The Stranger

by Billy Joel

The Stranger cover art
  • Type: Album
  • Released: 29 September 1977
  • Label: Columbia, Family Productions
  • Country: United States
  • Length: 42:25
  • Community rating: 4.17/5 from 18 ratings

Album Notes & Community Reviews

Produced by Phil Ramone, 'The Stranger' marked Billy Joel's critical and commercial breakthrough by capturing the kinetic energy of his live touring band within a sophisticated studio framework. The album's songwriting presents a collection of detailed, character-driven vignettes about New York life, such as the multi-part epic 'Scenes from an Italian Restaurant,' balanced by iconic, smoothly-produced ballads including the Grammy-winning 'Just the Way You Are.' This combination of street-savvy storytelling, diverse musical arrangements, and pop craftsmanship cemented the album as a landmark of the singer-songwriter genre.

Genres

Descriptors: piano, storytelling, ballad, melodic, sophisticated

Tracklist

  1. Movin' Out (Anthony's Song) (3:30)
  2. The Stranger (4:50)
  3. Just the Way You Are (4:50)
  4. Scenes from an Italian Restaurant (7:36)
  5. Vienna (3:34)
  6. Only the Good Die Young (3:55)
  7. She's Always a Woman (3:21)
  8. Get It Right the First Time (3:56)
  9. Everybody Has a Dream (6:36)

Credits

  • Billy Joel - vocals, acoustic piano, fender rhodes piano, keyboards, synthesizers, music by, lyrics by, Primary Artist
  • Liberty DeVitto - drums
  • Doug Stegmeyer - bass
  • Richie Cannata - organ, tenor saxophone, soprano saxophone, clarinet, flute, tuba
  • Dominic Cortese - accordion
  • Richard Tee - organ
  • Hiram Bullock - electric guitar
  • Steve Khan - 6 and 12-string electric guitars, acoustic rhythm guitar, high-string guitar
  • Hugh McCracken - acoustic guitar
  • Steve Burgh - acoustic guitar, electric guitar
  • Ralph MacDonald - percussion
  • Phil Woods - alto saxophone
  • Gwen Guthrie - backing vocals
  • Lani Groves - backing vocals
  • Phoebe Snow - backing vocals
  • Patti Austin - backing vocals
  • Phil Ramone - producer, engineer
  • Patrick Williams - orchestration
  • Jim Boyer - engineer
  • Ted Jensen - mastering
  • Kathy Kurs - production assistance
  • Jim Houghton - photography

More from Billy Joel: full discography