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Last-modified: 22 Aug 1994


This is the Frequently Asked Questions List (FAQ) for the Usenet Newsgroup
Alt.music.billy-joel.  This list was last updated 8/22/94.  
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INDEX
============================

I.   History of Billy Joel
	1. Fact Sheet
	2. History of Early Years
	3. Awards

II.  Discography (arranged by year)
	1. The Hassles
	2. Attila
	3. Billy Joel (solo career)
	4. Singles
	5. Videotapes
	6. Other Stuff

III. History of the Band
	1. Timeline of Band Members

IV.  Billy Joel Resources
	1. Books
	2. Magazine Articles
	3. Sheet Music
	4. Net Resources
		a. FTP Sites
		b. WWW Site
		c. Mailing List -- joel-request@chaos.bsu.edu
		d. Fan Club/Mailing List -- Keepers of the Faith

V.   Origins/Meanings of Songs, plus other Miscellaneous Questions
	1. Captain Jack
	2. Rosalinda's Eyes
	3. Downeaster Alexa
	4. The Bridge
	5. Vienna
	6. Big Shot
	7. Root Beer Rag (newsletter)
	8. Covers of Billy's Songs by Other Artists
	9. "Souvenir" Album
	10. Unreleased Songs



I. HISTORY OF BILLY JOEL
============================

1.  Fact Sheet
----------------------
[Info is from 1994 edition of Who's Who in America]
	Real Name:	William Martin Joel
	Birthday:	May 9, 1949 (in the Bronx, NY)
	Married To:	Christie Brinkley  (m. March 23, 1985)
	Children:	Alexa Ray Joel  (b. December 29, 1985)
	Address:	Maritime Music, Inc
			200 W. 57th St.
			New York, NY  10019

2.  A Biography of Billy Joel's Early Years
-------------------------------------------
	Billy Joel
	Before the Piano Man
	A look into Billy Joel's early recordings
	by Paul Maclauchlan (paul@moore.com)
	Copyright 1991 by Paul Maclaughlan

	William Joseph Martin (Billy) Joel, born May 9, 1949, in Levitown
	Long Island, New York.  He began piano lessons at age 4.  As a young
	teenager, Joel discovered the joys of reading books and decided to
	become a history teacher.  Billy divided his time between music,
	street gangs and boxing.  After 22 bouts he gave up the ring for
	piano.  "...when I came to a difficult passage I'd start knuckling
	the keyboards."  "I idolized The Beatles, especially Paul - nobody
	could come up with the melodies he could".

	His first band was a four piece beat band called "The Echoes".  The
	Echoes played cover versions of popular hits, including songs by The
	Rolling Stones, The Kinks, The Zombies and, of course, The Beatles.
	In late 1964, Billy was pressed into service by producer Shadow
	Morton, who was recording The Shangri-Las in a Levitown basement
	studio.  Billy played on "Leader Of The Pack", but was never paid,
	since he wasn't a union member.
	
	The Echoes became "The Lost Souls" in 1965, "The Emerald Lords" in
	1966 and "The Hassles" in 1967.  The Hassles were signed to United
	Artists (UA) Records in 1968.  The Hassles featured: John Dizek
	(vocals), Billy Joel (Keyboards), Jon Small (drums), Howie Blauvelt
	(bass) and Richard McKenner (guitar).  He occasionally billed himself
	as: Billy Joe Joel!

	The Hassles self-titled debut album contained original songs (by W.
	Joel) and covers.  Produced by Tony Michael and Vinnie Gorman. 
	United Artists 6631.  [see discography below for track listings]
	Two singles from the album flopped: Every Step I Take, Every Move I
	Make b/w I Hear Voices and You've Got Me Hummin' b/w I'm Thinking.

	Later the same year, 1968, The Hassles recorded and released their
	second, and final, album: Hour Of The Wolf.  Produced by Thomas Kay.
	United Artists 6699.  This album's songs were all originals by the
	band.  [see discography below for track listings]  Singles from the
	album were: 4 O'Clock In The Morning b/w Let Me Bring You To The
	Sunshine and Night After Day b/w Country Boy.

	The album was followed by a non-LP single, Great Balls Of Fire (Jack
	Hammer-Otis Blackwell) [the Jerry Lee Lewis song] b/w Travellin' Band
	(W.Joel) [not the CCR song].  Produced by The Hassles, that release
	sunk without a trace, and The Hassles were disbanded.

