Heres a look at his impressive musical legacy that has placed him in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, the Songwriters Hall of Fame, the Long Island Music Hall of Fame and now on the exclusive list of Kennedy Center honorees.Through a mastering error, the entire album was released at the wrong speed, which Joel has jokingly said made him sound like one of The Chipmunks.The error wasnt fixed until 1983, when the album was remastered properly and rereleased.Despite the sound problems, the album includes some of his most enduring work, including Shes Got a Way and Everybody Loves You Now.
However, Captain Jack, his frank depiction of apathetic, teenage suburban life, hits far harder. Its The Entertainer, his brutally honest summary of life in the music industry, that shows how Joel is a different kind of rock star, one willing to show some vulnerability. It was also the start of his partnership with producer Phil Ramone. He rocks hard on Big Shot, keeps up the piano pop on My Life and still touches the heart on the ballad Honesty. And with Its Still Rock and Roll to Me, Joel landed a hit while making an argument for inclusion. Allentown tunefully showed what happened to American cities after the death of manufacturing. Goodnight Saigon questioned the treatment of American war veterans. And Pressure captures the building intensity of work life in the go-go 80s. To balance all that angst, Joel turned to the work of the Beatles for some soothing sounds, even if the lyrics, such as the ones in Laura, were still cutting. Much of the album was a combination of his love for then-wife Christie Brinkley and his love of doo-wop groups, resulting in a string of memorable hits -- Tell Her About It, Uptown Girl, An Innocent Man, Keeping the Faith and The Longest Time -- that solidified his standing as rocks leading singer-songwriter of the time. It would have been even more impressive if it wasnt for a little album called Thriller. He has duets with Ray Charles (Baby Grand) and Cyndi Lauper (Code of Silence). He draws from the work of Sting (Running on Ice) and any number of new wavers (Modern Woman). Of course, the most lasting songs are the ones that sound most Joel-like -- the rocking A Matter of Trust and big-band-influenced Big Man on Mulberry Street. However, the country-tinged Shameless, the lovely piano ballad And So It Goes, the Long Island-centric anthem The Downeaster Alexa and the rocker I Go to Extremes all deserve to also be remembered. It turned out to be a strong final statement that has held up well, especially in concert where the title track has become nearly as indispensable as Piano Man. He started the year on national TV, performing songs live at his.
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