Worst Song Billy Joel Ever Did (1 Viewer)

[Mr. Blue Sky]

I’m gonna have to say it’s a tie between We Didnt Start the Fire ... and Pressure

 

[Mr. Blue Sky]

I go extremes. fork that song.

Thank you! I knew there was one i didnt like, that I couldn’t think of.. as we can all agree, most of BJ’s output is top-notch, high quality stuff.. but there is some dreck like ‘Extremes’ to keep him humble.

 

[Mr. Blue Sky]

Sussusudio

Most definitely my least favorite PC song.. but i usually cant remember which songs are his solo work vs Genesis stuff; i know there are a few other duds, I’ll have to think on it.

 

[guidomerkinsrules]

Oooooohhhh...so close.

The answer we were looking for was Su-Su-Sussudio.

You're welcome for the earworm.

I was told I could just say the word

 

[rajncajn]

What are all of them, Alex?

 

[zatsnzapps]

I was told I could just say the word

They thought you might have trouble pronouncing it.

 

[tenordas]

Frankly, the entirety of Glass Houses.

That album was blasphemy.
How he suddenly went from a guy who wrote stuff like "Ballad of Billy the Kid", "New York State of Mind", "Angry Young Man", etc., etc. to a guy who put out an album of claptrap like "It's Still Rock and Roll to Me" and "You May Be Right" just doesn't compute somehow. I guess after reaching the pinnacle with The Stranger there was nowhere to go but down. 52nd Street was a pretty good album, but then he released this piece of garbage.

But, yeah, admittedly for one song "Uptown Girl" is probably the height of his bubblegum '50s derivative pop horror show years.

 

[Mr. Blue Sky]

Frankly, the entirety of Glass Houses.

That album was blasphemy.
How he suddenly went from a guy who wrote stuff like "Ballad of Billy the Kid", "New York State of Mind", "Angry Young Man", etc., etc. to a guy who put out an album of claptrap like "It's Still Rock and Roll to Me" and "You May Be Right" just doesn't compute somehow. I guess after reaching the pinnacle with The Stranger there was nowhere to go but down. 52nd Street was a pretty good album, but then he released this piece of garbage.

But, yeah, admittedly for one song "Uptown Girl" is probably the height of his bubblegum '50s derivative pop horror show years.

Dont Ask Me Why is one of my favorite BJ songs... and Someitmes a Fantasy is not bad, i only recently rediscovered it...... There was a time when i loved Still Rock n Roll and You May Be Right, but yeah I’m not sure that they hold up all that well.

 

[zatsnzapps]

Dont Ask Me Why is one of my favorite BJ songs...

That's cool that you can multi-task.

 

[Mr. Blue Sky]

That's cool that you can multi-task.

I knew someone would call me out on that, but i figured it’d be further up when i talked about “BJ’s top notch output“ ... but honestly, who has time to type out entire words these days?

 

[SaintInBucLand]

Eeesh, why not just start a 'Queen was a terrible rock band' thread. I agree with SBTB

 

[DCSaints_Fan]

You Are the One

I recall ian interview even Joel said that was a stinker.

James a close second

 

[Mr. Blue Sky]

You Are the One

I recall ian interview even Joel said that was a stinker.

James a close second

I‘ve heard Billy say that he really dislikes Just the Way You Are.. I understand it, since he was trying to be a little bit more of an edgy rocker, and it’s a little sappy.. but i may or may not have serenaded a couple of ladies with that song during my dating heyday... “Dont GOOOOOOO changin’.....”

 

[DCSaints_Fan]

Frankly, the entirety of Glass Houses.

That album was blasphemy.
How he suddenly went from a guy who wrote stuff like "Ballad of Billy the Kid", "New York State of Mind", "Angry Young Man", etc., etc. to a guy who put out an album of claptrap like "It's Still Rock and Roll to Me" and "You May Be Right" just doesn't compute somehow. I guess after reaching the pinnacle with The Stranger there was nowhere to go but down. 52nd Street was a pretty good album, but then he released this piece of garbage.

But, yeah, admittedly for one song "Uptown Girl" is probably the height of his bubblegum '50s derivative pop horror show years.

I dunno... he was kind of already headed in that direction with 52nd Street ... Movin Out and Stiletto

 

[tenordas]

Dont Ask Me Why is one of my favorite BJ songs... and Someitmes a Fantasy is not bad, i only recently rediscovered it...... There was a time when i loved Still Rock n Roll and You May Be Right, but yeah I’m not sure that they hold up all that well.

For me, there are two Billy Joels:
One, the amazing, breath-taking songwriter and pianist of the 70s
and Two, the tired, out of ideas, pop singer of the 80s regurgitating tired pop song writing cliches (mostly from the 50s) .
After 52nd Street, the only record I find any good at all is The Nylon Curtain because on a few of those songs he finally found something to say again.

From his five first albums Cold Spring Harbor to The Stranger, there is only one song I truly don't like in the whole catalogue. I honestly couldn't answer if I was asked if I was more blown away by his piano skills or his songwriting skills. He is incredible at both.

After 52nd Street, which is an okay album, but not nearly up to the first five, there are only four songs he wrote that I feel are up to his standards that he established in the 70s: Allentown, Pressure, The Downeaster Alexa, and Goodnight Saigon (which is easily the best of the lot).

 

[CapitalCitySaint]

This pandemic needs to end

 

[Mr. Blue Sky]

For me, there are two Billy Joels:
One, the amazing, breath-taking songwriter and pianist of the 70s
and Two, the tired, out of ideas, pop singer of the 80s regurgitating tired pop song writing cliches (mostly from the 50s) .
After 52nd Street, the only record I find any good at all is The Nylon Curtain because on a few of those songs he finally found something to say again.

Interesting analysis.. i dont entirely disagree with you, although i actually did like his Greatest Hits album that came out in ‘85 or ‘86, becuase there were a couple of new songs he recorded for that that i liked- You’re Only Human (sorry Guido) as well as The Night is Still Young, which is one of my favorites.

From his five first albums Cold Spring Harbor to The Stranger, there is only one song I truly don't like in the whole catalogue. I honestly couldn't answer if I was asked if I was more blown away by his piano skills or his songwriting skills. He is incredible at both.

After 52nd Street, which is an okay album, but not nearly up to the first five, there are only four songs he wrote that I feel are up to his standards that he established in the 70s: Allentown, Pressure, The Downeaster Electra, and Goodnight Saigon (which is easily the best of the lot).

Never been a fan of Pressure at all, though i know people who love it.. good call on Allentown, and yes Goodnight Saigon is a masterpiece that i never hear mentioned alongside Scenes from an Italian Restaurant, or even A Day in the Life by The Beatles, though IMO it should be.... and i would add And So It Goes as one of his later works that was very high quality.