Reviews (page 6 of 14)
Incredible Album!
Cool album, interesting choice of songs to put under a unified group.
Had to throw on my vinyl copy for this one. One the best $1 records I ever bought. Hands down my favorite Billy Joel album. Starts strong with Moving Out. Then goes all over the place for the rest of Side 1. Feel like "Just The Way You Are" is a response to 10ccs "I'm Not in Love" but more positive and sincere. "Scenes from an Italian Restaurant" is like Showtune-Prog. Wouldn't be surprised if an actual full blown Broadway musical is made out of this song someday. Then onto Side 2, beginning with my all time favorite Billy Joel track, "Vienna." Feel like you gotta have some mileage behind you to appreciate that tune to it's fullest, but it's really a message for the young - so listen up kiddos! This ain't cheese, it's a rich and complex flavor best appreciated by a refined palette.
Not a bad track on this album. Even the less popular/well-known tracks are great.
Loved this! Some fantastic songs in there, never listened to a BJ album start to finish. Glad I have. What a great song writer
Vraiment un album excellent. Une super belle écoute. Je n'avais jamais entendu cet album et je le regrette. un classique vraiment en plein dans mon syle ! 5* :)
Супер альбом
loved every song in this album. groovy beats let the lyrics stand out. there's a lovely, special energy here
I'd forgotten how brilliant this album is. Five absolute belters and the other four are bloody good, too. He said some nasty things about Christie Brinkley, but his music is wonderful.
classic
incredible showstopping never been done before will make me cry like a baby
C L A S S I C
I don't even have to think about this one. Five stars with a bullet. One of my favorite albums of all time.
Joel z lat 70 to moj ulubiony Joel, a wlasnie tym albumem zapewnil sobie sukces jako topowy popularny spiewak lat 80, ale chyba pierwszy raz sluchalem calego albumu od deski do deski, bo poza zaslyszanymi gdzieniedzie kawalkami najczesciej dowiadywalem sie o tworczosci joela z dorobku murzynskich raperow lat 90 i takie zdziwienie, gdy odkrywasz w samplach snoopa czy xzibita kawalki joelowe, nawet nie mowie o genialnych pianinkach ktore potrafi on przemycic w swych aranzacjach, ale u niektorych murzynskich artystow pojawiaja sie nawet doslowne covery jak u brand nubianow czy ATCQ, a to pokazuje jak bardzo influencyjne jego albumiki byly, jak dlaa mnie hajlajtami albumiku otwierajacy moving out oraz vienna, prosto w feelsy, pierwsza piatka z 1001 albumow zaliczona
Clásico volver a escuchar
O cara é BOM, excelentes música e ótima voz
Amazing album, one of my personal favorites this past year. Each song is a banger even though they can get a little corny.
i had an arguement with my wife this morning, then listened on my commute. The quality of the music was sufficient to break through my gloom and fact that i enjoyed it despite my mood is praise enough.
Such a good opening track. In general, the lyricism is crazy good, effortlessly moving from the banal to hyper specific feelings related to self-doubt, vulnerability and uncertainty. Great album. 4.0
Listening session: july 6th, while getting ready in the morning Listened to before: listened to most songs before Thoughts: this album contains a few very special songs for me so it was great to listen to this album today. Billy Joel is a great songwriter and his voice is really comforting Favourite tracks: Just the Way You Are, Vienna & She’s Always a Woman
Classic and much loved.
Billy Joel has never failed me before and he didn't fail me here.
I know a few of his songs. Some I like some I don't so this was a first time listen to a full album start to finish. I have to say it was bettter than expected. It's has a 70s fell about it. Good songs mostly. Good production and the band are tight. An American Elton John. Not quite but I did enjoy this and will investigate further
I quite enjoyed this. Ended listening a second time and enjoyed more the second time. As a totality it is okay, but then I found myself thinking about individual songs. I really like Scenes in an Italian Restraunt. 3.5 stars which I'm rounding up.
