Billy Joel
1977
Tracks
1. Moving Out
2. Just The Way You Are
3. Scenes From An Italian Restaurant
4. Vienna
5. Stranger
6. Only The Good Die Young
7. She's Always A Woman
8. Get It Right The First Time
9. Everybody Has A Dream
I expected to absolutely love this album because who doesn't love Billy Joel? I dare anyone to hear "Only the Good Die Young" on the radio and not sing along. It will like the Ice Bucket challenge but more interesting to watch. However, with the exception of "Moving Out", I got a pretty sexist vibe from this album without the benefit of any good beats.
Younger people will probably immediately think of Bruno Mars when they hear the song title "Just the Way You Are". For the unaware, Mars' song describes how beautiful his girlfriend is, even though she doesn't always think so. Joel's song, though, has a slightly less touching vibe. Here are some of the lyrics:
I don't want clever conversation
I never want to work that hard
I just want someone that I can talk to
I want you just the way you are.
Is he calling her stupid? Or I am being sensitive? Will his next song be about how women are really sensitive? He is still doing music, right?
"Only the Good Die Young" is such a fun song that it makes up for the rest of the album being blah. Almost.
RATING: 3/5
I really enjoyed all the songs on this album. I agree--I have to sing along with Only the Good Die Young. I was raised Catholic and attended Catholic schools for 12 years, so I always pretend the song is about me. ahem. I don't think he is being sexist in Just the Way You Are--perhaps he is more lazy than anything else. I thought other songs on the album were romantic.
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