	Billy and Jon Small (The Hassles drummer) then formed Atilla, and
	recorded an album Billy later described as "psychedelic bullshit". 
	The album was released on Epic (E 30030) and produced by Irwin Mazur,
	William Joel and Jonathan Small.  All music and lyrics by William
	Joel and Jonathan Small.  [see discography below for track listings]
	Billy eventually married Jon Small's wife, Elizabeth.

	Billy reportedly still loves Jimi Hendrix, but hates the album that
	was influenced by him.  After Atilla, Billy worked as a rock
	journalist for Changes magazine and recorded a commercial for
	Bachmann's Pretzels with Chubby Checker.

	In 1971, he recorded his first "solo" album, "Cold Spring Harbor",
	for Family Records.  Billy was embarrassed by the record, which had
	been mastered at the wrong speed.  It was produced by Artie Ripp. 
	All songs were composed by Billy Joel.  [see discography below for
	track listings]  Singles: Everybody Loves You Now b/w She's Got A
	Way and Tomorrow Is Today b/w Everybody Loves You Now.

	Discouraged by touring for six months to support the album, opening
	for acts like J. Geils Band and Badfinger, Billy moved to California.
	There he performed as Bill Martin at Corky's on Van Nuys Blvd and at
	the Executive Lounge piano bar on Wilshire Blvd.  The experience is
	related in his first Columbia single: Piano Man.

	Information from this article is from liner notes by Glenn A. Baker
	and articles and books by Jeff Tamarkin and Peter Gabaccini.  Also
	from the records themselves.

3.  Awards
----------------------
	[Info is from 1994 edition of Who's Who in America]
	1978 Grammy Award for Record of the Year:  The Stranger
	1978 Grammy Award for Song of the Year:  Just the Way You Are
	1979 Grammy Nomination for Song of the Year:  Honesty
	1979 Grammy Award for Best Album:  52nd Street
	1979 Grammy Award for Best Rock Male Vocal Performance
	1980 Grammy Award for Best Rock Male Vocal Performance
	1980 American Music Award for Album of the Year:  Glass Houses
	1982 Grammy Nomination for Album of the Year:  The Nylon Curtain
	1989 Grammy Nomination for Record of the Year:  Storm Front
	1989 Grammy Nomination for Song of the Year:  We Didn't Start the Fire
	1989 Grammy Nomination for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance
	1990 Grammy Nomination for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance 
	1990 Grammy Nomination for Producer of the Year
	1990 Grammy Legend Award
	1992 Inducted into Songwriters' Hall of Fame
	1994 Grammy Nomination for Album of the Year: River of Dreams
	1994 Grammy Nomination for Record of the Year: River of Dreams
	1994 Grammy Nomination for Song of the Year: River of Dreams
	1994 Grammy Nomination for Best Male Rock Vocalist


II. DISCOGRAPHY
============================

1. The Hassles
----------------------
[Thanks to Phil Hetherington (ee92pmh@brunel.ac.uk) and Paul Maclauchlan
(paul@moore.com) for this info]

The Hassles (1967, re-release 1981)	Hour of the Wolf (1968, re-release 1981)
-----------				----------------
Warming Up				Country Boy
Just Holding On				Night After Day
A Taste Of Honey			Hour of the Wolf
Every Step I Take (Every Move		4 O'Clock in the Morning
     I Make)				Cat
Coloured Rain				Hotel St. George
I Hear Voices				Land of Despair
I Can Tell				Further Than Heaven
Giving Up (Version #2)
Fever
You've Got Me Hummin'

The Hassles (re-release 1992)
-----------
[All of the above tracks plus:]
I'm Thinkin'
I'll Be Around
When I Get Home
It's Not Enough
Love Luck
Look And You Will Find
Blow My Mind
Giving Up (Version #1)


2. Attila
----------------------
[Thanks to Paul Maclauchlan (paul@moore.com) for this info]

Attila (1970)
------
Wonder Woman
California Flash
Revenge is Sweet
Amplifier Fire
     Part I-Godzilla
     Part II-March of the Huns
Rollin' Home
Tear This Castle Down
Holy Moses
Brain Invasion


