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ALBUM: Streetlife Serenade Lyrics
By:
Joel Billy
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Last Of The Big Time Spenders
Los Angelenos
Roberta
Root Beer Rag
Souvenir
Streetlife Serenader
The Entertainer
The Great Suburban Showdown
The Mexican Connection
Weekend Song
Streetlife Serenade Reviews
For pity's sake get this, it's brilliant!
Okay, I know I sound a bit like I'm promoting the damn thing rather than actually just raving about it, but I genuinely believe that this is Billy Joel's finest albums. It is because of him that I wanted to learn to play the piano to a relatively high level, but it is because of root beer rag, possibly the best song joel has ever done, that I will keep practising. Even though it is only instrumental, it is pure genius.
Souvenir is a real thought provoker at 2 minutes long and streetlife serenader and roberta are also lovely ballads to listen to. But, don't get bored by those thoughts because the entertainer is there to kick into life with its crescendo of sound. The weekend song also helps out if there was ever any problem of it getting to quiet!
Los angelinos is pretty good, and last of the big time spenders and the great surburban showdown are great fun to play all you piano players out there. And of course, the mexican connection, which possibly seems out of place on this album, but is still pretty good if root beer rag is not your thing. However, if root beer rag is not your thing, there's something wrong..!
Not for everyone, but great
This CD is a little off the path Billy Joel would carve in later years; it was made before Billy formed his steady band, and the studio players he employed do give the music kind of a country twang. In addition, the Moog synthesizers, etc. definitely date the album. Despite all this, this CD represents one of Joel's finest hours. This is a unique portrait of an artist before commercialization and fame (i.e., before he came out with "The Bridge," which states that the name "Billy Joel" is a registered trademark), and the result is that it's just honest, soulful music, played hard. With the possible exception of "Songs in the Attic," I don't think I've heard another Billy Joel album as energetic as this one; he really pours his heart and soul into these performances. The lyric material, too, is as brilliant as anything Joel ever wrote. "The Entertainer," of course, provides a satirical look at what it takes to be "famous" in America's music world, but "The Great Suburban Showdown" is a surprising standout: it's a bitingly sardonic attack on the monotony of suburbia. "Weekend Song" is one of those high twang-factor songs, but it's a rocker nonetheless, and makes the kind of impression Joel wanted to make with "Glass Houses" six years later--except that he sounds even more impassioned here. This is also the case with the funky "Los Angelenos." "Last of the Big Time Spenders" and "Roberta" are both ballads, although "Spenders" is more bluesy while "Roberta" is more reflective (and it handles the subject matter better than Sting's "Roxanne," in my humble opinion). This album also contains what was until recently a rarity in the Billy Joel world: instrumentals. "The Mexican Connection" is another surprising standout; it definitely sounds like the '70s, but it's a funky-yet-relaxing piano-driven piece that does indeed sound like a summer day on the beaches of Mexico (or at least, like my conception of same). "Root Beer Rag" is just awesome in its virtuosity, and provided America with its first real indication that the "Piano Man" could back up that title in spades. Not much to say about "Streetlife Serenader," actually; it's an OK song, but it's not up to the level of the rest of this album. The thing is, that level is surprisingly high. This is Billy Joel in his formative years as a musician, and knowing where he would go from here makes this music, which is already brilliant, that much more enthralling.
A Showcase of Billy Joel's talent on this CD!
Streetlife Serenade is one of my favorite albums and the best music i've ever listened to before. Like some of the songs are the showcases highlighted for Joel's piano solo like "Root Beer Rag" and "The Mexican Connection" are quite good tunes heard. And also I enjoy him singing "Streetlife Serenader" as well included here!
My favorite Billy album thus far!!!
This album, unlike his others, focuses primarily on social problems, hypocrisy and the harsh realities of life. "Streetlife Serenader" is a beautiful and soulful song. Billy, who has been known to take on many forms of music, tackles country and western on the sad but sweet "The Great Suburban Showdown". "Root Beer Rag" is just a fun song which highlights Billy's talent on the piano. Of course, "The Entertainer" is a classic. "Last of the Big Time Spenders" is a beautiful song. "Weekend Song" is a fun, rockin' song with a sad theme. It tells of the harsh, cold working world and the existentialism of some in the working class, as they spend their hard-earned cash on having fun instead of saving it for a rainy day. My favorite song on this album, though, is "Souvenir". Billy must have been really depressed when writing this one. This tells of the overarching nihilism and fatalism of life, especially in the lyric: "For ev'ry year is a souvenir That slowly fades away". I almost cried when he sung this, because it's so true. This album is completely underrated. Once again, the critics do it a disservice, probably because it goes right for the heart. I highly, highly, highly recommend this album to any Billy Joel fan. You won't be disappointed.
Streetlife Serenade is one of the most unheard albums ofB.Js
Billy Joel is an excellant singer/song writer. He is probably the best entertainer of the 70s, 80s, and early 90s. Streetlife Serenade is probably one of his most unheard albums and one of his best! If you are a fan of Joels than this is an album that you want in your collection.
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