modern Woman." The song's music video features Joel performing in a building and also shows various...
" - "Baby GrandBaby Grand"Baby Grand" is the fourth and final single released off Billy Joel's album The Bridge. A duet with Joel and Ray Charles, the song is a ballad dedicated to the baby grand piano, and the relationship it can share with its players. The two originally got together when Charles contacted Joel about the...
" - "I Go to ExtremesI Go to Extremes"I Go to Extremes" is the fourth track on Billy Joel's 1989 album, Storm Front. It was released as the second single from the album in 1990. It peaked at the number six position on the Billboard Hot 100, and at #70 on the UK chart. The song was also a top ten hit on both the Adult Contemporary...
" - "We Didn't Start the FireWe Didn't Start the Fire"We Didn't Start the Fire" is a song by Billy Joel. Its lyrics are made up from rapid-fire brief allusions to over a hundred headline events between March 1949 and 1989, when the song was released on his album Storm Front...
" - "LeningradLeningrad (song)"Leningrad" is a 1989 song written and performed by American singer and songwriter Billy Joel. The song was originally released on his album Storm Front on the Columbia Records label, and went on to be released as a single. It was also released on his Greatest Hits, Vol. 3 compilation. The song...
" - "The Downeaster "Alexa"The Downeaster Alexa"The Downeaster 'Alexa" is a song originally released in 1989 on Billy Joel's eleventh studio album Storm Front. The album itself went to number one while the fourth single "The Downeaster 'Alexa'" placed at #57 in the Billboard Hot 100. The song was included on Billy Joel's Greatest Hits Vol...
" - "And So It GoesAnd So It Goes"And So It Goes" is a ballad written by Billy Joel in 1983, though it wasn't released until six years later. It appeared as the tenth and final track of his megahit album Storm Front. The original 1983 demo was released on the 2005 box set My Lives. Joel wrote the song about a doomed relationship...
" - "The River of DreamsThe River of Dreams"The River of Dreams" is a single by Billy Joel. It is the title track and first single from his 1993 album River of Dreams. The song was a hit, peaking at #3 on the US and UK charts, making it his highest charting of the 1990s. It also hit the top spot in Australia and on the Billboard Adult...
" - "All About SoulAll About Soul"All About Soul" is a single by singer/songwriter Billy Joel. It was the second single from his 1993 album River of Dreams. The song peaked at #29 in the US and #32 on the UK charts...
" - "Lullabye (Goodnight, My Angel)Lullabye (Goodnight, My Angel)"Lullabye " is the seventh track and third single from Billy Joel's 1993 album River of Dreams. It was inspired by Alexa Ray Joel, his daughter by Christie Brinkley. The song is in the key of G major....
" - "Waltz no. 1 (Nunley's Carousel)"
- "Invention in C minor"
Disc 3
- "Worse Comes to Worst"
- "Prelude/Angry Young ManPrelude/Angry Young Man"Prelude/Angry Young Man" is a song written by Billy Joel which appeared as the sixth song on the album Turnstiles in 1976. Live versions have been released as the second track of KOHЦEPT, the 11th track of the first disc of 2000 Years: The Millennium Concert, and the opening track on the first...
" - "Scenes from an Italian RestaurantScenes From An Italian Restaurant"Scenes from an Italian Restaurant" is a song from Billy Joel's 1977 album The Stranger.Although never released as a single, it has become one of Joel's most celebrated compositions among fans, appearing on most of his compilation albums. The song is effectively a medley of three individual songs...
" - "Big ShotBig Shot (song)"Big Shot" was the second hit single from Billy Joel's 1978 album 52nd Street. The song was released in early-1979, just as his other hit single from that same album, "'My Life", was peaking at #3...
" - "All for LeynaAll for Leyna"All for Leyna" is a song by Billy Joel from the 1980 album Glass Houses. "All for Leyna" was released as a single in the United Kingdom, where it reached #40 on the charts....
" - "Pressure"
- "This Is the TimeThis Is the Time (song)"This Is the Time" is a song performed by Billy Joel released as the third single from his album The Bridge.The song reached #18 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 and topped the Billboard Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks chart , with no accompanying music video.The song was featured in NBA Superstars...
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Chart performance
| Chart (2001) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| The Billboard 200 | 29 |
| Chart (2008) | Peak position |
| New Zealand | 14 |
| Australia | 50 |