3. Billy's Solo Career
----------------------
[Thanks to Kevin Harter (HARTERK5863@cobra.uni.edu) for this info]

Cold Spring Harbor (1971)		Piano Man (1973)
------------------			---------
She's Got a Way				Travelin' Prayer
You can Make me Free			Piano Man
Everybody Loves You Now			Ain't No Crime
Why Judy Why				You're My Home
Falling of the Rain			The Ballad of Billy the Kid
Turn Around				Worse Comes to Worst
You Look so Good to Me			Stop In Nevada
Tomorrow is Today			If I Only Had the Words (To Tell You)
Nocturne				Somewhere Along the Line
Got to Begin Again			Captain Jack

Streetlife Serenade (1974)		Turnstiles (1976)
-------------------			----------
Streetlife Serenade			Say Goodbye to Hollywood
Los Angelenos				Summer, Highland Falls
The Great Suburban Showdown		All You Wanna Do is Dance
Root Beer Rag				New York State of Mind
Roberta					James
The Entertainer				Prelude/Angry Young Man
Last of the Big Time Spenders		I've Loved These Days
Weekend Song				Miami 2017 (Seen the Lights
Souvenir					go out on Broadway)
The Mexican Connection

The Stranger (1977)			52nd Street (1978)
------------				-----------
Movin' Out (Anthony's Song)		Big Shot
The Stranger				Honesty
Just the Way You Are			My Life
Scenes from an Italian Restaurant	Zanzibar
Vienna					Stiletto
Only the Good Die Young			Rosalinda's Eyes
She's Always A Woman			Half a Mile Away
Get it Right the First Time		Until the Night
Everybody Has a Dream			52nd Street

Glass Houses (1980)			Songs In The Attic (1981)
------------				------------------
You May be Right			Miami 2017 (Seen the Lights
Sometimes A Fantasy				go out on Broadway)
Don't Ask Me Why			Summer, Highland Falls
It's Still Rock and Roll to Me		Streetlife Serenader
All for Leyna				Los Angelenos
I Don't Want to be Alone		She's Got A Way
Sleeping with the Television On		Everybody Loves You Now
C'Etait Toi (You Were the One)		Say Goodbye to Hollywood
Close to the Borderline			Captain Jack
Through the Long Night			You're my Home
					The Ballad of Billy the Kid
					I've Loved These Days

The Nylon Curtain (1982)		An Innocent Man (1983)
-----------------			---------------
Allentown				Easy Money
Laura					An Innocent Man
Pressure				Uptown Girl
Goodnight Siagon			This Night
She's Right on Time			Tell Her About It
A Room of Our Own			The Longest Time
Surprises				Careless Talk
Scandinavian Skies			Christie Lee
Where's the Orchestra?			Leave a Tender Moment Alone
					Keeping the Faith

Greatest Hits Volume I & Volume II (Double CD Set - 1985)
----------------------------------
Greatest Hits Volume I 1973-1977	Greatest Hits Volume II 1978-1985
--------------------------------	---------------------------------
Piano Man				My Life
Captain Jack				Big Shot
The Entertainer				You May be Right
Say Goodbye to Hollywood		It's Still Rock and Roll to Me
New York State of Mind			Don't Ask Me Why
The Stranger				She's Got A Way
Scenes from an Italian Restaurant	Pressure
Movin' Out (Anthony's Song)		Allentown
Only the Good Die Young			Goodnight Siagon
She's Always a Woman			Tell Her About It
					Uptown Girl
					The Longest Time
					You're Only Human (Second Wind)
					The Night is Still Young

The Bridge (1986)			Kohuept (1987)
----------				-------
Running On Ice				Odoya
This is the Time			Angry Young Man
A Matter of Trust			Honesty
Modern Woman				Goodnight Saigon
Baby Grand				Stiletto
Big Man on Mulberry Street		Big Man on Mulberry Street
Temptation				Baby Grand
Code of Silence				An Innocent Man
Getting Closer				Allentown
					A Matter of Trust
					Only the Good Die Young
					Sometimes a Fantasy
					Uptown Girl
					Big Shot
					Back in the U.S.S.R.
					The Times They Are a Changin'

Storm Front (1989)			River of Dreams (1993)
-----------				---------------
That's Not Her Style			No Man's Land
We Didn't Start the Fire		The Great Wall of China
The Downeaster "Alexa"			Blonde Over Blue
I Go to Extremes			A Minor Variation
Shameless				Shades of Grey
Storm Front				All About Soul
Leningrad				Lullabye (Goodnight, My Angel)
State of Grace				The River of Dreams
When in Rome				Two Thousand Years
And So it Goes				Famous Last Words

