Songs in the Attic

Artist: Billy Joel
Label: Sony/Columbia
Category: Music

Average customer rating:

Format: Import
Media: Audio CD
Number Of Discs: 1
EAN: 5099749118720
ASIN: B00002467G

Release Date: 1999-01-04

Songs in the Attic

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Tracks:

Miami 2017 (Seen the Lights Go Out on Broadway)
Summer, Highland Falls
Streetlife Serenader
Angelenos
She's Got a Way
Everybody Loves You Now
Say Goodbye to Hollywood
Captain Jack
You're My Home
Ballad of Billy the Kid
I've Loved These Days

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Turnstiles [Enhanced Version]
The Nylon Curtain
Streetlife Serenade
52nd Street
Cold Spring Harbor

Amazon.com essential recording

After the megasuccess of The Stranger, 52nd Street, and Glass Houses, Billy Joel decided to draw attention to his often underheard early catalog by re-recording a number of titles on the road. The result was <I>Songs in the Attic</I>, which entertainingly offered a wide variety of tunes, from the melodrama of "Captain Jack" and "Miami 2017" to the tender "She's Got a Way." The latter became something of a standard, seeming to confirm the impulse behind this album. <I>--Rickey Wright</I>

Customer Reviews:

A deserving mixture of early Billy Joel songs performed live .......2007-04-04

THE BAND: Billy Joel (piano, vocals, harmonica), Russel Javors (guitars), David Brown (guitars), Ritchie Cannata (sax, flute, organ), Doug Stegmeyer (bass), Liberty DeVito (drums & percussion).

THE DISC: (1981) 11 tracks clocking in at approximately 48 minutes. Included with the disc is a 5-page foldout containing song titles/credits, song lyrics, assorted family photos of Joel'S childhood, brief notes from producer Phil Ramone & Billy Joel, what songs came from which albums and where these live recordings took place. All songs recorded on tour during 1980; all music & lyrics written by Billy Joel. Digitally remastered in 1998. Label - Columbia / Sony.

ALBUM REPRESENTATION: Cold Spring Harbor (2 songs), Piano Man (3), Streetlife Serenader (2), Turnstiles (4). Songs recorded in various cities: Boston, NYC, Philadelphia, Washington DC, Chicago, St. Paul, Milwaukee.

COMMENTS: I wore this vinyl LP out in decades ago, mainly due to the opening songs "Miami 2017" and "Los Angelenos". For Billy Joel, I thought these two particular songs rocked pretty well. And, they sounded so much better than the studio version from "Turnstiles" and "Streetlife Serenader" respectively. For that matter, ALL the tracks here on "Songs From The Attic" come alive... much more so than their studio recordings. In the same likeness to some of Peter Frampton's early studio material... the 'live' stuff simply sounded jumped out at the listener. The sole purpose of this album was to re-introduce some of Joel's earlier material to the folks that got into Billy Joel after his multi-platinum award winning "The Stranger" came out. Recordings ranged from the packed thousands at Madison Square Garden, to several small intimate performances containing only a few hundred fans. The remastered sound is crisp and the songs still sound fresh decades later. The name "Billy Joel" will always steal the headlines, but his band of unknowns (to most of us listeners) need to be recognized. From the Piano Man's incredible piano playing, the sax on "Say Goodbye To Hollywood", the guitars (especially the cool solo on "Streetlife Serenader"), and the solid drums (highlights are "Miami 2017" and "The Ballad Of Billy The Kid") - a very tight and accomplished band. This is a must have for Billy Joel fans (4.5 stars).

Stunning live set upstages early recordings.......2006-09-10

Truly great live albums are as rare as hen's teeth when scrutinised closely, but this 1981 live recording from Billy Joel could very well be the greatest of them all.

