The Stranger

One of those albums that feels unique for the early midlife crisis.

Whilst there are some moments that feel slightly too cheesy for me on this album, there's absolutely no denying the quality of the songwriting and the sheer quantity of “hit” material packed into the record. There are 4-5 standout tracks that I've heard countless times throughout my life without even realising they were Billy Joel songs. The vast majority of the album is really enjoyable and I'll definitely be listening again.

Looks like he did start the fire, because that's what this album is

Super

While I can appreciate that these are objectively good songs, reflected by the fact I knew almost all of them already despite never putting this album on before, it doesn’t really do much for me. Falls into the genre of perfectly pleasant but uninteresting for me. Not bad.

Love Billy Joel

Oh my goodness. A bit biased cuz this was basically my childhood soundtrack. I lurrve this one good ole billy joel 10/10

i LOVE this album. the first song i ever listened to by billy joel is ‘Vienna’ but i’d have to say that ‘only th good die young’ is definitely my favorite so far.

Fito Paez and Charly García vibes

A good album, I liked Movin' Out, The Stranger and Only The Good Die Young the most.

Wearing a leather jacket that was a gift from your mom. 3.5/5

Five out of five already and I didn’t even have to listen cause I’ve listened to it so many times I absolutely love this album. It’s one of those if I ever bought it it would hang on my wall Billy Joel was a master at work on this album I can’t think of a better way to spend 42 minutes

Movin’ Out (Anthony’s Song) The Stranger Vienna Only the Good Die Young She’s Always a Woman

Movin’ Out The Stranger Vienna Only the Good Die Young

Amo cualquier álbum que tenga sonidos de saxo. Es un álbum muy disfrutable, con un sonido bastante fresco, más allá de ser de 1977 y la mezcla de voces e instrumentos son el punto más fuerte del disco. . Diseño de portada: 4/5 → Diseño a blanco y negro con un concepto muy interesante con respecto al nombre del álbum, muy buena composición y elementos interesantes. . Canciones favoritas: "Scenes from an Italian restaurant", "Only the good die young" y "Get it right the first time"

Surprisingly enjoyable

Fucking hell...just no! Heard before ❌️ Listened this time ✅️ Revisit ❌️ ★★☆☆☆ (4/10) Total reviewed : 307 Already owned : 69 Purchased : 15 To buy : 4 Nope : 219

might get shot for not quite liking this, but what can i do...?

Me gustó y es bastante interesante

The first part’s really good you know there’s some definite hits. It’s probably a no skip album. I do not like Billy Joel but he used to be cool a little.

I know of Billy Joel, but never listened to a whole album of his which I did on my morning walk yesterday- yes some classic tunes here, but a bit MOR for me, but ok

Borders on cheesy at times but mostly manages to work for me. I've always mixed up Billy Joel and Elton John but I enjoy this more than anything I've ever heard from the latter Fav tracks: Scenes From an Italian Restaurant, The Stranger, Get It Right the First Time

Movin' Out is a fantastic album opener, and one of Joel's best songs. Great combination of blue-eyed soul and pop sensibilities. Overall, a great album...his very best, in fact.

Enjoyed much more than I thought I would, still not exactly my type of music but enjoyed the listen

essential mom type album (complimentary)

- I don't mind a red - I liked it better than piano man - I don't think everyone is dreaming, what about the sleepwalkers

I loved it, it's not the type of music I usually listen to, but it surprised me, another favorite album

The album have emotional song but also reflexive songs like viena or the stranger that talks about de Duality of a man represented by masks

awesome

Not my favourite nor his best IMHO So, I'll stick with a 3/5. Also, it didn't help the day I got this, it was not the best day to listen to it. Again, sorry :-(

Classics and less known greats. The dynamic range of the music is amazing and I found myself bobbing my head or humming along to all of the album.

1977, a mountain of amazing, interesting, innovative music is being made around the world. Billy made this. Recoganise a lot of them though, wacks of muzak. 2.5 rounded up Heard before? Some Owned: No: 68/277 (24%) Will I get: No

Dit is zo'n net geen 5 sterren album voor mij. Echt geweldig goed, maar nét niet die 5e ster. Misschien ergens in de toekomst na een relisten.

Wat een gigantische hoop meezingknallers vinden we hier. Soms een beetje irritant, maar onder aan de streep gewoon goed.

First listen

I have just never been a fan. The album is good enough, but it doesn't click with me.

high energy story telling, great songwriting, very interesting song structures, the melodies are simple but emotional and catchy it is a great melodic pop record, even though the music doesnt really resonate with me completely; rhyming two words in the same sentence gets old really fast, the pseudo anecdotic perspective of the lyrics is the best part of it, makes it feel authentic

Several of these sound like sitcom themes from the 80s. Pretty good album. The style is firmly rooted in time and aged well in this case!

142. cool

Reallly liked it 100000/10

mr pianoman echt mid mn vaders quote: "dit is echt niks"

begint goed, eindigt beetje saai?? vooral het liedje the stranger is goed.. groovy boy maar de rest is saai

Ok, I need to start by saying that I don't really like Billy Joel. I find his songwriting too facile, and he's never really challenging the listener in any way. That said, this album is great...hit after hit! So, although I'm not a fan, I have to judge this fairly... and that's 5 stars.

Love this album! I’ve got the first pressing on vinyl

i was today years old when i found out i like billy joel lol.

6/10 Billy Joel is one of those artists that has sort of sat on the periphery for me. I know his biggest hits, but I’ve never really felt inclined to dive deep. The Stranger was his critical and commercial breakthrough album, so it’s an interesting prospect, and there are a couple of recognisable titles on the tracklist. Straight off the bat, it’s clear that he’s got a great ear for melody and a classic pop-rock delivery that’s easy to engage with. There’s a decent edge of groove in various places too, even if it is a tiny bit on the safe and controlled edge of the rhythmic spectrum. When those strongest elements combine, there’s some really compelling songs in here; top notch pop music that gets you tapping your toe and swept up in the hooks and melodies. There are places where it sounds a bit Elton John-esque and places where he borrows from the pop-soul of the 60s and early 70s, building those sounds into a digestible soft-rock format. But boy is it cheesy. He’s clearly a fantastic song writer, but he also seems to make a lot of clichéd choices, both musically and sonically and while I enjoyed decent amounts of the work, there were times when I was taken out of it a little by the wheels of ripe camembert that came rolling out of my speakers. That wasn’t really helped by how dated some of this sounded, particularly the synth strings and horns used in various places that sounded fairly weak and of their time. Had I grown up with this record, I can imagine that I would be likely to look past those factors, but with fresh ears, the production did fell pretty dated and added to the air of cheese that floated over the record. That being said, underneath it all, there is some great musicianship at play here that compliments the songwriting well and, despite the of-its-time production in places, the mix was crisp and easy to digest and I did enjoy getting to know this record. While it may not be one that I’ll dip back to often, I’m certainly intrigued enough to check out a bit more of his work. Movin' Out (Anthony's Song) - Great track to kick us off. It’s a slow groove, but it’s got great feel to it. The cadence of the bass line and chord structure shifting up and down is super cool. There are some really cool rhythmic blends across the different parts that give it a constantly shifting feel that’s used really effectively when he brings everything together on the odd occasion. A quality pop song. The Stranger - A nice, lazy intro and then some cheesy but delightful guitar that feels like it belongs to the 80s rather than 77. The vibe shifts really nicely through the different sections and the feel of the groove is pretty easy listening, but with a little twist that elevates it above that. I’m not in love with it, but it’s well written and executed. The fade out to a repeat of the intro is weirdly jarring though. Just The Way You Are - Sweet gorgonzola. I mean, it’s a brilliant song, with some incredible melodies, delivered with great feel and swagger, but it’s so incredibly cheesetastic. The lyrics, the general vibe, the sax solo, I mean, wow. The production is great too, with everything having its place and all offering an essential part of the blend. The finest cheese money can buy. Scenes From An Italian Restaurant - This has more than a whiff of Elton John about it. It’s a tiny bit rambling, but in a very cool, organic way. There are more moments of übercheese, particularly the sax solo, but there’s just so much going on that it flitters on to something fresh quickly enough. There are some very groovy parts that have great pace and feel to them. It’s kind of hard to sum up feelings about this song because it does go everywhere, but I think it still feels pretty coherent and when it’s grooving along it’s excellent. The piano playing is top notch, and there are some great vocal hooks too. Vienna - A jazzy number now with an edge of pop soul. He delivers with a great swagger here and there’s an excellent gentle touch to the playing. Great vocal melodies again and more of that organic, rolling compositional flair that’s been a highlight of the record thus far. The string synths sound pretty dated and cheesy now, unfortunately and I’m not completely sold on the accordion either. But compositionally it’s great, I think it may just have aged a little poorly from a production and instrumentation point of view. Only The Good Die Young - Another classic full of white boy swagger. It’s got great touch and groove to it and that main hook is so, so good. Again, this sounds pretty outdated and cheesy in places due to the production choices and some of the synth patches, but the quality of the song writing does shine through. Weirdly, with actual horns on this record, the seemingly synthesised horn/organ calypso lead line that comes in during the choruses is pretty terrible mind. Still a cracking song though. She's Always A Woman - Great piano playing again and a lovely vocal performance. The layered guitar and piano work is really nice, underpinned by a simple but effective strolling bass. As with much of the album, it’s cheesy as anything, but melodically lovely. I find it less engaging than the more uptempo stuff, but it’s still a great composition delivered with skill. Get It Right The First Time - Back with some great uptempo groove again now. There’s excellent touch to that beat and this shifts along really nicely. He’s giving things a bit more grit and attitude in places, but he doesn’t forget to add in some cheesy flutes and la, la, la vocals too. It’s a pretty cool blend, and while I don’t entirely love it, I’m still having a pretty nice time. Everybody Has A Dream - And to close us out, there’s a gospel inspired number. It’s not bad, but a little bit slow and meandering. There’s some cool playing, but it doesn’t really manage to give any particularly hooky melodic moments like much of the rest of the album and while the vibe is decent, it does feel a bit like a pale (literally) imitation of music of this type that at its best has a LOT more soul than this. This is the favourite song of the sole white guy in the gospel choir who is always swaying out of sync with his choirmates. Oh, and then we get a little dip back into The Stranger. Meh.

