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Information About

The Stranger (album)




  Type Album
  Artist Billy Joel
  Cover Billy_Joel_-_The_Strangerjpg
  Background orange
  Released September , 1977
  Recorded A & R Recording, Inc, New York City
  Genre Rock
  Length 40:17
  Label Columbia
  Producer Phil Ramone
  Reviews <nowiki></nowiki>
  Last Album '' Turnstiles '' <br /> (1976)
  This Album '''''The Stranger''''' <br /> (1977)
  Next Album '' 52nd Street '' <br /> (1978)


''The Stranger'' is the fifth studio album by Billy Joel , released in 1977 (see 1977 In Music ). While his four previous albums were moderately successful, this was his breakthrough album, peaking at #2 on the U.S. album charts. It remains Joel's best-selling non-compilation album to date.

Singles released from the album include "Just The Way You Are," the acoustic ballad "She's Always A Woman," the mildly controversial "Only The Good Die Young," and "Movin' Out (Anthony's Song)," which was later used as the theme song of the Broadway Musical based on Billy Joel's songs.

This album overtook Simon And Garfunkel 's Bridge Over Troubled Water album to become the best-selling album on the Columbia Records imprint at the time. It was also the last Billy Joel album to carry the "Family Productions" logo, satisfying the terms of his 1974 contract buyout.


TRACK LISTING

all songs by Billy Joel

# " Movin' Out (Anthony's Song) " - 3:30
# "The Stranger" - 5:10
# " Just The Way You Are " - 4:50
# "Scenes From An Italian Restaurant" - 7:37
# "Vienna" - 3:34
# " Only The Good Die Young " - 3:55
# "She's Always A Woman" - 3:21
# "Get It Right The First Time" - 3:57
# "Everybody Has A Dream" - 9:08


PERSONNEL

  • Billy Joel - acoustic Piano , vocals, electric keyboards, Synthesizer s

  • Doug Stegmeyer - Bass Guitar

  • Liberty DeVitto - Drums

  • Richie Cannata - tenor and soprano Saxophone s, Clarinet , Flute , Organ

  • Steve Khan - six and Twelve String Electric Guitars , acoustic Rhythm Guitar , high string guitar

  • Hiram Bullock - Electric Guitar

  • Patrick Williams - Orchestration

  • Ralph MacDonald - Percussion on "The Stranger", "Just The Way You Are", "Get It Right The First Time" and "Everybody Has A Dream"

  • Hugh McCracken - Acoustic Guitar on "Just The Way You Are", "Scenes From An Italian Restaurant", "She's Always A Woman", "Get It Right The First Time" and "Everybody Has A Dream"

  • Steve Burgh - acoustic guitar on "Just The Way You Are" and "She's Always A Woman"; electric guitar on "Scenes From An Italian Restaurant"

  • Phil Woods - Alto Saxophone on "Just The Way You Are"

  • Dominic Cortese - Accordian on "Scenes From An Italian Restaurant" and "Vienna"

  • Richard Tee - organ on "Everybody Has A Dream"

  • Phoebe Snow - background vocals on "Everybody Has A Dream"

  • Lani Groves - background vocals on "Everybody Has A Dream"

  • Gwen Guthrie - background vocals on "Everybody Has A Dream"

  • Patti Austin - background vocals on "Everybody Has A Dream"



CHARTS

Album - '''The Stranger'''