4. Singles
----------
Everybody Loves You Now / She's Got A Way
Tomorrow is Today / Everybody Loves You Now
Allentown / Elvis Presley Blvd. (record, 1982)
An Innocent Man / I'll Cry Instead (live; cover of the Beatles) (record, 1982)
Tell Her About It / You Got Me Hummin' (live; The Hassles) (record, 1983)
Suprises / You're Only Human (second wind)
We Didn't Start the Fire / House of Blue Light (cassette, 1989)
All Shook Up / Wear My Ring Around Your Neck (by Ricky Van Shelton)
        (cassette)
River of Dreams / No Man's Land (CD)
All About Soul / You Picked A Real Bad Time (1994)
Lullabye (Goodnight, My Angel) / ???

5. Videotapes
-------------
Eye of the Storm
Live from Long Island
Live from Lenningrad, USSR
Live from Yankee Stadium
The Russia Collection
Shades of Grey
The Video Album

6. Other Stuff & Rare Stuff
---------------------------
"Nobody Knows But Me" -- Sesame Street's _In Harmony 2_ album (1981)
Souvenir -- Promotional album released by Columbia in 1977.  (see section
	5.10 for more info)
"Why Should I Worry" -- Soundtrack from Disney's "Oliver & Company".  Billy
        also did the voice of the dog (Dodger) in the movie
Australian Souvenir CD Set -- Includes Greatest Hits Vol 1 & 2, Storm
        Front, an Interview CD, and a live CD from a concert at Yankee
        Stadium


III. HISTORY OF THE BAND
============================
	[Thanks to Claire Caterer (caterer@panix.com) for this info]

	The Hassles:
	------------
	Billy Joel (vocals, Hammond organ)
	John Dizek (vocals, percussion)
	Howie Blauvelt (bass guitar)
	Richie McKenner (lead guitar)
	Jon Small (drums)

	Attila:
	-------
	Billy Joel (vocals, keyboards)
	John Small (drums)

	Billy Joel's Band Through His Solo Career:
	------------------------------------------
	[Abbreviations: CSH = Cold Spring Harbor; PM = Piano Man; 
		SS = Streetlife Serenade; TS = Turnstiles; S = Stranger;
		52 = 52nd Street; GH = Glass Houses; SITA = Songs in the Attic;
		NC = Nylon Curtain; IM = Innocent Man; GHITS = Greatest
		Hits Vol. I & II (original songs); B = The Bridge;
		K = Kohuept; SF = Storm Front; RD = River of Dreams]
			
	The Mainstays:
	~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
	David Brown (guitar on GH, SITA, NC, IM, GHITS, B, S, SF)
	Richard Cannata (tenor and soprano saxophone, clarinet, flute, organ
		on TS, S, 52, GH, SITA, RD)
	Liberty DeVitto (drums on TS, S, 52, GH, SITA, IM, GHITS, B, K, SF, RD)
	Russell Javors (guitar, acoustic guitar, rhythm guitar on TS, GH, SITA,
		NC, IM, B, K)
	Billy Joel (vocals, keyboards, moogs, organ, piano, harmonica, 
		synthesizers, hammond organ, hammond B-3, melodica, 
		acoustic guitar, clavinet, harpsicord)
	Mark Rivera (alto sax, tenor sax, percussion, background vocals,
		syntharmonica on IM, GHITS, B, K)
	Doug Stegmeyer (bass, background vocals on TS, S, 52, GH, SITA, NC,
		IM, GHITS, B, K)

	The Famous Folks:
	~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
	Peter Cetera (background vocals on B: "My Life")
	Ray Charles (piano, vocals on B: "Baby Grand")
	Color Me Badd (background vocals on RD: "All About Soul")
	Cyndi Lauper (background vocals on B: "Code of Silence")
	Richard Marx (background vocals on SF: "That's Not Her Style",
		"Storm Front")
	Itzhak Perlman (fiddle on SF: "Downeaster Alexa")
	David Sanborn (alto sax on IM)
	Steve Winwood (hammond B-3 on B: "Getting Closer")

	The Rest (by instrument):
	~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
	Piano/Keyboards/Synthesizers:
	-----------------------------
	Jeff Bova (B), Al Campbell (CSH), L.D. Dixon (CSH), Jeff Jacobs
	(SF, RD), Dave Lebolt (GHITS, K), John Mahonet (SF), Rob Mounsey
	(B), Leon Pendarvis (NC), Fender Rhodes (CSH), Richard Tee (S, IM)

