Released October 11, 1974 Length 37:41 Artist Billy Joel Producer Michael Stewart Genres Rock music, Soft rock | Recorded Spring-Summer 1974 Streetlife Serenade
(1974) Turnstiles
(1976) Release date 11 October 1974 Label Columbia Records | |
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Studio Devonshire Sound Studios, North Hollywood, CA Similar Billy Joel albums, Rock music albums |
Billy joel los angelenos
Streetlife Serenade is the third studio album by American singer-songwriter Billy Joel (his second with Columbia Records), released on October 11, 1974.
Contents
- Billy joel los angelenos
- Billy joel talks about the album streetlife serenade siriusxm 2016
- Track listing
- Songs
- References
Joel's follow-up effort to 1973's Piano Man, Streetlife Serenade did not enjoy the relative success of its predecessor; it marked the beginning of his frosty relationship with critics and the music industry more generally. In "The Entertainer", Joel mocks the entertainment industry, reminiscing over his record label's earlier insistence that the single version of Piano Man's title track (the album's major hit) be shortened to maximize radio airplay:
"It was a beautiful song but it ran too long./If you're gonna have a hit, you gotta make it fit./So they cut it down to 3:05."
"The Entertainer" peaked at #34 on the US Singles Chart. The album itself peaked at #35 on the charts, eventually selling over one million copies.
The album contains two songs that were featured in many of Joel's live shows during the 1970s: the instrumental "Root Beer Rag" and the short song "Souvenir", which Joel often played as the final encore during that time period. Two others, "Streetlife Serenader" and "Los Angelenos," were included on Joel's first live album, Songs in the Attic (1981).
Joel says that he had been touring in clubs and theatres and opening for big acts such as The Beach Boys, thus leaving him little time to write new songs, but was under pressure to put out a new album after "Piano Man". He also says that he didn't have too many songs, hence the inclusion of two instrumentals – the aforementioned "Root Beer Rag" and "The Mexican Connection". The back cover has a portrait of a barefoot Joel sitting in a chair looking unhappy and Joel himself says that he had only recently had his wisdom teeth removed two days prior to the shoot.
Billy joel talks about the album streetlife serenade siriusxm 2016
Track listing
All tracks written and composed by Billy Joel.
Side one
- "Streetlife Serenader" – 5:17
- "Los Angelenos" – 3:41
- "The Great Suburban Showdown" – 3:44
- "Root Beer Rag" (Instrumental) – 2:59
- "Roberta" – 4:32
Side two
- "The Entertainer" – 3:48
- "Last of the Big Time Spenders" – 4:34
- "Weekend Song" – 3:29
- "Souvenir" – 2:00
- "The Mexican Connection" (Instrumental) – 3:37
Songs
1Streetlife Serenader5:19
2Los Angelenos3:42
3The Great Suburban Showdown3:46