"Just the Way You Are" is a song by Billy Joel from his fifth studio album The Stranger (1977). It was released in September 1977 as the album's lead single. It became both Joel's first US Top 10 and UK Top 20 single (reaching No. 3 and No. 19 respectively), as well as Joel's first gold single in the US. The song also topped the Billboard Easy Listening Chart for the entire month of January 1978.
Joel shared that the melody and chord progression for this song came to him while he was dreaming.[4] In an interview on the Howard Stern Radio Show on November 16, 2010, Joel revealed that the inspiration for writing the name of the song and how it sounds in the chorus was directly taken from the last line in the Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons song "Rag Doll", which incidentally was also a larger inspiration for Joel's later song "Uptown Girl".[5] The song, which Joel had written for his first wife (and also his business manager at the time) Elizabeth Weber, was not liked by either Joel or his band, and Joel had originally decided against making the track a part of The Stranger, but at the request of both Linda Ronstadt and Phoebe Snow (both were recording in other studios in the same building at the time), he agreed to put the song on the final mix.[6] However, the album's producer, Phil Ramone, later contradicted Joel's claim, stating in an interview that they could not afford to exclude the song because Joel did not have that much material from which to choose for the album.[7] The song also shares some similarities to "I'm Not in Love" by 10cc, due to the keyboard and background vocal tape loops Joel and Ramone used.[8]
After Joel and Weber divorced in 1982, Joel rarely performed the song live after 1986 until the 2000s, and Joel has publicly stated that he disliked playing the song live in the wake of his divorce from his first wife. He noted that during performances of the song around the time of his first divorce, his drummer Liberty DeVitto would jokingly parody the lyrics in the chorus as "She got the house. She got the car."[9]
When "Just the Way You Are" was released as a single, it was shortened by over a minute. The differences are the removal of the second verse and an earlier fade. A live performance of the song was also used as a music video. On February 18, 1978, the song peaked at No. 3, and Joel performed a shorter version of the song as the musical guest that day on Saturday Night Live (along with "Only the Good Die Young"). The single version (fading 8 seconds later) was included in the first release of Greatest Hits Volume I & Volume II, but the full album version was restored for the remastered release of that compilation.
The saxophone solo was played by Phil Woods, a well-known jazz performer and Grammy award winner. Woods' performance here exposed him to a wider audience and introduced his music to rock fans.[10]
^Lecaro, Lina (November 19, 2016). "This Monthly Club Is a Non-Ironic Celebration of Rock's Softer Side". LA Weekly.
^"200 Greatest Soft Rock Songs - Entertainment Blog". Entertainment.expertscolumn.com. Retrieved 23 April 2021.
^"Past Winners Search". The Grammys. Retrieved 7 November 2016.
^Webb, Craig (2016). The Dreams Behind the Music: Learn Creative Dreaming As 100+ Top Artists Reveal Their Breakthrough Inspirations. p. 76.
^"Billy Joel Visits The Howard Stern Show 11.16.10 by VideodromeVaultRadio | Videodrome Vault Radio | Free Listening on SoundCloud". Soundcloud.com. Retrieved 2016-10-12.
^Kelly, Ray (2008-07-06). "Billy Joel - The Republican interview". Masslive.com. Retrieved 2016-10-12.
^The Stranger: 30th Anniversary Edition. "Making of The Stranger Documentary. 2008
^"Phil Ramone talks about 10cc's influence on Just the WayYou Are". YouTube. Archived from the original on 2021-12-21. Retrieved 23 April 2021.
