59 min listen
EP 054 - Album Retrospective: Piano Man
EP 054 - Album Retrospective: Piano Man
ratings:
Length:
67 minutes
Released:
Mar 1, 2022
Format:
Podcast episode
Description
Billy Joel’s second solo album included his most iconic song. And the one that provided his breakthrough success and pointed the way for his post-West Coast work. But surrounding the title track and "Captain Jack" are the sounds of a songwriter still finding his way. Fortunately for us, that path is still pretty exciting.
Released in 1973, Piano Man lays much of the blueprint for the hits to come. We hear great melodies, virtuosic piano playing, and a variety of styles. There’s also that flair for theatrical drama that earned him just as many comparisons to Great American Songbook-style writing as it did to rock and roll.
But, there are also country and gospel elements that Joel would soon abandon. And, the lyrical and songwriting skills that would provide him with dozens of hit records later were still developing here.
In fact, as we’ll learn, it was once slated to be his last album for a major label instead of the start of his ascent to global superstardom.
Despite all this, Piano Man is a record filled with big hits, classic songs, and fan favorites. And, it was an important step toward the turns Billy’s career would take in just a few short years.
Join us as we dig deep into Billy Joel’s major-label solo debut, Piano Man.
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Email us: glasshousespodcast@gmail.com
Glass Houses - A Billy Joel Podcast on the web / social media:
Website: http://www.glasshousespod.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/glasshousespodcast/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/glasshousespod/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/glasshousespod
Released in 1973, Piano Man lays much of the blueprint for the hits to come. We hear great melodies, virtuosic piano playing, and a variety of styles. There’s also that flair for theatrical drama that earned him just as many comparisons to Great American Songbook-style writing as it did to rock and roll.
But, there are also country and gospel elements that Joel would soon abandon. And, the lyrical and songwriting skills that would provide him with dozens of hit records later were still developing here.
In fact, as we’ll learn, it was once slated to be his last album for a major label instead of the start of his ascent to global superstardom.
Despite all this, Piano Man is a record filled with big hits, classic songs, and fan favorites. And, it was an important step toward the turns Billy’s career would take in just a few short years.
Join us as we dig deep into Billy Joel’s major-label solo debut, Piano Man.
-----
Email us: glasshousespodcast@gmail.com
Glass Houses - A Billy Joel Podcast on the web / social media:
Website: http://www.glasshousespod.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/glasshousespodcast/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/glasshousespod/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/glasshousespod
Released:
Mar 1, 2022
Format:
Podcast episode
Titles in the series (60)
EP 060 - MTV Night School 1982: Years before Billy Joel started doing master classes, and long before MTV stopped showing music videos, there was Night School. Broadcast in late 1982, Night School was a half-hour show on MTV where Billy fielded questions from an audience of young fa... by Glass Houses - A Billy Joel Podcast