Eaton's in downtown Lethbridge circa 1970.
Source: Facebook/Lethbridge Historical Society
(May be subject to copyright)
I could not believe it had been 30 years. When I first heard Billy Joel back in the 1980s, not only did it seem he was on the radio and TV all the time, but that he would never run out of songs.
Hearing him in LA – but no Los Angeles
I did not really get into music until the Fall of 1984, coinciding with the time I started high school. Yet my first exposure to Billy Joel came a couple years earlier in junior high Language Arts, or LA as the kids call it now.
I did not really get into music until the Fall of 1984, coinciding with the time I started high school. Yet my first exposure to Billy Joel came a couple years earlier in junior high Language Arts, or LA as the kids call it now.
Our teacher was Terry Roth, who was the second teacher who really fostered my writing. Beyond that, he did what I think, looking back, were some innovative things. One of the coolest was how he taught poetry. We read a lot of poetry and talked about structure, which was pretty run of the mill, but he did something else. He used pop music as an example of poetry to connect with students.
One of the songs he used was “Good Night Saigon” – by Billy Joel. It remains one of my favourite Billy Joel songs of all time. It tells the story of a veteran from his time in basic training to his tour of Vietnam. He talks about the horror and, in what I think puts him ahead of his time, talks about war’s effect on mental health.
It is a powerful song that echoes in my mind as I type this. It would also be the first song I looked for when he launched his greatest hits album later in the decade.
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Billy Joel released a two-volume greatest hits album in 1985. Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greatest_Hits_%E2%80%93_Volume_I_%26_Volume_II (May be subject to copyright) |
Billy Joel’s first single was “She’s Got a Way”, released in 1971. It did not chart, but it is the first is his many ballads.
Two years later, in 1973, he released the album “Piano Man”. The title track was his first hit. Although it is now a classic, and is sung regularly at karaoke bars across the continent, it peaked at number 25 on the Billboard Hot 100. No other single from “Piano Man” reached higher than number 77.
In 1976, he released “Say Goodbye to Hollywood”, another great song now, that didn’t even chart.
The next year, 1977, he released the album “The Stranger”, which was his first really good album. The first release was “Just the Way You Are”, a ballad that went to number three on the Billboard Hot 100. “Movin’ Out” followed, peaking at number 17, then “Only the Good Die Young” peaked at number 24 and “She’s Always a Woman” peaked at number 17, both in 1978. The title track “The Stranger” was also released, but did not chart.
Joel’s next album, “52nd Street” came out in 1978, producing two more top 20 hits. “My Life” peaked at number three and “Big Shot” peaked at number 14.
Dawn of the decade
By the start of the decade, Billy Joel had not only put together a solid string of songs but he showed no signs of slowing down.
By the start of the decade, Billy Joel had not only put together a solid string of songs but he showed no signs of slowing down.
“Glass Houses” came out in 1980, yielding four more top 40 hits, highlighted by “It’s Still Rock and Roll to Me”, his first number one hit. He also released “You May be Right”, which peaked at number seven; “Don’t Ask Me Why”, which peaked at number 19; and “Sometimes a Fantasy”, which peaked at number 36.
Joel put out “Songs in the Attic” in 1981 which was his first live album. This time around, “Say Goodbye to Hollywood” went all the way to number 17 on the Billboard Hot 100, while “She’s Got A Way” peaked at number 23. Neither had charted the first time around.
New music was back on the radio in 1982 with “The Nylon Curtain”, producing three more charted singles. “Pressure” got it going, peaking at number 20; “Allentown” went all the way to number 17; and “Goodnight Saigon” peaked at number 56 on the Billboard Hot 100.
Musical memories
I came on the scene with his next album, but had a lot of memories associated with his work up to this point. They came to me in bits and pieces, in different places in my life.
I came on the scene with his next album, but had a lot of memories associated with his work up to this point. They came to me in bits and pieces, in different places in my life.
At the end of the 1990-1991 school year, my friend Terri Bates wrote the kindest message in my Lister Hall yearbook. She told me to stay real because she liked me “Just the way you are” and punctuated it with some musical notes.
Earlier that year, I was heading to a leadership retreat in Hinton. We were travelling at night and I had fallen asleep. When I woke up, it was raining and “The Stranger” was playing, which conjures up images of rain. It was like a scene out of a movie.
I saw a rerun of “Bosom Buddies” after Tom Hanks had become a movie star, and saw “My Life” was the theme song for the show.
When I was still in upper elementary or junior high, I was at Red Rooster with my Dad and I saw these really neat things. They were miniature record albums. I wasn’t really into music yet. I was more interested in the gum inside. I got a few, and discovered the gum inside was a piece of pink gum in the shape of a record. A few years later, when I was into music, I found those miniature albums. One was “The Knack” and another was – “Glass Houses” by Billy Joel.
