BILLY JOEL 100. Today: #70-66. More-  tomorrow.

Caffè Lattè presents:

THE 100 MOST ESSENTIAL SONGS BY

BILLY JOEL

William Martin Joel was born in The Bronx, New York in 1949. He grew up on Long Island and began studying the piano in 1953. Billy joined his first band 10 years later. In 1971, he signed a recording contract as a soloist. That year, he released his solo debut album. Since then, his music has been the soundtrack for countless fans.

 

Here are 100 of his best works…

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70

IF I ONLY HAD THE WORDS (TO TELL YOU)

An early track that finds Billy honing his skill at writing ballads and love songs. “If I Only Had The Words (To Tell You)” is featured on ‘Piano Man’.

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69

ALL ABOUT SOUL

“All About Soul” was one of the singles lifted off the ‘River Of Dreams’ album. The disc cracked the Top 40 in America, Britain, Canada and Australia in 1993.

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68

THIS IS THE TIME

‘The Bridge’ was issued as a follow-up to ‘An Innocent Man’. One of the songs chosen to be released as a single was “This Is the Time”. In America, the single peaked at #18 Pop and topped the Adult Contemporary Chart.

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67

NOCTURNE

The ‘Cold Spring Harbor’ album was named after the hamlet on Long Island where Billy spent his childhood. “Nocturne” is an instrumental which allows him to stretch out on the piano.

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66

GETTING CLOSER

While Billy was recording ‘The Bridge’, his tenth studio LP, family life was beginning to affect his passion for music. At home he now had wife Christie Brinkley and daughter Alexa Ray. “Getting Closer” closes the album. The track features Steve Winwood on Hammond organ. Its lyrics find Billy reflecting on those that conned him in his past: “so to every bank in Switzerland that stores my stolen truth, I’m all right because despite the laws, you cannot hide the truth… and if I don’t have this all worked out, still I’m getting closer”.

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