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The Stranger
 
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The Stranger [Enhanced]

~ Billy Joel
4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
Price: £5.18 & this item Delivered FREE in the UK with Super Saver Delivery. See details and conditions
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The Stranger + 52nd Street + Turnstiles
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  • This item: The Stranger ~ Billy Joel

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  • 52nd Street ~ Billy Joel

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Product details

  • Audio CD (1 Jun 1998)
  • Number of Discs: 1
  • Format: Enhanced
  • Label: Columbia
  • ASIN: B000024BW6
  • Other Editions: Audio CD  |  MP3 Download
  • Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
  • Amazon.co.uk Sales Rank: 15,942 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

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Product Description

Amazon.co.uk Review

This, Billy Joel's breakthrough album, came years after he first made his mark with the novelty-ish "Piano Man". In the meantime, the New York-based songwriter released two lacklustre and stylistically confused platters that blunted interesting songs with a sound that was neither Elton mellow nor Elton attitude. Produced by Phil Ramone, The Stranger took those who had written Joel off as a one-hit wonder by surprise and it remains a solid introduction to Joel's restless muse at a crucial point in his career. It invited a few comparisons to Bruce Springsteen, with its prominent sax breaks, hard-edged rebel-rockers ("Only The Good Die Young") and slice-of-life dramatics ("Scenes From An Italian Restaurant"), recounting life in a lower middle-class setting; but Joel's chameleonic, formalist approach to pop wasn't to be so easily pigeonholed. --Don Harrison


CD Description

He's known to many as an inoffensive pop balladeer, but at the arguable peak of his career in the late '70s, Billy Joelreleased his darkest, most emotionally charged album. THE STRANGER abandons the grandstanding and broad melodic sweep of Joel's earlier records for a more intimate, introspective sound, effectively communicating Joel's ruminations on the perils of life and love. "Movin' Out" is something of an existentialist anthem, chronicling the way people's dreams are often irreparably crushed. The ominous-sounding title tune examines the many guises with which lovers disguise themselvesin their attempts to entrap and deceive each other. "Only the Good Die Young" is hedonism at it's most iconoclastic. Even "She's Always a Woman", ostensibly a romantic piano ballad, is full of thorny, less-than-complimentary observations about its subject. Joel's emotional honesty would never be this clear-eyed and unabashed again.

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Customer Reviews

6 Reviews
5 star:
 (5)
4 star:
 (1)
3 star:    (0)
2 star:    (0)
1 star:    (0)
 
 
 
 
 
Average Customer Review
4.8 out of 5 stars (6 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

 
8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars Contains some true all-time great songs., 13 Nov 2000
By Martin Isaac (London, UK) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   
Has Billy Joel ever written a song which is as true, and as fine a blend of by turns wistful and cutting lyrics with understated piano melody as "Always a woman"? Has anyone? Any man who's ever been out with a woman will recognise something in these lyrics. This is only one of several stand-out tracks on the album however. "Scenes from an Italian restaurant" brilliantly showcases three different styles of Joel's music on one track and the piano solo which introduces "Brenda and Eddy.." is worth the price of the CD itself. "Just the Way you are" is one of the classic love songs and has a genuine feel that the Barry White cover lost. There are a few tracks on the album which I consider fillers but these are more than compensated for by the above and also the likes of the "Moving Out" and "Only the Good Die Young".
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7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Pop Perfection, 2 Nov 2003
By KIRK (Durham, North East, UK) - See all my reviews
Musically, critically and commercially one of Billy Joel's finest albums 'The Stranger' has set standards of the popular song, it also shows a man very much on top form in the singer/songwriter category. With 'The Stranger' Joel has touched the pulse of pop perfection, and outcame such songs like 'Movin Out (Anthony's Song' - a fun narrative pop song with one of the most catchiest choruses I've ever heard. 'The Stranger' (a song on the album with the same name) - a dark funky rock song with an oriental guitar riff, not to mention the beautiful piano introduction. 'Just The Way You Are' - need I say no more.
'Scenes From An Italian Restaurant' is one of Joels best written songs, jazz, rock and roll and romance all thrown into this pop epic. It is Joels 'Bohemian Rhapsody' if you like. 'Vienna' is tranquil and poignant and 'She's Always A Woman' empathises with any man who's ever been in love, a song of such beauty and significance.
Melody, Harmony and Orchestration all have high standards and just pure enjoyment in this masterpiece.
This is a must have for Billy Joel fans, but even if you don't particularly like his work this is an elagant addition to anyones collection. A true classic from the Piano Man
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6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars The Stranger established Billy Joel as a star, 15 Mar 2000
By A Customer
When it came out in 1977, The Stranger became Billy Joel's first very successful reaching no.2 in the album charts. It produced Record of the Year, "Just the Way You Are" and many other great songs. After all 6 songs from this album has gone to his greatest hits. The album is further enhanced by its ongoing theme of The Stranger with it's mysterious tune and epilogue. This is a fantastic album and I recommend it.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars A classic album with no duds
A chance play of Just the Way you are on the radio instantly reminded me how much I used to love to play this album and 52nd Street as a spotty youth. Read more
Published 11 months ago by Mrs. Electra S. Thompson

5.0 out of 5 stars A classic, essential album
Billy Joel is the complete artist. A wonderful vocalist, a brilliant lyricist, an exceptional musician, an absolutely astounding pianist and an incredible performer. Read more
Published 15 months ago by A. Sweeney

5.0 out of 5 stars Outstanding album that made Billy famous
Billy's career had been building gradually prior to the release of this album, but this album made him a major star in America, spawning four hit singles, two of which (Just the... Read more
Published on 12 April 2005 by Peter Durward Harris

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