"The Stranger" by Billy Joel being the first ever album this website generated for me is truly a blessing. I was familiar with five of the nine songs before doing a full run-through, so I had a great vibe session and possibly frightened some of my neighbors. For lack of a better description, this album was an emotional rollercoaster. Many of his songs feel like novels, his imagery transporting me to the streets of Vienna or to an Italian restaurant—but then the next song could be a wedding song or something to listen to in the car with the windows down. Each song is a different track on the album, obviously, but every song feels like a part of an intertwined story. Instrumentally, this album would be a perfect 5/5 if it weren't for the verses and choruses of "The Stranger" and "Only the Good Die Young" (please don't hate me), since they’re a bit monotone and repetitive for my taste. Despite this, Billy is a musical genius throughout the album. His ability to combine piano, acoustic guitar, saxophone (I live for these solos), drums, flute, and harmonica into one record and still make it sound near-perfect is a talent. And I guess "The Stranger" does deserve a little bit of merit, because the extremely satisfying ending would not be possible without the song. No matter how much you hate him, it is undeniable that this album as a whole is a work of art. I don't know if I will listen to the album straight through again, because I feel like each song is suited for a different environment, both physically and emotionally. I wish this site had half-star ratings like Letterboxd does, so my rating could be more accurate. But in the meantime, please listen to "Scenes"; it hurts to see the absolute best track on the album have fewer streams than five others. 4/5
Banger after banger
Finally, I've got a great album. I was expecting something disappointing to end the month. "The Stranger" isn't the best album out there, but I'd rather have that over Nico's solo outing. I think the greatest song on "The Stranger" has to be "Scenes From an Italian Restaurant". May July be better than last month. 4 stars for "The Stranger".
If I was being a Negative Norman, this album is just AOR fodder, but, by god, it's top quality AOR. A perfect reminder that 1977 was an outstanding time for quality music.
Pretty nice album, really like the first 5 songs but it felt like it fell off a bit from there. I enjoyed this a lot more than I thought I would, and it's very nice and groovy, I really like the bass work on here.
Every other song is classic
7/10
I’ve been meaning to give Billy Joel a shot. When I was a kid Uptown Girl was waaaay overplayed. My only other real exposure to him has been people singing his songs in karaoke. This is really good! Not something I’d listen to often, but a lot of these tracks are undeniable classics that belong in some playlist or other.
4.5
Steely Dan’s Dad Rock equivalent made for a mom near you. Billy Joel is awesome, he’s really grown on me the last year. Yeah it’s really basic at times, but I cannot deny his ability to make a fuckin hit. The first track on the record is so punchy and catchy in all the right ways. I just wanna be on a pontoon right now. #NACHTYACHT IFYKYK. The stranger obviously is a banger, I specially gravitate to that one because it’s one of his more rockier records here. Honestly the only offensive track here to me is “she’s always a woman” why? It’s just so overplayed and honestly really corny the more I hear it. I’m totally not venting because I have no woman to think about to this song to currently🤓
I had never heard anything from Billy Joel aside of 'Piano Man', but this album was so good!
I know that it's not cool to like Billy Joel, but fortunately I've never been cool and never cared about being thought cool. I've generally enjoyed the Billy Joel singles and greatest hits albums I've heard, but this was my first time listening to one of his studio albums all the way through, and it's crazy how many great songs are on here. There's 9 tracks and only the last 2 are weak. Best track is hard to determine but I think "Scenes From An Italian Restaurant" just shades it.
Very cool album. I LOVE that little whistly interlude that keeps playing.... its very moving
Billy J is my dad's fav guy sorta randomly and this album just is a bit unusually good... it has a lot of hits and nostalgic songs for me... i really love She's Always a Woman and Movin Out is obviously the best and strange in awesome ways... das racist moment too remember guys
Fav: The stranger, Vienna Least fav: Just the way you are, Only the good die young The stranger in my personal playlist 4
vienna best song of all time
A bit surprised seeing only one entry on the list from Mr. Joel, but I will give my best shot. If you have asked me 10 years ago I would probably have easily given this album 5 stars. This is still great, great songwriting, great lyricism, great piano playing. So fur sure at least 4 stars no doubt, perhaps 4.5 on RYM we will see after today
it was fine
Great album. Haven’t really been a fan but taking the time to listen to a complete album, my view has changed
Surprisingly enjoyable and some absolute classics on here. She's Always a Woman was a particular highlight.
