MINI REVIEW: BILLY JOEL "AN INNOCENT MAN"

Artist: Billy Joel
Album Title: An Innocent Man
Genre: Pop
1983
CBS Records

This review is also my entry for this week's Tuesday Tunes.

When did I buy it?: I bought this on one October 1, 2008. I was going to buy only Rockferry by Duffy, but decided to look around a bit after I found it. I had Billy Joel on my radar, and found a used copy of An Innocent Man. Of course I bought it! How could I not?

Why did I buy it?: This all started with the video for "The Longest Time." I've always enjoyed that song, and when I saw the video on TV I started listening to it quite a bit. That led me to look up Billy's other videos. I noticed that many of his good songs are from this album, and thought I should buy it someday.

What are the best songs?: There are so many! Let's start with the best, "An Innocent Man." Piano-driven, honest, passionate - this song is amazing. The lyrics are profound ("Some people see through the eyes of the old before they ever get a look at the young.") This is incredible stuff. Next up is "The Longest Time," which sounds like a cover of a doo-wop classic until you find out Billy Joel wrote it. It has a timeless quality that shows just how great Billy can work. He overdubbed all the background vocals. Once again, the lyrics are wonderful.

"This Night" is pure romance. The chorus melody is from Beethoven, but sounds very natural in the context of the rest of the song. "Tell Her About It" is a great deal of fun all the way through. Billy writes another set of great lyrics about talking to your lover and telling her how special he or she is. This song is an homage to the great old Motown hits, and you can tell Billy really did his homework on the style.

"Uptown Girl" is another fun one. Yes, it's cheesy, but just try to resist singing along. It's neat to hear Billy change his voice to near-falsetto for this Frankie Valli tribute. "Careless Talk" is another 50s homage. Here, you get a taste of the quality of Billy's singing voice. He's smooth. He can belt it out like no one's business.

Finally, "Keeping The Faith" sums everything up. Billy discusses the hows and whys of this album full of yesterday's sounds. He remembers the good times, but reminds you that "the good old days weren't always good and tomorrow ain't as bad as it seems."

Any bad stuff?: "Leave A Tender Moment Alone." It belongs with "Just The Way You Are." Everything else on this album is golden.

Overall thoughts: I can't remember the last time I've had such fun listening to an album. I can't remember the last time I've wanted to sing along to everything. I can't remember the last time the lyrics, music and voice on an album were all spectacular and sounding great. I know Billy Joel isn't quite "cool" anymore, but this album is too good to ignore. Billy might not have the best voice I've ever heard, but he can sing amazingly well. His voice can be sweet, passionate and rough all in the same song.

Billy's goal with this album was to bring back the sounds of his youth, or at least try them out himself. He absolutely succeeded. No matter how old you are, you have to appreciate the feelings these songs bring up. This album points to a time when music was fun and songs weren't vulgar or materialistic (well, OK, "Easy Money" excepted). Most of these songs are good, old-fashioned love songs, the kind they don't write anymore.

For one shining moment in 1983, they did write them like that again. We have Billy Joel to thank for that. If you appreciate good music, you owe it to yourself to hear this album. If you don't like at least half the songs on it, I will publicly apologize for being wrong.