I divide his career into two phases, 70’s piano lounge act and 80’s pop icon, so most anything from around 1981-2 onward I don’t like.
I’m a pretty big fan yet it didn’t take me more than a nanosecond to come up with *Easy Money, Tell Her About It, Pressure, * and the piece of ear crap that is Captain Jack. I’ve seen him in concert several times and would see him again in a heartbeat if there was anyone in my life willing to go with me. I had free, *FREE!*passes to see him speak at a local theatre (the college I attend owns it and the presentation was directed toward the music students but anyone could attend)and I literally could not get anyone to go. Now that is some hate. He was really smart, and charming and pretty damned funny.
And over there’s Phoebe,
Itinerant SeaBee,
She’ll concrete your runway all night.
I thought this thread was a joke. My answer is “all of them.” I don’t even know anyone IRL under the age of 50 who likes him.
I do have a pretty lousy association with his music, though. When I was too young to go to school, I would have to go grocery shopping with my mom and it seemed like Billy Joel was constantly on the radio during the ride to the store.
His music reminds me of headaches, boredom and being carsick.
I saw Movin’ Out, and I loved it. Obviously, mileage varies, but yours is the first negative opinion I’ve heard.
I’m about to turn 42.
Hate the song “Movin’ Out”, can’t stay in the same room with ack ack ack ack without wanting to throw something hard.
85% of his stuff was popfluff that I’m simply indifferent to.
My ex-fiance loved that song. I guess that should have been a red flag about his idea of a healthy relationship…
No.
If we find one, we use THIS device to retroactively disappear it.
Don’t forget Wilberforce who’s still in the Air…nah, fuck it, I can’t do it even as a joke.
The list of good songs would be shorter.
Zero.
His voice is like nails on a chalkboard.
Seconded. Wretched stuff.
Between that and “Stiletto”, it’s a safe bet that Joel has issues with women.
I’m a big Billy Joel fan, but yeah, he wrote some clunkers along the way. As someone upthread said, even Mozart managed that. Here are some that I’d rather not hear again:
Don’t Ask Me Why - too la-di-da.
Sleeping With the Television On - if you were alive during the late 1970s, you’d already heard more than your fill about the singles-bar scene long before this song came out.
Tell Her About It - a boring imitation-Motown song is a lousy attempt at a homage to Motown.
A Minor Variation - even the River of Dreams album, which IMHO is his best album, had this one clunker. I always skip past it.
There are others, but time to get back to work.
He was OK with “Atilla” but since then --------
We didn’t start the Fire and New York State of Mind. I never cared for New York State of Mind, but hearing it overplayed in commercials and on New York City scenes on tv makes me stabby.