	Drums/Percussion:
	-----------------
	Zachary Alford (RD), Jimmy Bralower (GHITS, B), Vinnie Calaiuta (B),
	Rhys Clark (CSH, PM), David Friedman (52), Steve Jordan (RD), Andy
	"Funky Drummer" Kravitz (RD), Mingo Lewis (TS), Ralph MacDonald
	(S, 52, IM), Mike McGee (CSH), Sammy Merendino (SF), Jim Saporito
	(RD), Danny Siewell (CSH), Crystal Taliefero (SF), Ron Tutt (PM, SS)

	Guitar/Acoustic Guitar:
	-----------------------
	Richard Bennett (PM, SS), Hiram Bullock (S), Tommy Byrnes (RD),
	Larry Carlton (CSH), Gary Dalton (SS), Mike Deasy (SS), Kevin
	Dukes (K), Howie Emerson (TS), Don Evans (CSH, SS), Eric Gale
	(52, IM), Al Hertzberg (SS), Joey Hunting (SF), Mick Jones (SF),
	Steve Kahn (S, 52), "Sneaky" Pete Kleinow (CSH), Dan Kortchmar
	(RD), John McCurry (GHITS, B), Ary Munson (SS), Dean Parks (PM, B),
	Roj Rathor (SS), Michael Stewart (SS), Sal De Troia (CSH), Mike
	Tyler (RD), Leslie West (RD)

	Acoustic Guitar:
	----------------
	Steve Burgh (S), Howie Emerson (TS), Steve Kahn (S, 52), Hugh
	McCracken (S, 52), James Smith (TS), David Spinozza (52)

	Bass:
	-----
	Ron Carter (B), Schuyler Deale (SF, RD), Wilton Felder (PM, SS),
	Emory Gordy (PM, SS), Lonnie Hillyer (RD), Jeff Lee Johnson (RD),
	Larry Knechtel (CSH, SS), Joe Osborn (CSH), T.M. Stevens (RD),
	Neil Stubenhaus (B), Chuck Treece (RD)

	Accordion:
	----------
	Dominic Cortese (S, NC, SF), Michael Omartian (PM)

	Banjo:
	------
	Fred Heilbrun (PM), Eric Weissberg (PM), Tom Whitehorse (SS)

	Horns:
	------
	Dave Bargeron (trombone on B), Mike Brecker (horns on 52, B),
	Randy Brecker (horns, tenor sax on 52, IM), Ronnie Cuber
	(baritone sax on IM, GHITS, B), Eddie Daniels (sax, clarinet
	on NC, B), Laurence Etkin (trumpet on RD), John Gatchell
	(trumpet on IM), Arno Hecht (baritone saxophone on RD), Freddie
	Hubbard (trumpet on 52), Osvaldo Melindez (trombone on RD),
	"The Memphis Horns" (Andrew Love, Wayne Jackson) (horns on SF),
	Lenny Pickett (saxophone on SF), Alan Rubin (trumpet on B),
	Joe Shepley (trumpet on IM), Marvin Stamm (trumpet on B), Phil
	Woods (alto sax on S)

	Harmonica/Syntharmonica:
	------------------------
	Don Brooks (B, SF), Ronnie Cuber (IM, GHITS, B), Jon Faddis (GHITS),
	"Toots" Thielemans (IM)
	
	Other:
	------
	Billy Armstrong (fiddle on PM), Joe Clayton (conga on SS),
	David Friedman (orchestral chimes on 52), The Georgian Singers
	"Zhournalist" (vocals on K), George Marge (sopranino recorder on
	52), Mike Mainieri (vibes, marimba on 52), Charles McCraken
	(cello on NC), William Smith (organ on SS)

