"Piano Man," Billy Joel's 1st album for Columbia Records, was released in November of 1973. And now, almost 38 years to the day, we get "Piano Man: Legacy Edition."
After his first album, "Cold Spring Harbor" was released to little acclaim via an independent label, Billy Joel decided to take a break and immerse himself in the world of playing and singing at a piano bar. It is during this time that the songs which would become the "Piano Man" album were born.
Joel was asked to record a live radio concert for WMMR in Philadelphia. During this broadcast Joel played a few unreleased songs including "Captain Jack." This live version of "Captain Jack" went on to become a highly requested song at WMMR and became a minor underground hit. Because of this song Joel was invited to audition for Columbia Records and was signed to the label. His first effort was the aforementioned... "Piano Man."
"Piano Man" is a classic album from start to finish and without a doubt one of Joel's best recorded efforts. 10 songs and not a bad one in the bunch. Classic concert and radio standards such as the title track, "Captain Jack" and "the Ballad Of Billy The Kid" are interspersed with lesser known masterpieces like "You're My Home," "Ain't No Crime" & "If I Only Had The Words (To Tell You)."
"Piano Man" harkens back to a time when artists made albums (not just singles) and Joel has always been an "albums" artist. Sure the hits eventually came -- but Joel wasn't looking to write just hits. He wanted a full album that you could experience from start to finish. That's probably why there are very few (almost zero) unreleased Billy Joel songs. Joel would simply write 10 songs and then record them. That was it. That was the album.
Disc 2 of "Piano Man: Legacy Edition" contains the never before released on CD, vintage, radio concert recorded in 1972 for Philadelphia Radio Station WMMR. Of the 23 LIVE tracks on Disc 2, 12 are actual songs while the other 11 tracks are song intros and stage banter. The stage banter is sometimes cute, smug and down right nauseating as then 22 year-old Joel took great pleasure in slurping his beer on mic. We get it Billy... you're drinking a beer over the airwaves!! Aside from that, the songs are great -- as is once again hearing Joel sing in his upper register. The concert also includes three songs (Rosalinda, Josephine & Long, Long, Time) that were never includes on any Billy Joel album, plus the LIVE version of "Captain Jack" that got him his Columbia recording contract.
"Piano Man" Legacy Edition" is a must-have for any music fan and is the perfect historical introduction to one of rock's great singer songwriters.
Drumroll please... 10 out of 10 pianos!!!
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