Frábær plata. Allt lög sem verða betri saman.

What is sometimes a pity about this list is that it contains good artists who, in my opinion, have made better albums. Perhaps those will appear on this list as well.

You know Billy Joe? Cheesy love songs and faux blue collar novelty songs, amirite? Turns out he’s a bit more than just a piano man, with some cleverly constructed songs. I remembered the hits from this, but the big romantic ballads Just the Way You Are and She’s Always a Woman fall a little flat when you find out that he’s now on his fourth marriage to a series of increasingly younger and more glamorous women. I was more impressed with the mini song cycle Scenes From an Italian Restaurant that looks at the ups and downs of a relationship over a lifetime, and Vienna which is a tribute to that city with an appropriately Brechtian European feel. I also found out today that George Martin was initially tapped to produce this album which I think would have made it quite a different experience. As it stands, it’s a fine piece but probably just a bit too smooth for me.

"Movin' Out" and "The Stranger" are kinda nice, but otherwise I wouldn't relisten. Just not my cup of tea probably.

Great album

Paul Mccartney

An incredibly produced, sung and performed piece of pop music that defies the standards and conformities of the industry at the time. Sure there was a pop hit or two, but the album went above and beyond when crafting hit songs and classic staples that would keep the charts busy for almost a decade, even now the songs are immortalized in the pop and rock canon. Look no further than "Scenes from an Italian Restaurant" for how ambitious and infectious a seven minute song about divorce and young romance all the while encapsulating busy NYC street life can lead to being one of the biggest songs of his whole career. This thing is packed full of amazing music that goes beyond the clever words and beautiful melodies. The musicianship and crafting of the music itself is just deliciously detailed and vibrant. Really, in just 9 songs Billy Joel has created probably one of the greatest pop and rock albums to come out of the 70's.

Pretty solid album. Has a few of his better known songs on it and honestly the rest of the album is pretty good

2 stars for the 2 standout songs the rest just made me want to tell at Billy Joel to shut the fuck up

I feel like I will need to turn in my Punk Rock Street Cred Card for this. But, goddamn, can Billy Joel tell a story.

Ik vind dit over het algemeen wel goed en aardig om te luisteren. Het is me alleen richting het einde net iets te saai en langdradig om er 4 sterren voor uit de kast te halen. Het had net iets korter mogen zijn. Of één nummer met iets meer tempo in plaats van een balad mogen hebben.

Amazing songwriting. Lots of really good individual tracks here. However, the entire album is laid out in a very cohesive manner that makes the entire album a pleasure to listen to from start to finish.

Nul

I have so much to say about this album, but I’ll keep it pretty short. The opening track has to be one of the strongest starts to any album I’ve listened to so far. This story tells such cohesive and beautiful story while also mixing up and changing the pace of the songs. And some of the best writing I’ve heard in a minute.

Pretty damn good. Very nice musical details throughout, and at times not what I expected from the Piano Man and Uptown Girl guy. Didn’t love every track, but I appreciate the sheer competency and musicality on display here.

I wish I heard this album a few years ago and it should be listened by any young adult man

A couple of tracks are a little cheesy, but cheese is delicious! Probably not my favorite Billy Joel album, but close. 4.5 rounded up to 5.

Very middle of the road. The audio equivalent of shopping at M and S.

Meh it was nice at points but just a bit boring

This album was a pleasant listen

Good

Oh honey I love this album, I have already listened to it probably 1001 times

I liked a few songs off this album but it is not really my favourite genre hence the low rating. The following songs, I liked and I would listen to them again. I know Billy Joel is very influential, talented and contributed a lot to music but it's not really my taste in music. Scenes from an Italian Restaurant Vienna Only the Good Die Young

I can imagine me liking this one day but for now its just a bit too bland, and too sentimental.

Not a false note here!

I liked this album. I feel like all the songs have catchy lyrics and instrumentation w/o sounding all too similar, there’s a lot to fixate on in each song. I think I’d come back to this album again. Fav song is She’s Always a Woman, least fav is Only the Good Die Young.

I appreciate Billy Joel. I like quite a bit of his stuff, especially later in his career. There are three songs on this album, all big hits, that I have HATED for decades. It also has one of my favorite Joel songs of all time "Only the Good Die Young". I get why it's here. I also get why people adore this album. But for me, it's just average.

good vibes

It's fine, but has aged poorly. After the first few songs it just sounds corny

Great album! How can anyone think otherwise!

Che bello merda

Not really my thing, but clearly talented.

2,5

extra star for being an inspiration to some of my favorite artists

Love Billy joel

Billy Joel is an absolute legend, this is some of the most interesting bluesy-piano-pop music ever made. This album has such a strong selection of tracks with a blend of more rock-focused songs and some sweeter piano ballads.

Ég er ekki í Billy klúbbnum, en djöfull er þetta góð plata. Heildstæð sýn, snjallar og ljúfsárar vignettur og gott áttundatugar sound. Helst eru það strengirnir í I love you just they way you are sem fara í taugarnar á mér, og lokalagið er bara lala, en annars er þetta fimma.

Album #76, Billy Joel, The Stranger, ⭐⭐ Ah look, this is not my bag at all. I’m sorry to any Billy Joel fans out there. This just is not my type of music, this easy listening soft rock stuff. Some of these songs I know, and some of them are actually pretty iconic, but the only one I can say I liked afterwards is maybe Vienna. Even then, I would have no desire to ever put this kind of music on. I was talking to my wife about it, saying that I do really like Elton John, so maybe I should like Billy Joel as well because it feels like the same kind of style, but she disagreed. She thinks they are totally different. I do not really know. Maybe Elton John just has better songs. Maybe it’s a bad comparison. It is technically very good. The musicianship is excellent, and the songs take interesting turns here and there. He is a great singer. But singing about Italian restaurants and what type of wine you want to drink, I am sure there is meaning behind it all, but I just could not be bothered with it. It is not for me. So this is a very subjective two stars. For others it might be a four or a five, but for me it is a two all day. I am just not that interested in it, so I am sorry.

First time listen Good piano rock in the first half that gets pretty let down by a boring second half. Listen to the first half + Vienna and I don't think you'll miss out on much Favorite tracks: Movin' Out (Anthony's Song), The Stranger, Scenes From an Italian Restaurant Least favorite: She's Always a Woman, Everybody Has a Dream 3/5

Late-stage Boomer music aside, this is a very good album. Movin' Out, Just the Way You Are, and Only the Good Die Young are fantastic songs. Even though Scenes from an Italian Restaurant kind of wanders and She's Always a Woman kind of sounds like someone trying to justify staying with a crazy girlfriend, they are both good songs. Looking back almost 50 years (no way it's almost 50 years), it's hard to appreciate just how popular Billy Joel was in the late 70s/early 80s, and this album was his breakthrough to big success. Definitely worth listening to. Wonderful album by a very talented artist. Ack-ack-ack-ack-ack

Classic Album Highlights: Movin’ Out, The Stranger, Just The Way You Are, Scenes From An Italian Restaurant, Vienna, Only The Good Die Young, She’s Always a Woman and Get It Right The First Time Enough said! 5.0

It was alright! Harmless and easy listen, probably won't return to the piano man but ya know.

I love this record.