	Background Vocals: 
	------------------
	Mike Alexander (IM), Chuck Arnold (SF), Pattie Austin (S), Tom
	Bahler (IM), Phillip Ballou (RD), Katreese Barnes (RD), Dennis
	Collins (RD), The Creamers/Susan Steward & Co. (PM), Donnie
	Dacus (52), Patti Darcy (SF), Rory Dodd (IM), Will Downing (RD),
	Frank Floyd (52, IM, SF, RD), Babi Floyd (52), Wrecia Ford (RD),
	Diane Garisto (RD), Milt Grayson (52), Lani Groves (S, IM),
	Gwen Guthrie (S), Peter Hewlett (GHITS, B, K), Hicksville High
	School Chorus (SF), Jeff Jacobs (SF, RD), Stephanie James (RD),
	Devora Johnson (RD), Mick Jones (SF), Curtis King (SF), Ian
	Lloyd (SF), Ullanda McCullough (IM), Brian Ruggles (SF), Zack
	Sanders (52), Marlon Saunders (RD), Frank Simms (GHITS, RD),
	George Simms (K, RD), Ray Simpson (52), Phoebe Snow (S),
	Corliss Stafford (RD), Crystal Taliefero (SF), Ron Taylor (IM),
	Terry Textor (IM), Eric Troyer (IM), Joe Lynn Turner (SF), Brenda
	White-King (SF, RD), B. David Whitworth (RD)


	
IV. BILLY JOEL RESOURCES
============================

1. Books
----------------------
	[Thanks to Claire Caterer (caterer@panix.com) for this info]

	BILLY JOEL by Peter Gambaccini; Jove Publications: 1979
	BILLY JOEL by Michael McKenzie; Ballantine: 1984
	BILLY JOEL by Debbie Geller & Tom Hibbert; McGraw-Hill: 1985
	BILLY JOEL by Jeff Tamarkin; Cherry Lane BOoks: 1984
	ROCK STARS by Timothy White; Stewart, Tabori, & Chiang: 1984

2. Magazine Articles
----------------------
	[Thanks to Michael Kidd (mkidd@julian.uwo.ca) for the
	majority of this info]

	"Billy Joel Tricks the Phillies."  Rolling Stone.  Jun. 20, 1974
	"Billy Joel:  The Miracle of 52nd Street."  Rolling Stone.  
		Dec. 14, 1978, pp. 70ff.
	"Rock Punk."  Penthouse.  May 1979
	"Billy Joel is Angry."  Rolling Stone.  Sep. 4, 1980, pp. 37ff.
	"Billy Joel."  Playboy.  May, 1982
	"Billy Joel:  Not as Bad as You Think."  Rolling Stone.  Oct. 28, 1982
	"He Sang of Their Troubles, but Grateful Citizens Say Thank You
		Anyway To Billy Joel."  People.  Jan. 10, 1983
	"Billy Joel."  Penthouse.  Dec. 1985
	"New Billy Joel LP A Star-Studded Affair."  Rolling Stone. 
		Jun. 9, 1986
	"Billy Joel."  Rolling Stone.  Nov. 6, 1986, pp. 46ff.
	"Billy Joel."  Life.  Sep. 1987
	"Billy Joel's Russian Roadshow."  Rolling Stone.  Sep. 24, 1987
	"Billy Joel:  Doing the Kremlin Rag."  Life.  Oct. 1987
	"A Matter of Trust:  Billy Joel in the USSR."  Variety.  Jun. 29, 1988
	"Billy Joel Rides the Tide of Success into his 40's."  Billboard.  
		Nov. 4, 1989
	"Billy Joel Starts a Fire..."  Rolling Stone.  Nov. 16, 1989
	"Billy Joel."  Keyboard.  Jan., 1990, pp. 50
	"Talent in Action:  Billy Joel."  Billboard.  Jan. 6, 1990
	"The Rolling Stone Interview:  Billy Joel."  Rolling Stone. 
		Jan. 25, 1990, pp. 34ff.
	"The Lessons of Rock and Roll:  Billy Joel Presents History, the
		Album (We Didn't Start the Fire)."  Newsweek.  Jan. 29, 1990
	"Hometown Hero:  Billy Joel."  Rolling Stone.  Aug. 9, 1990
	"Classic Songs:  Billy Joel's Top Ten Beatles Songs."  Rolling Stone.
		Aug. 23, 1990
	"A Matter of Trust:  Billy Joel Suing Former Lawyers."  Billboard.
		Oct. 3, 1992
	"Billy Joel."  Rolling Stone.  Oct. 15, 1992
	"Billy Joel: Of time and the 'River'."  Billboard.  Jun. 5, 1993
	"The Last Songwriter--River of Dreams by Billy Joel."  Time. 
		Aug. 30, 1993
	"Picks & Pans--River of Dreams by Billy Joel."  People.  Sep. 20, 1993
	"Billy Joel's New Legal Firestorm."  Rolling Stone.  Sep. 30, 1993
	"Just the Way He Is."  People.  Oct. 25, 1993
	"Billy Joel Agrees to Drop Suit against Grubman."  Billboard. 
		Nov. 6, 1993
	"Billy Joel."  Rolling Stone.  Dec. 23, 1993
	"The Year in Recordings."  Rolling Stone.  Dec. 23, 1993

3. Sheet Music
----------------------
	Sheet music for all of Billy Joel's songs is available.  You
	should be able to find it at your favorite local music store.