My cousin Carl, a musician, songwriter and artist, introduced me to “It’s Still Rock and Roll to Me”. He played it on his stereo when we were visiting him in Lethbridge.
“Allentown”, about the plight of workers in a steel town in Pennsylvania, came in the same language arts class as “Good Night Saigon”. That’s also where I first saw the album “The Nylon Curtain”, and learned the title came from a piece of performance art. Someone had created a nylon curtain across a vast space.
Getting to know you
“An Innocent Man”, which came out in 1983, was the first tape I bought after I got a ghetto blaster for Christmas. I was excited because a good chunk of the songs had been on the radio. I bought “An Innocent Man” used from my friend and classmate Shawn Kingston whose musical interests had turned to heavy metal.
“An Innocent Man”, which came out in 1983, was the first tape I bought after I got a ghetto blaster for Christmas. I was excited because a good chunk of the songs had been on the radio. I bought “An Innocent Man” used from my friend and classmate Shawn Kingston whose musical interests had turned to heavy metal.
The first single was “Tell Her About It”, and became Billy Joel’s second number one single on the Billboard Hot 100. In the song, Joel encourages a man to tell the girl he likes just how he feels before it is too late. The story of my high school life.
“Uptown Girl” was the second single, peaking at number three on the Billboard Hot 100. It tells the story of a downtown man pursuing a wealthy uptown girl. The uptown girl was portrayed by Billy Joel’s real life wife of the time, and super model Christie Brinkley.
“An Innocent Man” was the title track, and third release. It peaked at number 10 on the Billboard Hot 100, and is a moving ballad.
“The Longest Time” was the fourth single from “An Innocent Man”. Using some a cappella, and harking back to doo-wop songs, “The Longest Time” peaked at number 14 on the Billboard Hot 100.
There were two singles from “An Innocent Man” after that, but I do not remember either “Leave a Tender Moment Alone” which peaked at number 27 or “This Night” which did not chart.
I do remember the final single released from “An Innocent Man”. It was “Keeping the Faith”, which peaked at number 18 on the Billboard Hot 100. “Keep the faith” became a rallying cry for me in Grade 12, especially when I was about to write an exam. I also encouraged other people with it. I recall just before a final exam turning to my classmate Wendy Sandberg. She looked at me and said, “Yup, keep the faith.” We both aced that exam.
There was one more song from “An Innocent Man” that I heard, but was never released as a single. “Easy Money” was used for the sound track of Rodney Dangerfield’s movie of the same name.
When I got my ghetto blaster for Christmas in 1984, I decided to tape the top 100 album countdown LA-107 ran on New Year’s Day, where they would play a couple songs from each album. One of the albums I taped was “An Innocent Man”. That's when I first heard “An Innocent Man” and “Easy Money”.
Greatest Hits
It was the easiest way to learn all about Billy Joel’s music in one place. On July 1, 1985, He released his “Billy Joel: Greatest Hits – Volume I & Volume II”, a two record set, with his hits appearing in chronological order from 1973 to 1985.
It was the easiest way to learn all about Billy Joel’s music in one place. On July 1, 1985, He released his “Billy Joel: Greatest Hits – Volume I & Volume II”, a two record set, with his hits appearing in chronological order from 1973 to 1985.
The album also featured two new singles – “You’re Only Human (Second Wind)” and “The Night is Still Young”.
“You’re Only Human (Second Wind)” is one of the coolest songs I have ever heard. It tells the story of a teenager facing depression and contemplating suicide. Billy Joel appears as an angel, reminiscent of “It’s A Wonderful Life”, convincing the teen he has a lot to live for. It’s just awesome. The fans thought so too, as “You’re Only Human” went all the way to number nine on the Billboard Hot 100.
“The Night is Still Young:” was also a great song, and peaked at number 34 on the Billboard Hot 100.
But the strength of “Billy Joel: Greatest Hits – Volume I & Volume II” is being able to access and listen to all of his songs in one place. When I went off to university in 1987, my roommate and best friend Chris Vining brought his entire tape collection, including “Billy Joel: Greatest Hits – Volume I & Volume II”. I recall sitting in our room alone in the dark, listening to the greatest hits album a lot in first year. The first song I looked for was – “Goodnight Saigon”.
More music and movie magic
An album of new music was due and, three years after “An Innocent Man”, Billy Joel released “The Bridge” in 1986.
An album of new music was due and, three years after “An Innocent Man”, Billy Joel released “The Bridge” in 1986.