The theme of this week's albums so far appears to be "fun and a 4/5." This was my first time listening to a full Billy Joel album (instead of just the hits I know) and it was a great one to start with (thanks generator!) Fun, catchy piano driven tunes from top to bottom. There were a few songs I knew going into it (I didn't realize how much I enjoyed "Only the Good Die Young"), and couple I knew but didn't know the name. The songs that I was unfamiliar with didn't do anything to dim my impression of the album and became some of my favorites such as "Scenes from an Italian Restaurant." We've been on a great streak this week and I hope it keeps going tomorrow. 4/5 Side note: I was surprised to discover this is the only Billy Joel album on this list. Surprising given that Elivs Costello gets like 6

Вполне сносный лёгкий рок, мелодию заглавной песни я точно раньше слышал

the stranger, scenes from an italian restaurant, vienna, only the good die young, get it right the first time

Quiye a groovy album, loved Scenes from an Italian Restaurant

prva pesma hvata paznju ceo album je super

nice

- 🔥🔥🔥 - always a good listen - it’s hard to pick a favorite

This album is bonkers good. Unmatched hit after hit. Writing this during the first seconds of the album because we been knew. Highlights: "Movin' Out", "Scenes from an Italian Restaurant", "Only the Good Die Young"

3.75

First and only Billy Joel album, surprisingly. I'd figured him for more prominent musician than only having one list album to his name, though in all fairness I've never listened to his music. I think I can very safely pin this as a 70s singer/songwriter rock album a la Bob Dylan. Anyways, here goes. A bit of a mixed bag, truth be told. The first half of this album carries itself very well, but side B is packed full of indistinct filler. That isn't to undercut the strengths of this album, however. This album is pretty great when it lands. The songwriting is incredibly tight and dynamic, the vocals hold their own very well and the piano rock stylings are liberating and fun. Good chord progressions too, and I like the distinctively 70s mellow-tempered flourishes of this album. Even if side B was a bit of a slog, I can commend the runtime of this album - it's at a good length. Overall, I fall down the middle on this album, though I'm favourable to giving this another listen somewhere down the line. I've heard the title track before, though I've no clue where. I think it might be another song my Dad used to play in his car. It's pretty good. The bouncy, discerning vocal style is fun and paired nicely with those signature guitar riffs during the chorus. The bridge is pretty great too with how much levity it grants to the song. Overall, a watertight and commendable song, particularly for how lightweight and free-flowing it is. "Just the Way You Are" is another song I'm familiar with, but I have even less of an idea where I've heard it from. It's either another Dad song or has been covered by another artist (this version is only faintly familiar). In any case, it's a nice song. It doesn't match the pure dynamism of The Stranger, but it's a good tune all the same. I like this mellow, mildly decadent sound which was present throughout a lot of 70s and early 80s music, particularly with the brass and organ-sounding instruments. The vocal melody isn't as strong on this track as it is on The Stranger, but it carries itself well all the same. Good tune overall. Man, what the fuck? I've heard "Scenes from an Italian Restaurant" before, too. I distinctly recall hearing this song through my Dad's car. Guess he's a fan of Billy Joel. He's always been a "puts individual songs onto his phone" type of guy rather than an album fellow such as myself, which is why it's particularly surreal to hear three songs from his music library back-to-back. Anyways, this song is the best of the album. It has a commendable level of ambition which it pulls off quite well. The introductory section is nice with those spacey saxes, but the song really comes alive during the remaining three quarters, once again due to the songwriting. The mile-a-minute vocals are at just the right tempo, placing enough emphasis on the syllables while also having a fun, free-flowing airiness. Underscoring the vocals are the great pianos, which add further emphasis to the vocal performance while also contributing a parlor song sound that is befitting of this song's setting and subject matter. I'm sure there's a lot of crazy shit going on with the composition of this track thanks to how it transitions between different tempos and styles, but to my plebian ears that's more or less the extent of what I could impart from this song. Good tune overall. I've heard "Only the Good Die Young" too, once again through my father. I think this might be my Dad's favourite album. It definitely has a high strike rate with him. It's a fine song, though admittedly the weakest of the tunes I already know. The chorus is strong and I can appreciate the lyrics, but the remaining parts of the song aren't as tight or cohesive. Like I said at the beginning of this review, I'd figured Billy Joel for a more prominent musician than only having one list album to his name, so I'm not going to consult the book on this occasion. I imagine this album is in here on good authority. I cosign this inclusion.

4 estrellas solo por billy Joel, un clásico el vago la verdad

Wow! Perfect 5/5 #3 album oat Favorites: the whole album

It was good. My favorite songs were The Stranger, Vienna, and Everybody has a Dream. There was nothing bad on here, and every song was good. Overall, I would give it a 4.3/5!

Bisschen zu langsam und sad. Gibt mir manchmal Cowboys vibes. Hat mir nicht geholfen beim Lernen.

grocery store music that low key slaps

9/10

Arguably Billy's creative peak, many of his classic songs can be found on this record. Not a bad song out of the bunch, but the last two (the only tracks here that a casual fan wouldn't know) don't hit as hard as the rest of the album. And if I never hear Just the Way You are again, I will be very okay with that. Four out of five Ack-ack-ack-acks.

Putain 1977, rendez-vous compte deux secondes du décalage ! Pendant que New York brûlait sous l’étincelle du punk, que les mecs du CBGB s’envoyaient des décharges d'électricité brute dans les veines, Billy Joel, lui, était sagement assis sur son lit, en costume, à regarder un masque posé sur un oreiller (c’est l’image de la pochette). Je vais être honnête avec vous, en écoutant cet album, j’ai eu une impression persistante de déjà-vu. Ou plutôt de "déjà-entendu-en-mieux". L'analogie m'est venue tout de suite et je ne peux plus m'en défaire : Billy Joel, c'est un peu le Elton John du pauvre ou pour être plus moderne, c’est le Elton John version Wish. On a le piano, on a le sens de la mélodie qui accroche l'oreille dès la première seconde, on a cette capacité à brosser le portrait d'une Amérique de banlieue... Mais il manque le panache. Il manque le côté flamboyant, le génie mélodique stratosphérique et cette espèce de folie baroque qui rend Elton intouchable. Ici, tout est à sa place, c’est du travail d’orfèvre, merci Phil Ramone à la production. Et musicalement, il n'y a rien à dire, ça tient la route. Le mec sait écrire des chansons, c’est indéniable et il sait comment construire un pont, comment poser un refrain qui va rester coincé dans ton cerveau pendant trois jours, que tu le veuilles ou non. Mais il y a ce "petit quelque chose" qui ne passe pas, ou qui passe trop bien, justement. C’est trop poli, c’est trop "civilisé". Prenez le titre éponyme, The Stranger. Ce sifflement introductif, tout le monde le connaît. C’est efficace, c’est mélancolique à souhait, mais dès que le rythme s'installe, on sent qu’on est dans un confort acoustique presque trop douillet. C’est de la pop de luxe pour cadres moyens qui veulent se sentir un peu mélancoliques en rentrant chez eux le vendredi soir. Et puis, il y a Just the Way You Are et là, on touche au summum de la ballade sucrée. C’est beau, c’est mignon, c’est la chanson parfaite pour un mariage dans le New Jersey mais c'est justement "trop" sucré à mon goût. Et même quand il essaie de faire le dur sur Movin' Out, on n'y croit qu'à moitié. On sent le bon élève qui veut jouer les rebelles de classe moyenne. Mais attention, l’album n’est pas mauvais, loin de là. Scenes from an Italian Restaurant est une pièce ambitieuse, presque une mini-opérette rock qui montre toute l’étendue de son talent de compositeur. C’est bien foutu, les changements de rythme sont impeccables, on voit le film se dérouler devant nos yeux. C'est du storytelling de haut vol, très "Broadway" dans l'esprit. Mais encore une fois, c’est très académique, c’est de la musique qui ne prend pas de risques, qui veut plaire au plus grand nombre et qui y arrive avec une insolente facilité. Ce qui me dérange le plus, c’est ce côté "entre-deux". Ce n’est pas assez rock pour transpirer, ce n’est pas assez variétoche pour être totalement méprisable, ce n’est pas assez expérimental pour être intéressant sur la durée. C’est une sorte de perfection pop un peu chiante, un peu trop lisse. Quand je compare ça aux disques qui me font vibrer d'habitude, ceux qui te prennent aux tripes, qui te bousculent ou qui t'emmènent dans des zones d'ombre inconfortables... Ici, c'est le calme plat. L'eau du bain est à la température idéale, ni trop chaude, ni trop froide et on finit par s'endormir dedans. Pourtant, je ne peux pas décemment dire que c'est une bouse car ce serait de la mauvaise foi pure et simple. Les arrangements de cordes sont superbes, les musiciens sont des pointures, et Billy Joel est un chanteur tout à fait compétent, bien qu'un peu trop scolaire dans ses envolées. On dirait qu'il a pris la recette d'Elton John, qu'il l'a passée au tamis pour en retirer toutes les excentricités, tous les costumes à plumes et toutes les drogues, pour n'en garder que la structure mélodique de base. Le résultat est une version déshydratée, très efficace, une version "soft" pour l'Amérique qui n'aimait pas les paillettes britanniques. Au final, j'écoute ça comme on regarde un vieux téléfilm bien produit : on ne s'ennuie pas vraiment, mais dix minutes après le générique de fin, on a déjà oublié de quoi ça parlait. C'est l'album du "oui, mais". Oui, c'est bien écrit, mais c'est fade. Oui, c'est culte, mais c'est daté dans le mauvais sens du terme. C'est le genre de disque qui a sa place dans une collection, parce qu'il représente une certaine idée de la réussite commerciale et de l'efficacité pop de la fin des années 70. En résumé, c’est pro, c’est propre, c’est l’archétype de l’album qui mérite la moyenne parce qu’il est techniquement irréprochable, mais qui n'aura jamais plus. C'est un produit de consommation courante, de luxe certes, mais de consommation quand même. Ce sera donc un 3 sur 5, pas un point de plus, pas un point de moins. C’est la note de la compétence qui ne parvient pas à se transformer en génie. C'est la note de l'élève sérieux qui rend une copie sans rature, mais sans aucune imagination. Billy, tu resteras mon Elton John de substitution quand j'aurai épuisé toute ma discothèque de post-punk dépressif. C'est-à-dire jamais, mais bon, l'intention y était. On passe à la suite, et si possible, quelque chose avec un peu plus de distorsion ou de désespoir authentique. Parce que la vie, ce n'est pas juste boire du vin dans un restaurant italien avec une nappe à carreaux. C'est aussi le bruit, la fureur et les ombres soit tout ce que cet album évite soigneusement de toucher pour ne pas salir son joli costume gris.

