52nd Street
AMG AllMusic Guide: Pop Albums:
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52nd Street
- Artist: Billy Joel
- Rating:
- Release Date: 1978 10
- Total Time: 40:26
- Type: Lyrics are included with the album, Enhanced CD-ROM
- Genre: Rock
Review
Once The Stranger became a hit, Billy Joel quickly re-entered the studio with producer Phil Ramone to record the follow-up, 52nd Street. Instead of breaking from the sound of The Stranger, Joel chose to expand it, making it more sophisticated and somewhat jazzy. Often, his moves sounded as if they were responses to Steely Dan -- indeed, his phrasing and melody for "Zanzibar" is a direct homage to Donald Fagen circa The Royal Scam, and it also boasts a solo from jazz great Freddie Hubbard à la Steely Dan -- but since Joel is a working-class populist, not an elitist college boy, he never shies away from big gestures and melodies. Consequently, 52nd Street unintentionally embellishes the Broadway overtones of its predecessor, not only on a centerpiece like "Stiletto," but when he's rocking out on "Big Shot." That isn't necessarily bad, since Joel's strong suit turns out to be showmanship -- he dazzles with his melodic skills and his enthusiastic performances. He also knows how to make a record. Song for song, 52nd Street might not be as strong as The Stranger, but there are no weak songs -- indeed, "Honesty," "My Life," "Until the Night," and the three mentioned above are among his best -- and they all flow together smoothly, thanks to Ramone's seamless production and Joel's melodic craftsmanship. It's remarkable to think that in a matter of three records, Joel had hit upon a workable, marketable formula -- one that not only made him one of the biggest-selling artists of his era, but one of the most enjoyable mainstream hitmakers. 52nd Street is a testament to that achievement. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, Rovi| 52nd Street (1965 Album by Lester Young) | |
| 52nd Street (1996 Album by Ron Affif Trio) |
Wikipedia on Answers.com:
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52nd Street (album)
| 52nd Street (1978) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
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| Studio album by Billy Joel | ||||
| Released | October 13, 1978 | |||
| Recorded | A&R Recording, Inc., 799 7th Avenue at 52nd Street, New York City; July – August 1978 | |||
| Genre | Rock | |||
| Length | 40:26 | |||
| Label | Family Productions/Columbia | |||
| Producer | Phil Ramone | |||
| Billy Joel chronology | ||||
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| Professional ratings | |
|---|---|
| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| Allmusic |   [1] |
| Robert Christgau | B−[2] |
52nd Street is the sixth studio album by Billy Joel, released on October 13, 1978. It was also the first of many Joel albums to top the Billboard charts, along with his third and fourth Grammy win. (see 1978 in music). 52nd Street also became, in 1982, the first commercial album to be released on compact disc (by Sony Music Entertainment).[3]
Three songs reached the Top 40 in the United States, helping to boost the success of the album. "My Life" reached #3, "Big Shot" reached #14, and "Honesty" reached #24.[4] The album was also successful with critics, winning the 1979 Grammy for Album of the Year.[5]
Allmusic credits Joel for expanding on the style of The Stranger, making it "more sophisticated and somewhat jazzy."[6] (Jazz trumpeter Freddie Hubbard guests on "Zanzibar.") The title is a reference to 52nd Street, which was one of New York City's jazz centers in the middle of the century. Joel's label was headquartered on 52nd Street (in the CBS Building) at the time of the album's release. The studio in which 52nd Street was recorded was also on 52nd Street, a block away from the CBS Building.
In 2003, the album was ranked number 352 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of the 500 greatest albums of all time.[7]
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Contents
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Track listing
All songs written and composed by Billy Joel.
- Side one
- Side two
- "Stiletto" – 4:42
- "Rosalinda's Eyes" – 4:41
- "Half a Mile Away" – 4:08
- "Until the Night" – 6:35
- "52nd Street" – 2:27
Personnel
- Billy Joel – piano, vocals
- Doug Stegmeyer – bass, background vocals
- Liberty DeVitto – drums
- Richie Cannata – saxophones, organ, clarinet
- Steve Khan – electric guitar, acoustic guitar
- Freddie Hubbard – flugelhorn and trumpet on "Zanzibar"
- Mike Mainieri – vibes and marimba on "Zanzibar" and "Rosalinda's Eyes"
- David Spinozza – acoustic guitar on "Honesty"
- Donnie Dacus – background vocals on "My Life"
- Peter Cetera – background vocals on "My Life"
- David Friedman – orchestral chimes and percussion on "Until the Night"
- Ralph MacDonald – percussion on "Rosalinda's Eyes" and "Half a Mile Away"
- Eric Gale – electric guitar on "Half a Mile Away"
- Frank Floyd – background vocals on "Half a Mile Away"
- Babi Floyd – background vocals on "Half a Mile Away"
- Zack Sanders – background vocals on "Half a Mile Away"
- Milt Grayson – background vocals on "Half a Mile Away"
- Ray Simpson – background vocals on "Half a Mile Away"
- George Marge – sopranino recorder on "Rosalinda's Eyes"
- Hugh McCracken – nylon string guitar on "Until the Night" and "Rosalinda's Eyes"
- Robert Freedman – horn and string orchestration on "Until the Night" and "Honesty"
- Dave Grusin – horn orchestration on "Half a Mile Away"
- David Nadien – concertmaster
Accolades
Grammy Awards
| Year | Nominated work | Award | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 52nd Street | Album of the Year[5] | Won |
| Best Pop Vocal Performance - Male[5] | Won | ||
| "Honesty" | Song of the Year[8] | Nominated |
Charts
Chart positions
Certifications & Sales
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Year-end charts
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References
- ^ "52nd Street Overview". Allmusic. http://www.allmusic.com/album/r10421. Retrieved 1 May 2011.
