Innocent Man, An [Remastered] - Billy Joel

Billy Joel's "An Innocent Man" was released in 1983 and we borrowed a copy. I was only 7 at the time. I eventually bought the album on cassette for myself in 1989 for the tremendous price of £3.99. Thank you, Woolworths!

The album has 10 tracks on which is quite short but it was typical of an album at that time. The range of styles is quite mixed, despite Billy writing all the words and music. Very few artistes can manage ...
.../> Track Two is "An Innocent Man". This is a quiet, jazzy pop song with an intro that almost steals in. The song is about a relationship break-up as well as a look at relationships in general. Billy yowls in the chorus that he is an innocent man in this break-up and we hear his full range of vocals. This is the sort of song best heard late at night. It's a tear-jerker and I love those little tinkly bells in the percussion.

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Billy Joel's "An Innocent Man" was released in 1983 and we borrowed a copy. I was only 7 at the time. I eventually bought the album on cassette for myself in 1989 for the tremendous price of £3.99. Thank you, Woolworths!

The album has 10 tracks on which is quite short but it was typical of an album at that time. The range of styles is quite mixed, despite Billy writing all the words and music. Very few artistes can manage that! All of the songs sound like the kind of music you would hear in a late-night bar, perhaps tinged with a bit of pop and jazz.

SIDE ONE

Track One is "Easy Money". This fast and furious song starts off with a pounding drum intro and has a funky piano backing. It's my least favourite track and I rarely listen to it. The subject matter seems to be about well, making easy money. "I'm a man who can't say no".

Track Two is "An Innocent Man". This is a quiet, jazzy pop song with an intro that almost steals in. The song is about a relationship break-up as well as a look at relationships in general. Billy yowls in the chorus that he is an innocent man in this break-up and we hear his full range of vocals. This is the sort of song best heard late at night. It's a tear-jerker and I love those little tinkly bells in the percussion.

Track Three is "The Longest Time". It's a great accapella track, in the style of barber-shop harmony. Billy's vocals are great as are the contributions from the backing singers who carry the tune. The song is about love and how he hopes to stay together for the "longest time". "I don't care what consequence it brings, I have been a fool for lesser things".

Superb.

Track Four is "This Night". The chorus samples some string arrangements from LV Beethoven and Billy puts them to good use. The song is about having misgivings about a relationship but how in the end they've been overcome and "this night, is ours, there's only you and I".

The strings in the chorus swirl beautifully and the doo-wop backing in the verse is a good contrast.

Track Five is "Tell Her About It". This is another jazzy/pop style fused with big band in a way. It's my favourite. "Tell her about it, tell her everything you feel, give her every reason to accept that you're for real".

It's a great sing-a-long track and wouldn't be out of place in a musical.

SIDE TWO

Track One "Uptown Girl" is very much in the style of Frankie Valli with its falsetto vocals. I think Billy planned it that way. It's a classic track and the video is a 1980s iconic image.

Track Two is "Careless Talk", which is another song performed in an old-fashioned style. The song is about people gossiping about your relationship. With its odd backing vocals and rolling piano arrangements, it may not be everyone's cup of tea.

Track Three is "Christie Lee". Billy Joel is an excellent story-teller. Whether or not he uses his own experiences or invents these scenarios is really irrelevant as this song is such a good tale. It's about a Christie Lee and Joe who perform in the local bar and what happened to their relationship. "Joe became a wino". It's a thumping piano tune with a great sax, adding to the light rock feel.

Track Four is "Leave A Tender Moment Alone" and I love this ballad. It's very calming after the previous song. The idea of not being able to communicate with a partner strikes a chord. "I'll say something so wrong, just to have something to say". Great harmonica breaks here as well.

Track Five is "Keeping The Faith" and it's about Billy's youth. "Seems like I've been lost in let's remember". It's a sort of light reggae/rock track and the idea of having to keep in with the crowd and look your best is something we all remember.

The cover to the album has Billy sitting rather sadly on the stairs of what is presumably an apartment block. This black and white picture sums up the fact that the album is about life and real things.

The album is available on CD. 

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