Very good

Really fun listening to Billy Joel from this era.

Bastante bien.

Classic

This is hands down one of my favourite albums of all time. All songs are complete different from each other while being cohesive in the album, and the writing is fantastic. Narratively it takes through a journey of emotions - I never get tired of this album. For me the centerpiece is "Scenes From an Italian Restaurant". One to take to a desert island.

Love Billy Joels voice, new album for me but reminded me of his music. Will be getting inyo his music more!!

Classic

Owned A bonefide, no skip, end to end masterpiece.

Parts of this were killer. There are a few hits here that I've long been a fan of, Only the Good Die Young and Moving Out I really enjoyed the 'Brenda and Eddie' segment of Italian Restaurant, which was new to me. There's also some stuff here that's a slog for my tastes. Still, a solid damn album ultimately.

nothing burger album

Just about every song is fantastic and so many classics. Good variety and plenty of energy. A little dated in production though. Favorite songs: Moving Out, Vienna, Only the Good Die Young

So many nistalgic songs that make you question your life. I did like it and enjoyed listening to it

Pretty sweet. Low romactic vibes. I dig it.

a corker of a pop-rock record, really. vocals and lyrics front and center, and strong, but the band isn't exactly slacking and are offered plenty of opportunity to show off. great diversity of sound within the parameters.

Reminds me of my childhood. My mom played this album A LOT.

3.75. Some solid songs on here. I don’t regularly listen to Billy Joel, but I’m usually not disappointed if one comes on.

Some pretty classic songs on this album. I kind of want to work up a hard rock/metal version of "Movin' Out"

4.25 - Moving Out is by far my favorite Billy Joel song. I don't really recognize the rest of the album, but there are a lot of good parts there. I could see this being a five star album with enough listens.

It was good. I knew a lot of it already but there were some I didn't know

This album was ok. There were a few big songs on there obviously with the likes of Vienna but I didn't/don't find them than enjoyable anyway. The rest of the album felt pretty average and it hasn't really stuck out to me. Probably one i will forget about. Still i'm going to give it out a 3, there's nothing really to fault it and there wasn't any songs that i was wishing to skip. Movin' Out 6 The Stranger 7 Just the Way You Are 6 Scenes from an Italian Restaurant 4 Vienna 8 Only the Good Die Young 4 She's Always a Woman 7 Get It Right the First Time 7 Everybody Has a Dream 5

Lovely atmosphere and instrument combinations. Was a great listen!

Knew a few of these

This album has so many great songs. This is Billy Joel at his best.

good

Full Album Thoughts: Album Rating: 3.8 (A) Elton John for the less flamboyant. Its still Billy Joel to me (positive). There is ONE skip on the album, and then I just end it early on a high note? I think this is actually an album of back to back to back bangers... thats enough to round up a rating? Track Thoughts: "Movin' Out (Anthony's Song)" A+ Turns out Billy Joel has some riffs in him. Goddamn does this song just thrum along. I am ack-ack-actually not too into the stutter punctuation, but you know, its iconic! "The Stranger" A Thematically, I think I really like that the intro and outro sound like a completely different style of song. I also happen to like both styles, but I may find it tedious to just 'throw on' if im in the mood for one or the other. "Just the Way You Are" C+ A slow ballad I dont really care for, that rockin sax solo or two doesnt really salvage. "Scenes from an Italian Restaurant" A- I think I am going to argue this is prog rock? Its long, meandering, constantly evolving, absolutely rocking... I think its an excellent sometime food. "Vienna" A This falls in the extremely rare case where a Ballad works for me, and I think the trick is to be slightly biting. The lyrics are chiding. The music is more melancholy than sad, the accordion is wistful. Having the bass kind of punctuate a slow plod helps. "Only the Good Die Young" B- We have the "Escaped Containment" song for this album. I generally like organ on a song, but something about the bright guitar here... I dont know why I feel like ive listened to a different cover or recording of this, where it just 'goes harder'. Maybe familiarity has dulled it over the years, but I think there are already better songs on this album! "She's Always a Woman" B This is feeling... uh... Simon and Garfunkel to me? I actually haven't listened to much of them come to think of it. But it feels like like this song has escaped from a completely different album. I like this, its folksy, but it absolutely cuts the momentum of the album. "Get It Right the First Time" B+ Funky! I wasn't expecting funky... I dont know why, the bass on the songs have always been pretty grooving. We are back into upbeat, bright songs, and hey why not shove in some la-la-las. Its weird to think there might be a "Deep Cut" on a Billy Joel album but I feel like this is it? I am absolutely guilty of ending my own songs with a single note trill on a mandolin and I am so mad that I have found out I was doing an unintentional Billy Joel homage. "Everybody Has a Dream" C- He knew he had gold with that slower part of "The Stranger". Its such a great way to end this album. Shame there is a whole other song preceding it that does nothing for me. I think if it sounds like gospel music I just check out.

I mean it’s a classic

Love this album.

Brilliant shit

This is a really strong album, with a bunch of high quality tracks. It may or may not be your cup of tea but it has a lot going for it. Good songwriting, musicians, and vocals.

how good is the last song of this album? not to mention the obvious "The Stranger" and "Vienna", but what a way to finish it with "Everybody has a dream" and it's also... so true!

