Billy Joel - The Stranger - 1977

This is going to be a reoccurring theme - another artist, album that I should have been exposed to growing up but never actively heard or tried to dive into.

I chose this album because Vienna is one of my favorite songs at the moment. I heard it for the first time (that I can remember) watching The Politician on Netflix with Ben Platt. His version was nice, but the song only made sense for the context of the episode. It caught my ear again while mindlessly listening to a Spotify radio playlist for You Really Got a Hold on Me in November. The story caught my ear. “You’re so ambitious for a juvenile… tell me why are you so afraid… What’s the hurry about? You better cool it off before you burn out… You’ve got so much to do and only so many hours in a day…” You get the point. The song was screaming at me.

Anyway, I knew I wanted to choose Billy Joel for this, so this album was a no brainer.

Maybe because I wanted to understand the context of the album after harping over a single for so long, but the stories in these songs are what stuck out to me the most. Opening with moving out, starting a new life, becoming independent. Music matching this exciting fast paced vibe. That guitar riff of quick notes in the chorus leading into the ma ma ma ma… I don’t know what I’m trying to say lol. I guess that this one just feels like someone’s about to start a journey and the music matches the anticipation. Like he’s leaving because he doesn’t agree with how life is being lived here.

The Stranger… the album cover and title. I’m into the spooky tone this one has and the fade intro and outro with the piano and whistling. Kind of masking what the real tone and sound of the song is. Stick around long enough to find out what’s really inside or skip to the next song.

Scenes from an Italian Restaurant … love the jazz.

Overall these are all songs and stories that are incredibly relatable and timeless. I guess that’s why everyone loves him. You can’t go wrong.

I did a very quick read of Rolling Stone’s song by song review for the 40th anniversary, and just fell in love with the story behind Vienna. Still my favorite song. Also obsessed with the story behind She’s Always A Woman. How sweet. Pretty badass in my eyes.