C'est top billy
Solid 8
A classic Billy Joel record.
yup
Love me some Billy Joel
Joel's piano-rock melodies remind me of McCartney-led Beatles tracks. "Scenes From An Italian Restaurant" feels like his take on the second side of Abbey Road in how built different songs into one complete package. These songs are well-produced and Joel's lyrics paint a picture. Joel's lyrics aren't as complex as Bob Dylan's, but they don't need to be. He tells everyday stories about everyday people and it becomes clear why he became such a huge deal. I'm sure that love song "Just The Way We Are" found its way onto many mixtapes back in the day. This song and other moments on the record tread dangerously close to feeling corny, but Joel's earnestness saves the day. I've always known of Billy Joel, but had no desire to listen to him as I was only aware of the dreadfully cheesy "Uptown Girl". I can now say that I'm a fan after hearing today's record.
Love the beginning of Movin’ Out (Anthony’s Song)
enjoyed
Love this album. Brought back fond memories with my best friend ❤️
vienna
Pleasantly surprised by this. Billy Joel’s voice is unique. The lyrics are good. The only thing I wonder, if at the time people were calling him the 1970’s equivalent of temu Elton John. I suppose it really doesn’t matter because this was a great album. Pop music used to have a bit of soul and skill, now it’s just maths equations
This is the kind of classic Billy Joel that you'll hear in any piano bar around the world. Incredibly easy to listen to and overall enjoyable.
I would say a dramatic side Beautiful instruments, jazzy and pop even groovy in a way Not too much with the voice (doesn’t scream) I appreciate that
It's okay;;; I would give three or four stars.
Banger after banger.
great
Leuk album
Iconic, but overplayed. Everyone knows the hits. We've all heard them on so many different commercials and movies and TV shows and the radio and anywhere else music is used and heard. We all know what we're getting with Billy Joel. The songwriting is tight, he's filling a Broadway stage with his voice, it's really good music. Because it's really good, it's used everywhere, so now everyone thinks it's just generic boring Dad Rock. If it had been the first time I heard any Billy Joel without weddings and the radio, I might give it a five. Today, it's a 4. Sorry, Billy. You're a victim of your own success. My Rating: 4/5
There was a lot of good songs
every song on this album is an absolute banger, too bad Billy Joel is a colossal dick. 4/5
Quite enjoyed the 70s sound
3/4 stars
Hate if you want to, but this is a great album. Side A is very strong! No bad songs.
I always like Billy Joel.
Classic. With some timeless songs thrown in.
primera vez que escucho un disco de billie joel. esperaba menos sinceramente, pero me gustó, no hay ningún tema del que quieras adelantar. aunque se me hizo un poco comercial, fue una escucha agradable, lo recomiendo bastante. 8/10
A classic. A good place to start.
I like a bit of Billy Joel, but before today I had only listened to Greatest Hits compilations, so this was a bit of a deeper dive and it was enjoyable. I had heard quite a few of these - Just The Way You Are and Movin' Out are standard Joel tracks and She's Always A Woman might well be my favourite Joel song. There's not much in the way of filler on the rest of the album as Joel weaves his New York stories beautifully. At 7 and a half minutes Scenes from an Italian Restaurant ran the danger of being overlong, but it's crafted so well it's more like 2 songs blended together. Only The Good Die Young is another high point, and slightly Paul Simon-esque. Everybody Has a Dream overdoes it on the cheesiness scale for me - sounds like peak Gary Barlow! - but this is a perfectly enjoyable, easy as hell to listen to album and gets a high 4 stars from me.
Better than I thought it would be! Most of the songs were fun.
4,1 1. "Movin' Out (Anthony's Song)" 2. "The Stranger" 3. "Just the Way You Are"
I do love me some saxophone
My overall impression of Billy Joel is that he makes some good music and some really quite annoying music, and it seems like ‘The Stranger’ has a high concentration of his good stuff on it. The composition and instrumentation throughout is really high quality with some really cool, almost jazzy parts that I don’t necessarily expect from his brand of… soft pop-rock. Throughout the album is a theme of disillusion with the American dream, most evident on “Movin’ Out” (also undoubtedly the best song to namedrop Hackensack) and “Scenes From an Italian Restaurant”, that is really thoughtful and well done. I found “Just The Way You Are” to be a bit sappy and saccharine. An enjoyable listen with surprising depth.
