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List Price: $7.99 | | Label: Sony
Salesrank: 6225
Released: October 20, 1998 |
| Our Price: $3.68 |
| Used Price: $2.73 |
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| Media: Audio CD |
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The Stranger Track Listing:
1. Movin' Out (Anthony's Song)
2. 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
Editorial Review:
This, pop superstar Joel's breakout LP, came years after he first hit the charts with the novelty-ish "Piano Man." In the meantime, the New York-based songwriter released two lackluster and stylistically confused platters that blunted interesting songs with a sound that was neither Elton mellow nor Elton attitude. Produced by Phil Ramone, The Stranger took those who had written Joel off as a one-hit wonder by surprise ("Just the Way You Are" was among the biggest hits of 1977) and it remains a solid introduction to Joel's restless muse at a crucial point in his career. It invited a few comparisons to Bruce Springsteen, with its prominent sax breaks, hard-edged rebel-rockers ("Only the Good Die Young"), and slice-of-life dramatics ("Scenes From an Italian Restaurant"), recounting life in a lower middle-class (Eastern Urban) setting; but Joel's chameleonic, formalist approach to pop wasn't to be so easily pigeonholed (Glass Houses, The Nylon Curtain, An Innocent Man...). --Don Harrison
The Stranger Reviews:
The Stranger 
2009-12-08 - This has been my favorite album for years. My cassette tape broke and I have been without it for several years and am so happy to have in again in cd form. Thank you.
Billy Joel's Finest
2009-10-25 - Though, "Piano Man", may be Joel's signature song, "The Stranger" is his signature album. After all, though it may not contain, "Piano Man", it contains a wealth of other classics that are just as strong and that is why this album pushed the already famous Billy Joel even further into the spotlight. The material here is uniformly strong with extremely little filler or wasted moments. Most notable are the character sketches such as, "Moving Out (Anthony's Song)", and, "Scenes From An Italian Restaurant". The latter being an extended suite of sorts that Joel actually preferred over, "Piano Man". The big hit here, however, is the romantic ballad, "Just The way You Are", which has become a staple of soft-rock radio. Equally emotional, and perhaps better written, is the love song, "She Always A Woman To Me". But these soft moments are balanced out by the stinging title track and the pro-lust anthem, "Only The Good Die Young" which stirred up quite a bit of controversy when it was initially released. Also, be on the look out for the reflective and gentle, "Vienna" which is an often forgotten masterpiece. Indeed, Joel is a very versatile songwriter and though he went on to make many other classic songs an albums, this one remains his masterpiece. Though many of these songs are found on his greatest hits package, they're best heard here in their original context.
The Stranger spoke to me
2009-10-06 - Intelligent lyrics that helped me through my teenage years. There is no comparison to his Billy Joel's musicianship. Magical! It's great to revisit this album time and time again.
BLAST FROM THE PAST!!!
2009-10-04 - I love everything Billy Joel sings but the songs on this CD have always been my all-time favorites. Mr. Joel never ceases to amaze us with all his talent. I have the LP but wore it out over the years and was crushed when I bought a record player only to find the sound wasn't what I remembered it to be when I bought records brand new. Now that this album is new to CD, I was so excited that I couldn't wait to get it! This is one of those CD's that you never tire of listening to. I'm glad Billy Joel is still writing songs to bring us even more wonderful music today! I love he spans generations. That's a rarity in itself. And, Billy Joel is a rarity! Love him!
billy joel stranger 
2009-05-18 - I loved this cd. It is pretty short, but the songs it has on it are great. I bought it beacause there were a couple of songs on it that I knew I loved, and I ended up hearing more that I loved. I didn't even realize untill I herad them that I had heard and enjoyed most of the songs on the cd before I got the cd. Before I got the cd my favorite song by him was "Vienna". I still love that song, but there are some other great ones, like the title track "stranger", that are also alot of fun. If you like Billy Joel you should get this, and if you aren't familiar with him, you might want to check it out.
