The UK Connection-Ranking the Songs on Classic Albums: Billy Joel '52nd Street'
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 11 ก.พ. 2025
- Join Pete Pardo, Simon Bray, and Steven Reid as they rank the songs of the Billy Joel album '52nd Street'. #billyjoel
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Never been a Billy Joel fan, but I really loved this episode.
I was at Walmart about a month ago, and they played Zanzibar on their in-store play system. I was happy to hear a deep album cut.
9. Half a Mile Away
8. Rosalinda's Eyes
7. Honesty
6. 52nd Street
5. Until the Night
4. My Life
3. Stiletto
2. Zanzibar
1. Big Shot
The great follow-up to The stranger
A lot of radio hits were ready to go as soon as the record was done you could tell.
Of course I've always loved that steely Dan vibed Zanzibar.
Agree. First time I heard Freddie Hubbard was on this song - and he kills it.
Fun show as always guys. I always liked Billy Joel he was very popular in Australia during the 70’s & 80’s and toured here quite a bit.
52nd Street was first Billy record I heard as a 10 yr old. Liberty drew me in more then Billy! Killer band here.
I love this series and enjoy listening to albums that I may never listen to again!
Ranking Billy Joel’s 52nd Street (Oct78, I had just started high school)
This is the first time listening to this album. I’ve heard two of the songs A-LOT.
1. Zanzibar
2. Big shot
3. Stiletto
4. Until the night
5. Honesty
6. 52nd street
7. Half a mile away
8. Rosalinda’s eyes
9. My life
1. Honesty
2. Zanzibar
3. Big Shot
Those are my top three tracks from 52nd Street.
I mentioned on the previous UKC episode that I suspected Steven would crack me up with his commentary on the 52nd Street album ranking episode - that is _exactly_ what happened. I laughed so hard, tears were in my eyes.
"...in the theater, that's where these things should happen, not in my house..."
😂😂😂💀
You tried, so that counts for something. And while I was cracking up hysterically throughout most of your comments, they were not without insight (as usual.)
I know this will be an unpopular take (especially coming from a fan), but "My Life" - one of Billy Joel's most beloved hits (and one that was played to death on NYC radio) - is a song I never really need to hear again; in truth, it is borderline annoying to me.
Great episode!
I did indeed try, and try and try and try. At least I didn't disappoint... I guess! lol!
@knightvisioniixv Billy himself said he despises " my life". He said " I was into it when I wrote it, it just hasn't aged well". I feel EXACTLY the same. In 78, I thought it was one of the greatest songs ever made, now I can't stand it. I played it to death back then, so I don't ever want to hear it again. He HAS to play it in concert, but you can tell he's not into it
That's the first Billy Joel album I heard and bought when I was in 7th grade. To this day it's still my favorite.
Don’t care if “ overplayed “. Big SHOT cooks. Did in 7️⃣8️⃣ with me. Still does in 2️⃣5️⃣. Look 👀 forward to the great trio 👍💯
Wassup dudes... Billy Joel... one of my all time favorite songwriters, keyboardists and singers!
Awesome show as always guys.
Stephen looks like he's swallowed a wasp had me in stitches 😂😂😂😂
Getting my bit out of the way a little early so I can watch the premiere and enjoy my beer instead of slowy typing my comment while listening in...
First, the beer: Big Ballard imperial IPA from Red Hook Brewery Seattle, Portland Oregon, and Portsmouth New Hampshire. 19.2 fluid ounces 8.6% abv. This beers slogan "Ya sure, ya betcha".
Billy Joel - 52nd Street
9) Zanzibar
8) Half a Mile Away
7) Roselinda's Eyes
6) Honesty - the one time I saw him and the band live was for the 'Innocent Man' tour. He modified the lyrics with a word that rhymes with honesty. Once you hear it sung that way, it kinda sticks with you.
5) 52nd Street
4) Stiletto
3) Until the Night
2) Big Shot - his shout out to Mick & Bianca.
1) My Life - points for being the theme song for 'Bosom Buddies". Just found out Peter Cetera and Donnie Dacus from Chicago sang back-up on this. Now I know..🌈
Hi Peter and Simon and Steve,I only had one of his albums on vinyl but I never replaced it when I went over to CDs
Must admit I was not sure I was going to enjoy this episode as I don’t own anything by Billy Joel and could probably only name two or three songs of his (I’m on Steven’s side with this). However it was one of the most entertaining episodes ever. Loved the different perspective of Pete & Simon v Steven.