nisam znao da billy joel ima takozvanog "psa" u sebi
3.75. All the hits but feels a little dated.
This brought back long buried memories as I am pretty sure I had this on vinyl back in the day. Some lovely songs on here. Swear I used to listen to She’s Always A Woman on repeat lol. It does verge on the schmaltzy at times, especially on some of the less well known tracks which tend to meander a bit. Still, a decent listen. 3.5 I think, rounding up
Review - what a great album - only ever really listened to greatest hits from The Bard of Long Island but this album is basically a greatest hits in its own right. First 7 tracks all bangers. Score - 9/10 Need to listen? YES
Fun pop album. It felt a lot like Elton John at times, and sometimes I thought I was listening to him instead of Billy Joel. Billy Joel certainly has a knack for songwriting; the songs are catchy, and each one feels distinct while still being tied together. His vocals and piano playing are excellent as well. Before listening to this album, I only knew “Movin’ Out” and “She’s Always a Woman,” and while those songs still made the biggest impact, the others were good too. “Vienna” especially impressed me (which, now that I think about it, I’m pretty sure I had heard before). This might become a 5-star album after a few more listens, but for now I’ll settle on a strong 4.
Big sigh when this popped up, and then I went on to thoroughly enjoy every track. Guess I’m the fool here! Favourite track: The Stranger
I mostly dislike Billy Joel's music as adult-contemporary pop rock, but I can't deny that this album has what I think is his best set of songs with a lot of classics that rise above most of the rest of his discography. Yes, it is still radio rock for older folks, but I think the songwriting is solid and catchy and does surprise.
Great listen, some classic songs. 8/10
Great storytelling, tight rifs, great groove. Hit after hit, pretty great. Dripping with talent and depth.
SO GOOD only ones I'm not a fan of are Vienna (PATRONISING) and Everybody Has a Dream (BORING). Otherwise it's wall-to-wall bangers.
Billy Joel (especially at this point in his career) is the north eastern version of Ben Folds. Joel's songwriting and piano playing bring a resonant presence to his singles and deep cuts while his lyrics are solid... at least emotionally. What I appreciate most about this album is that feels less commercial than his later work despite the fact that some of his most notable hits are on this album. Solid listen.
I don't care if it's cheesy, it's fun! Movin' Out is an absolute banger
Vienna a standout!
Govs shall remember this one
William Joel can write a good song. He gets caught in cheesiness and leans into the musical fashions of the day, which leaves some of his less successful songs feeling dated, but when his lyrics and melodies land, they are powerful and this album is full of great examples.
I expected to hate based on my dislike of Piano Man, but this is actually pretty good. 3.5/5.0: Very Good
The songs were pretty great. My favorites were Vienna, Movin Out, and Just The Way You Are with an honorable mention from The Stranger. I've never really listened to Billy Joel before this so its a nice introduction into his music.
ΗEY, listen MOTHERFUCKER, we only sing '80s Joel!
Billy Joel today is just that guy your Boomer parents listen to and had that long term MSG residency and has a terrible brain disease and was married to Christie Brinkley, and had all those car accidents. But once upon a time he put out classic albums and this is the best of them. Side 1 is all great and the tracks 1-7 are all technically "hits". An insane run
yk I mean its like I see it being popular, and it is good, I especially like the more let's say 'active' songs and not just laid-back but it's entirely due to mood ig, I would say in total its 3.5 but I can't put 3.5 so I'll let the coin decide (tails is 4/5, heads is 3/5) and it's heads, I honestly don't mind it being 4/5 (the saxophone was pretty good too in the album)
Some standout songs listened to it in parts. One on a morning walk which brought out the brilliance of the album for me
Great album, probably my favorite by him
so many of the songs i was like- oh! THAT’S billy joel?!
Not a Billy Joel fan, but I can't deny it's a classic. Fave Songs: Anthony's Song, Scenes from an Italian Restaurant, Just the Way You Are, Vienna, Only The Good Die Young
An easy listen, a few drags but overall catchy tunes.
First time listening to a full album by billy joel and i just know its gonna be peak. And it was
Overall a solid 8, not rating it more because is the first album I listen and if I liked are even better than this one I wouldn't be able to rate it higher. But so far amazing
Great Album!