## Overview *The Stranger* represents the definitive turning point in Billy Joel's career. Released on September 29, 1977, this fifth studio album transformed Joel from a struggling singer-songwriter on the verge of being dropped by Columbia Records into a global superstar. The album peaked at #2 on the Billboard 200 (blocked from #1 by the *Saturday Night Fever* soundtrack), sold over 10 million copies worldwide, and became Columbia's best-selling album release, surpassing Simon & Garfunkel's *Bridge over Troubled Water* . It was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2008 and ranked #169 on Rolling Stone's 2020 list of the "500 Greatest Albums of All Time" . --- ## **Lyrics & Storytelling** Joel's lyrical approach on *The Stranger* demonstrates remarkable concision and narrative economy, a significant evolution from his earlier, more wordy compositions . The album presents a gallery of vivid characters and scenarios: **"Movin' Out (Anthony's Song)"** opens with a working-class critique of materialism, following a grocery store employee pressured by his family to pursue upward mobility. The "ack-ack-ack" vocal hook and the Corvette engine rev (bassist Doug Stegmeyer's actual car) ground the song in authentic New York texture . **"Scenes from an Italian Restaurant"** stands as Joel's crowning lyrical achievement—a 7½-minute "operatic confection" that weaves together three distinct song fragments to chronicle the rise and fall of high school sweethearts Brenda and Eddie. The genius lies in the mundanity elevated to mythic status: "Nobody looked any finer / Or was more of a hit at the Parkway Diner" . The restaurant setting itself was inspired by Fontana di Trevi, where Joel first met producer Phil Ramone . **"Only the Good Die Young"** showcases Joel's cleverest wordplay: "You didn't count on me / When you were counting on your rosary" . The song's controversial narrative—a narrator attempting to seduce a Catholic girl—generated actual protests from Catholic groups, which ironically boosted the album's chart performance . **"Vienna"** offers philosophical maturity, inspired by Joel's observation of an elderly woman sweeping streets in Vienna. His father's explanation—that she was finding purpose through service rather than "sitting at home wasting away"—provided the song's central meditation on patience and life's pacing . However, the album contains problematic lyrical elements. **"Only the Good Die Young"** presents a narrator who ignores clear disinterest ("You Catholic girls start much too late" ranks among pop's most uncomfortable come-ons) . **"She's Always a Woman"**—while musically gorgeous—relies on misogynistic clichés: "she can ruin your faith with her casual lies," "she steals like a thief," "she'll carelessly cut you and laugh while you're bleeding" . These themes of confused male perspective on women would persist throughout Joel's career . --- ## **Music & Composition** The album's musical architecture reveals Joel's unlikely synthesis of influences: Baroque piano harmony, blues, jazz, and blue-collar folk sensibility . Several compositions demonstrate structural ambition: - **"The Stranger"** features a haunting whistled motif (Joel's spontaneous idea that Ramone insisted remain) and complex rhythmic patterns derived from an Ace Tone Rhythm Ace drum machine - **"Scenes from an Italian Restaurant"** employs Beatles-esque song stitching (inspired by *Abbey Road*'s side two) with accordion, saxophone, tuba, and orchestral backing creating "carnivalesque swirl" - **"Vienna"** channels Bertolt Brecht and Kurt Weill's *Threepenny Opera* to achieve its European cabaret atmosphere - **"Just the Way You Are"**—the melody came to Joel in a dream, nearly excluded from the album until Ramone brought Linda Ronstadt and Phoebe Snow to the studio to validate its potential The piano work throughout is technically accomplished without being flashy, serving the songs' emotional arcs. Joel's major-key dominance creates tension against his often cynical lyrics—"the meeting of bombast and the mundane" that defines the album's appeal . --- ## **Production** Phil Ramone's contribution cannot be overstated. Joel initially approached Beatles producer George Martin, but Martin insisted on using session players rather than Joel's touring band . Joel's refusal proved fortuitous. Ramone, fresh from Paul Simon's *Still Crazy After All These Years*, recognized the raw energy of Joel's live unit—drummer Liberty DeVitto, bassist Doug Stegmeyer, and multi-instrumentalist Richie Cannata . Ramone's production philosophy embraced "rough edges" while adding contemporary polish: bold electric guitars, brass arrangements, and spatial depth that captured the band's on-stage chemistry. The three-week recording session prioritized performance energy over perfection . Orchestration by Patrick Williams elevated tracks like "The Stranger" and "Scenes from an Italian Restaurant" without overwhelming their rock foundation . The production bridges 1970s soft rock sophistication with genuine rock & roll attitude—remarkable considering this was 1977, the year of punk's explosion . The album's sonic template would define Joel's sound for the next decade, with Ramone producing five subsequent albums through *The Bridge* (1986) . --- ## **Themes** **Identity and Performance**: The title track's theatrical mask imagery (referenced on the album cover) explores the personas we construct—"the masks we all wear, the secrets we keep" . Joel suggests the song may depict schizophrenia, though he intentionally left it open to interpretation . **Class and Ambition**: "Movin' Out" and "Scenes from an Italian Restaurant" examine American middle-class pressures and the fragility of perceived success. Anthony's rejection of material advancement and Brenda and Eddie's failed marriage serve as cautionary tales about conventional expectations. **Romantic Complexity**: The album presents love through multiple lenses—idealized devotion ("Just the Way You Are"), problematic obsession ("Only the Good Die Young"), and conflicted admiration ("She's Always a Woman"). The latter's perspective on Elizabeth Weber as a "commentary on women in business being persecuted" reads differently through modern sensibilities. **Mortality and Pace**: "Vienna" and "Only the Good Die Young" form a diptych on time—one advocating patience, the other urgency. "Vienna" has emerged as perhaps the album's most enduring philosophical statement, frequently chosen over "Just the Way You Are" when Joel polls live audiences . --- ## **Influence & Legacy** *The Stranger* established the template for the singer-songwriter as arena-rock star. It proved that sophisticated, narrative-driven pop could achieve massive commercial success without sacrificing musical integrity. The album spawned a jukebox musical (*Movin' Out*, 2002, choreographed by Twyla Tharp) that ran for 1,303 Broadway performances . Its influence extends through: - **Bruce Springsteen's** mainstream breakthrough (both artists shared thematic territory of working-class storytelling) - **The 1980s soft rock** explosion (the album essentially invented the commercially viable "piano man" archetype) - **Subsequent piano-driven** pop artists from Ben Folds to Sara Bareilles George Martin reportedly wrote Joel a letter after the album's success, acknowledging he had been wrong about Joel's band —a rare admission from the legendary Beatles producer. --- ## **Pros & Cons** | **Pros** | **Cons** | |----------|----------| | **Masterful songcraft** — Seven enduring classics on one album is extraordinary hit density | **Problematic gender politics** — "Only the Good Die Young" and "She's Always a Woman" contain dated, uncomfortable perspectives on women | | **Phil Ramone's production** — Perfectly balances polish with live energy, capturing the band's chemistry | **Occasional MOR blandness** — "Just the Way You Are" can feel like a "gloopy ballad" with soppy synth textures | | **Narrative ambition** — "Scenes from an Italian Restaurant" demonstrates pop's capacity for extended storytelling | **Limited sonic experimentation** — Stays safely within 1970s soft-rock parameters; lacks the adventurousness of contemporary punk or new wave | | **Melodic richness** — Hooks that "keep on coming in ceaseless waves" | **Inconsistent emotional depth** — Some tracks ("Get It Right the First Time") feel like filler compared to the album's peaks | | **Cultural longevity** — "Vienna" and "Scenes from an Italian Restaurant" have grown in stature, becoming live staples despite never being singles | **Simplistic philosophy** — Joel's "straightforward, often simplistic lyricism" occasionally sacrifices nuance for accessibility | | **Grammy validation** — Won Record of the Year and Song of the Year for "Just the Way You Are" | **The "Stranger" persona** — Joel's narrative distance creates emotional aloofness; he remains "The Stranger" even after repeated listens | --- ## **Verdict** *The Stranger* succeeds as a populist masterpiece—an album that speaks to millions while rewarding close attention. Its flaws (particularly the gender politics) are real and worth acknowledging, yet they don't negate the compositional brilliance and production excellence. Joel found his voice here, and in doing so, created a template for American pop storytelling that persists nearly five decades later. The album's central tension—between the "rough edges" of human experience and the polished presentation of pop—remains its most compelling quality.

Is Billy Joel a good storyteller or is he just good at writing songs about stuff he’s seen and heard? I don’t know, either way I do think he’s a talented songwriter. I definitely gained some more respect for him after watching his recent documentary. I never realized he led such an interesting yet turbulent life with so many wives! All that being said, he did seem like a good guy for the most part and I do think that helps his songs click a bit better for me. This album is an easy listen with some fun vocal play, especially on the opener. I also really enjoy the lyric, “I don’t want clever conversation, I never want to work that hard. I just want someone that I can talk to” I get that. 4 stars

Back to back, non stop, no skip bangers.

Overall quite a good album. I feel like Joel is getting some more love nowadays, at least here in the Netherlands. Pianoman often getting high in the famous Top 2000. 4/5

First half of the album was phenomenal. Second half still enjoyable but never reaches the level of the first again.

The Greatest

A classic one of whatever this is... Singer-piano player?

I absolutely love this album. There are so many good songs that come off of this one and I’ve listened to it multiple times. The song-writing here was fantastic. His performance of teach song is fantastic. This is peak Billy Joel, IMHO. Album 38, April 5, 2028

Beautiful stories. Music is excellent, Great sound.

Vienna

Absolutely hits

I can't imagine what it would have been like to come back to your NYC apartment to have Elle MacPherson waiting there for you...but you've got Christie Brinkley on your arm and you kick Elle MacPherson out. Not the move I'd have made, but then again I'm not Billy Joel. Every time I see him, I think of that story...and then I think of the "We Didn't Start The Fire" video which was burned in my young brain as I watched too much MTV and they played that video over and over. It's probably unfair for me to hold that song against him, but that's my first impression of Billy Joel...and I get that song is probably loathed by his diehard fans but my whole life I've been disappointed that he never rocks that hard anywhere else. I also don't like pianos and keyboards a whole lot, so I was surprised that I liked this album more than I expected. The Stranger is great, the chorus on Just The Way You Are is catchy...I can see myself returning to this album.

