| | |  | Yule Log DVD Edition | Home » » » The Stranger: 30th Anniversary [Legacy Edition] - 2 CD Set | | | | | | | Description: | | 2-CD 30th Anniversary Legacy Edition
CD of "The Stranger" remastered by the original album producer, Phil Ramone
CD of "Live At Carnegie Hall 1977"- previously unreleased
24 Page Booklet with liner notes by Rolling Stones Editor, David Fricke and un-seen photos from the original album photo shoot
The Stranger CD Tracklist:
Movin' Out (Anthony's Song)
The Stranger
Just The Way You Are
Scenes From An Italian Restaurant
Vienna
Only the Good Die Young
She's Always A Woman
Get It Right The First Time
Everybody Has Dream
"Live At Carnegie Hall 1977" CD
On June 3, 1977, one month prior to the recording of The Stranger album, Billy and his band performed at the historical Carnegie Hall in NYC. This show has been brilliantly restored to be released for the first time as part of the 30th Anniversary edtion of The Stranger | | | Product Details: | | | Audio CD Release Date:
| July 08, 2008 | | Studio:
| Sony Legacy | | Number Of Discs:
| 2 | | Format:
| Extra tracks, Original recording remastered | | Average Customer Rating:
|  based on 13 reviews |
| | | Track Listing: | | | Disc: 1 | | | 1. | Movin' Out (Anthony's Song) | | 2. | The Stranger | | 3. | Just The Way You Are | | 4. | Scenes From An Italian Restaurant | | 5. | Vienna | | 6. | Only The Good Die Young | | 7. | She's Always A Woman | | 8. | Get It Right The First Time | | 9. | Everybody Has A Dream | | | Disc: 2 | | | 1. | Miami 2017 (Seen The Lights Go Out On Broadway) | | 2. | Prelude/Angry Young Man | | 3. | New York State Of Mind | | 4. | Just The Way You Are | | 5. | She's Got A Way | | 6. | The Entertainer | | 7. | Scenes From An Italian Restaurant | | 8. | Band Introductions | | 9. | Captain Jack | | 10. | I've Loved These Days | | 11. | Say Goodbye To Hollywood | | 12. | Souvenir | |
| | | Customer Reviews: | |
Average Customer Review:
 ( 13 customer reviews )
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
62 of 66 found the following review helpful:
 Terrible remaster of original album; great live show unnecessarily editedJul 09, 2008
By David Pearlman
"sound fanatic"
OK, first things first: The Stranger is the album that made Billy Joel a household name throughout the world (though not because it was a breakthrough album in terms of content; the earlier "Turnstiles" is at least as good). It is a very well recorded album with many of Joel's best loved songs. It has been reissued multiple times in the digital era (the original CD, the remastered CD, the SACD version, etc.). It is hard to imagine anyone interested in this expensive expansive edition doesn't already own AT LEAST one other digital version of the album, so the inclusion of the album on this package is a money grab.
Unfortunately, it's worse than that: The remaster of The Stranger included here is far-and-away the WORST remaster of the album to ever appear. It is extremely compressed and maximized, which means it sound nice and LOUD, but it sacrifices all sorts of subtleties of the music itself. If you are only interested in The Stranger, go and buy yourself any other edition. Or if you already own The Stranger in some other digital edition, keep that if you buy this: The version here is just plain junk.
Now, on to the bonus CD which, honestly, is the lure of this package. On the second CD you get a TRUNCATED version of the shows that Billy Joel played in New York City in Summer 1977. This was Joel and his band at the height of their powers, and with a trunkload of great material (from the Stranger and earlier albums) to draw upon. To any fan of Billy Joel, this is essential, terrific stuff. UNFORTUNATELY, you don't get an entire show (neither a real entire show, nor a cut-and-paste from separate performances to simulate an entire show). This is a real travesty and begs the question "Why?" The source material to offer a full show is available. Someone made the decision to offer the abridged version here, and, given the relatively high cost of this package and that fact that a full show from era of Joel's career is not legitimately available anywhere is just criminal. What's here is excellent, but it's just not enough.
(Note: There is also a more deluxe version of this set available, which also includes a DVD and more elaborate packaging. The DVD on that version includes an hour long show originally recorded for the UK's Old Grey Whistle Test. Again, it's excellent, but does not represent a full show of the era (even if an hour is all that Joel and his band recorded for that fixed format show). There's also a documentary and a bit of other ephemera that's nice, but won't merit repeat viewings in most households.)
In all, this is an opportunity missed. A poor remaster of the original album coupled with a tantalizing but unsatisfying abbreviated version of a classic era show. Bad decisions were made here and--sadly--I'd guess there won't be a another physical media attempt to correct them in the future.
Hardcore Joel fans will buy this, as well they should (what legitimate alternatives are there for the live material?) But anyone on the fence should think hard before jumping.
2 of 2 found the following review helpful:
Could have had a little more included on the CDSAug 04, 2008
By J. A. Crabb
Well ten years later, we are treated to yet another remastering of "The Stranger," this time in celebration of the 30th (actually 31st) anniversary of the album. While for most fans who owned the original CD master, then graduated to the 1998 remaster, I'm sure folks would agree there should have been more added to the first CD. There are alternate takes out there, some which made their way onto the "My Lives" boxset. Would have been nice to pad out the full length of the cd with some bonus studio tracks.
