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Rating: Every great artist's dream is for their work to live a life of its own, and this also applies to pop music, which sometimes offers small masterpieces of compositional perfection. By losing a precise temporal connotation, these become “evergreens,” exactly like “52nd Street.”
The fervent compositional verve of the Bronx pianist finds full expression in this work, enriched by greater smoothness and stylistic refinement without, for this, giving up the energy and freshness demonstrated in his previous recordings. Nine tracks, some of which consist of piano ballads, where the jazz orientation of the New York artist is very evident, all seasoned with unforgettable and sweet melodies and a warm voice, which becomes especially intense in the bridges, the strongest point of the entire album. These features are particularly noticeable in the most representative song of the album: “Honesty”, a delicate praise of friendship, where a soft and relaxing atmosphere is felt, marked by a jazz-inspired harmonic structure and interrupted by a gritty bridge in which Joel's airy vocals soar above the instrumental ensemble.
In other moments, however, the atmosphere becomes intense, almost like a jam session: such is the case with “Zanzibar” complete with a boppish trumpet solo in the style of Clifford Brown and “Stiletto” with a compelling piano and bass ostinato upon which a smooth sax theme is layered, or the rock echoes of “Big Shot” with Steve Khan rampaging on guitar with powerful power chords. Certainly, however, Mr. Joel's specialty is to fill the dance floor with his renowned “ents”, whether it's the fervent dreamy sentimentalism of “Rosalinda's Eyes”, or the Latin-flavored “Until the Night”, the quality of the compositions shows no decline, not even in the final title track where, retrieving a pure blues feel, he sings to a syncopated rhythm marked by faithful Liberty De Vitto's drums.
Ultimately, an album that evidences the sensitive technical and compositional genius of Joel, characterized by a refined pop, polished by jazz nuances and well-crafted arrangements, worthy of the continued success that the decades to come would continue to bestow upon it.
Tracklist Lyrics and Videos
01 Big Shot (04:03)
Well, you went uptown riding in your limousine
With your fine Park Avenue clothes.
You had the Dom Perignon in your hand
And a spoon up your nose.
When you wake up in the morning with you head on fire
And your eyes too bloody to see,
Go on and cry in your coffee,
But don't come bitching to me.
Because you had to be a big shot, didn't you?
You had to open up your mouth.
You had to be a big shot, didn't you?
All your friends were so knocked out.
You had to have the last word last night.
You know what everything's about.
You had to have the white hot spot light.
You had to be a big shot last night.
They were all impressed with your Halston dress
And the people that you knew at Elaine's.
And the story of your latest success,
Kept them so entertained.
But now you just don't remember all the things you said
And you're not sure that you wanna know.
I'll give you one hint, honey,
You sure did put on a show.
Yes, yes, you had to be a big shot, didn't you?
You had to prove it to the crowd.
You had to be a big shot, didn't you?
All your friends were so knocked out.
You had to have the last word last night,
You're so much fun to be around.
You had to have the front page, bold type.
You had to be a big shot last night.
Well, it's no big sin to stick your two cents in
If you know when to leave it alone.
But you went over the line,
You couldn't see it was time to go home.
No, no, no, no, you had to be a big shot, didn't you?
You had to open up your mouth.
You had to be a big shot, didn't you?
All your friends were so knocked out.
You had to have the last word last night.
You're so much fun to be around.
You had to have the white hot spot light.
You had to be a big shot last night.
02 Honesty (03:53)
If you search for tenderness
It isn't hard to find
You can have the love you need to live
But if you look for truthfulness
You might just as well be blind
It always seems to be so hard to give
CHORUS
Honesty is such a lonely word
Everyone is so untrue
Honesty is hardly ever heard
And mostly what I need from you
I can always find someone
To say they sympathize
If I wear my heart out on my sleeve
But I don't want some pretty face
To tell me pretty lies
All I want is someone to believe
CHORUS
I can find a lover
I can find a friend
I can have security
Until the bitter end
Anyone can comfort me
With promises again
I know, I know
When I'm deep inside of me
Don't be too concerned
I won't ask for nothin' while I'm gone
But when I want sincerity
Tell me where else can I turn
Because you're the one that I depend upon
CHORUS
03 My Life (04:44)
Got a call from an old friend we used to be real close
said he couldn’t go on the American way
closed the shop sold a house bought a ticket to the west coast
now he gives them a stand-up routine in L. A.