I have been dreading this one since early on. Well, I've been dreading any Billy Joel album and the task of facing what may be an irrational hatred on my part. For as long as I can remember, I have been turned by The Pianoman - the song and, by extension, the writer who inserted himself into its gross act of self-mythologisation. While I think there are artists who regard their audience with an understandable scepticism, the contempt that Joel expresses towards the bar patrons in that song has always been palpable - they are all losers and he's the one who can give them a win at nine o'clock on a Saturday. What a smug arsehole. That's one song. It's not on this album. However, the oblivious self-regard carries throughout this record - never quite humanising other people and always seeing himself as apart from others. His relationship with the woman in Always A Woman is baffling, not because she sounds insufferable, but because she doesn't sound real. The totem pole of misogynistic tropes which Joel mistakes for contradictions or fatal flaws are no more than you would expect to hear rhymed off about manic pixie dream girl or a psychotic ex - the narrator doesn't recognise that the problem isn't that she can't be understood, but that he is not capable of understanding her. It's wilfulness on his part though - humanising her would diminish him. Similarly, if he recognised that he was playing in a piano bar, he would have to concede he was just a loser like the people who hang out there. Unlike Springsteen and Bon Jovi, other songwriters from the Tri-State area who write about working class lives, Joel never really puts himself in anybody else's place. He is always the observer, the storyteller - like Randy Newman, although Newman never denies the contempt for his subject, because his subjects are the self-aggrandisers. Joel may not know realise that the subjects of his writing never seem as anything more than songwriting fodder, but he must recognise the chasm between him and them. On Only the Good Die Young, he sings "I'd rather laugh with the sinners than cry with the saints; the sinners are much more fun," associating himself with, but never reducing himself to, flat stereotypes. (Against my will, I'm forced to think of the braindead binary of the Uptown Girl who has never had a backstreet guy! It's supposed to be about his real girlfriend and he still can't write a real person!) All this would be easy to ignore if some of the tunes weren't infuriatingly catchy. But, even here, it is nursery rhyme melodicism. I suspect that Billy Joel doesn't believe his audience couldn't handle anything more challenging or engaging. I was right all along. 1 I am on a package holiday at a resort hotel this week. We arrived in the afternoon and took our dinner as our half-board for the day. The package set-menu was a miserable affair of watery soup, cheap bread rolls, frozen vegetables and a main course consisting of a little insole of frying steak masquerading on the menu as ‚Beef Rib-Eye‘. We were a party of 8 and I was the only one who felt ill-used. Everyone else had ‚a lovely meal‘ and so we are returning tonight for another kicking. Naturally I thought of the popularity of Billy Joel. How did this square, reheated, miserable little lump of a songwriter come to be regarded as one of America’s greatest? ‚And they say there's a heaven for those who will wait/ And some say it's better, but I say it ain't/ I'd rather laugh with the sinners than cry with the saints‘ It’s not that these are bad lyrics exactly, but they are almost impressively bland. A breezy regurgitation of a worthless commonplace; no drama, no insight, not even the sort of weird non sequitur, rhythmic pratfall, or grammar brainfart that keeps one awake through a Bernie Taupin lyric. Other songs are just a dull unfolding of the song’s title. The Italian restaurant, Joel is pleased to immediately point out, has white, red and rosé. Relatable. There’s ‘Get it Right the First Time’ - great title, thought Billy Joel, now what else should I say about that? Well, I could point out the difference between first and not first: Get it right the first time/ That's the main thing…/ You get it right the next time/ That's not the same thing‘ Oh right. Elsewhere there is a bloodless approximation of the style of other, better songwriters - the lyrical style of Movin’ Out recalls Paul Simon to no value; She’s Always a Woman is simply playschool Dylan. Scenes from an Italian Restaurant is an absolutely tiresome 7 and a half minutes. Brenda and Eddie sound like a couple of squares - although it isn’t clear that Billy Joel thinks so - and presumably they each bought a copy of The Stranger wherever they ended up and enjoyed it as much as their paintings from Sears. The second evening’s dinner was far better than the first. I had a set menu - cream of almond soup, spinach and ricotta cannelloni, and fish for the main. All very nice. We had red wine (I should mention that white and rosé were also options). There was a piano player knocking out instrumental versions of popular songs in between Chopin and Für Elise. ‘Always a Woman’ made an appearance. It’s a pleasant wee tune. You can see why people like this shit. 1.5/5

Good

Best Track - "Vienna"

Saxophone solos, so much maraca, and a bald 30 year old trying to do his best Paul McCartney impression while whinge-singing both cynically and insincerely about Italian-Americans.

Vienna and she's always a woman were so good

Some are real snoozes but a few bangers on here!

Listened previously. Expectations: Mid - Verdict: Very Good - I haven't listened to this all the way through in quite a while and it is really quite good. A few songs are a bit lacking compared to others I think, Just The Way You Are is definitely not as strong as the preceding tracks. Scenes From An Italian Restaurant is better but I'm not sure it's quite the masterpiece some make out. Vienna is gorgeous, as is She's Always A Woman. Overall a very good album, bordering on all time great status.

Fucking love billy joel big reason i picked up piano one of america’s greatest songwriters and this is an excellent showcase

Every song is a classic on this classic Billy Joel. “Scenes from an Italian Restaurant “ and “Just the way you are” remain my favourites

I'm not a huge Billy Joel fan, but I thought this was pretty good. Normally I would say I can tolerate his music. I actually kinda enjoyed this. It may have helped that I was familiar with almost every song on this album before hearing it here. There are some real earworms spread over the track listing. There are also some slower, ballady songs on there to change things up and keep it engaging. Regardless of the vibe, Joel does what he does well, even if he doesn't sound particularly unique or innovative here. To add an aside, I think this is the first time I really noticed what Only the Good Die Young is actually about. The girl's name, Virginia, probably should've been a clue, but it went over my head until today. I guess that's what critical listening does? I'm always going to prefer guitar rock to piano soft rock, but I still liked this one. While I don't think it's a great one, it is pretty good. Overall: 3.6/5

It's alright. The songs are beautifully written, and aside from cheesy saxophone solos and the predictable pastiche of a big climactic ending, they're timeless. Even I am not immune to a song like Vienna--I'll listen to it in my car and think to myself "I'm fine. This won't make me cry. Why would it? I'm not tearing up at all" as a lump forms in my throat. When it comes to the two big ballads on here, I prefer Vienna over Just The Way You Are. In regards to the two biggest hits, I'm definitely on team Movin' Out. But other than the straight New York heat, I'm not a massive fan of the album. I personally feel it loses steam after Only The Good Die Young. But I can't deny that it's a beautiful piece of work.

Great album with enduring songs

Geile Stimmung Keine Skips

Not my CUP of tea

All hits, some great Richard Tee sounds. New favorite: get it right the first time

* I absolutely love the tone of Billy Joel's songs, I can't quite put my finger on it, but it has that kind of edge and spunk to it that makes it feel like you're some person chasing dreams with a pipe tobacco in hand. * Love love love all his instrumentals My personal replays: Movin' Out, Scenes from an Italian Restaurant, She's Always a Woman

So good. A classic, She's always a woman was my entry point to Billy Joel. Huge smile on my face when this showed up this morning.

6/10

Never actually listened to billy Joel, kind of just knew him as the butt of jokes in sitcoms. Massively impressed. Listened to it twice.

No me gusto, nada armonioso No lo volvería a escuchar

Lo escuché mientras hacia cosas

Really excellent album, such a delight to go through each time and better to discover the songs I hadn't really given much attention to before. I love a good piano/ vocal pairing and he masterful at it. So many iconic tracks and fun melodies that carry it far beyond he time it was recorded. This album had a notable impact on me growing up and it continues to be relevant. It's hard to name highlights when the whole album feels like the highlight.

I listened to the live version and the regular one, it was very soothing, but I'm unlikely to listen on a regular basis

I think many people can empathise with the experience of a phase in their high school years where they are singularly obsessed with a particular musical artist. Maybe it was The Beatles, Nirvana, Led Zeppelin etc., but for me, that obsession was squarely set with Billy Joel. I was all in, and I truly thought he was God's gift to music. Looking back, yes it's a little cringe inducing to think about how I lauded his greatness, keep in mind I was in high school in the 2010's, and now a lot of his output, particularly through the 80's, represents what are some of my least favourite pieces of music. But I still have a huge soft spot for the piano man and his earlier career, there are still plenty of tracks and albums of his that I regularly listen to, and his live album Songs in the Attic is still a top 3 album of all time for me. But this album, The Stranger, is the only one of his that I think absolutely deserves a spot on a list like this, and it deserves that spot without question. This is Billy Joel at his absolute best, with an actual masterpiece of pop/rock songwriting. I have to stop myself from gushing for several paragraphs more about each track, because every single one of them is a home run. (maybe excluding everybody has a dream, but it's still pretty good). I think many artists would dream of being able to write with this level of consistency, even Billy Joel himself never was able to put the pieces together this well on his other releases. Five Stars Fav Track: 1 - Movin' Out (Anthony's Song) Best Three Track Run: 4, 5, 6

Some big hits on there but a few came up short for me.