Listen to "Just The Way You Are" on YouTube (Billy Joel)
Listen to "Just The Way You Are" on YouTube (Barry White)
January 10, 2023
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Just the Way You Are is a song by Billy Joel from his fifth studio album The Stranger 1977 It was released in September 1977 as the album s lead single It became both Joel s first US Top 10 and UK Top 20 single reaching No 3 and No 19 respectively as well as Joel s first gold single in the US The song also topped the Billboard Easy Listening Chart for the entire month of January 1978 Just the Way You Are Side A label of U S vinyl singleSingle by Billy Joelfrom the album The StrangerB side Get It Right the First Time Vienna ReleasedSeptember 1977Recorded1976GenreSoft rock smooth jazz 1 2 Length4 47 Album version 3 36 Single version LabelColumbiaSongwriter s Billy JoelProducer s Phil RamoneBilly Joel singles chronology The Entertainer 1974 Just the Way You Are 1977 Movin Out Anthony s Song 1977 Alternative releaseDutch vinyl single Just The Way You Are source source Billy Joel s Just The Way You Are from The Stranger Problems playing this file See media help Just the Way You Are garnered two Grammy Awards for Record of the Year and Song of the Year in 1979 3 Contents 1 Background 2 Reception 3 Track listing 4 Personnel 4 1 Production 5 Charts 5 1 Weekly charts 5 2 Year end charts 6 Certifications 7 See also 8 References 9 External linksBackground EditJoel shared that the melody and chord progression for this song came to him while he was dreaming 4 In an interview on the Howard Stern Radio Show on November 16 2010 Joel revealed that the inspiration for writing the name of the song and how it sounds in the chorus was directly taken from the last line in the Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons song Rag Doll which incidentally was also a larger inspiration for Joel s later song Uptown Girl 5 The song which Joel had written for his first wife and also his business manager at the time Elizabeth Weber was not liked by either Joel or his band and Joel had originally decided against making the track a part of The Stranger but at the request of both Linda Ronstadt and Phoebe Snow both were recording in other studios in the same building at the time he agreed to put the song on the final mix 6 However the album s producer Phil Ramone later contradicted Joel s claim stating in an interview that they could not afford to exclude the song because Joel did not have that much material from which to choose for the album 7 The song also shares some similarities to I m Not in Love by 10cc due to the keyboard and background vocal tape loops Joel and Ramone used 8 After Joel and Weber divorced in 1982 Joel rarely performed the song live after 1986 until the 2000s and Joel has publicly stated that he disliked playing the song live in the wake of his divorce from his first wife He noted that during performances of the song around the time of his first divorce his drummer Liberty DeVitto would jokingly parody the lyrics in the chorus as She got the house She got the car 9 When Just the Way You Are was released as a single it was shortened by over a minute The differences are the removal of the second verse and an earlier fade A live performance of the song was also used as a music video On February 18 1978 the song peaked at No 3 and Joel performed a shorter version of the song as the musical guest that day on Saturday Night Live along with Only the Good Die Young The single version fading 8 seconds later was included in the first release of Greatest Hits Volume I amp Volume II but the full album version was restored for the remastered release of that compilation The saxophone solo was played by Phil Woods a well known jazz performer and Grammy award winner Woods performance here exposed him to a wider audience and introduced his music to rock fans 10 Reception EditCash Box said that a slight influence of Stevie Wonder is evident in the melody and light Latin rhythm 11 Track listing Edit7 U S and UK single 1977 Just the Way You Are 3 27 Get It Right the First Time 3 54Personnel EditBilly Joel lead vocals Fender Rhodes Hugh McCracken acoustic guitar Steve Burgh acoustic guitar Doug Stegmeyer bass guitar Liberty DeVitto drums Ralph MacDonald percussion Phil Woods alto saxophone Patrick Williams