Piano Man - BILLY JOEL****

Travelin' Prayer/Piano Man/Ain't No Crime/You're My Home/The Ballad Of Billy The Kid/Worse Comes To Worst/ Stop In Nevada/If Only I Had The Words (To Tell You)/Somewhere Along The Line/Captain Jack

Singer-songwriter Billy Joel’s second album Piano Man heralded his commercial breakthrough, although he would have to wait a few years before he became a megastar. The excellent title track is considered to be his signature tune. (US:27)

“This LP receives the most attention out of Billy's pre-Stranger albums because it contains his signature song, the album's title track. Yes, that song is an outright classic, and so is the sardonic Captain Jack.”

“An entire album full of classics. Absolutely love the title track, but the massive highlight has to be Captain Jack, what a cracker of a tune.”

“Captain Jack and The Ballad Of Billy The Kid are both superb tracks, great strings on the latter whilst the former is as hard hitting and evocative an expression of disillusionment as you will hear.”

“Piano Man may not be his best album but, make no mistake, it is very good. It not only sets the stage for what would follow, but it contains several songs as good as any he would produce. When exploring the music of Billy Joel, this is the place to start.”

“Every track tells a story, brings you into Joel's centre of gravity and not a second of space is not contemplated, nor is a single melody not living up to its full potential. Joel has a way of communicating solemn themes in a light-hearted, free and fun manner that enraptures the listener.”

“His early work is incredibly artistic, fresh, and poignant. Joel has always expressed his thoughts and feelings through his art, and his energy and drive show on this one. Piano Man is always the song he'll be known for, but these are all brilliant pieces of work here.”

“Piano Man featured some impressive songs, although there were a number of weak bits. The autobiographical title track is a stone cold classic but has suffered the unfortunate fate of being overplayed on classic rock radio.”

“The title track needs no introduction. Easily one of my all-time favourites, it's an incredible song, and makes up for a lot of the shortcomings of the album.”