The Stranger (album)
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| The Stranger | |||||
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| Studio album by Billy Joel | |||||
| Released | September, 1977 | ||||
| Recorded | A & R Recording, Inc., New York City | ||||
| Genre | Rock / Pop | ||||
| Length | 40:17 | ||||
| Label | Columbia | ||||
| Producer | Phil Ramone | ||||
| Professional reviews | |||||
| Billy Joel chronology | |||||
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The Stranger is the fifth studio album by Long Island musician Billy Joel, released in 1977 (see 1977 in music). While his four previous albums were moderately successful, this was his breakthrough album, peaking at #2 on the U.S. album charts. It remains Joel's best-selling non-compilation album to date.
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[edit] History
Much of the album's success is attributed to Joel's collaboration with producer Phil Ramone, whose innovative production methods complemented Joel's songs. This fruitful collaboration would continue for a decade.
Singles released from the album include "Just the Way You Are" (which won the Grammy for Record of the Year), the acoustic ballad "She's Always A Woman," the mildly controversial "Only the Good Die Young," and "Movin' Out (Anthony's Song)," which later lent its title to Movin' Out, an acclaimed hit Broadway musical based on Billy Joel's songs.
This album overtook Simon and Garfunkel's Bridge Over Troubled Water album to become the best-selling album on the Columbia Records imprint at the time.
Generally regarded as Joel's finest work, in 2003, the album was ranked number 67 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of the 500 greatest albums of all time.
In March of 2008, it was announced on the official Billy Joel website that a special 30th Anniversary Edition of the Stranger was due to be released in July of 2008. There will be two special editions - a 2 CD Legacy Edition and a Deluxe Limited Edition including 2 CDs plus a bonus DVD. The limited deluxe edition of "The Stranger" includes a CD of the original album, in its entirety, remastered by producer Phil Ramone; a CD of a previously unreleased concert featuring Billy and his band, "Live At Carnegie Hall 1977," recorded at the historic Manhattan venue on June 3, 1977, one month prior to the sessions for "The Stranger" album and newly restored for the new editions of "The Stranger"; and a DVD showcasing two live promotional videos from "The Stranger" and the long-awaited release of Billy's fabled appearance on the BBC's "Old Grey Whistle Test," a seldom-seen sixty minute cavalcade from 1978 that has aired only once on the UK's BBC2.
[edit] Track listing
All songs by Billy Joel.
- "Movin' Out (Anthony's Song)" – 3:30
- "The Stranger" – 5:10
- "Just the Way You Are" – 4:52
- "Scenes from an Italian Restaurant" – 7:37
- "Vienna" – 3:34
- "Only the Good Die Young" – 3:55
- "She's Always a Woman" – 3:21
- "Get It Right the First Time" – 3:57
- "Everybody Has a Dream" – 6:38
[edit] Personnel
- Billy Joel – acoustic piano, vocals, electric keyboards, synthesizers
- Doug Stegmeyer – bass guitar
- Liberty DeVitto – drums
- Richie Cannata – tenor and soprano saxophones, clarinet, flute, organ
- Steve Khan – six and twelve string electric guitars, acoustic rhythm guitar, high string guitar
- Hiram Bullock – electric guitar
- Patrick Williams – orchestration
- Ralph MacDonald – percussion on "The Stranger", "Just the Way You Are", "Get It Right The First Time" and "Everybody Has A Dream"
- Hugh McCracken – acoustic guitar on "Just the Way You Are", "Scenes from an Italian Restaurant", "She's Always A Woman", "Get It Right The First Time" and "Everybody Has A Dream"
- Steve Burgh – acoustic guitar on "Just the Way You Are" and "She's Always A Woman"; electric guitar on "Scenes from an Italian Restaurant"
- Phil Woods – alto saxophone on "Just the Way You Are"
- Dominic Cortese – accordion on "Scenes from an Italian Restaurant" and "Vienna"
- Richard Tee – organ on "Everybody Has A Dream"
- Phoebe Snow – background vocals on "Everybody Has A Dream"
- Lani Groves – background vocals on "Everybody Has A Dream"
- Gwen Guthrie – background vocals on "Everybody Has A Dream"
- Patti Austin – background vocals on "Everybody Has A Dream"
[edit] Chart positions and certifications
[edit] Album
| Year | Country | Chart | Position | Weeks | Certification (if any) | Sales/shipments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1978 | United States | The Billboard Pop Albums | 2 | 137 | Diamond[1] | 10,000,000+ |
| 1978 | Australia | Kent Music Report | 2 | |||
| 1978 | Japan | Oricon Weekly Albums Chart (Top 100) | 3 | 75[2] | 370,000+[3] | |
| 1978 | United Kingdom | UK Albums Chart | 24 | 40 | Gold | 100,000+ |
[edit] Singles
| Year | Country | Single | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1978 | North America | "Just the Way You Are" | The Billboard Hot 100 | 3 |
| 1978 | North America | "Just the Way You Are" | Billboard AC | 1 |
| 1978 | United Kingdom | "Just the Way You Are" | UK Singles Chart | 19 |
| 1978 | North America | "Movin' Out (Anthony's Song)" | The Billboard Hot 100 | 17 |
| 1978 | North America | "Movin' Out (Anthony's Song)" | Billboard AC | 40 |
| 1978 | United Kingdom | "Movin' Out (Anthony's Song)" | UK Singles Chart | 35 |
| 1978 | North America | "Only the Good Die Young" | The Billboard Hot 100 | 24 |
| 1978 | North America | "She's Always a Woman" | The Billboard Hot 100 | 17 |
| 1978 | Japan | "The Stranger" | Oricon Weekly | 2 |
[edit] Awards
| Year | Winner | Category |
|---|---|---|
| 1978 | Just the Way You Are | Record of the Year |
[edit] Issues
| Media | Release Date | Publisher | Catalog Number |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vinyl LP | 09/1977 | Columbia | JC 34987 |
| Cassette | 1990 | Columbia | JCT 34987 |
| CD | 1990 | Columbia | CK-34987 |
| CD Remastered | 10/20/1998 | Columbia | CK 69384 |
| Superior Audio CD | 07/31/2001 | Sony | CS 69384 |
[edit] References
- ^ RIAA
- ^ UKMIX - Forums - View topic - Japanese Charts-The Archives-. ukmix.org. Retrieved on 2008-02-27.
- ^ a-ビリー・ジョエル (Yamachan Land: Albums Chart Daijiten -Billy Joel). Retrieved on 2008-02-27.
