A bottle of red... a bottle of white... whatever kind of mood you're in, we're talking Billy Joel tonight!Pull up a table and join Kirk for a long look into one of Joel's most enduring songs, the seven-and-a-half minute, five course musical meal that is "Scenes from an Italian Restaurant." The centerpiece on Joel's breakthrough 1977 album The Stranger, Italian Restaurant has got it all: schmaltzy sax, hard rock rhythms, love, heartbreak, and a pair of harmonized clarinets. Written by: Billy JoelProduced by: Phil RamoneAlbum: The Stranger (1977)Listen/Buy: Apple Music | Amazon | SpotifyFEATURED/DISCUSSED:"Movin' Out (Anthony's Song)," "Just The Way You Are," "Vienna," "Only The Good Die Young," and "She's Always a Woman to Me" by Billy Joel from The Stranger, 1977Joel discussing Phil Ramone in The Complete Albums Collection documentary: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sm5-oQNENnM“Bohemian Rhapsody” by Freddie Mercury and Queen from A Night at the Opera, 1975“One Angry Dwarf and 200 Solemn Faces” by Ben Folds from Whatever and Ever Amen, 1997“You Never Can Tell” by Chuck Berry, 1964“Jack and Diane” by John Mellencamp from American Fool, 1982“Born to Run” by Bruce Springsteen from Born to Run, 1975OUTRO SOLOIST: Steve PardoThis episode's outro soloist is the one and only Steve Pardo. Steve is a Nashville, TN based producer, composer, and saxophonist. You can find out more at his website: https://www.stevepardo.com/STRONG MERCHVisit the Strong Songs merch store for some cool t-shirts, mugs, totes, and more: store.strongsongspodcast.comKEEP IT SOCIALYou can follow Strong Songs on Twitter @StrongSongs: http://twitter.com/strongsongsAnd you can find Kirk on Twitter @Kirkhamilton and on Instagram at @Kirk_Hamilton: https://www.instagram.com/kirk_hamilton/NEWSLETTER/MAILING LISTSign up for Kirk's mailing list to start getting monthly-ish newsletters with music recommendations, links, news, and extra thoughts on new Strong Songs episodes: https://kirkhamilton.substack.com/subscribeSTRONG PLAYLISTSKirk has condensed his Strong Songs picks into a single new list, which you can find on Spotify and Apple Music, and YouTube Music.SUPPORT STRONG SONGS ON PATREON!Thanks to all of Strong Songs' Patrons! You're the reason I'm able to keep the show going strong and ad-free. If you want to join the Patreon, go here: https://Patreon.com/StrongSongsAUGUST 2021 WHOLE-NOTE PATRONS

Rob BosworthJosh PearsonKyle CookeDonald MackieMelissa OsborneChristopher MillerTim ByrnePatrick FunstonJamie WhiteChristopher KupskiChristopher McConnellJoshua JarvisNikoJoe LaskaLaurie AcremanKen HirshJezJenness GardnerSimon CammellGuinevere BoostromNarelle HornNathaniel BauernfeindBill RosingerAnne BrittDavid ZahmErinAidan CoughlanJeanneret Manning Family FourDoug PatonRobert PaulViki DunDave SharpeChrister LindqvistSami SamhuriAccessViolationRyan TorvikMerlin MannFraserGlennJim ChokeyAndre BremerMark SchechterDave FloreyDan ApczynskiAUGUST 2021 HALF-NOTE PATRONSAndy PainterKaren LiuGreg BurgessAilie FraserSimon PrietoBreck JonesPaul McGrealKaren ArnoldNATALIE MISTILISJosh SingerPhino DeLeonSchloss Edward J. MDRhyanon MurrayAmy Lynn ThornsenAdam WKelli BrockingtonStephen RawlingsBen MachtaVictoria YuKevin RiversGray DyerBrad ClarkChristopherMichael J. CunninghamKari KirkMark Boggsmino caposselaSteve PaquinMary SchoenmakerSarahDavid JoskeEmma SklarBernard KhooMarcRobert HeuerMatthew GoldenBrian MeldrumDavid NoahGeraldine ButlerRichard CambierMadeleine MaderFernando RodriguezTimothy DoughertyJason PrattStewart OakCaroline MillerAbbie BergSam NortonNicole SchleicherDoug BelewDermot CrowleyAchint SrivastavaRyan RairighMichael Bermanstephen matthewsBridget LyonsOlivia BishopJohn GisselquistElaine MartinKourothSharon TreeBelinda Mcgrath-steerEoin de BurcaKevin PotterM Shane BordersPete SimmShawn McCarthyDallas HockleyJana JJason GerryRich RoskopfMelissa GalloNathan GouwensWill Dwyer Alethea LeeLauren ReayEric PrestemonCookies250Spencer ShirleyDamian BradyAngela LivingstoneJeff