Not my first time listening to Billy Joel, but this album convinced me I need to listen to more. 4 stars
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.
Love Billy Joel
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
Surprisingly enjoyable
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
- 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
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.
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!
i was today years old when i found out i like billy joel lol.
Great album
Paul Mccartney
Pretty solid album. Has a few of his better known songs on it and honestly the rest of the album is pretty good
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.
Che bello merda
extra star for being an inspiration to some of my favorite artists
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
nice
Very good
Really fun listening to Billy Joel from this era.
Classic
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.
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
Lovely atmosphere and instrument combinations. Was a great listen!
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
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.
Good
Best Track - "Vienna"
Vienna and she's always a woman were so good
Some are real snoozes but a few bangers on here!
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
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
Lo escuché mientras hacia cosas
I listened to the live version and the regular one, it was very soothing, but I'm unlikely to listen on a regular basis
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
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
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
Pretty good album, nothing exciting, but easy listening and enjoyable. Not massively to my taste, but a good one overall.
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
Classic album! Can't fault it really. Well written, well produced, catchy and lyrically well written tracks.
Simply one of the greatest albums. Nice variety of songs and multiple classics.
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.
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».
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
Nice piano pop cuts seems like an Elton John wannabe , nevertheless nice a couple of hits in the album
Good one
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.
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.
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
Lots of great tunes, was a fun catchy album. Not my favourite style but lots of good karaoke tunes in here.
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.
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.
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
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 like it, Pop-Rock as it's supposed to be.
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
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.
This has a lot of hits. Pretty fun album.
goddddd
amazing, really good, I likE i LIKE
Anyone else have an impromptu dance party to "Only the Good Die Young"? No? Just me? "Vienna" gets me every time.
8 / 10
Impossible not to love it
Vienna is absolute masterpiece, but we already knew that. Some songs were really good but some song vere just mid. 3.5*
Bangor reminds me of being little
Godt ig
Nice vibes Billy
This album is full of great song after great song.
Wonderful songwriting.
Every song is a banger, you really can't go wrong with this album. Full of soul and melody. Positives: Each one of these songs is great in it's own way, the album is consistent but I never get tired of the sound. Really good use of all the classic band instruments of the era. Some great bass lines. Negatives: The songs peter off as the album goes on, starts off super strong but just kinda fades off at the end. Favourite song upon listening: The Stranger & She's Always a Woman Started/Finished: 10:30am 25/02/2026 - 6pm 25/02/2026 (two full listens) Did I grow up with this one: a bit Number of albums reviewed: 3 (including this one) 1 is bad, 2 is not for me, 3 is good, 4 is great, 5 is legendary
Packed full of hits, genuinely enjoyable listen. The first album so far that I’d be happy to revisit…
Solid storytelling pop. Only the Good Die Young earned it the fourth star.
Na
neil cicierega - man piano. Mais um álbum que quanto mais escutei, mais gostei.
Hello
No argument here. It is a solid album with strong instrumental arrangements and performances that flows well, and is a tight 43 minutes. My only complaint is that occasionally the lyrics are too wordy, and/or clunky. I am also of the opinion that as much as I enjoy this album, that STORM FRONT is the more consistently solid album.
-Movin' Out: Nice intro to the album. Sounds like a melody I've already heard before, but can't quite figure out where. Maybe an 80's song? Tempo changes in some bits? Not sure, but love that resource. "Hold on, let me put a goddamn mark to it." -
no escuché mucho por qué no estoy en ese estilo de musica últimamente, pero un icono billy joel
Vienna is the best song ever
Billy Joel always existed in a weird spot for me. Springsteen as well. Great storytellers using music and a lot of their stuff hits some really great spots, you can feel parts of your life when you listen. It's always there. Yet I rarely seek out their music. No clue why, this is a great album. It's got hits and even the rest of the album holds up. Solid songs all the way around, and I will not play them again. I won't wake up and go, it's a Billy Joel day! I will recognize his stuff and even say, oh this is a great tune, but I won't look for the album later. Well worth a listen, solid lyrics, music fits well, good production, honestly I should rank it a 5 but I won't listen to it again so it's not a 5 for me.
I've been a huge Billy Joel fan but this album is packed with hits. It was interesting to read that he was at risk of being dropped by his label if this album hadn't been a success.
