| Average Rating: |
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| Sales Rank: | 685 (lower is better) |
| Price as of: | 10/04/2008 2:10:25 AM MDT |
| Price Used: | $9.98 |
| Shipping: | Free Shipping on most orders over $25* |
| Availability: | Usually ships in 24 hours |
| Release Date: | 1998-10-20 |
| Label: | Sony |
| UPC: | 074646939123 |
| Binding: | Audio CD |
| Published By: | Sony |
| ASIN: | B00000DCHI |
| Category: | Music |
Tracks on Billy Joel Greatest Hits: Vol. 1-2 (2CD) by Sony
- Piano Man
- Captain Jack
- Entertainer
- Say Goodbye to Hollywood
- New York State of Mind
- Stranger
- Scenes from an Italian Restaurant
- Just the Way You Are
- Movin' out (Anthony's Song)
- Only the Good Die Young
- My Life
- Big Shot
- You May Be Right
- It's Still Rock And Roll To Me
- Don't Ask Me Why
- She's Got A Way
- Pressure
- Allentown
- Goodnight Saigon
- Tell Her About It
- Uptown Girl
- The Longest Time
- You're Only Human (Second Wind)
- The Night Is Still Young
Editorial Reviews and Product Descriptions
Amazon.com essential recording
It's one of the cruel ironies of music today that Billy Joel has been relegated to a kind of adult-contemporary hell, where his legacy is measured by soft-rock staples such as "Just the Way You Are," "Piano Man," and "New York State of Mind." To be sure, well-crafted ballads are a part of his legacy, but they're hardly the whole story, as this collection of his early and mid-period hits amply demonstrates. From the unbridled biographical boasting of "The Entertainer" and the ambitious storytelling of "Scenes from an Italian Restaurant" to the careening abandon of "Only the Good Die Young" and the thoughtful social commentary of "Allentown," Joel was as complete an artist as the last three decades have produced. --Daniel Durchholz
Customer Reviews
What the heck? - Reviewed on 2008-09-02
The most helpful review on Amazon right now praises that this "remastered" edition of Billy Joel's Greatest Hits sounds better than the original. I have no idea what that person was listening to, but it sure wasn't the same set of CDs that I got.
I compared this new release to the original CD release, and the original blew it completely away. Not only is the audio quality muddier in general, but there's an obnoxious emphasis on the bass line and bass drum. I don't remember where, but in one review I saw researching this edition, it said something along the lines of "Now the bass SOUNDS like it should." No, it doesn't. It's just louder. This CD, like most "remasters" I've bought, is also dynamically compressed. So it's REALLY annoying when the bass drum has a lot more emphasis, but doesn't make any impact on you.
In fact, now that I think about it: Most of the "remasters" I've bought just sound louder, and have an obnoxious emphasis on the bass line/drum while dynamically compressed. The only ones which I've bought that actually improve sound quality are ones for recordings made before 1970. Still though, they suffer the bass/dynamic compression treatment just like this "remaster".
Bottom line: get the original CD release. Not only does it sound as good as MFSL CDs (I have a few, and the original CD release sounds just as good as them), but it will most likely be cheaper too.
* - See Amazon
Product Page for shipping and pricing details.
Book Subjects
- Adult Contemporary
- Album Rock
- Hard Rock
- Pop
- Pop/Rock
- Pop/Rock Music
- Popular Music
- Rock
- Rock/Pop
- Singer/Songwriter
- Soft Rock
- United States of America
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