Good album. Very upbeat and much more my style of music. Can listen to it when relaxing, reading, or cooking. My particular favourite was “Vienna”. 4.5/5

Your dad's favorite artist for a good reason. Movin' Out and Vienna are worth the price of the cd. 4/5

So many bangers in one album.

Mouth nglittwbiafsiwpswtas

Have to give a five. Classic songs almost every one. Two misfires at the end but what clever lyrics and songwriting.

Bardzo przyjemny, ale raczej nie w moim guście. Spokojny. Jak słucham to rzeczywiście się czuję jakbym cofnęła się do lat 70.

Billy Joel shines at his best when he's just pecking away at the piano, letting those little moments of bare staccato shine between the more sweepingly huge pop rock-type instrumentation. An American Elton John from across the pacific, The Stranger is inoffensively fun music, suitable for any occasion and any audience and it knows it. It's proud to be so. It's got enough heart to it (see She's Always a Woman or that whistle bit playing the album out) that it avoids falling into the tired grooves of other cheap vinyl of the era and carves out its own pleasant little spot in the collection. Joel just has a talent for creating catchy tunes. He's got an earworm on his hooks and is reliably fishing up reliable staples here, where there's no real obvious duds. And yet here, despite all the glitz and glamour, he's suited best just banging the ol' horse teeth and letting them sing. fav tracks: The Stranger, Vienna, She's Always a Woman

no me puede interesar menos su sonido y su rollo, pero no negaré que lo hace bien

Very good, mostly this album hits all the spots

I started to see the vision for Billy Joel here, feels like a greatest hits collection

This album is packed full of hits. I’m a Billy Joel fan, but for some reason this particular album isn’t my favorite of his. I’ll always love “Scenes from an Italian Restaurant,” but the last couple songs fall off a bit.

Peak

His fifth album. Pop / Rock. Chandler Bing was such a middle of the road, boringly beige man. He was a number cruncher at some faceless corporation, he drank coffee at the same place every single day, could only get laid by his best mates sister and hid his fear of anything unknown or remotely edgy with lame attempts at humour. He is welcome to listen to this middle of the road album as he walks around in his beige outfit harassing women who can clearly see he barely has a wank in him.

9/10

I understand, but not my taste

BILLY JEWEL (like a precious stone not like the religion/ethnicity ok? relax) This is one of the greatest albums of all time. DON’T FIGHT ME ON THIS.

Pretty good album, nothing exciting, but easy listening and enjoyable. Not massively to my taste, but a good one overall.

nice

Overall: 8/10 Some people that I know find Billy Joel to be pretty corny, and in a way I can see where they're coming from. However, I really enjoy his songwriting, and he has a wonderful voice. I do find some of his songs annoying but none of them are on this album. There's not really any bad tracks, but there's a couple that I don't love as much as the others. Fav Song: Vienna

Nice songwriting with some really lovely numbers if a little schmaltzy in places. Some of these songs I thought were by Elton John, if I’m honest. I prefer Billy’s voice though.

A brilliant album that’s far deeper than just its several hits. No duds and a lot of fun in a 9 song, 42 minute whirlwind. Best songs Vienna and Only The Good Die Young

Classic album! Can't fault it really. Well written, well produced, catchy and lyrically well written tracks.

how could u not like this

I knew so many of these songs. Great album!

muy bueno, no pensé q me iba a gustar

As an Italian American born and raised on Long island anything less than 5 stars would be a disgrace to my heritage.

Simply one of the greatest albums. Nice variety of songs and multiple classics.

Album para relajarse, no hay cancion mala

I never tire of this collection; he has many treasures later in his career but this album is the best I think. Before he moved into too much Pop. The nostalgia cannot be separated , I love it.

Pretty good!

After the opening track, the whole thing is just mediocre. none of the bombast of Elton John, none of the technical supremacy of Steely Dan, too much talk for it to be as fun as Disco. Back in the "Records for Old People" pile.

A damned good album. I was reminded of Steely Dan in some ways - at the height of Punk and New Wave, an album of impeccable craft and excellent songwriting. It'll definitely get a few more plays.

So this is why people like Billy Joel. Very much in that pop, rock, Elton John zone. This is pretty good, and I think I recognize a few of the songs.

“Scenes of an Italian Restaurant,” “Only the Good Die Young,” and “Movin’ Out (Anthony’s Song)” are all great songs from this album.

eh. Mid.

Listened to this on the way to an interview and I got the job. I think Billy Joel soothed my nerves and got my head in the game

5 stars for my boyfriend

So many memorable songs. Thought I had heard all the songs on the album until up popped Vienna, what a nice surprise. Very easy listening album.

Om Billy Joel hadde vært litt røffere i kantene, hadde det her vært jævlig bra. Disse låtene hadde kledd å være litt mer dive bar crooner, litt mindre Elton. Likevel treffer det godt nok til at jeg er villig til å bumpe det opp et hakk. Jeg har kanskje et soft spot piano rock?

Trodde ikke jeg skulle like softrock så godt, men her er elementer av Elton John, Paul McCartney og Bruce Springsteen som sammen blir et slags rart lovechild som funker overraskende godt. Mest overraskende er «Scenes From An Italian Restaurant».

Jeg er vanligvis svak for den myke vestkystrocken, men dette funka desverre ikke helt. Som regel når jeg gir et album 2, så sitter jeg igjen med enn følelse av irritasjon eller agg. Irritert over at plata er med på lista, eller rett og slett fordi det er et dårlig album. Etter at jeg har hørt dette albumet sitter jeg kun igjen med sympati og vennlighet ovenfor Billy. Man merker at han prøver så godt han kan, og han kan mye og får til mye, han er bare ikke flink nok. Men han skal ha for forsøket!

Really enjoyed this album, I'd heard a couple of these songs before, but had even more takeaways after listening. Great album overall, every song was a joy to listen to

Billy Joel has a beautiful and clean voice but his music just doesn't do enough for me. it's very middle of the road. it's certainly a good vibe and he feels like everybody's wholesome music dad.

Brilliant songwriting. Some killer riffs & groove. Really enjoyed. The opening track & Vienna were standouts.

Nice and light for a Monday morning. I don't think there's really any Billy Joel songs that I haven't enjoyed. They're usually pretty upbeat and his voice reminds me of childhood (he played the dog in Oliver and Company, which I had on VHS). Good album, creepy cover.

Billy Joel feels like cheating to rate highly, he's just consistently good.

It was very good, I like billy joel's music quite a bit. My favourites were: All of them except Get It Right The First Time which I think is just good. The best one is Scenes From an Italian Restaraunt what a total banger Score: 9/10

A classic

I remember my mom loving Billy Joel, and this album encompasses all the sounds that I think people love about his work.

Absolutely phenomenal, I have been an avid listener of Vienna for years and the album felt like I finally heard the complete story. Good stuff

Classic Joel

Always a classic to me. Favourite track: Vienna

7/10

movin' out (anthony's song) // strong start. good song, it went in2 my not-enough-to-like-it-but-still-good playlist the stranger // that 1 part that sounds like steven universe music. i like the whistle part tho just the way you are // this reminded me a lot of oma. and also the alto sax reminded me of 17776. scenes from an italian restaurant // this does not look like scene from an italian restaurant. okay wait except the end a little bit vienna // this 1's piano has been my favorite so far, especially that end bit only the good die young // no she's always a woman to me // the only song i really know from this album, it's fine get it right the first time // ok everyone has a dream // ok .. the 2nd part was good

Nice, I offensive, middle of the road, song writing. Piano is fine - not pushing the boat out, music your nan would probably like.

Nice piano pop cuts seems like an Elton John wannabe , nevertheless nice a couple of hits in the album

Love it. Great album all round. Every song is great, and Vienna is perfect.

not my usual style but it's so homely

It wasn’t AS offensive but still not an album I would choose to listen to before I die

A tad cringe. She's always a woman is a great song though

There's dad rock and there's grandma rock; this is grandma rock, but that's okay, because grandmas need music too

Good one

The Stranger is clearly a well-crafted and classic album. At the same time, it feels a bit like listening to songs I already know as “great” rather than discovering something new, so while I appreciate it, it doesn’t quite draw me in on a deeper level.

I must admit, I was surprised by this album. I think His later career left me a bit jaded about listening to this album. Having said that, this album is a really solid effort. The story telling is brilliant, the music has a real ear worm quality to it.

Best Song: Scenes from an Italian Restaurant This is the quintessential Billy Joel album and an old time favorite. There isn't a bad song on here and, after seeing Joel several times live, he plays most of it whenever he performs. Such a great album! 5/5.

Fantastic album!

Love love love.

I expected to hate this album, associating Joel with elevators and shopping malls. I was pleasantly surprised. It was much better than I expected. Still not great, but good. An interesting bit of trivia from the book is that 24 musicians participated in recording this album. This is worth mentioning because in the end Joel is a composer.