Just shows that we don’t all like the same things. Great show
My wife and her sister are fans of 52nd street, The Stranger etc. They are also renouned for their dubious tastes in music.
My own personal favourite jazz flavoured Billy Joel album looking forward to this one
What a great LP. Looking forward to this one.
Factoid (for Pete) - this lp was among the first ever CDs to be released.
Specs and beer, that’s better. Thank you gentlemen. Struggled with this ranking, but here is my best shot.
1. My Life
2. Half a Mile Away
3. Big Shot
4. Roslinda’s Eyes
5. 52nd Street
6. Zanzibar
7. Stiletto
8. Until the Night
9. Honesty
Zanzibar, Until the Night, Honesty, and Rosalinda's Eyes are among my all-time favourite songs of Billy's. We had this one on tape when I was a girl, and it holds a lot of special memories for me. Thanks, all, for a very enjoyable discussion.
What a great artist. I have only been acquainted to his music in my 40s, now 52. This is one of his best albums for sure. The stranger and Piano man, too. I also have a collection. Is there any other albums I should listen to? Cheers!
@@lazarossamaras4427 you gotta listen to Glass Houses 1980. His most rock inspired record. New wave influenced on a few songs - Sleeping with the Television On is an absolute deep cut gem! Close to the Borderline and Just a Fantasy really rock. All for leyna is awesome and the radio hits You May Be Right and Still Rock n Roll to me are also great. My fav Billy record. It was nominated for a Grammy.
Rosalinda’s Eyes is my top 5 deep track by Billy. Zanzibar, Stiletto, Big Shot, My Life…solid album!
Really entertaining listen. I like a little bit of Billy Joel, I enjoyed most of The Stranger but struggle with this album.
My ranking
1. My life
2. Honesty
3. Big shot
4. Until the night
5. Zanzibar
6. Rosalinda's eyes
7. Stiletto
8. Half a mile away
9. 52nd street
1. Honesty
2. My Life
3. Big Shot
4. Zanzibar
5. Stiletto
6. Half A Mile Away
7. Rosalinda’s Eyes
8. Unttil The Night
9. 52nd Street
A REAL FUN SHOW !11 THANK U VERY MUCH MATES !
MY PARTIAL RANKING;
1. HONESTY
2. MY LIFE
3. UNTIL THE NIGHT
4. ZANZIBAR
8.ROSALIND'S EYES
9.BIG SHOT
Billy Joel ! Power Metal ! 👍🤘❤🖤😅
I think for Steven Glass Houses should have been the choice. I have the feeling he would have liked that one better since it's more rock/new wave oriented. (Once again when typing a comment while watching the video Pete beat me to it! 😄) And as Simon said this album is definitely front loaded. For me Big Shot and one of my favorite Billy Joel hit songs My life are my favorites.
Knew Steven would mostly hate this, and be both hilarious about it, but also fair-minded in his bile - so a shock when he actually managed to absolutely nail the #1 song - Until the Night is my 2nd fave from Billy ever, just behind Scenes From an Italian Restaurant (of course he had to ruin everything by saying he doesn't like that one either....oh well - if there's one Billy album Steven might like - and I doubt there is - the live Songs in the Attic could be the one - great live versions of his early stuff, with a lot more life to it than the studio versions).
Simon said you can imagine Bill Medley singing Until the Night...well, you don't have to, 'cause he actually covered it soon after it came out (by his own admission, not very well, but it's easily found on youtube if you're curious). The slow build up to the release when Richie's sax solo hits gets me every time. And I've been listening to this album since I was 5 years old, and off school recovering from mumps. Blew me away and my life (pun intended) was literally changed- his Greatest Hits album became the first I ever bought with my own money (aged 6) and then he became the first act I ever saw live (aged 7, and thankfully not with me own money, though it was 'only' $36 NZ dollars - yes, he was almost as consistently huge in NZ and Australia as he was in the US, he was much more up and down in popularity terms in the UK.). Anyway, my full ranking is...
1. Until the Night
2. Zanzibar
3. Big Shot
4. Stiletto
5. My Life
6. Rosalinda's Eyes
7. Half a Mile Away
8. Honesty
9. 52nd Street (the only track I don't love, it sounds like exactly what it was, a quick throwaway afterthought that almost sounds like a CD bonus track before CDs existed - there's even quite a noticeable gap between Until the Night and this track, as if it knows it shouldn't really be there).
I was quite surprised that listening to this album was such a chore for Steven especially as I find his musical tastes are more aligned to mine than Simon’s.
