This is the first Billy Joel album that I was really into. Of course, I was already familiar with some of the bigger hits like Say Goodbye to Hollywood and New York State of Mind. But Summer, Highland Falls has got to be one of my favorite BJ songs. I love the poetry of this song. He captures the monotony of relationships but in such a way that you see that it is just the natural highs and lows that we all experience in any relationship. I love the beginning...They say that these are not the best of times... Makes me think of Charles Dickens and his Tale of Two Cities - it was the best of times, it was the worst of times. Only Billy can use Dickens with such panache. Of course, I've Loved these Days continues his poetry theme. I reallly like that he doesn't need to 'dumb down' the lyrics for the masses. An intellectual can enjoy his use of vocabulary without listening to an artist resort to profanity to get the message across. A welcome break from the lack of intellectual gymnastics that most exhibit today in their songs. And rounding out a top to bottom great album is Miami 2017. Who could have predicted such a disaster would befall NYC and America 25 years later? I know the song references others events in NYC history but we can all take a little of that song and apply it to more recent events. I can't leave out the musicality that Billy uses to such great effect. He and the band know when to supply the right rise and fall that give even more meaning to the song. I really love listening to his instrumental songs because you get an even deeper feel for the emotion of the song. A true artist!
joelsgirl
Replies for this Album
THE BEST I BELIEVE!
A real masterpiece
This is the first Billy Joel album that I was really into. Of course, I was already familiar with some of the bigger hits like Say Goodbye to Hollywood and New York State of Mind. But Summer, Highland Falls has got to be one of my favorite BJ songs. I love the poetry of this song. He captures the monotony of relationships but in such a way that you see that it is just the natural highs and lows that we all experience in any relationship. I love the beginning...They say that these are not the best of times... Makes me think of Charles Dickens and his Tale of Two Cities - it was the best of times, it was the worst of times. Only Billy can use Dickens with such panache. Of course, I've Loved these Days continues his poetry theme. I reallly like that he doesn't need to 'dumb down' the lyrics for the masses. An intellectual can enjoy his use of vocabulary without listening to an artist resort to profanity to get the message across. A welcome break from the lack of intellectual gymnastics that most exhibit today in their songs. And rounding out a top to bottom great album is Miami 2017. Who could have predicted such a disaster would befall NYC and America 25 years later? I know the song references others events in NYC history but we can all take a little of that song and apply it to more recent events. I can't leave out the musicality that Billy uses to such great effect. He and the band know when to supply the right rise and fall that give even more meaning to the song. I really love listening to his instrumental songs because you get an even deeper feel for the emotion of the song. A true artist!
joelsgirl
Turnstiles
This was the first masterpiece album by an artist that would soon become a household name.