And So It Goes {My Billy Joel Song Rankings}

I grew up listening to Billy Joel. Both my parents really enjoyed his music, and played it while we were young so it isn’t a surprise that when I hear specific songs, it brings me back to my childhood. Songs like Keeping the Faith and Matter of Trust remind me of the beach, driving on the sand in my dad’s truck. I can almost smell the sea breeze and the car’s air freshener. River of Dreams always reminds me of my brother Tom, and how even at like 10, he knew all the words. Then there are the songs everyone knows; We Didn’t Start the Fire, Piano Man, Only the Good Die Young; that almost make you roll your eyes because THERE ARE SO MANY MORE SONGS THAN JUST THOSE. Listening to his music now, as an adult, there is an all new appreciation for it. He really wrote some relatable and meaningful songs that didn’t make it mainstream. Look, I know that Billy Joel is almost exclusively viewed as a “Long Island” or “New York” obsession, but I promise you that he is much more than that. His music spans decades, and can interest many more people than just us Islanders.

 

Cold Spring Harbor (1971)

1. She’s Got A Way
2. Everybody Loves You Now

This was the first album (LP) that Billy came out with. Unfortunately for him, while the album was being mastered, a technical flaw caused the record to be recorded at a much higher speed, resulting in both the instrumentals and Joel’s voice sounding much higher pitched than it was. It was so bad, he actually sounded a lot like the chipmunks (who also released an album that year). Because of this flaw, the album did not have the impact they were hoping for (nor the one it deserved). It was a dud. Of course they remastered it later down the line (after he had become more famous) and people could appreciate the plethora of songs that were supposed to showcase Joel’s wide range. She’s Got a Way flexes Joel’s piano ballad muscles, and Everybody Loves You Now is his take on a more pop-y sound. They are my two favorites off this album because they give you a great idea of his musical range.

She’s got a way about her
I don’t know what it is
But I know that I can’t live without her

 

Piano Man (1973)

1. Piano Man
2. Captain Jack
3. The Ballad of Billy the Kid

The infamous Piano Man! This is widely considered to be one of Joel’s most iconic and recognizable songs. It is an anthem for many. In fact, when I was in college (in central PA I might add) this song was the “brotherhood” song for one of the fraternities on campus. They played it at the conclusion of every party, where they would gather as a group in the center of the main room and sway with arms around each other, shouting the lyrics proudly. It can often be heard at bars around the country as well. It is easily one of the most famous songs of that time period, as well as for Joel in general.

 

Streetlife Serenade (1974)

1. Root Beer Rag
2. The Entertainer

This was the second album Joel wrote after moving to LA for a Columbia record deal. It wasn’t one of his greatest records, with Joel not super pleased about it himself, but it does contain some staples. The Entertainer was probably the most popular song off the album, which was written as a sarcastic response to the radio edit of his majorly successful Piano Man song. Root Beer Rag may not be one of Joel’s personal favorite songs, but it is a fan favorite, and still often gets played during concerts. It is an instrumental song that is fun and breaks up the set.

I am the entertainer
I come to do my show
You’ve heard my latest record
It’s been on the radio
Ah, it took me years to write it
They were the best years of my life
It was a beautiful song
But it ran too long
If you’re gonna have a hit
You gotta make it fit
So they cut it down to 3:05

Turnstiles (1976)

1. Summer, Highland Falls
2. New York State of Mind
3. Prelude/Angry Young Man
4. Miami 2017 (Seen the Lights Go Out on Broadway)
5. Say Goodbye To Hollywood

This was such an emotional album. At the time, Billy was still living in LA but really missing home. Finally he decided to move back to New York, hence the tribute in New York State of Mind. It was the first recorded album where Billy himself hand-picked the band playing behind him, which became known as the Billy Joel Band. Prelude/Angry Young Man is another concert staple that came from this record, and is still performed every month at Madison Square Garden. Summer, Highland Falls is one of my all time favorite songs. It is so short, but spoke to me in many ways.