There is very little non rock / metal in my collection, but I do have 52nd Street. In fact it’s the only non rock album which I’ve owned both vinyl and CD. In 1980 I went on a 3 week coach trip across Western Europe and the Iron Curtain with a group of 16-18 year olds none of whom I knew. One of the tapes regularly played on the coach was 52nd Street although I don’t think they played side 2. I’m sure I had heard the singles before anyway but I enjoyed side 1 of 52nd Street so much that sometime after the holiday I bought the album. I’ve never liked any of the singles Billy Joel has subsequently released but I’ve heard Pete praise The Stranger so I might listen to that, one day.
I thought that I was going to put Until the Night in my top 3 but after listening to the album for the first time in a long time my ranking is 1. Stiletto, 2. Big Shot, 3. Zanzibar, 4. My Life, 5. Honesty, 6. Until The Night, 7. Half a Mile Away, 8. 52nd Street, 9. Rosalinda’s Eyes. To be honest, the next time I listen to this album I’ll skip 7-9 but the rest of the album I really enjoy. I’m off now to play some Slayer 🤪🇬🇧
I wonder if Willie Dowling will do a few Billy Joel songs in Edinburgh on Tuesday😂?
Cheers Steven you had me in hysterics with your review. I like Billy but adore fun criticism even of someone I like when done with humour and passion.
Much appreciated madjock. Hopefully Tuesday is a Joel free zone!
@@TranquilityFireReid 😂😂 I promise not to request any😄.
Looking forward to seeing him again. I am so old I saw him with The Grip at the old Venue on Calton Road!
Again I loved your reviews here and Simon's outraged expressions. Very funny all round.
Chap I was at sixth form college with ( we all appeared in our Rock Against College at Barton Peveril ) Elio Pace (very talented musician) tours the UK with his 'Billy Joel Songbook' - not my bag at all but have a few friends who have been and say its excellent. Worth, then, checking out for Billy fans in the UK. I had a relisten to the album - does nothing for me although can see why he's loved.
Zanzibar is my favorite song & the rest is also great as well. I like it in the order that is other than my favorite. The Stranger is my all-time Billy Joel Album & this one is a close 2nd.
52nd Street is Billy Joel's best album, IMHO(just edging out The Stranger and An Innocent Man, don't sleep on Turnstiles and The Nylon Curtain): My song ranking
1) Zanzibar
2) Stiletto
3) My Life
4) Big Shot
5) Rosalinda's Eyes
6) Until The Night
7) 52nd Street
8) Honesty
9) Half A Mile Away
Millimeters of difference between 1 through 6, but Zanzibar was/is always the number one song. I wish the title track was longer. I used to like Honesty more when I was younger, as I've grown older, I've grown weary of ballads. Half A Mile Away I've never liked, a kind of jazz/pop song that's well performed, it just never fully clicked for me. Until The Night is Billy's ode to blue-eyed soul/The Righteous Brothers. Stiletto could be considered an ode/nod to Ray Charles
I have to be in the mood, but Billy Joel of all stripes and colors is okay in my book.
Great episode guys. Was surprised Steven disliked as much as he did. Rarely does he dog an album as hard as that.
Always loved Billy Joel. My fave 3 artists are Kiss, Heart and Beatles. But I’d put Billy just below them. Along with 100 other artists lol
Very true Garry. Truth be told, I was surprised by how much I disliked this album.
1. Until The Night
2. Honesty
3. Stiletto
4. Big Shot
5. Zanzibar
6. My Life
7. Half A Mile Away
8. 52nd Street
9. Rosalinda's Eyes
Could we in the future have a fav/least fav/wildcard of Blind Guardian?
Dear Steven, some advice: go lightly on the Billy Joel catalogue and let it grow on you. Growing up with Elton John I always thought Joel was a second hand version of Reginald Dwight but years went on and I found some of Billy’s records I really like. Try The Nylon Curtain and find your way from there for instance.
I agree with Steven and I grew l up in NY
Got to say I am with Steven on this one. I don't own anything by Billy Joel, just doesn't connect. Though I quite liked the Attila album😁
The Stranger is the album for Steven! The most rockling Billy Joel album for me. Glass Houses could be more his style but, I feel like The Stranger is where it's at!
I guess I mentioned this before but BJ is definitely a big shot here in Germany. Certainly as of the early 80s, but also his 70s stuff is very well known and loved. So I don't think he is just a East Coast /New England guy.
his great
I seen him in Tacoma Dome he was great
Steven should definitely listen to Glass Houses. It's the first one I heard as a kid and the only one I still like alot.