- ^ "Billy Joel Review". Robert Christgau. http://www.robertchristgau.com/get_artist.php?name=billy+joel. Retrieved 1 May 2011.
- ^ Milner, Greg (2009). Perfecting Sound Forever: An Aural History of Recorded Music. Macmillan. p. 215. ISBN 0-571-21165-8. http://books.google.com/books?id=KuPkMAsPDQQC&pg=PA323.
- ^ "allmusic ((( 52nd Street > Charts & Awards > Billboard Singles )))". allmusic.com. http://www.allmusic.com/album/r10421/charts-awards/billboard-single. Retrieved 2011-10-03.
- ^ a b c "Past Winners Search". grammy.com. http://www.grammy.com/nominees/search?artist=Billy+Joel. Retrieved 2011-10-03.
- ^ Allmusic review
- ^ The RS 500 Greatest Albums of All Time : Rolling Stone
- ^ "Rock On The Net: 22th Annual Grammy Awards - 1980". http://www.rockonthenet.com/archive/1980/grammys.htm. Retrieved 2011-10-03.
- ^ a b Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992. St Ives, NSW: Australian Chart Book. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
- ^ "austriancharts.at Billy Joel - 52nd Street" (in German). Hung Medien. http://austriancharts.at/showitem.asp?interpret=Billy+Joel&titel=52nd+Street&cat=a. Retrieved 2011-10-03.
- ^ "Top Albums/CDs - Volume 30, No. 21, February 17, 1979". RPM. http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/rpm/028020-119.01-e.php?&file_num=nlc008388.0108a&type=1&interval=20&PHPSESSID=c6btf3r8hs459qqt5ln3o3dcv5. Retrieved 2011-10-03.
- ^ "dutchcharts.nl Billy Joel - 52nd Street" (in Dutch). Hung Medien, dutchcharts.nl. MegaCharts. http://dutchcharts.nl/showitem.asp?interpret=Billy+Joel&titel=52nd+Street&cat=a. Retrieved 2011-09-12.
- ^ "InfoDisc : Tous les Albums classés par Artiste > Choisir Un Artiste Dans la Liste" (in French). infodisc.fr. http://infodisc.fr/Album_J.php. Retrieved 2011-09-12.
- ^ a b "Hit Parade Italia - Gli album più venduti del 1979" (in Italian). hitparadeitalia.it. http://www.hitparadeitalia.it/hp_yenda/lpe1979.htm. Retrieved 2011-10-03.
- ^ a-ビリー・ジョエル "- Yamachan Land (Archives of the Japanese record charts) - Albums Chart Daijiten - Billy Joel" (in Japanese). 2007-12-30. http://www7a.biglobe.ne.jp/~yamag/album/al_billyjoel.html a-ビリー・ジョエル. Retrieved 2011-10-03.
- ^ "charts.org.nz - Billy Joel - 52nd Street". Hung Medien, charts.org.nz. Recording Industry Association of New Zea Land. http://charts.org.nz/showitem.asp?interpret=Billy+Joel&titel=52nd+Street&cat=a. Retrieved 2011-10-03.
- ^ "norwegiancharts.com Billy Joel - 52nd Street". Hung Medien, norwegiancharts.com. VG-lista. http://norwegiancharts.com/showitem.asp?interpret=Billy+Joel&titel=52nd+Street&cat=a. Retrieved 2011-10-03.
- ^ "swedishcharts.com Billy Joel - 52nd Street" (in Swedish). Hung Medien, swedishcharts.com. Sverigetopplistan. http://swedishcharts.com/showitem.asp?interpret=Billy+Joel&titel=52nd+Street&cat=a. Retrieved 2011-10-03.
- ^ "Chart Stats - Billy Joel - 52nd Street". UK Albums Chart. http://www.chartstats.com/release.php?release=38802. Retrieved 2011-08-19.