	Billy Joel Complete Volume 1  (ISBN:0-7935-2070-3)  [contains
		first 6 albums:  Cold Spring Harbor, Piano Man,
		Streetlife Serenade, Turnstiles, The Stranger, and
		52nd Street]  304 pages.  US$27.95
		Hal Leonard Publishing Corporation
		7777 West Bluemound Road
		PO Box 13819
		Milwaukee, WI  53213


4. Streetlife Serenade Newsletter
---------------------------------
	Streetlife Serenade is a new newsletter put out independently
	from Billy's record company.  To obtain a free sample issue 
	(this is subject to change) and specifics on subscribing
	(including current subscription cost), write to:

		Suzan Wells
		c/o Wells Ink
		P.O. Box 2075
		Garden City, NY  11531

	
5. Net Resources
----------------------
   FTP SITES:  
   ----------
	ftp.uwp.edu:/pub/music/artists/j/joel.billy  (good place to start)
		    /pub/music/lyrics/j/joel.billy   (lyrics to almost all
			songs)
		    /pub/music/guitar/j/Billy.Joel   (guitar music for
			a few songs)
		    /pub/music/pictures/j/joel.billy (one jpeg file of
			poor quality--picture from back of "The Bridge")
	ftp.eng.auburn.edu:/pub/billy-joel/fan-email-archive.z
			(archives of Billy Joel mailing list)
		    /pub/billy-joel/README  (description of mail folder file)

   WWW SITE:
   ---------
	For those of you who like to cruise the World Wide Web, check
	out Mark Rotton's (rotton@gandalf.rutgers.edu) Billy Joel
	WWW Site.  The URL is:
		http://www.usacs.rutgers.edu/~rotton/bjoel.html

   MAILING LISTS:
   --------------

	The Billy Joel Mailing List
	---------------------------
   	[Thanks to Chael Hall (nowhere@chaos.bsu.edu), Mailing List
	Administrator, and Reid Fishler (redhead@chaos.bsu.edu),
	Mailing List Moderator for this info]

	Purpose:
	This mailing list is for fans of Billy Joel and his music.  Its
	intention is to provide a forum for intelligent discussion of Billy
	Joel, his music, concert dates, tour information, trivia, and other
	related topics.

	Membership:
	Open Invitation.

	Subscription:
	To join the instant version (You get all the mail as it is sent):
		mail to: joel-request@chaos.bsu.edu
		subject: subscribe

	To join the Digest version (One to two letters a day, containing
	all the mail for the day):
		mail to: joel-digest-request@chaos.bsu.edu
		subject: subscribe

	Questions:
	Send mail to the list request address, joel-request@chaos.bsu.edu
	with the subject line "MANUAL", and it will be forwarded to the
	moderator (redhead@chaos.bsu.edu) and the mailing list administrator
	(nowhere@chaos.bsu.edu.)

	Keepers of the Faith / The Piano Bar
	------------------------------------
	[thanks to Jason Dorough (jasond3345@aol.com) for this info]

	Keepers of the Faith is a Billy Joel fan club.  It is available
	through Prodigy, INN, America On-Line, and the Internet at
	large.  A few of the things it has to offer are:
	
	1) A weekly newsletter (The Piano Bar) sent through e-mail.
	2) A recordings library where members can use audio/visual
		material.
	3) Frequent contests with prizes.

	There is no fee for joining the club/mailing list.  For more
	information, send e-mail to Jason Dorough (jasond3345@aol.com). 
	To join, include your full name, e-mail address, and regular mail
	address in your message to Jason.


V. Origins/Meanings of Songs, plus Other Misc. Questions
========================================================
Bear in mind that many of these songs can have other meanings.  These
are just Billy's intended meanings.  Feel free to interpret any of these
songs any way you like.