The live CD is the gem of this re-release. Why has Sony sat on this recording all these years? A remarkable performance, in a location which is notorious for making decent quality recordings (e.g. Chicago IV.) This is almost as good as "Songs in The Attic," as you get many of those songs, only slightly rearranged for this earlier performance. I am hoping that with the success of this release Legacy will do for Billy what was done for Neil Diamond with his Stages cd set...a box set of live shows (more of the earlier ones that are still unreleased on cd). So far we've got concert releases from 1980, 1987, 1999, and 2005, it would be nice to have a 70s, early 80s which are complete concerts, with minimal exemptions. Why? Because Billy is one of the best performers I have ever seen... He shows his roots well in this show because at certain points in the show the Carnegie Hall technicians bring the house lights up because people are smoking, and each time that happens, Billy says "I'll play with these lights on if you don't mind!"
1 of 1 found the following review helpful:
 Billy Joel's breakthrough gets a big 30th birthday celebrationAug 14, 2008
By Terrence J. Reardon
"Classic rock and old school metal master"
New York native Billy Joel released his fifth album The Stranger in November of 1977.
Prior to The Stranger, Billy was almost seen as a pop one-hit wonder thanks to the title track from his 1973 album Piano Man (despite the fact FM rock stations played "Captain Jack" and "New York State of Mind"). However, pop radio ignored him. It was in the summer of 1977 that Billy and producer Phil Ramone (famed for work with The Carpenters and Paul Simon) went into A&R Recording Studios in New York to record Billy's fourth album for Columbia, which (had it not sold) might have been his last time at bat. Is the album the classic it is or some artifact from a bygone time, read on and find out.
We start the album with a great rocker out of "Movin' Out (Anthony's Song)" which is driven by piano and guitar. Next is The Stranger's title cut which its intro and outro (also repeated at album's end) sounds like it could have been recorded for a Bogart film before giving way into another great rocker. Next we slow things down with the album's famous ballad "Just The Way You Are" (which won the 1978 Record of the Year Grammy) and was Billy's biggest hit up until that point. He almost left it off the album had it not been for female singers Phoebe Snow (who appears on the album's last track) and Linda Ronstadt persuaded Billy to release it and the rest is history. The first half ends with the epic centerpiece of the album is "Scenes From An Italian Restaurant" which is almost like listening to one of the medleys on The Beatles' Abbey Road as it's three songs stitched into one and one of the sections told the tale of the rise and fall of Brenda & Eddie.
"Vienna" starts the second half of the album off and was one of the lesser known songs on the album but a great number. Next is the acoustic guitar and piano driven rocker "Only the Good Die Young" which is still a great number though some religious groups cried foul and some stations banned the record. Next is another classic ballad out of "She's Always A Woman" which is a nice ballad. We then have another rocker out of "Get it Right the First Time" which is a great piece. We end with the gospel sounding ballad "Everybody Has a Dream" which is a nice track and the album ends with the reprise of The Stranger's title cut's intro and outro this time with an orchestra.
The Stranger paid off as it hit #2 on the Billboard album chart upon release and became Billy's first Platinum selling album and righfully sold to date 10 million copies in the US alone.
In 1998, The Stranger was re-released in a remastered version which soundeed better than the 1980s sterile CBS release and includes all original LP art.
Now in 2008, The Stranger was given a 30th Anniversary fit for a king in two incarnations. First is a 2-CD reissue which has The Stranger remastered by Phil Ramone. Second is a unreleased concert from the famed Carnegie Hall in New York recorded one month before The Stranger's release. Billy always delivered on stage and the versions of overlooked tracks like "Say Goodbye to Hollywood", "New York State of Mind", "Captain Jack" and "Angry Young Man" are all performed better than the studio versions. Also, you had preview versions of "Just the Way You Are" and "Scenes From an Italian Restaurant" all recorded a month before The Stranger was recorded. The other re-issue is a 3-disc package which will be reviewed next.
Recommended!
1 of 1 found the following review helpful:
tight albumJul 18, 2008
By A customer
"mistermaxxx"
this is my favorite era of Billy Joel's. this was his peak and Prime era right here. so many great songs that showcased his songwriting and playing chops. he had that edge in his voice as well. the title track is so cool as well.Just the way you are alone is one of those songs you will never forget. he made his mark as a songwriter. the bonus stuff is cool,but the mastering is hit and miss. but i still dig the overall tone and feel of this album. this is the edgy Billy Joel that long ago is missed.but this compilation is a good reminder of how Good he once was.
5 of 7 found the following review helpful:
Great Celebration of a Great Album!Jul 16, 2008
By J. Moore
Not sure what all the negativeness in the other reviews is about. The original album sounds great. And the live disc is a great bonus - eliminated the need to buy "Songs in the Attic" (which as I remember is a great album also). Actually, the live disc song selection is better than "Attic" (includes "Angry Young Man" and 2 then unknown songs from The Stranger). There is also some humorous talk between him and the audience about the house lights being turned on if (and eventually when) they don't stop smoking.
Great booklet included with this. I can't speak for if it sounds better than earlier versions - so if you have one maybe you don't need this. But even if you do this might be worth the live disc and the booklet if you are a big fan.
Also, currently Amazon has many of his discs for very low prices (some for $5). I picked up "The Nylon Curtain" with this for under $5.
Rock on Billy!
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