Billy Joel - Greatest Hits, Vols. 1 & 2 (1973-1985) [Bonus CD-ROM Track]

Although it's missing a few important (not to mention big) hits, Greatest Hits, Vols. 1 & 2 (1973-1985) [Bonus CD-ROM Track] 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 are 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. [This version of the album includes bonus material on CD-ROM.] ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide

Name Credits Andy Hoffman Assistant Engineer Bill Zampino Drums Billy Joel Organ (Hammond), Fender Rhodes, Moog Synthesizer, Synthesizer, Producer, Vocals, Melodica, Piano, Keyboards Bobbye Hall Percussion Bradshaw Leigh Associate Producer, Assistant Engineer, Engineer Brian Ruggles Concert Producer Bruce Botnick Mixing Chaz Clifton Assistant Engineer Dave Lebolt Synthesizer Dave Martone Assistant Engineer David Brown Guitar (Acoustic), Guitar (Electric), Guitar Dean Parks Guitar Dominick Maita Associate Producer Don Puluse Engineer Donnie Dacus Vocals Doug Stegmeyer Bass, Vocals (Background) Elliot Scheiner Remixing, Engineer Emory Gordy Bass 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 Engineer, Remixing Jimmy Bralower Percussion Joe Shepley Trumpet John Bradley Assistant Engineer, Production Coordination, Production Assistant John Gatchell Trumpet John McCurry Guitar Jon Faddis Synthesizer Harmonica Joseph d'Ambrosio Production Coordination, Production Assistant Kathy Kurs Production Assistant, Production Coordination Larry Carlton Guitar Larry Franke Associate Producer, Assistant Engineer Laura Loncteaux Production Coordination, Production Assistant Liberty DeVitto Drums Mark Larson Art Direction Mark Rivera Synthesizer Harmonica, Sax (Alto), Percussion, Sax (Tenor) Michael Allaire Assistant Engineer Michael Brecker Sax (Tenor) Michael Omartian Keyboards Michele Slagter Production Assistant, Production Coordination Mingo Lewis Percussion Patrick Demarchelier Photography Patrick Williams Orchestration Pete Hewlett Vocals (Background) Peter Cetera Vocals (Background) Peter Hefter Assistant Engineer Phil Ramone Remixing, Engineer, Producer Phil Woods Sax (Alto) Richard Tee Piano Richie Cannata Clarinet, Sax (Soprano), Flute, Organ, Sax (Tenor), Saxophone Ron Evans Guitar Ron Malo Engineer Ron Tutt Drums Ronnie Cuber Sax (Baritone), Synthesizer Harmonica Russell Javors Guitar (Acoustic), Guitar (Rhythm), Guitar (Electric) Scott James Assistant Engineer Steve Burgh Guitar (Acoustic) Steve Kahn Guitar (Acoustic), Hi String Guitar, Guitar (Electric), Guitar (12 String Electric) Ted Jensen Digital Remastering Tom Rees Roberts Associate Producer Tom Whitehorse Pedal Steel, Banjo William Sterndale Bennett Guitar Overdubs Wilton Felder Bass