Released September 14, 1981 Artist Billy Joel Producer Phil Ramone Genres Rock music, Soft rock | Length 48:00 Release date 14 September 1981 Label Columbia Records | |
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Recorded June - July 1980 during Glass Houses-Tour Songs in the Attic
(1981) The Nylon Curtain
(1982) Similar Billy Joel albums, Rock music albums | ||
Miami 2017
Songs in the Attic is the first live album by Billy Joel, released in 1981 (see 1981 in music).
Contents
At the time of its release, it was the first widely available appearance of music from his first album, Cold Spring Harbor, originally released in 1971.
Songs in the Attic introduced Billy Joel's early work to fans who had only come to know his work after The Stranger, according to liner notes written by Joel. In his earlier work, most of the instruments were played by session musicians while Joel himself sang and played piano, keyboards and harmonica, but by the late 1970s, Joel had a fairly consistent touring/recording band and so he wanted to showcase the songs with his band. In addition, Joel and his band started adding their own style to many of his songs inspiring Joel to put out a record of these songs being played live the way the band had begun to play them.
The single-releases included: "Say Goodbye to Hollywood" and "She's Got a Way," which made the top 25, and "You're My Home". In Japan, "Los Angelenos" was also available in 1981.
A series of promotional music videos were filmed. Though the concert filming may have been staged for the occasion, the audio versions are nonetheless different from the live recordings featuring on the live album. A total of five promo videos were filmed: four of them recorded at Sparks and one in a recording studio. At least two of them were not released as worldwide official singles. "Everybody Loves You Now" (not a single) directed by Steve Cohen (live at Sparks); "You're My Home" directed by Steve Cohen (live at Sparks); "Los Angelenos" (not a single, though a Japanese 7" vinyl was in existence) directed by Steve Cohen (live at Sparks); "Say Goodbye to Hollywood" directed by Steve Cohen (live at Sparks); "She's Got a Way" live in a studio, also a different version from the live album.
Track listing
All songs written by Billy Joel.
- "Miami 2017 (Seen the Lights Go Out on Broadway)" – 5:05
- Performed June 24, 1980 at Madison Square Garden, New York, NY
- "Summer, Highland Falls" – 3:03
- Performed July 23, 1980 at the Bayou, Washington, D.C.
- "Streetlife Serenader" – 5:17
- Performed July 20, 1980 at St. Paul Civic Center, St. Paul, MN
- "Los Angelenos" – 3:48
- Performed July 10, 1980 at Toad's Place, New Haven, CT
- "She's Got a Way" – 3:00
- Performed June 1980 at Paradise Rock Club, Boston, MA
- "Everybody Loves You Now" - 3:08
- Performed July 23, 1980 at the Bayou, Washington, D.C.
- "Say Goodbye to Hollywood" – 4:25
- Performed July 14, 1980 at Milwaukee Arena, Milwaukee, WI
- "Captain Jack" – 7:16
- Performed July 5, 1980 at Spectrum, Philadelphia, PA
- "You're My Home" – 3:07
- Performed July 23, 1980 at the Bayou, Washington, D.C.
- "The Ballad of Billy the Kid" – 5:28
- Performed June 24, 1980 at Madison Square Garden, New York, NY
- "I've Loved These Days" – 4:35
- Performed July 16, 1980 at The Horizon, Chicago, IL
Personnel
Songs
1Miami 2017 (Seen the Lights Go Out on Broadway)5:05
2Summer - Highland Falls3:03
3Streetlife Serenader5:17