I have always suspected that certain musicians, Bill Joel and Paul Simon come to mind, resent being told by fans that one of their earlier albums remains a great favorite. Both Joel & Simon have graduated, apparently, from musician to artist and I imagine they would prefer that their fans share and appreciate their development and evolution. However, the album listener is not burdened by the pains of artistic growth. Rather, the music that I heard at a certain time in my life remains frozen in time and memory. For me, the Stranger is the best album Joel ever recorded. It has been a long time since I actually sat down and listened to the entire Stranger album. I had forgotten how good it was. Every song works. Even "Just the way you are" which became one of the all-time vomit inducing wedding songs of the '70s sounds good in the context of this album. I still care about Brenda and Eddie. I grew up in Queens at the same time Joel was growing up in Long Island. I knew Brenda and Eddie - or lots of people who could pass for Brenda and Eddie. Only the good die young still has that parochial school resonance and lust-driven undertones that it had almost 30 years ago. So sit down - have a bottle of red, have a bottle of white - it all depends on your appetite - and enjoy this great cd.

Billy Joel had tasted some success before the release of The Stranger, with the hit single "Piano Man", but this is the album that made him a superstar. The album is a virtual greatest hits record with most of the 9 songs being instantly recognizable. The songs move from sentimental ballads like "Just The Way You Are" (which won the 1978 Record of the Year Grammy) and "She's Always A Woman" to rockers like "Only The Good Die Young" and "Anthony's Song". "The Stranger" is a strange combination of what seems like two different songs. It opens and closes with a jazzy piano riff while the middle of the song is a hard rocker. "Vienna" is one of the lesser known songs on the album, but is a personal favorite of mine with it's sing-a-long chorus and what sounds like an old squeeze box in the break. The centerpiece of the album is "Scenes From An Italian Restaurant" which tells the story of the rise and fall of Brenda & Eddie. Some of the songs may be a bit overplayed, but the reason is that they're great and timeless songs.

I had no memory of Billy Joel until the winter of 1977-78 (sure, I had heard songs like "Piano Man" and "NY State of Mind", but didn't know who sang or wrote them). "Just the Way You Are", one of the most intelligent love songs ever (supposedly written for his 1st wife- don't request it live!) changed that. 3 months later, "Moving Out" (which opens this album) hit the airwaves, a catchy but cynical song about characters like Anthony and Sgt. O'Leary who just can't seem to "get a life". With that, my sister came home with the record,and it became a favorite amongst all my siblings. To this day, it still sounds as versatile and poignant.

The title track starts out with a slow piano shuffle with a melancholy whistle, then breaks out in a funky guitar lick- this song is about all of us: "We all have a face... some are satin, some are steel... they're the faces of the stranger but we love to try them all!". "Vienna" is a winsome ballad (with its European sounding accordian). "Only the Good Die Young" is a catchy shuffle, which makes of fun of religious hypocricy. "She's Always a Woman" is one of the most cynical love songs ever written with a lovely waltz beat. "Get it Right the 1st Time" with its Latino flavor and positive lyrics changes the mood to being hopeful. The "final" track is "Everybody Has a Dream", supposedly one of the older songs (at least written, not performed, since the copyright goes back to 1971, 6 years before the album's release). And then, there's the hidden track, a reprise of "The Stranger".

I thought I'd save my comments about the best song for last: "Scenes from an Italian Restaurant". The slow introduction and conclusion capture the restaurant mood perfectly (you'd have to have eaten in an Italian restaurant in New York to know what I'm talking about). Then after the saxophone riff, the mood picks up as Billy Joel reminisces about the old days and shares in the small talk about Brenda and Eddie, 2 high school lovebirds, with the singalong chorus: "Whoa- oh!".

This is indeed one of rare albums that is a must have for any serious collector of today's music! Joel's brilliance and talent shines throughout the entire CD. He has a very talented band, too! Not only are these great songs with entertaining lyrics and melodies, Joel uses these songs to portray common life experiences for people in today's world: Anger, disillusionment, the struggle to be truly vulnerable with a lover, despair, love for another, the temptation of drugs, raw sexuality and hope for the future. (In "Movin' Out," "The Stranger," "Scenes From An Italian Restaurant," "Just The Way You Are," "Scenes From An Italian Restaurant," "Only The Good Die Young," and "Everybody Has A Dream," respectively.) It is Joel's treatment of these natural human emotions and experiences coupled with great music and lyrics that makes this a stellar album.

Billy Joel gained much status as a result of this album-deservedly so! I recommend this for ANYBODY who wants an excellent instant classic addition to their collection! A BUY! GRIN

I am 14 years old, and this is my all-time favorite CD! Everyone my age is either into punk or hip-hop, but I'll take Billy Joel any day! All of the songs on this CD are awesome, all my personal favorites! Vienna is my favorite, but the rest are great, also. This is the perfect CD to listen to when you want to relax- I always do after school to unwind. There are relaxing songs and upbeat songs, so you can't go wrong. No matter what kind of mood your in, there is a song on here for you. This is an awesome CD and a must-have for any Billy Joel fan. ALL BILLY JOEL FANS WILL LOVE AND APPRECIATE THE CD. ONCE AGAIN I WILL SAY, ITS BILLY JOEL AT HIS BEST!