1.  Who/What is Captain Jack?
-----------------------------
	According to Billy Joel, Captain Jack was the neighborhood 
	drug dealer in his neighborhood when he was growing up.

2.  Who is Rosalinda in "Rosalinda's Eyes"?
-------------------------------------------
	Billy's Mom.

3.  Who is the "Famous Violinist Incognito" who plays on "Downeaster Alexa"?
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
	Itzhak Perlman.  They couldn't use his real name due to legal 
	complications about Perlman appearing on a different record label.

4.  What is the significance of the record title "The Bridge"?
--------------------------------------------------------------
	[From an interview in the back of the piano sheet music book for
	The Bridge]

	"I came up with the title THE BRIDGE about two-thirds of the way
	through the album ... I I didn't really know why when I first said
	it. Then when I thought about it, I realized there's been a lot of
	connections made on this record. There's a duet with Ray Charles,
	and Ray Charles is somebody I admired for years and years. That was
	a connection made, so there's a bridge. There's a song that was done
	with Steve Winwood playing the Hammond organ, and I've always
	admired Steve--for years and years. So there's another bridge. The
	album is probably more like an older Billy Joel album, harkening
	back to 52ND STREET and THE STRANGER, in that it's not a concept
	album. The songs are not necessarily related to one another, but
	they were written in the same [time] period. And for that reason,
	because there's a connection to the older stuff, there's another
	bridge. I also see it as a direction into a future type of writing."

5.  What's the significance behind "Vienna"?
--------------------------------------------
	Billy's Dad lives in Vienna.  He wrote the song after going there
	to visit him once.

6.  What (or who) was the inspiration for "Big Shot"?
-----------------------------------------------------
	A very bad date with Bianca Jagger.

7.  What ever happened to the "Root Beer Rag" newsletter?
---------------------------------------------------------
	This newsletter was produced by Billy's former management
	agency.  When Billy broke up with his former manager, Frank
	Weber, the newsletter ceased to be published.
	
8.  Which of Billy's songs have other artists covered?
------------------------------------------------------
	"Miami 2017" -- Richard Marx (_Now and Forever_)
	"New York State of Mind" -- Susannah McCorkle
	"New York State of Mind" -- Oleta Adams (_Evolution_)
	"New York State of Mind" -- Rolf from the Muppets (_Old Brown Ears
		is Back_)
	"New York State of Mind" -- Barbara Streisand
	"Say Goodbye to Hollywood" -- Nigel Olson
	"Shameless" -- Garth Brooks (_Ropin' the Wind_)
	"You May Be Right" -- Southside Johnny (Theme Music for CBS's
		"Dave's World")

9.  What was the "Souvenir" album?
----------------------------------
	[Thanks to Carl Woodin (cjw4@psuvm.psu.edu) for this info.]

	Souvenir was released by Columbia in 1977.  It was released as
	a half live, half greatest hits album.  It was distributed mainly
	to DJs, clubs, and fan clubs.  A VERY limited picture disc version
	was also released. 

	Side 1 (live) - Ballad of Billy the Kid
			Summer, Highland Falls
			New York State of Mind
			Souvenir
	(This live side was recorded on 12/5-6/1976 at the Palmer
	Auditorium, Univ. of Connecticut, New London.  It was recorded
	during the taping of the Billy Joel tonight video.)

	Side 2 - 	Entertainer
			I've Loved these Days
			Captain Jack
			Los Angelenos
			Say Goodbye to Hollywood


10.  What songs has Billy written that were never released?
-----------------------------------------------------------
	"Money and Love" (written for Storm Front)


11.  What about... ?
--------------------
	If you know of something else that should be included here, let me
	know.


A big Thank You to all the contributors to this Frequently Asked Questions
List!  God knows I wouldn't have wanted to write all this myself...


Feel free to quote from this document as long as proper credit is given
to the editor and (if specified) the contributor of the information.
If you intend to reprint or redistrubute the entire FAQ or quote large
chunks of it, please contact the editor for permission.  All rights
reserved by the editor, Michael Steele (mike@cs.umd.edu), 1994,
except for "Billy Joel, A look into Billy Joel's early recordings," 
which is copyright 1991 by Paul Maclaughlan (paul@moore.com)

-- 
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Mike Steele         INET: mike@cs.umd.edu   voice: (301)405-2720
Univ. of Maryland   Dept. of Comp. Sci.     http://www.cs.umd.edu/users/mike