The first release got a lot of air play, but it was not readily associated with the album “The Bridge”. That’s because “Modern Woman” was on the soundtrack for the movie “Ruthless People”, starring Bette Midler, Danny DeVito, Judge Reinhold and Helen Slater. In fact, I am pretty sure “The Bridge” was released well after “Modern Woman” began its climb up the charts. It was quite common back then for songs from soundtracks to be released then appear on the next album for their artist. Two other examples to go with “Modern Woman” are “Say You, Say Me” by Lionel Richie from the movie “White Nights”, and “Love Touch” by Rod Stewart from the movie “Legal Eagles”.
“Modern Woman” was a great song, and perfectly fit the plot of the movie. It peaked at number 10 on the Billboard Hot 100.
So, when fans bought “The Bridge” they were pleasantly surprised to see “Modern Woman” on it. They would also discover the next two releases – “A Matter of Trust” and “This is the Time”.
“A Matter of Trust” is another great song that also went all the way to number 10 on the Billboard Hot 100. I have a cool memory about this song too. It was the Fall of 1988 and I went off to a leadership camp at the Blue Lake Centre outside Hinton. There I roomed with two other students leaders, Bruce Freadrich and Glen Rohatyn. As we unpacked, Bruce turned on his ghetto blaster and “A Matter of Trust” started to play. I remember how perfectly he lip synced and danced to that song. It was pretty cool, and a great ice breaker.
“This is the Time” cracked the top 20 as well, peaking at number 18. There was one more single from “The Bridge”, “Baby Grand” which Joel performed with Ray Charles. It charted too, going to number 75.
Accidental album
As my high school years got busier and busier, I paid less attention to Columbia House. They employed a concept called negative billing. Instead of the customer ordering something, being sent it and paying for it, Columbia House automatically sent you their selection of the month and billed you for it, unless you told them otherwise. Once it arrived, you could send it back, at your own cost, without buying it.
As my high school years got busier and busier, I paid less attention to Columbia House. They employed a concept called negative billing. Instead of the customer ordering something, being sent it and paying for it, Columbia House automatically sent you their selection of the month and billed you for it, unless you told them otherwise. Once it arrived, you could send it back, at your own cost, without buying it.
A couple times I forgot and the albums came. One I sent back, and one I kept. I sent back a James Taylor album, but the one I kept was from Billy Joel. It actually came when I had already gone off to university.
It was called “Kohuept” and was his second live album, released in 1987. It was on vinyl, so I asked my sister to record it for me onto tape. When she gave the record and tape to me, she said that not only was “Kohuept” good, but it was interesting to listen to. Billy Joel talked through an interpreter to the audience in the Soviet Union. One new single came off that album, “Back in the U.S.S.R.”, but it did not chart.
Ironically, I did not listen to that tape for another 12 years. I got this job doing a graveyard run driving a delivery truck, and I listened to tapes to pass the time. That’s when I finally listened to “Kohuept”, and it was awesome.
Really good – for buying it by accident.
Number one again
In 1989, Billy Joel released the single “We Didn’t Start the Fire” from his next album “Storm Front”. It is one of the coolest songs I have ever heard. It lists major cultural, entertainment, news and sports events and people. It went all the way to number one on the Billboard Hot 100 and was nominated for a Grammy for Record of the Year.
In 1989, Billy Joel released the single “We Didn’t Start the Fire” from his next album “Storm Front”. It is one of the coolest songs I have ever heard. It lists major cultural, entertainment, news and sports events and people. It went all the way to number one on the Billboard Hot 100 and was nominated for a Grammy for Record of the Year.
I was in my third year of Education at the University of Alberta, which meant we had our second round of student teaching. Everyone teaching social studies that year used “We Didn’t Start the Fire” or wanted to use it because of the way it detailed history.
There was another single, “I Go To Extremes” off “Storm Front” that was released, and went all the way to number six on the Billboard Hot 100.
The ‘80s had been quite a decade for Billy Joel.
The years after
He kept recording and releasing music for another five years or so, then disappeared. Most notably, I recall the song “The River of Dreams” from 1993 off the album of the same name. The song peaked at number three, and is Billy Joel’s last top 10 single to date.
He kept recording and releasing music for another five years or so, then disappeared. Most notably, I recall the song “The River of Dreams” from 1993 off the album of the same name. The song peaked at number three, and is Billy Joel’s last top 10 single to date.
I remember the song because it was used to advertise my old favourite radio station LA-107. It had been re-named “The River”, with a new middle of the road play list.
Parting thoughts
Billy Joel's new song is called “Turn the Lights Back On”.
Billy Joel's new song is called “Turn the Lights Back On”.
Through the magic of the Internet and YouTube, I have been able to listen to Billy Joel’s live performance of his new song at the 2024 Grammys over and over. In fact, I had recorded the Grammys and rewound that recording several times to listen to the “Turn the Lights Back On”.
It is such a great song, and follows in the Billy Joel tradition.
Not only is it yet another great song, but reminded me of so many of the songs that came before it.
It is true, the piano man plays on.
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