Billy Joel went back to his roots and got lost in let's remember with the effervescent revivalism of this tribute to the doo-wop and soul music of his youth. Joel reveals the genesis of the album: "After I did 'The Nylon Curtain' and we went out on the road, I wanted to do something which was 180 degrees in the other direction. I had gotten divorced and I started dating these different women; I was going out with models. I was a rock star, a single guy who was a rock star and I was amazed at my good fortune at the time. I started dating Christie Brinkley at the time too and started writing songs about these experiences. I felt like a teenager all over again. All of these songs that I remembered from the early 60's: R&B songs, the Four Seasons, Motown music, soul music. That's how I felt; you don't fight that, write what you feel. And I didn't fight it. This material was coming so easily and so quickly and I was having so much fun doing it. I was kind of reliving my youth. I just had fun; I had a great time. I wrote a song called 'Easy Money' which was sort of like a Wilson Pickett - James Brown R&B track and I sang it live with a full band and it was so much fun. The rest of the songs kept coming real fast-I wrote it in the studio; I think within six weeks I had written most of the material on the album. And it wasn't to have hit records. Who thought that songs that sounded like the late 50's early 60's acapella 'For The Longest Time'... who would have figured they could ever be hits in the 80's. And they were. 'For The Longest Time' was an acapella doo-wop song that became a big hit. 'Uptown Girl' was an homage to Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons and became a hit record. Who would have thought there would be a hit record by the Four Seasons in the 80's? ... That's where I was at."
'An Innocent Man' was an international smash, going to number thirty-nine in Sweden, thirty-six in West Germany, fourteen in the Netherlands, twelve in Canada, eleven in France, nine in Norway, four in the US, three in Australia, two in the UK, and number one in New Zealand. The album was nominated for Grammys for Album of the Year and Best Male Pop Vocal Performance ('Uptown Girl') and for American Music Awards for Favorite Pop/Rock Male Artist and Favorite Pop/Rock Video ('Tell Her About It').
http://www.billyjoel.com/
"Tell Her About It" hit number fifty-eight in Japan, thirty-nine in the Netherlands, nine in Australia, eight in New Zealand, five in Canada, four in the UK, and number one on the US pop chart and on the US adult contemporary chart.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p0pM5dm--yQ
"Uptown Girl" came in at sixty-four in Japan; eighteen in Australia and Germany; ten in the Netherlands; four in Canada; three in the US and Norway; number two on the US adult contemporary chart; and number one in Australia, New Zealand, the UK.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hCuMWrfXG4E
"The Longest Time" went to thirty-six in Canada, twenty-five in the UK, fifteen in Australia, fourteen on the US pop chart, twelve in New Zealand, and number one on the US adult contemporary chart.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a_XgQhMPeEQ
"Keeping the Faith" made it to eighty-one in Canada, thirty-eight in New Zealand, eighteen on the US pop chart, and number three on the US adult contemporary chart.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ph7oZnBH05s
'An Innocent Man'
full album:
1. "Easy Money"
2. "An Innocent Man"
3. "The Longest Time"
4. "This Night"
5. "Tell Her About It"
6. "Uptown Girl"
7. "Careless Talk"
8. "Christie Lee"
9. "Leave a Tender Moment Alone"
10. "Keeping the Faith"
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