 

The Stranger (1977)

1. Scenes From an Italian Restaurant
2. Movin Out (Anthony’s Song)
3. The Stranger
4. Just the Way You Are
5. Vienna
6. She’s Always a Woman
7. Only the Good Die Young

The Stranger was a much more popular album, actually landing itself on Rolling Stone’s Greatest Albums of All Time list. It had a number of hits, which all made it to my personal list as well. Quite honestly, I have a personal connection to all these songs, making this a particularly hard album to rank. Above all else though, Scenes From an Italian Restaurant will always hold a higher position when it comes to Billy Joel songs. It was “our song” with one of my closest friends. I remember being at the Last Play at Shea, and calling him up so he could hear it live. It is also one of Joel’s all time favorite songs.

Cold beer, hot lights
My sweet romantic teenage nights

 

52nd Street (1978)

1. Honesty
2. My Life
3. Big Shot
4. Zanzibar
5. Half a Mile Away

Despite high expectations to out do his precious album, 52nd Street did fairly well! There were a number of hits off this it, some of which were covered by other artists and even featured as the theme song for a new television show which gave the lovable Tom Hanks one of his earliest roles. Honesty is my personal favorite off this album because the lyrics really hit me at just the right time. I remember growing up and hearing his other hits, My Life and Big Shot though, so those are also high on my list.

When I’m deep inside of me
Don’t be too concerned
I won’t ask for nothin’ while I’m gone
But when I want sincerity
Tell me where else can I turn
‘Cause you’re the one I depend upon

Honesty is such a lonely word
Everyone is so untrue
Honesty is hardly ever heard
And mostly what I need from you

Glass Houses (1980)

1. It’s Still Rock and Roll to Me
2. You May Be Right
3. Sometimes a Fantasy
4. Don’t Ask Me Why
5. All for Leyna
6. Sleeping with the Television On
7. C’était Toi (You Were the One)

Another fairly successful album! This one I preferred a few more of the “obscure” songs to the “hits” but still some solid music either way. It’s Still Rock and Roll to Me would become Billy Joel’s very first #1 single and would remain at the top of the charts for a number of weeks. Glass Houses was a response to critics calling Billy Joel a “soft rocker” because of his success with piano ballads. He didn’t think that was a very fair assessment of his musical range, so songs like You May Be Right and Don’t Ask Me Why become beacons for his “rock” image (that, and the leather jacket he wears on the cover of this album).

Oh, what’s the matter with the crowd I’m seeing?
“Don’t you know that their out of touch?”
Well, should I try to be a straight-A student?
“If you are then you think too much
Don’t you know about the new fashion, honey?
All you need are looks and a whole lotta money”
It’s the next phase, new wave, dance craze, anyways
It’s still rock and roll to me
Everybody’s talkin’ ’bout the new sound
Funny, but it’s still rock and roll to me

The Nylon Curtain (1982)

1. Pressure
2. Allentown
3. Goodnight Saigon

The Nylon Curtain was Joel’s attempt at more topical song writing with songs like Allentown and Goodnight Saigon. He wanted to talk about the American Dream and what it meant to him. Pressure is my favorite off the album though, mostly because I know it is one of my dad’s favorite songs. I liked the sound of the song, and all the instrumentals in the background. It is easily one of my own personal favorites as well.

An Innocent Man (1983)

1. An Innocent Man
2. The Longest Time
3. Keeping the Faith
4. Tell Her About It
5. Uptown Girl
6. Leave a Tender Moment Alone

Innocent Man was a visit to the past; Joel attempt at paying homage to R&B and doo wop of the 50s and 60s. It was another instant success. You can hear the doo wop especially in the song The Longest Time which I know my high school used often for jazz ensembles and a Capella choirs. Songs like Keeping the Faith and Tell Her About It remind me of the beach and spending summers in my dad’s truck.

