Billy Joel - Piano Man

Well we're all in the mood for a melody

This is Billy Joel's second album but his first with Columbia Records. It's also the first of two albums recorded in L.A. before returning to his native New York. The title track (his signature song) became one of his popular hits before the "The Stranger". According to Joel, the characters in that song were actual people while he was a lounge singer in L.A. There's the seven-minute anti-drug song "Captain Jack". "Travelin' Prayer" and "Worse Comes To Worst" were minor hit singles. Other noteworthy tracks include the historically inaccurate "The Ballad Of Billy The Kid", "You're My Home" about his then-wife (she's the "waitress" in the title track) and "If I Only Had The Words". The enhanced portion of the CD features a live version of the title track performed at Yankee Stadium in '89.

I first purchased this title on cassette years ago and it's one of the few titles in my collection in which I liked every track. I found it interesting though that the other musicians and singers were not credited. At any rate, I'll recommend this to any rock fan in general. If you're a die hard Billy Joel fan this is definitely essential.

Total Time-43:32 April 26, 2008

The Best Of Billy Joel's Early Albums

When "Piano Man" was released in 1973 it went largely unnoticed except for the title track which became a minor radio hit. That's truly a shame since the entire album is just great. While "Piano Man" is undoubtably a great song, "Travelin' Prayer," "Worse Comes To Worst," "Somewhere Along The Line," and "Captain Jack" are equally worthy of recognition. Not every song on the album is great ("You're My Home" is sweet but corny) but the good tracks easily outnumber the mediocre ones. For big time Billy Joel fans, "Piano Man" is a great album because it showcases Joel's talent as a singer/songwriter years before he became a pop star. Fans of country music will also enjoy the western flavor of this album (Joel wrote it right after moving to California). Either way, "Piano Man" is a great album that casual fans and life-long devotees of Billy Joel alike will enjoy. October 15, 2007

fine early Billy Joel album

Billy Joel's Piano Man album on Columbia Records remains one of his best ever; and anyone who enjoys good solid rock from the 1970s will enjoy this CD very much.

The track set opens with "Travelin' Prayer." Listen for some great drums, fiddle, banjo and piano to create a country flavor for this ballad. Billy's voice is rich and full of masculine warmth--terrific! "Piano Man," the title track for this CD, leaves nothing to be desired. It starts with some great harmonica playing; and when Billy Joel comes in "Piano Man" takes off like a jet! Billy sings some portraits of people who come to the bar where he plays piano. Moreover, "Ain't No Crime" is a beautiful, gospel flavored number with a backup chorus that harmonizes to perfection as Billy sings it well!

"The Ballad Of Billy The Kid" gives us a country/western flavored arrangement as Billy sings the story of Billy The Kid and even compares himself to Billy The Kid but in a more positive light. Billy Joel sings "The Ballad Of Billy The Kid" flawlessly.

"Worse Comes To Worst" actually has a catchy melody that reflects the optimism Billy's character feels that he'll get by no matter how hard life gets; and this song has a great early 1970s rock and roll beat to it! Listen for some great key changes on "If I Only Had The Words (To Tell You)," too.

The album ends strong with the ballad called "Captain Jack." Billy delivers this flawlessly with panache and sensitivity. Great!

The artwork impresses me--how's about that cover photo?

Billy Joel remains a titan in the music industry; and this title is well deserved. Billy is one of the very few versatile artists who can evoke whatever emotions he wants his audiences to feel with every song he sings or records. I highly recommend this fine CD to anyone who likes great rock music from the early 1970s.

Enjoy!
September 28, 2007

sing us a song

I can't believe Billy Joel's Piano Man hasn't become a classic album that everyone needs to own. We're talking about a solid collection of songs. Some of the songs here sound like something Barry Manilow would do, except of course, in the typical Billy Joel songwriting style.

"worse comes to worse" HAS to be one of his most underrated songs. I love that one. "captain jack" is another song I can listen to over and over and get caught up in the smokey atmosphere and quiet vocals, until the loud chorus comes crashing in. It's awesome.

I also love "travelin' prayer". It reminds me of "the entertainer". Maybe it influenced that song, I don't know.

The only reason I didn't give Piano Man 5 stars is because the title song is a bit overplayed, and I'm tired of it. It doesn't really interest me anymore. I understand it was the song to turn Billy Joel into a worldwide phenomenon, but I don't care for it much anymore. The rest of the album rules. April 5, 2007

super talented musician and good songwriting

I believe Billy Joel is a great musician
but I think his songwriting is only good, not
incredible.. he doesn't swing like Elton John...
there's just something missing on this album..
the songs are all a little too square.. but
the man is undoubtedly talented and this just
might not be my style of music.. I still recommend
it for the average music fan February 24, 2007

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