Billy Joel is one of those musicians that will be impossible for me to rate objectively. I have a lot of nostalgia for his music from childhood. Joel is great at storytelling, with Scenes From An Italian Restaurant exemplifying this ability. It's a seven minute musical with characters that are instantly recognizable from real life. A lot of his hits have that personal element, where it's clear he's talking from specific experience. That makes it easier to connect with his cast of characters, as compared to a broad and vague lyrical approach. I've known Brendas and Eddies and I've been a Virginia. This is probably his best album. On this listen, Vienna is the song I connected with most.
achei bem legal! vienna atemporal, o unico homem que já conseguiu sentir o que ela passa foi o billy joel, pq essa musica foi feita para as garotas!
Haven't previously listened to any of his albums in their entirety. I'm a convert. I don't love every song on this album, a few are a little too "Billy Joel" for my taste. But gorgeous songwriting.
NK
Nice mix of songs throughout this album. I think My favourite was Just the way you are or the stranger
Really good
Classic Billy Joel album and has a lot of great writing and composition. Loved all the different instruments and how theyre brought flowed so well and how they supported and complimented Joel's vocals really well. Nice and refreshing listen overall. Favorite Song: Everybody Has A Dream. 8/10
Grateful for the listen! I’d always slept on Billy Joel, but I love this on first listen. It’s commercial, but it demonstrates Joel’s talents as a songwriter. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
i’ve heard of billy joel quite a few times and vienna is one of my favorites to listen to but I never fully had the time to emerge fully into a billy joel album before. It’s one of those albums that soothes me by seemingly talking to me. It’s not usually my cup of tea but I enjoyed this album. Particularly the main track , the stranger, quite addicting
What makes The Stranger special isn’t just the hits. It’s the emotional range. You meet characters. It’s the kind of album that sneaks up on you and then stays with you.
Excellent album, lots of piano as expected from Mr Joel. Really cool sounding chords and melodies, this album does not have captain jack so I'm deducting a star, also not my favourite type of music.
Billy Joel, huh? I'm very okay with this. Billy Joel is an artist that doesn't really need much of an introduction. You've heard some of his hits before, but did he actually manage to make a fully compelling album with The Stranger? Yeah he did. This thing is great! It's practically a greatest hits compilation in studio album form, which is always a compliment. You've got some all-time classics in here, though I do find that the album is a little top-heavy. Obviously, the later songs are great too. I can't really complain about songs like "She's Always a Woman," can I? Of course not, but those opening songs just hit different. "Movin' Out (Anthony's Song)" is an awesome opener. Another good addition to the "all-time classic album openers" pantheon if I do say so myself. The title track is fun. I like that bass part. "Scenes From an Italian Restaurant" is such a unique song and I love it. And of course, there's "Vienna." It's one of Billy Joel's defining songs and for good reason. The music here is pretty great. I like the piano a lot. I mean, there's a reason why one of his most popular songs is "Piano Man." That's not on this album, but the point still stands. His singing isn't my absolute favorite, but it works well enough on the album. No real complaints there. The lyrics are thoughtful and interesting, though the album is a little heavy on the love songs near the end. Uh, yeah. The Stranger is a pretty great collection of songs. I can't quite call it perfect and there are plenty of albums I enjoy more, but I can absolutely see why some would call it a masterpiece. High 4/5.
The few saxophone appearances on here were amazing. Favorite Tracks: Just the Way You Are | Scenes from an Italian Restaurant | Vienna
Billy Joel at his finest. So many classic songs and pretty much a non-skippable track list. It’s definitely a vibe. Pretty different and significant compared to rock at the time. I enjoy piano rock, fun music and 70s Billy Joel.
ein paar all time classic banger 🗿, aber auch zu viele Fülllieder 🦫
estaba cagando y cuando oi esto directamente me levante a aplaudir
There are some great songs on this album, but I've never understood the love for Billy Joel. Objectively, probably a five, but I'm giving it a four
Longtile american songwriting classical with famous hits still in the breeze.