- ^ "allmusic ((( 52nd Street > Charts & Awards > Billboard Albums )))". allmusic.com. http://www.allmusic.com/album/r10421/charts-awards. Retrieved 2011-10-03.
- ^ "Album Search: Billy Joel" (in German). Media Control. http://www.charts.de/search.asp?search=Billy+Joel&x=0&y=0&cat=a&country=de. Retrieved 2011-10-03.
- ^ "Canadian album certifications – Billy Joel – 52nd Street". Music Canada. http://www.musiccanada.com/GPSearchResult.aspx?st=52nd+Street&sa=Billy+Joel&smt=0.
- ^ "French album certifications – Billy Joel – 52nd Street" (in French). Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique. http://www.disqueenfrance.com/fr/pag-259165-CERTIFICATIONS.html&type=8.
- ^ "Les Albums Or". infodisc.fr. SNEP. http://www.infodisc.fr/CDCertif_O.php?debut=1500. Retrieved 2011-10-03.
- ^ Oricon Album Chart Book: Complete Edition 1970-2005. Roppongi, Tokyo: Oricon Entertainment. 2006. ISBN 4-87131-077-9.
- ^ "British album certifications – Billy Joel – 52nd Street". British Phonographic Industry. http://www.bpi.co.uk/certifiedawards/search.aspx. Enter 52nd Street in the field Search. Select Title in the field Search by. Select album in the field By Format. Click Go
- ^ "American album certifications – Billy Joel – 52nd Street". Recording Industry Association of America. http://www.riaa.com/goldandplatinumdata.php?artist=%2252nd+Street%22. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Album, then click SEARCH
- ^ "RPM Top 100 Albums of 1978". RPM. http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/rpm/028020-119.01-e.php?&file_num=nlc008388.0069&type=1&interval=20&PHPSESSID=c6btf3r8hs459qqt5ln3o3dcv5. Retrieved 2011-10-03.
- ^ "Austriancharts.st - Jahreshitparade 1979" (in German). Hung Medien. http://austriancharts.at/1979_album.asp. Retrieved 2011-10-04.
- ^ "RPM Top 100 Albums of 1979". RPM. http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/rpm/028020-119.01-e.php?&file_num=nlc008388.6920&type=1&interval=20&PHPSESSID=c6btf3r8hs459qqt5ln3o3dcv5. Retrieved 2011-10-03.
- ^ 1979年アルバム年間ヒットチャート "Japanese Year-End Albums Chart 1979" (in Japanese). Oricon. http://entamedata.web.fc2.com/music/music_a1979.html 1979年アルバム年間ヒットチャート. Retrieved 2011-09-12.
- ^ "Complete UK Year-End Album Charts". http://chartheaven.9.forumer.com/a/complete-uk-yearend-album-charts_post21.html. Retrieved 2011-10-04.
- ^ Billboard.com - Year End Charts - Year-end Albums - The Billboard 200. http://books.google.co.jp/books?id=CSQEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PT59&lpg=PT59&dq=%2252nd%22&source=bl&ots=Xc1SiLtt02&sig=suFDu0JQxxhFKuTLADfbpaW-EHs&hl=ja&ei=rwX2TInvJ8PIcaasrOUE&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=10&ved=0CFAQ6AEwCTgK#v=onepage&q=%2252nd%22&f=false. Retrieved 2011-10-04.
- ^ "日本で売れた洋楽アルバムトップ23 (Top-23 international albums on the Japanese Oricon Year-End Charts 1980". Archived from the original on 2011-08-29. http://web.archive.org/web/20070219093050/http://www2.wbs.ne.jp/~ms-db/oricon/oricon%20album80.htm. Retrieved 2007-10-21.
| Preceded by Live and More by Donna Summer Greatest Hits Volume 2 by Barbra Streisand |
Billboard 200 number-one album November 18, 1978 – January 5, 1979 January 27 – February 2, 1979 |
Succeeded by Greatest Hits, Volume 2 by Barbra Streisand Briefcase Full of Blues by the Blues Brothers |
| Preceded by A Canadian Tribute by Elvis Presley Greatest Hits Volume 2 by Barbra Streisand |
Canadian RPM Chart number-one album December 16, 1978 – January 6, 1979 February 10–17, 1979 |
Succeeded by Greatest Hits Volume 2 by Barbra Streisand Blondes Have More Fun by Rod Stewart |
| Preceded by Dire Straits by Dire Straits |
Kent Music Report number-one album December 25, 1978 – January 28, 1979 |
Succeeded by Blondes Have More Fun by Rod Stewart |
| Preceded by Stage by David Bowie |
New Zealand Chart number-one album January 21–28, 1979 |
Succeeded by Greatest Hits Volume 2 by Barbra Streisand |
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