Published on Aug 13, 2000
For someone who’s had a recording career like Billy Joel’s,
there’s no denying that he was long overdue for a greatest hits
release back in 1985. But to combine two volumes into one release?
That was as crazy as — oh, I don’t know, maybe Bruce Springsteen
releasing two albums on the same day. (Hey, wait a minute…)
As it stands,
Greatest Hits Volume I & Volume II might be a little too
much, even for fans of the “piano man,” but you can’t fault anyone
for putting together this 22-song collection. After all, you really
don’t recognize the effect that Joel had on music over the course
of 12 years until you hear all the hits he released.
Taking light pop, near-folk ballading, the atmosphere of smoky
jazz clubs, his Italian heritage and religious roots, his love for
doo-wop and the early days of rock & roll, and rolling them up
into a career, Joel helped remind listeners to keep in touch with
all of their roots while looking ahead to the future.
The first seven years of Joel’s stardom are wrapped up nicely in
the first disc of the collection — though this also proves to be
the toughest to get through at times. Even though it’s been around
for over 25 years, I somehow never get sick of hearing “Piano Man”
and hearing the musical birth cries of a superstar. Even for
someone who grew up with this material, tracks like “New York State
Of Mind” and “Say Goodbye To Hollywood” might be new experiences,
as these songs don’t normally make the rounds of classic rock
radio. But while they might not have been topping the charts, they
prove that they belong in this collection.
During this time, Joel seemed to be struggling with the decision
of whether to be a pop crooner or a rocker — and the conflict is
heard in songs like “Movin’ Out (Anthony’s Song)” (the track that
has Italian influences in it), “The Stranger,” “Just The Way You
Are,” “She’s Always A Woman” and “You May Be Right.” The tough part
of this portion of the collection is that the songs become very
much a personal hit-or-miss. I’ve never liked the songs “Big Shot”
or “Only The Good Die Young,” and this collection doesn’t do
anything to change my mind. Your list of personal likes and
dislikes is certain to change, but it’s also pretty certain that
both lists will have at least one song from this period.
The real fire under Joel’s career is chronicled on the second
disc of
Greatest Hits Volume I & Volume II. From the paean to
rock music “It’s Still Rock & Roll To Me” to the release of
penned-up anger on tracks like “Allentown,” “Pressure” and
“Goodnight Saigon,” Joel finally allows himself the freedom to
express his emotions without worrying whether the songs would top
the pop charts or not.
The Nylon Curtain, from which three of these songs are
pulled from, might not have been a commercial blockbuster, but for
Joel, it truly was the release he needed.
1984’s
An Innocent Man was the culmination of all Joel’s hard work.
In a way, it had to be tough to choose between all the hits that
came from this album — notably absent is “Keeping The Faith.” But
the three selections that do make the grade — “Tell Her About It,”
“Uptown Girl”and “The Longest Time” — represent the album well,
and are still quite enjoyable tracks.
You could question the inclusion of the two new tracks on this
collection — one of which, “You’re Only Human (Second Wind),”
became not only an anthem against suicide but another hit single
for Joel — but they fairly represent where Joel was at this stage
in his career, looking back at the superstardom he now enjoyed.
“The Night Is Still Young,” admittedly not a song written for the
top of the pops, is a pleasant track, but it also showed that joel
had not abandoned his musical roots.
The one negative about this release is it often seems like more
of Joel’s music than one should handle in one sitting. On their
own, these tracks are pleasant enough, but when you put them
together, it sometimes feels like overkill.
Still,
Greatest Hits Volume I & Volume II is the perfect
starting point for anyone who wants to get a feel for Joel’s music
up to the
An Innocent Man days — and it should make you intrigued
enough to go check out the original albums the tracks are culled
from.