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Rating:
The Invisible Debut.
Cold Spring Harbor is Billy Joel's primary work, a gifted pianist strongly influenced by classical music, who silently enters the American pop/rock scene of the early '70s, offering right from the start an author's piano-rock with a nod to pop melodies.
Silently, indeed, but he will later be compared to the more acclaimed and eccentric Englishman Elton John.
Silently because he starts with this absolutely undervalued preamble that crosses its era - and, alas, not just that - going almost entirely unnoticed, especially compared to his direct successors. It was a disappointment in terms of sales, so much so that he decided to return to playing in piano bars, where he had already cut his teeth, surprisingly passing through the soul of the Hassels and a hard-psychedelic duo.
"Cold Spring Harbor" is a melancholic piano-rock album.
It is truly melancholic. This is evident even from the introductory notes of "She's Got a Way," a romantic ballad in which Joel dedicates a sort of anthem to the woman he loves, and which gracefully opens an album played almost entirely, and masterfully, on the piano, even in the occasional more rhythmic moments.
"You Can Make Me Free" is already one of these. While maintaining an initial setup similar to the previous ballad, we quickly find ourselves in a lively track with a catchy refrain, which, in a crescendo, vocally leads an uncontrollable Joel to a wild finale. The third track is the sarcastic "Everybody Loves You Now," where the piano also overwhelms us, making us tap our foot to the beat and swiftly transporting us to the next piece.
"Why Judy Why" is like a cry that, paradoxically, lulls us with a little gem represented by the gentle melody characterizing this chapter of the album, by the way the only one in which we will miss the piano.
But it doesn't take long before it regains the spotlight, offering us a cascade of notes to accompany "Falling of the Rain": never has an arrangement been more fitting, where the notes seemingly blatantly cite the falling rain, while Joel now seems like a storyteller and concocts another fitting melody for a nostalgic almost-nursery rhyme.
Smoothly follow "Turn Around" and "You Look So Good to Me" and we arrive at another standout track.
Stemmed from a farewell note linked to a suicide attempt by Joel (a rather bizarre attempt, by the way), "Tomorrow Is Today," which includes a gospel-like interlude, is a penetrating denunciation of the repetitiveness of life and abandonment, or perhaps of the monotony dictated by abandonment. In short, it is the second great piano-vocal ballad of the album. This is followed by "Nocturne," a touching instrumental piece, naturally on the piano, of classical stamp. Then concludes the triad of piano-vocal ballads with the final "Got to Begin Again." A ballad that, in my opinion, confirms the high level of the album and closes splendidly a magnificent debut.
Musically it is truly enjoyable. If we really must, it is the most immature (musically), therefore characterized by an acrid aftertaste (musically) compared to the standards to which Joel later accustomed (not for long) his audience. But as far as I know, acridity (musical) was not the element to be avoided at all costs, and after all, hardly anyone even noticed this album. Anyway, I like lemons.
I highly recommend at least a double listen to this emotional excellent debut, to anyone. Perhaps the criticism has had a negative influence on this album, even after decades. Or maybe I'm crazy.
Tracklist Lyrics and Videos
02 You Can Make Me Free (02:58)
You can make me freeYou can make me smileYou can make me beLike a little child
You can melt the ice that chills my bodyYou can dry my every tearYou make the lonely hours disappear
You can make me freeYou can make me riseYou can make me seeSo open up my eyes
Don't you know my only real momentsAre the ones I spend with youHow I long to drink some wine again with you
I can take to the skiesI can soar like a bird with its heart full of songWon't you color my eyesI've been waiting so long
You can make me freeYou can make me cryYou can make it so much betterIf you would only try
And if I must wait a lonely lifetimeUntil I am with you, my loveI will wait but you'll be what I'm dreamin' of
I can take to the skiesI can soar like a bird with his heart full of songWon't you cover my eyesI've been waiting so long
You can make me freeYou can make me cryYou can make it so much betterIf you would only try
And if I must wait a lonely lifetimeUntil I am with you, my loveI will wait but you'll be what I'm dreamin' of
I can take to the skiesI can soar like a bird with his heart full of songWon't you cover my eyesI've been waiting so long
You can make me freeYou can make me cryYou can make it so much betterIf you would only try
And if I must wait a lonely lifetimeUntil I am with you, my loveI will wait but you'll be what I'm dreamin' of
You can make me freeYou can make me cryYou can make it so much betterIf you would only try
09 Nocturne (02:49)
When it rains
I watch the window
Golden dreams
Wash down the willow
Where are my Mardi Gras memories?
Under silver seas
Long cold nights
Change my reflection
Unsung songs
Show my direction
Where are my make believe victories?
Under silver seas
Ships pass over my head
Purple and blue, yellow and red
White sails catching the breeze
Sailing on silver seas
Once I lived
You might remember
Born in May
Died in September
Where are my carousel fantasies?
Under silver seas
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