LOVE IT
Smooth!
classic album in my household growing up. strong highs throughout with a handful of songs that are in one ear and out the other. Like the stranger reprise hidden track at the end, great way to close out
Is he a little corny? Yes. Is there anyone else doing his thing as good as he is? Probably. But he is good at it! Songs added to my 1001 Bangers playlist: All of them
2/6/26. 7/10
Good but for me a lamenting album
It’s Billy Joel I don’t know what to tell you
Vienna is a standout. 4/5
Favorites: The Stranger, She's Always a Woman Really nice, solid album with several classics. Some were new to me, like The Stranger, but I've liked She's Always a Woman since I was a child. I don't see myself actively replaying this album, but it was a good listen.
Classic work! Smooth vocals smooth insturmentals. I liked this album might come back to it.
Overall enjoyable album, and with the unlikely backstory about how Billy Joel became the artist he is, I enjoyed the album even more.
хорош старина хорош
i told my boyfriend i get why white people froth at the mouth for this man. this album was fun and cute!
7/10
good!
J'aurais donné un véritable 4 étoiles si le producer avait accepté de mettre le son de moteur plus fort à la fin de la première toune tel que le désirait Billy. 3.5 étoiles
liked it, saved it!
sorry billy i wasnt familiar with your game (minus the saxophone. or everybody has a dream, which might be the worst song ive heard through this project)
Pretty good
Zapravo jak album, aj lajk it veri mach 4/5
klasikica
Во время прослушивания приходилось возвращать себя к мысли о том, что это 70-е. Насыщенный, цельный альбом, при этом в нем достаточно воздуха. Он не пытается задавить тебя своей сложностью, слушается легко и длится чуть меньше, чем того хочется.
His initials might be BJ, but this record doesn't suck at all.
I wouldn’t call myself an expert on American accents — far from it. Sure, everyone hears a Southern drawl, but I couldn’t reliably tell a Texan from someone from North Carolina, despite the small matter of nearly 2,000 kilometres between them. And yet: I put this record on knowing almost nothing about Billy Joel, and within seconds of “Movin’ Out (Anthony’s Song)” my first thought was: this guy is from New York. Or, as he himself pronounces it somewhere on this album: Nijoe Yawk. A quick check confirms it. Jewish too, for what it’s worth — though that says nothing about the music. What does say something about the music is the genre label attached to this album in the spreadsheet I use to keep track of things. It says: rock. Sorry? Where exactly is the line between pop and rock? It’s clearly drawn differently in the US than in Europe, and even within my own head there seem to be at least two dividing criteria. The first is instrumental: rock, to me, is primarily guitar-driven, while pop leans more toward keyboards, acoustic instruments, or a broader palette. By that standard alone, this album is quickly classified. Aside from the opener, this is overwhelmingly a keyboard record — hardly surprising from someone best known for “Piano Man”. The second distinction I keep returning to is structural. Pop is vocal-centred: the song exists to carry the vocal melody. Rock allows the music itself more space to breathe, stretch, and sometimes dominate. By that measure too, this is pop — albeit very well-made pop. And that matters, because one of my standard complaints about pop music — that too little happens — simply doesn’t apply here. The Stranger is a finely composed and carefully arranged album. Take “Scenes from an Italian Restaurant”: a multi-part suite that borders on prog, though its roots lie just as clearly in classical forms. Call it what you like; it’s ambitious, clever, and it works. This is generally considered Joel’s peak, and it’s easy to see why. The record is packed with hits: “Movin’ Out”, “Just the Way You Are”, “She’s Always a Woman”, “Only the Good Die Young”. Curiously, the most streamed track isn’t one of those, but “Vienna” — a lovely song I somehow managed to completely miss for decades, despite its almost absurd streaming numbers. And yes, it is genuinely good. Not everything here lands for me, though. “Only the Good Die Young” is bland to the point of irrelevance. “She’s Always a Woman” is, to my noise-trained ears, unbearably saccharine. “Just the Way You Are” could have been a beautiful ballad built around that delicious Fender Rhodes electric piano — but is instead brutally sabotaged by an aggressively ugly saxophone solo. I remain baffled by the historical moment when someone decided that saxophones were a good idea in pop or rock music. To be fair, the sax does work in “Scenes from an Italian Restaurant”, where it’s part of a rich and varied instrumental texture. Elsewhere, interestingly, a flute is used to far better effect — notably in “Get It Right the First Time”. That flute, along with an alarming list of other instruments (organ, multiple saxes, clarinet, flute, and even tuba), is played by Richie Cannata. The combination of woodwinds and tuba is… unusual, to say the least, but somehow that’s not the strangest thing on this record. One last curiosity: the first seven tracks average hundreds of millions of streams, while the final two barely scrape eight million each. People, it seems, don’t listen to this album all the way through. Even the title track “The Stranger” — one of the least streamed — strikes me as one of the album’s finest moments. A beautiful melody, an unforgettable little flute motif, and a neat reprise at the end of the record. It’s a shame, really, that a handful of truly tedious tracks — yes, “Everybody Has a Dream”, I’m looking at you — drag the whole thing down. At its best, this might be the strongest pop album I’ve encountered so far in this series. And as for that genre label? Rock? No. This is pop — just very good pop.
