Released May 21, 1978 (Japan) Genre Rock | Format 7" Length 5:10 | |
B-side "Movin' Out (Anthony's Song)" Recorded A & R Recording,Inc., New York City, 1977 | ||
"The Stranger" is a song by rock artist Billy Joel from his 1977 album of the same name, The Stranger. The song was released as a single in Japan where it became very popular and peaked at #2 on the Oricon chart. It charted in Australia too. It was the last single from the album in Japan, while the US and UK saw "She's Always a Woman", released the previous year, as the last single from the album.
Contents
The single is featured on Joel's greatest hits album, Greatest Hits - Volume I & II.
An untitled two-minute instrumental "hidden track" reprise of this song is featured at the end of The Stranger, after "Everybody Has a Dream".
Billy Joel originally wanted the melody to be played by some kind of wind instrument, but after Joel demonstrated the melody by whistling it, producer Phil Ramone convinced Joel to scrap the idea of a wind instrument and whistle instead.
7" vinyl (CBS)
- "The Stranger"
- "Just the Way You Are"
Japanese 7" vinyl
- "The Stranger" [5:10]
- "Movin' Out (Anthony's Song)" [3:27]