The Bridge (1986)

1. This is the Time
2. A Matter of Trust
3. Baby Grand

After Innocent Man, Billy was finally convinced into creating a Greatest Hits album. It was a 2 volume, 4 disc set of his most popular tracks in the order in which they came out. The record also featured two new songs which were released as singles to help support it. After the success of all of those, The Bridge quite honestly fell a bit short. It still had a couple of hit singles, some that again were featured as TV show themes. This is the Time is one of those songs you listen to at the close of a particularly important chapter of your life. I vaguely remember playing it a lot when I was graduating high school. And that is why it is at the top of my list for this album. Baby Grand was a track that did not become a single, but was still incredible. It was a duet with Ray Charles that highlights their steady relationship with their pianos. They even say in the lyrics of the song that ” no one’s gonna play this on the radio,” which they didn’t, but it was still a beautiful song.

This is the time to remember
Cause it will not last forever
These are the days
To hold on to
But we won’t
Although we’ll want to
This is the time
But time is gonna change
You’ve given me the best of you
But now I need the rest of you

Storm Front (1989)

1. And So It Goes
2. Shameless
3. Storm Front
4. When in Rome
5. The Downeaster Alexa
6. We Didn’t Start the Fire
7. State of Grace
8. That’s Not Her Style
9. Leningrad

And now we have made it to my all time favorite album by Billy Joel! I remember saying to my family that this was my favorite of Billy Joel’s, but not really actually knowing why. Now that I am looking at all his songs and dividing them up by album, I realize that I wasn’t “just saying” this was my favorite, it really was! We Didn’t Start the Fire is one of Joel’s most famous songs to date, though as I have gotten older, I have started liking it less and less (it probably has something to do with the fact that this is one of the only ones anyone knows by him). Storm Front and State of Grace have such unique sounds, that I find myself drawn to them. Leningrad was written after Billy toured in Russia, and is about his experience there. And So It Goes is such a beautiful song. Joel has said that it’s placement of last track on the album was purposeful; it was suppose to represent the calm and serenity that comes just after a particularly violent thunderstorm. Shameless was eventually covered by country music star Garth Brooks, whose version would go on to be more famous than Joel’s.

And every time I’ve held a rose
It seems I only felt the thorns
And so it goes, and so it goes
And so will you soon I suppose

But if my silence made you leave
Then that would be my worst mistake
So I will share this room with you
And you can have this heart to break

River of Dreams (1993)

1. Lullaby (Goodnight My Angel)
2. All About Soul
3. The River of Dreams

Lullaby is one of my all time favorite songs by Billy Joel. It was written for his daughter Alexa and is just so sweet. It is another slow, piano ballad that is just so sweet and wonderful. I mentioned earlier that when I was younger, my brother Tom, who at the time was only a couple years old, could sing all the words to River of Dreams. It was his favorite song for a little bit and that memory always seems to stick for me.

Miscellaneous

You’re Only Human (Second Wind)

This was an important one for me. All these years of being a Billy Joel fan and somehow I had never heard this song until my freshman year in college. I went through some rough stuff and my brother came through with this song. It really helped me feel better about my situation and got me back up on my feet.

 

My All Time Top 10 Billy Joel Songs

1. Summer, Highland Falls
2. Lullaby (Goodnight My Angel)
3. Pressure
4. And So It Goes
5. Scenes From an Italian Restaurant
6. Shameless
7. Piano Man
8. Honesty
9. Innocent Man
10. You’re Only Human (Second Wind)

Billy Joel is an icon. His music spans decades and still resonates with people (like me) today. He currently hosts a semi-permanent residency at Madison Square Garden, going on the record saying he would only do shows until they weren’t selling anymore. That was back in January of 2014! In fact, I personally am going to see his February 14th show this year! Rolling Stone reported that “At no point, have sales even tapered off a little bit even though the man hasn’t released an album of new pop songs since 1993.” And it’s true! Billy Joel has done one concert a month at MSG from 2014 to present day. If I remember correctly, tickets for shows going up through June are already sold for this year. Regardless of what anyone thinks or says to me about my love for this rock star, he has played an integral role in my life, and my childhood, and connects me on a new level with my brothers, parents, and a few friends (who understand the obsession). He is easily one of my all time favorite artists. I cannot wait to share him with my children, and watch them fall in love like I have.