I've heard his hits, I like his hits. First time listening to anything but the hits and this album hits hard. If I grew up when this was coming out it would definitely be in my wheelhouse. Lots of very listenable tracks on this album.
The lows are kind of really low here but the highs (Vienna, Only the Good Die Young) are soooo high. I spent a good chunk of time listening to the highlights of this album with a friend driving around in her mazda in college so I gotta give it the round up from 3.5
Great, a bit over the top at times. Last two songs are the weakest.
I miss when piano was used in rock and pop music :(. Very musically minded musician/album, lots of great new finds and solid classic pop songs
This is one of those albums loaded with hits that you didn't realize were all on one album. Scenes from an Italian Restaurant was a nice surprise, I had only ever heard the bottle of red, bottle of white opening. Tracks 3 and 9 are just a little too cheasy for me, but still good. Strong 9/10
I love Billy Joel and I'm looking forward to listening to something familiar and comforting:) 4/5
I've enjoyed listening to this one.
1 Movin' Out (Anthony's Song) (8.8/10) 2 The Stranger (6.2/10) 3 Just The Way You Are (8.6/10) 4 Scenes From An Italian Restaurant (8.2/10) 5 Vienna (10/10) 6 Only The Good Die Young (6.4/10) 7 She's Always A Woman (9.4/10) 8 Get It Right The First Time (7/10) 9 Everybody Has A Dream (7.6/10) Avg score: 8.02/10
I lava it I wouldn’t play every song on here all the time but most of them are good. Love dat man
Piano man definitely gets it done
incredible record jam-packed with some all-time classics, with few misses
Love this album, so many classics. I think if I did karaoke I would do movin’ out lol
Classic album, one of the best by Billy Joel.
Boah, das ist gut, eine sehr positive Überraschung! Der Name ist mir schon einige Male über den Weg gelaufen, bisher konnte ich dem aber noch keine Songs zuordnen. Der Sound erinnert mich an die besten Sachen der Wings, die Melodien sind unfassbar. Man hört definitiv, dass Billy Joel ein Fan von McCartney ist. Auch toll, dass die Pianoline vom Titeltrack später auf einem Song von Flers Vibe als Sample wiederverwendet wird. Von ihm muss ich mir definitiv noch andere Alben anhören, gefällt mir sehr.
Top top
Actually just re-listened to this one a few weeks ago and yeah, it’s a classic. There are so many bangers on here, including some of Joel’s best work. Great stuff. I’m not crazy about the closer, but that’s really the only bad mark on this album.
I have never really understood Billy Joel apart from We Didnt Start the Fire. Penny kinda dropped with this album and there is some great songwriting/ tunes on this album. Its very 70's family friendly MOR type stuff so not a 5 for me but I can see now why he sold out Madison Square Gardens every week for 10 years.
good
Very easy album to listen to. It won’t change your life, but will always be well received.
muy billy joel
4/5 I love the vibe, already liked Vienna.
Billy Joel is a king, his songs are amazing, none of them fail. He also has really iconic songs, and i feel like in my genereation he is underrated.
9/10
Billy Joel is not my favourite artist but even I can admit this is a fantastic album. However, I find the two songs in one song by the end of the album to be a bit over the top and unnecessary. Have also always found Billy Joel to be a little corny. She’s always a woman to me however saves the album and is in my opinion the best song by far on the stranger.
I enjoyed it a lot. I would have to be in a specific mood for it, but I would definitely revisit this album.