Why? Well, the hardest task in producing a live album is to give it a character of it's own, unique from the albums from which it's songs are derived. It's a great challenge for a live album to hold it's own in the face of better production in the studio, and to give it 'authenticity' when so many of the live elements are doctored with later production. 'Songs in the Attic' packs a punch that it's studio sources cannot match. The reasons for this are owing to four elements:

i) Joel and Producer Phil Ramone went for Joel's 'undiscovered' tracks - the songs that predated BJ's ascendency to fame with the massive success of 'The Stranger' in 1977. By eschewing the last 5 years of hits, the 'Songs in the Attic' album captured fresh and definitive versions of reasonably unheard tracks. Most importantly, these were genuinely great compositions that deserved to be reassessed in the wake of Joel's newfound fame.

ii) These were the first versions of these songs to feature Joel's live band. Ramone knew that Joel's band had the character and passion to belt out better versions of these tracks than the more insipid original studio recordings. It's a rare claim, but I can say without any concessions that these are perfect live performances from the musicians; particularly by De Vito's pounding, atmospheric drumming and Richie Cannata's brilliant multi-instrumental work. There are no better versions of any of these songs on any other live or studio album. 'Captain Jack', 'Miami 2017' and 'I've loved these days' send chills up your spine, and there is NO filler on this record.

iii) So often futzed on live albums, Ramone's production work and mixing here is astonishingly perfect. He wouldn't have done better in a studio. In fact, Ramone's taste for an overly-clean studio sound was nicely tempered by the grit of the live environment. Unwittingly, it might have actually added a dimension to his production style. The decision to capture some tracks in a stadium setting and others in an intimate club works superbly as a production motif.

iv) Billy Joel is caught here at the absolute peak of his powers, both as a singer and instrumentalist. He's completely 'in touch' with the meaning of these songs and the passion is so overt, it can't help but grab you. Anyone intrigued by what has driven Joel's illustrious career should start with this album. It's where he tells all of his old secrets.

This album is so utterly unique it almost deserves to be compared more with his studio output than his other live albums. There are no hits here (excepting perhaps 'Say Goodbye to Hollywood') but every track is magnificent. If you want a live version of his hits, go for the fantastic new release '12 Gardens' (2006). Whilst being a terrific showcase for Joel's hits, it's not quite the equal of the transcendent, perfect live experience of 1981's 'Songs in the Attic' which is unlikely to be equalled by any artist soon.

Flawless.......2006-07-20

I'm not kidding. I think this is probably the best live CD I own. I had no idea what I was getting into when I bought this, and did so on somewhat of a whim. The entire CD is incredible, not a weak track on there. The sound quality is astounding, the shows were recorded so well you often forget you are listening to a live performance (and the remastering sounds good too). But really its Billy and the band that make the album what it is, and this disc contains versions of Billy's songs that have never sounded better. Yes, I would say all the songs on this CD are far superior to their original album versions (which were excellent to begin with), especially tracks like Ballad Of Billy The Kid and Miami 2017. Do yourself a favor and get this CD, its only 9.99 and you won't be disappointed. Oh and listen to it LOUD. On a good system. Then pick your jaw up off the floor.

You're My Home.......2006-03-15

We bought the CD because You're My Home is our wedding song, but there are so many great songs that you don't hear on the radio on this disc. For my money, it's the best Billy Joel disc for true fans of the man, not the fans who just love the hits.

A Unique Way To Showcase Earlier Works.......2005-09-16

Billy Joel enjoyed a run of mega hit albums in the late 70's, that capped off with 1980's release Glass Houses (see my review). Songs from these albums; The Stranger, 52nd Street, and the aforementioned Glass Houses became concert staples, yet Billy always included a number of his earlier songs in concert, and as the liner notes state, these songs always enjoyed a great reception. At this point in his career, Billy was also adament that he was not ready to release a greatest hits album.

The solution?, a live disk that would showcase his songs, PRE Stranger album, and he selected songs appropriate for a live reading. As Billy also stated in this albums liner notes he did not inlcude songs that would not "translate" well in a live setting. This is why Piano Man is not featured here, yet Captain Jack is.

The arena impact of Miami 2017, Say Goodbye To Hollywood, and The Ballad of Billy The Kid, balance the intimate environs set for Summer Highland Falls, She's Got A Way, and Your My Home.

An added treat from this album was hearing 2 of the songs
from the Cold Spring Harbor album (She's Got A Way, and Everybody Loves You Now), since at the point that this disk was released, those of us lucky to have had a vinyl copy of Cold Spring Harbor had to "imagine" what these tracks sounded like for real since the pressings of Cold Spring Harbor were recorded too fast and thus Billy sounded in spots like one of the Chipmuncks.

The final track is my favorite, and I Loved These Days, seemed to be foreshadowing on Billy's part, that his musical career would take new directions with is next studio album (which it did).

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