The music is nice, of course Billy Joel is a great composer, but most of the songs are not what I look for in a song. I recognize their quality, but I don't find it appealing. 3/5.

Man, those first five songs + She's Always A Woman... insanely fun, and possibly the best and most consistent batch of 70's pop rock tracks from a single album. Sorry Rumours.

Solid album. Kinda have to be in the mood for it.

Absolutely flawless, Billy you are a fucking star

This album is really good. There's the songs everyone knows, and then there's some less famous songs, but every song here is good. Truly a perfect album, and so much fun. Easy 5 stars I love Billy Joel

Probably Billy Joel's best. It almost feels like he was writing this album with a play in mind. I'm in this weird limbo because there's technically no skips, but I still don't consider it a 5, and I give those out like candy. Wish there was an option for 4.5.

This was fine couple of stand out tracks. Movin' Out being the one I liked the most.

Did not expect it to be as catchy as it was but every song was infectious!

It's great. He's pretty great. And how about all them session cats, huh? The great Phil Woods among them. Fkn great. Fo'stars

Billy Joel is clearly really talented, and I love singer songwriter… but this music is so cheesy to me. I couldn’t really get into it. She’s Always A Woman was a stand out for me- my favourite track on the album.

Lots of great tunes, was a fun catchy album. Not my favourite style but lots of good karaoke tunes in here.

As far as piano based soft rock goes, this is a great album. There are many of Joel's hits on here. Just not a style I would usually listen too. 3.5/5 Might listen again

Bangers on bangers

++: Movin' Out (Anthony's Song), The Stranger, Just the Way You Are, Scenes from an Italian Restaurant, Vienna, Only the Good Die Young, She's Always a Woman, Get It Right the First Time, Everybody Has a Dream 9,7/10

Awesome album.

Abuuurrido

Vienna is masterpiece. Love "she's always a women". Other than that, ok album

5 - fantastic album

Pretty good, I'd listen again

yay billy joel, so so so great. beautiful all around, just a little too long in some parts.

Yep. Probably heard the the first time at grandma’s on Remy’s stereo. The first really good system I’d ever heard. But I know I absolutely played this album too many times. Know most of the words in ye songs I would not have skipped. And it’s slightly annoying from overplay. OK maybe a little bit more than slightly. It’s time to go to bed. This one’s turning off after about five seconds I think two of which I skipped.

Number: 70 Date: 03/13/2026 Artist: Billy Joel Album: The Stranger Year:1977 Genre: Soft Rock Rating: 2 Notes: Before: OMG. I used to like this a little, back when it came out. I don't think I like it at all now but it's been a long time since I listened to any of these songs. My brother was a big fan so I heard it a lot back then. For sure, I don't have nay of these songs on my favorites of 1977. I mean comparing this to Never Mind The Bollocks..., my favorite album from 1977, it's like night and day. Of course I didn't know anything about the Sex Pistols back then and even if I did I probably would have been scared of them. Billy Joel is like the opposite of the Sex Pistols. I wonder what he thought about them back then? During: Well here goes nothing. I'm not looking forward to this but I guess I have to do it. Nothing much to say, I was doing other stuff while listening. After: It wasn't so bad. I did not skip through any of them. I liked the last 20 seconds of The Stranger and the last 1:20 of Everybody Has a Dream. I think that is what Discogs is calling "Untitled", which I gave a 4. 2 Movin' Out (Anthony's Song) 1 The Stranger 3 Just The Way You Are 1 Scenes From An Italian Restaurant 3 Vienna 3 Only The Good Die Young 4 She's Always A Woman 3 Get It Right The First Time 2 Everybody Has A Dream 4 Untitled 2.33 WEIGHTED AVERAGE (accounts for song length) 2 - my personal rating 3 - suitability for this list 2 - relevance ----------------------------- 2 - composite rating

didn't like the whistling but liked everything else

I can't say this is before my time, since I heard most of this record on relentless rotation over the radio and the tinny PA system at the drive in theater flea markets, as was popular at the time. Coming in with bias and burnout from Mr. "Uptown Girl" Joel from the 80s, I could not hold onto feeling down and dreary while listening through the joyful, lyrical lovebombing. Yes, there's a valid justification for how famous he was.

A Classic, each song it's a hit or nearly one. It's difficult to point whats wrong on this, it has so much variety and the mixing is very good. Maybe the songs can't stick the same to everyone, but i can't find a bad song in this album.

14/03/26 esse eu queria ouvir há um tempo, tô no hype falei "não me decepcione" e dei play, no primeiro segundo já soube que era obra de arte a vibe disso aqui é sensacional, tudo é composto com tanta classe e piano e solos e puta que pariu que coisa incrível é tudo tão alegre e exala a parte descolada dos anos 80, a sonoridade é redondinha ao longo do álbum e as melodias grudam muito na cabeça vienna é uma das músicas mais maravilhosas e reconfortantes para gente como eu 10/10

Fantastic album

This one surprised me. There's some classics but it rest is pretty solid too.

vienna es life changing. todo el album me ha gustado mucho y especialmente, no sé si por ser la última, everybody has a dream me gustaría haber prestado más atención a la letra asi que me gustaría volver a escucharlo

Pretty stellar songwriting - great production. Not my kind of music to jam to - but some real standout moments

The torturous soundtrack assaulting teenagers working at the mall for fifty years on. 'She's Always A Woman' will forever be burned into my brain in the most horrible way. Anyway a bunch of curiously jaunty tunes about relationships imploding and Billy Joel being weird about women. Mostly hated it start to finish! I didn't realize how much Jake Shears is indebted to him in terms of vocal quirks, that much was interesting I suppose. CORNY/ANNOYING/FADED/GROCERY STORE SOUNDTRACK/OLDIES

Man, this album alone has a ton of his greatest hits, and the songs work together well to paint a clear picture of a time and place. Billy Joel is a fun storyteller.

Ja. Heel simpel, erg goed. Ben hier goed over te spreken. Een paar nummers waren wel beetje out there, maar over het algemeen erg leuk

:0

I love this album so much

Bottle of red, bottle of white / per my dad. Some good sounds! Corny? Three.5 three!

Vienna is one of my favorite songs ever!!! I’ll most likely love the rest of the album

it was agreat álbum,it has a nostalgic feeling

I like it, Pop-Rock as it's supposed to be.

This definitely isn’t a super high 5, but it was really good. The music quality was outstanding, and I just really enjoyed the whole thing. I didn’t know that I liked this Soul-pop-like music until I listened to What’s Going On my Marvin Gaye and this album.

This was a pretty neat album. It was a smoother, more pop oriented version of the whole "singer-songwriter" thing, and it felt a lot like Dylan, Springsteen, and Simon at different points. "She's Always a Woman", in particular, felt very similar to "Just Like a Woman", but the latter is such a good song that I didn't mine. It was also well-produced, being reminiscent of Jeff Lynne's work as part of ELO. I only knew one song before listening, but there were a few good ones that I'd never even heard of. "Movin' Out", "Scenes from an Italian Restaurant", and "She's Always a Woman" were probably my favorite tracks overall. Favorite Track: Scenes from an Italian Restaurant

Feels like an album that I would always be happy to listen to, but not one I would seek out on my own.

I have a complex relationship with Billy coming into this bc i listened to my dad play his music on his piano constantly growing up, so to me it's dad music that i was forced to listen to at nauseum. However, there's some Stockholm syndrome into nostalgia there, so I can usually get behind it. Movin Out - An all time great song. The next few songs - a little too slow for me, but certainly strong sweet romantic and meaningful from a lyrical perspective. Society has ruined Only The Good Die Young for me, so I'll live happily never hearing this song again. 4 bc it's top notch for a pop rock album.

Bill Joel writes good sounding music - and I like Billy Joel. But if you ever listen to the lyrics, it gives off the same vibe as the content that makes r/im14andthisisdeep. This is especially true of the the song The Stranger.

3.6

This wasn't as bad as I expected, and I actually quite enjoyed the first couple of tracks before the schmaltz took over

I actually liked this more than I expected too…

Beyond dreadful.

Cerramos la semana con un conocido que por conocido no significa que uno haya corrido a escuchar su discografía. Álbum con groove, tranquilo, llevado en los hombros por la voz de Billy Joel. Me gustó. Ideal para una juntada tranquila. Nos vemos el lunes, gente

Very northeast American and honestly very good. Scenes from an Italian restaurant is his best song imo

A great listen, great piano and vocals from Billy and truly creative lyrics.

Enjoyed this album very much. The music feels so full and rich and it’s awesome songs. 10/10 would listen again. I do not like the album cover tho.

First Billy Joel album I listened to but I loved it!!! I dig white boys going crazy on the piano

phenomenal album

💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜

Known banger

Not my thing

pretty good