Greatest Hits Vols. 1 & 2 [Remaster] [ECD] - Joel, Billy (CD 1998)

Billy Joel has had a brilliant career in music, and the remastered version of his Greatest Hits Vols. 1 & 2 is a great way to get a taste of what he has done. That being said, it is not a one-stop purchase if you want the complete story.

The disk contains some of Joel's biggest radio smashes. "Piano Man," "Only The Good Die Young," and "Big Shot" are just a few of the hits you will get on this record. You also get a nice collection of the best songs Joel has written that may not have been huge chart-toppers. "Captain Jack," and "The Entertainer" are two such examples. This makes these disks very important to start your Billy Joel collection.

There are several problems with having this be your only Joel purchase. You are treated to many of the songs you know, but a lot of his genius is in the songs you have yet to hear. "Piano Man" the album would be my suggestion for someone's first Billy Joel record. You would still get "Piano Man" (I am not stupid, I know you need this song) and "Captain Jack," but you are also given a taste of the true mastery of lyrics with some of the other songs. "Ain't No Crime" being one of my personal favorites. This song has that attitude that is so important to early Billy Joel. A man who is just attempting to get out and have some fun; however, his "old lady" wants him to "open your eyes in the morning. 9 o'clock's comin' without any warning, and you've got to get ready to go." This attitude is missing from the Greatest Hits collection.

Not only does the cd set miss a lot of the early-Joel attitude, but it also misses a lot of his later sensibility. The collection was released before "Stormfront" was released, and Joel grew in many ways before that album. "We Didn't Start The Fire," "Shameless," and "Lenningrad" were all songs that appear on "Stormfront" and "Greatest Hits 3." These songs have a mature feeling to them that is missing on a lot of Greatest Hits 1 & 2.

Not to sound like a music snob, but there are many songs on this collection that are not needed. In my personal opinion (which is what you get on this website), Joel went through a period of poor song writing. These songs are not bad tunes, but they do not give the listener any insight into the genius of Billy Joel. "Uptown Girl," "Tell Her About It," and others are rather cheesey. Granted these tunes were big hits, but they fall short of being as powerful as most of his other stuff. These songs start about halfway into the second disk, and I find myself skipping past them when I listen to the disk.

The compilation does have several great advantages, however. The remastered version (unlike the original release of the hits set) contains the full-version of the song "Pressure." On that first release of Joel's greatest hits, "Pressure" was reduced to a shorter version, presumably to make room for the two previously unreleased songs on the record, "The Night Is Still Young," and "You're Only Human (Second Wind)." On the remaster, you receive both new songs, and the full version of "Pressure."

Those two new songs are somewhat important to get a grasp of Billy Joel's career. "You're Only Human" is a fantastic song that attempts to talk an teenager out of committing suicide. This is a powerful, and well-written song. It has a pop sensibility, without losing touch of the intent of the work. This song can make one forget about her/his problems, and just escape with the music.

The remastered version is also....well.....remastered. The songs sound much more polished than on that original release. This is not essential with Joel who can sometimes come off better with a more raw sound, but it can also be refreshing to the person who is just listening for the hits. To me as an individual, I could take or leave the increase in sound quality.

Greatest Hits Vols. 1 & 2 serves a good start for your Billy Joel collection. If you fall in love with the collection, you will need to pick up "Piano Man," "Greatest Hits 3;" "Songs In The Attic," and "Kohuept." Several songs that are missing from Greatest Hits 1 & 2 can be gained by purchasing these cds. "Angry Young Man," "You're My Home," "Keeping The Faith," and "The Ballad of Billy The Kid," are songs which are important to understanding exactly how good Billy Joel is at writing lyrics.

To sum up the Greatest Hits Vols. 1 & 2, you will get two great cds; however, don't do Joel an injustice by thinking these songs are the extent of his ability.

Without making this review too long, and investigating every song; I have a track list below. I am going to give you my grade for each song on the record. I am judging by lyrics, music, and that "it" factor that cannot be described. This, however, is just opinion.

Disk 1

Piano Man (A)
Captain Jack (A+)
The Entertainer (A-)
Say Goodbye To Hollywood (B)
New York State Of Mind (B)
The Stranger (A-)
Scenes From An Italian Restaurant (A+)
Just The Way You Are (A+)
Movin' Out (Anthony's Song)(A)
Only The Good Die Young (A+)
She's Always A Woman (B+)

Disc: 2

My Life (B-)
Big Shot (B)
You May Be Right (A)
It's Still Rock And Roll To Me (B-)
Don't Ask Me Why (B-)
She's Got A Way (A+)
Pressure (Full Version) (A)
Allentown (B+)
Goodnight Saigon (A+)
Tell Her About It (C-)
Uptown Girl (C+)
You're Only Human (Second Wind)(B)
The Night Is Still Young (C+)