I don’t need you to worry for me ’cos I'm alright
I don’t want you to tell me it’s time to come home
I don’t care what you say anymore this is my life
go ahead with your own life leave me alone
I never said you had to offer me a second chance
I never said I was a victim of circumstance
I still belong, don’t get me wrong
you can speak your mind but not on my time
They will tell you you can’t sleep alone in a strange place
then they’ll tell you you can’t sleep with somebody else
oh but sooner or later you sleep in your own space
either way it’s okay you wake up with yourself
I don’t need you to worry for me ’cos I'm alright
I don’t want you to tell me it’s time to come home
I don’t care what you say anymore this is my life
go ahead with your own life leave me alone
I never said you had to offer me a second chance
I never said I was a victim of circumstance
I still belong, don’t get me wrong
you can speak your mind but not on my time
I don’t care what you say anymore this is my life
go ahead with your own life leave me alone
04 Zanzibar (05:12)
Ali dances and the audience applauds
Though he's bathed in sweat he hasn't lost his style
Ali don't you go downtown
You gave away another round for free
Me, I'm just another face at Zanzibar
But the waitress always serves a secret smile
She's waiting out in Shantytown
She's gonna pull the curtains down for me, for me
CHORUS
I've got the old man's car,
I've got a jazz guitar
I've got a tab at Zanzibar
Tonight that's where I'll be
Rose, he knows he's such a credit to the game
But the Yankees grab the headlines every time
Melodrama's so much fun
In black and white for everyone to see
Me, I'm trying just to get to second base
And I'd steal it if she only gave the sign
She's gonna give the go ahead
The inning isn't over yet for me
CHORUS
Tell the waitress I'll come back to Zanzibar
I'll be hiding inthe darkness with my beer.
She's waiting out in Shantytown
She's gonna pull the curtaains down for me, for me
CHORUS
05 Stiletto (04:41)
She cuts you once, she cuts you twice
But still you believe
The wound is so fresh you can taste the blood
But you don't have strength to leave
You've been bought, you've been sold
You've been locked outside the door
But you stand there pleadin',
With your insides bleedin',
'Cause you deep down want some more
Then she says she wants forgiveness
It's such a clever masquerade
She's so good with her stiletto
You don't even see the blade
She cuts you hard, she cuts you deep,
She's got so much skill
She's so fascinating that you're still there waiting
When she comes back for the kill
You've been slashed in the face
You've been left there to bleed
You want to run away
But you know you're gonna stay
'Cause she gives you what you need
Then she says she wants affection
While she searches for the vein
She's so good with her stiletto
You don't really mind the pain
She cuts you out, she cuts you down
She carves up your life
But you won't do nothng
As she keeps on cutting
'Cause you know you love the knife
You've been bought, you've been sold
You've been locked outside the door
But you stand there pleadin'
With your insides bleedin'
'Cause you deep down want some more
Then she says she needs affection
While she searches for the vein
She's so good with her stiletto,
You don't really mind the pain
07 Half a Mile Away (04:08)
Little Geo is a friend of mine
We get some money and we buy a cheap wine
Sit on the corner and have a holiday
Hide the bottle when the cop goes by
Talk about women and lie, lie, lie
Oh, my other world is just a half a mile away.
Wait for mama to turn out the light
Crawl on the roof and then I hit the night
I should be sleeping tonight but I just can't stay
I've given everybody so much time
Now I need a moment that's mine...
Oh my other world is just a half a mile away
It's just a half a mile away
Angelina save a place for me
I've been livin' someone else's life and now I've got to be free
Turn your transistor on and let the music play
I try to keep the family satisfied
But there's gotta be more to life than just try, try, try
Oh my other world is only a half a mile away
It's just a half a mile away
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