Billy Joel Catalog To Be Reissued, New "Hits" Compilation

Ditto the 45 of Sometimes A Fantasy.

 

It's very common for longtime stars to end up hating their first efforts. I guess they think they sound inexperienced or something. For that reason, I think we're lucky to have any version of Cold Spring Harbor out there, as I agree that it's a terrific album. One of my favorites of his, actually.

Any word on whether we can expect the compilation to include his B-side only version of "I'll Cry Instead"? That's one of my favorite Beatles covers.

 

How do you know? Look how good the Elvis Legacy CDs sound.

I just hope they had the good sense to put the actual single versions on the hits CD!

 

I do hope these include the single versions & B-sides.

 

I'm hoping Mark Wilder is the mastering guy for these.

 

Or Vic Anesini.

 

So...next logical question: does this mean that we might get digital versions of live at Wembley and Long Island, just for starters? Those are things that have been released officially at some point. What about the Songs in the Attic shows that were pro-shot at some point?

 

Don't really care for another greatest hits CD, especially since there's nothing we don't already have on that one.
I am however very much looking forward to the individual reissues of the catalog for the bonus content and of course the DVD's/Blu-rays.
Hopefully Billy will also go on an extensive tour next year to support all these projects.
Looks like 2011 should be a great year for Billy Joel fans!

 

Billy Joel is one of the few artists that a single CD hits package would never work for & I would only feel cheated if I got it so I won't. I would rather see a multi disc singles collection (original mixes) & a companion CD of what Billy Joel thought to be his best songs (without duplicates). Joni Mitchell did this back in 1996 with her "Hits" & "Misses" CD's.

 

I know. I was really hoping at the very least Live from Long Island would be announced. Oy!

dan c

 

And the bonus disc on the albums collection...guess I'm buying SOMETHING again. Possibly everything.

 

Problem is, the average consumer only knows a few hits from most artists, so they can get away with cramming as many top ten singles as possible in one CD and it would sell.

But, there are already too many Billy Joel comps out there now.

The only thing that would make me buy this new one is if they, for once, used the 45 versions. We'll just have to wait until Nov. 16, or for someone with advance copies, to know for sure.

 

It would make a great bonus track for the Innocent Man remaster.

 

Not as much as he hates 'We Didn't Start the Fire', which strangely made the comp?

 

Maybe he can't get past the fact that it was written about his ex-wife and all the negative stuff that happened with his ex-brother-in-law.

Still, it would make sense from a sales point-of-view.

 

Sorry, I strongly disagree. While the pitch on the original issue to wrong, the mix is OK and the songs are very good. It's one of my favorite Billy Joel albums, in fact.

I'd gladly buy a well-remastered version of Cold Spring Harbor--original mix, just fix the pitch. The reissued version that's out there is a travesty: futzed with, overdubbed, edited, lousy.

I'd rebuy the "deluxe" versions of the early albums (through Turnstiles) if they include complete live shows or substantial collections of demos/outtakes.

Starting with The Stranger, I'm not sure what he could include that would get me to rebuy...Well, a live show from The Nylon Curtain era, perhaps. Is there really that much unreleased stuff from this later era?

And PLEASE don't include any of that rot that comprised the final disc of the box set--dull, lifeless covers made for movie placement and crap like that...

 

If he was interested in sales, he would be writing new material. I cannot imagine he spent more than 10 minutes thinking of what songs to place on this.

You are right about that. Most of my Billy Joel favorites are songs that peaked outside the Top 10. I would say "The Essential Billy Joel" comes closest to the type of compilation you are describing but even that one has omissions.

 

Billy needed a comprehensive one-CD hits collection; this looks like it will do quite nicely. Just hope it isn't brickwalled to heck.

Evan

 

They were both major hits. Even though he hates them, it would be foolish to exclude them. Billy's not stupid or vain enough to do that...assuming he had input.

 

Not stupid, yes, but vain?!?

I for one have no interest in his (or almost any other artist's) compilations; I look forward to the re-releases should they have good bonus/live tracks and sound (!) good.

 

I imagine Joel once liked the songs, or else he never would have written, recorded them, or put them on the albums. I'll bet he grew to hate them simply because they are two songs the audiences will not let go of, pretty much like Stevie Wonder and "Isn't She Lovely".

 

I'm looking forward to the Legacy Editions for the extras. Hopefully these sets will be mastered well.

 

The Hits comp looks like it's supposed to be Billy's entry into the "Single-CD-Hits-Collection-That-Will-Always-Be-On-Sale" category. The omissions are glaring. At least The Beatles 1 had an "approach" behind it. This doesn't.

"Just The Way You Are" broke the guy. I was in radio then - I remember. "Piano Man" was 3 & a half years before. It peaked at #25 - i.e. it was not a big "hit". Only FM stations were playing it by '77 & his subsequent singles had not done well. Then "Just The Way You Are" is released & Columbia worked the hell out of it. It becomes a huge hit & launched his career into the stratosphere. To leave it off is a travesty.

I know there's not enough room for all of them if you are going for a single CD, but ....

Dexter

 

Me too.

Hopefully we'll get some concert DVDs also.
Live From Long Island anyone?

 

The BIG question now is this:

Does this put an end to the AF releases??? I know they were never going to be allowed to do them all - but I was hoping for maybe The Stranger - that would be "the big 3".

Dexter