Billy Joel - Greatest Hits, Vols. 1 & 2 (1973-1985)

Although it's missing a few important (not to mention big) hits, Greatest Hits, Vols. 1 & 2 is an excellent retrospective of the first half of Billy Joel's career. Beginning with "Piano Man," the first disc runs through a number of early songs before arriving at the hit-making days of the late '70s; some of these songs, including "Captain Jack" and "New York State of Mind," weren't strictly hits, but were popular numbers within his stage show and became radio hits. Once the songs from The Stranger arrive halfway through the first disc, there's no stopping the hits (although "Scenes From an Italian Restaurant," an album track from The Stranger, manages its way onto the collection). In fact, over the next disc and a half, there's so many hits, it's inevitable that some are left off -- to be specific, "Honesty," "Sometimes a Fantasy," "An Innocent Man," "Leave a Tender Moment," and "Keeping the Faith" aren't included. But all the other hits -- including "Just the Way You Are," "Only the Good Die Young," "My Life," "You May Be Right," "It's Still Rock and Roll to Me," "Don't Ask Me Why," "Allentown," "Tell Her About It" and "Uptown Girl," among many others -- are present and accounted for, as are two new songs ("You're Only Human (Second Wind)," "The Night Is Still Young") that became hits as well. In short, Greatest Hits, Vols. 1 & 2 does its job perfectly, encapsulating exactly why Billy Joel was one of the most popular singer/songwriters of the late '70s and early '80s. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide

Name Credits Andy Hoffman Assistant Engineer Billy Joel Producer, Multi Instruments, Vocals, Keyboards, Harmonica Bradshaw Leigh Assistant Engineer, Associate Engineer Brian Ruggles Concert Producer Bruce Botnick Mixing Chaz Clifton Assistant Engineer Dave Brown Guitar (Electric), Guitar (Acoustic), Guitar Dave Lebolt Synthesizer David Brown Guitar David Matthews Horn Arrangements David Sanborn Saxophone Dean Parks Guitar Don Evans Guitar Don Puluse Engineer Donnie Dacus Vocals (Background) Doug Stegmeyer Bass, Vocals (Background) Elliot Scheiner Engineer, Remixing Emory Gordy Bass Eric Gale Guitar Eric Troyer Vocals Frank Floyd Vocals Frank Simms Vocals (Background) Gary Dalton Guitar Hiram Bullock Guitar (Electric) Howie Emerson Guitar (Electric), Guitar (Acoustic) Hugh McCracken Guitar (Acoustic) James Herb Smith Guitar (Acoustic) Jim Boyer Remixing, Engineer Jimmy Bralower Percussion Joe Shepley Trumpet John Bradley Assistant, Production Coordination, Production Supervisor John Gatchell Trumpet John McCurry Guitar Jon Faddis Trumpet, Synthesizer Harmonica Joseph d'Ambrosio Assistant, Production Coordination Joseph J. Shepley Trumpet Kathy Kurs Production Coordination Lani Groves Vocals Larry Carlton Guitar Larry Franke Associate Engineer Laura Loncteaux Production Assistant, Production Coordination, Assistant Leon Pendarvis Organ Liberty DeVitto Percussion, Drums Mark Larson Art Direction Mark Rivera Percussion, Saxophone, Synthesizer Harmonica, Vocals, Multi Instruments Michael Alexander Vocals Michael Allaire Assistant Engineer Michael Brecker Sax (Tenor) Michael Christopher Assistant Engineer Michael Omartian Keyboards Michael Stewart Producer Michele Slagter Assistant, Production Coordination Mingo Lewis Percussion Neil Jason Percussion Patrick Demarchelier Photography Patrick Williams Orchestration Pete Hewlett Vocals (Background) Peter Cetera Vocals (Background) Peter Hefter Assistant Engineer Phil Ramone Engineer, Remixing, Producer Phil Woods Sax (Alto) Ralph MacDonald Percussion Richard Tee Organ, Piano Richie Cannata Multi Instruments Ron Malo Engineer Ron Taylor Vocals Ron Tutt Drums Ronnie Cuber Saxophone, Synthesizer Harmonica, Sax (Baritone) Rory Dodd Vocals Russell Javors Guitar (Acoustic), Guitar (Electric), Guitar (Rhythm), Guitar Scott James Assistant Engineer Steve Burgh Guitar (Acoustic) Steve Khan Multi Instruments Ted Jensen Mastering, Digital Remastering Terry Textor Vocals Tom Bahler Vocals Tom Roberts Associate Engineer Tom Whitehorse Pedal Steel, Banjo Toots Thielemans Harmonica Ullanda McCullough Vocals William Bennett ? Wilton Felder Bass