orchestrationProduction Edit Phil Ramone producer engineer Jim Boyer engineerCharts EditWeekly charts Edit Chart 1977 78 PeakpositionAustralia Kent Music Report 12 6Canada Top Singles RPM 13 2Canada Adult Contemporary RPM 14 1Ireland IRMA 7New Zealand Recorded Music NZ 15 6Rhodesia Lyons Maid 16 14South Africa RiSA 17 6UK Singles OCC 18 19US Billboard Hot 100 19 3US Adult Contemporary Billboard 20 1US Cash Box Top 100 21 2Barry White coverChart 1978 79 PeakpositionIreland IRMA 22 15UK Singles OCC 23 12US Bubbling Under Hot 100 Billboard 24 2US Hot Soul Singles Billboard 25 45 Year end charts Edit Chart 1978 PositionAustralia Kent Music Report 26 38Canada Top Singles RPM 27 26New Zealand RIANZ 28 41US Billboard Hot 100 29 17US Cash Box Top 100 30 18Certifications EditRegion Certification Certified units salesUnited Kingdom BPI 31 Silver 200 000 United States RIAA 32 2 Platinum 2 000 000 Sales streaming figures based on certification alone See also EditList of number one adult contemporary singles of 1978 U S References Edit Lecaro Lina November 19 2016 This Monthly Club Is a Non Ironic Celebration of Rock s Softer Side LA Weekly 200 Greatest Soft Rock Songs Entertainment Blog Entertainment expertscolumn com Retrieved 23 April 2021 Past Winners Search The Grammys Retrieved 7 November 2016 Webb Craig 2016 The Dreams Behind the Music Learn Creative Dreaming As 100 Top Artists Reveal Their Breakthrough Inspirations p 76 Billy Joel Visits The Howard Stern Show 11 16 10 by VideodromeVaultRadio Videodrome Vault Radio Free Listening on SoundCloud Soundcloud com Retrieved 2016 10 12 Kelly Ray 2008 07 06 Billy Joel The Republican interview Masslive com Retrieved 2016 10 12 The Stranger 30th Anniversary Edition Making of The Stranger Documentary 2008 Phil Ramone talks about 10cc s influence on Just the WayYou Are YouTube Archived from the original on 2021 12 21 Retrieved 23 April 2021 Rose Charlie Billy Joel Interview The Charlie Rose Show 1993 Gordon Bock Phil Woods Sax Keeps Showing Up Dallas Morning News August 6 1978 p 8 C CashBox Singles Reviews PDF Cash Box November 12 1977 p 24 Retrieved 2021 12 26 Kent David 1993 Australian Chart Book 1970 1992 illustrated ed St Ives N S W Australian Chart Book p 156 ISBN 0 646 11917 6 Item Display RPM Library and Archives Canada Collectionscanada gc ca Archived from the original on 2016 10 13 Retrieved 2016 10 12 Item Display RPM Library and Archives Canada Collectionscanada gc ca 1978 02 18 Retrieved 2018 01 04 Billy Joel Just the Way You Are Top 40 Singles Kimberley C Zimbabwe Singles Chart Book Harare C Kimberley 2000 Just the Way You Are on the South African Singles Chart Springbok Radio July 28 1978 Retrieved September 25 2010 Billy Joel Artist Chart History Official Charts Company Billy Joel Chart History Hot 100 Billboard Billy Joel Chart History Adult Contemporary Billboard Cash Box Top 100 Singles February 18 1978 Retrieved 2 April 2020 The Irish Charts Search Results Just the Way You Are Irish Singles Chart Retrieved November 26 2018 Official Charts Company Officialcharts com 1978 12 16 Retrieved 2018 11 26 Joel Whitburn s Bubbling Under the Billboard Hot 100 1959 2004 Barry White Chart History Hot R amp B Hip Hop Songs Billboard Kent Music Report No 236 1 January 1979 gt National Top 100 Singles for 1978 Kent Music Report Retrieved January 8 2022 via Imgur com Item Display RPM Library and Archives Canada Collectionscanada gc ca Archived from the original on 2016 03 13 Retrieved 2016 10 12 Top Selling Singles of 1978 The Official New Zealand Music Chart Nztop40 co nz 1978 12 31 Retrieved 2016 10 12 Top 100 Hits of 1978 Top 100 Songs of 1978 Musicoutfitters com Retrieved 2016 10 12 Cash Box Year End Charts Top 100 Pop Singles December 30 1978 Archived from the original on September 29 2018 Retrieved June 23 2017 British single certifications Billy Joel Just the Way You Are British Phonographic Industry Retrieved January 21 2022 American single certifications Billy Joel Just the Way You Are Recording Industry Association of America Retrieved November 20 2021 External links EditListen to Just The Way You Are on YouTube Billy Joel Listen to Just The Way You Are on YouTube Barry White Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Just the Way You Are Billy Joel song amp oldid 1132278362, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