When this show was announced I could tell Steven didn’t like Billy Joel at that point so I wasn’t surprised at all, there usually has to be a villain to make the show more entertaining.
Stiletto is my favourite but the album The stranger is even better.
Nice video.
But the question now is: would Steven rather listen to Billy Joel or The Doors?
Oh, I'll take Big Bad Billy on that one!
There's a booteg cd called " strangers on 52nd street". It has demos from both albums. During the Zanzibar demo, somebody hits a wrong note, and instead of singing " Ali dances and the audience applauds ", he says "you f@#&ed it up you stupid as$" lol
My favorite Billy Joel album is An Innocent Man. Love me for who I am. Ha.
Snow earlier in Tacoma Washington
@steven reid new topic maybe bands that are underrated my personal pick would be tigertailz
I thought Stiletto would be higher
Steven - is that a Button Moon t-shirt yer sporting?
The Dark Side Of Button Moon - It's a Pink Floyd/Button Moon mash-up!
@TranquilityFireReid Brilliant! I had a mate at school who used to call it Futton Moonbeam. Susan and me still call it that to this day. We're 52 years old!!
Maybe try the "Attila" album? :)
Honestly this was weird Billy album to pick. I can think of at least 3 i'd pick over this.....still great vid.
Man! Steven. I`ve always had such a high opinion of your musical tastes. This is a ground breaking album for me. But I love jazz in my rock and pop. You obviously do not. Let`s stick to the prog and hard rock picks then. Fun episode lads
I love it when one of the guys hates the artist or some of the songs. 😅
I think river of dreams might be liked a little more for steven
As happens on occasion, I'm kind of with Steven on this one. I do like some of Joel's quieter ballad-y material -- "Piano Man," "She's Always a Woman," "Vienna," "And So It Goes," "Lullaby" -- all of those are excellent songs that I can listen to again and again. Most of the rest... I just don't get the appeal. I especially don't care for any of the songs where he's trying to convince us that he's a rocker. No. Just... no. And since you'll notice that none of the songs I mentioned above are on this album, you can probably guess how I feel about the stuff here.
Billy Joel fan here but I find 52nd Street a little uneven. My ranking:
9. Stiletto - 4/10
8. 52nd Street - 4/10
7. Zanzibar - 5/10
6. Until The Night - 6/10
5. Half A Mile Away - 6/10
4. My Life - 8/10
3. Rosalinda's Eyes - 8/10
2. Big Shot - 8/10
1. Honesty - 8/10
Half a Mile Away
52nd Street
Until the Night
Big Shot
Zanzibar
Siletto
My Life
Rosalinda's Eyes
Honesty
Billy Joel 😳
And Billy Joel isn’t even Italian
Simon is a riot!😂 BTW, I don't like Steely Dan either.
🥱🥱😴😴😴
Fantastic album for sure
6:57 if you want to skip the booze talk.
Liberty devito is Danny’s brother
Re Sabbath profits going to charity awesome.
If rumours are right top price tickets £795 oh dear
Yeah, if profits are going to charity, why does it have to be so damn expensive?
Billy Joel is a great piano player, much better than Elton
For the record, Billy Joel is NOT Italian. He is of Jewish heritage
Yes, obviously...but Italians love his music, that's the point we were making.
@@seaoftranquilityprogI grew up on LI in the 70’s. As you said, he’s a NY legend. We all loved Billy Joel
Can't get on board with 52nd Street. The Stranger is a much better sounding and consistent album. There are some great Billy Joel songs but his album output is very patchy.
Not being disrespectful to each his own. I'd rather listen to my 10 year old niece play the kazoo then listen to Billy Joel. Can't stand him.
Billy Joel might be the most overrated artist ever. I guess you just had to be there
Wow.. this is a cheesy overrated album indeed.. No not for me. I rather hear that Rupert Holmes album..
gonna say it - not a billy joel fan whatsoever - just don't resonate
I love you guys but I never understood the appeal from both Billy Joel and Elton John I don't consider them Rock, just too mellow for my taste. And Billy Joel has some terrible tunes like Uptown Girl is one of the worst radio hits for me.
Well, fair to suggest that my take is hardly one of Joel love either...
I'm scrubbing through to Pete's takes. I'm sure the other two hosts are nice guys, but they'e just rambling. In some spots, babbling (maybe it's the beer). Pete keeps it short and sweet.