Hello,
This is the latest blog in my 80's music blog series, this blog is about music by Bills, Billys and Willies. I thought of this blog as I was exercising this morning. On my iPod a song by Billy Idol played and I wondered to myself what genre would his music would be considered. In the 80s Idol was considered a new waver, but now I would say most of his music would be considered rock. I then realized all of the great artists that were named Billy in the 80s. Billy Joel, Billy Idol, Billy Ocean, Billy Gibbons of ZZ Top and Billy Squier. There were other Bills that had a lesser impact. As always these aren't greatest hits blogs, they are greatest songs blogs. Enjoy!
On the off chance you are bizarre as me, Billie Myers' "Kiss The Rain" was released in 1997. I thought it was released in the 80s. Thanks to Wikipedia I found out different. "Kiss The Rain" is a very good song and feels like an 80s song.
I'm going to start off with the more obscure Bills etc. first. Although Bill Medley was by no means an obscure artist, he was part of the Righteous Brothers after all. However this was his only hit in the 80s. Bill Medley and Jennifer Warnes' "The Time of My Life":
Another one of my several dozen favorite songs of all-time. The lead singer's name is Billy Vera. Billy and the Beaters "At This Moment":
Grover Washington Jr. and Bill Withers' "Just The Two Of Us":
There have been several versions of this song recorded, but in my opinion this is the best version by far. Willie Nelson absolutely kills on this song. The female singer in the background gives the song that much more poignance. "Always On My Mind":
I'll fill out this blog later, I just wanted to get at least one song by each great Billy of the 80s. Here are a few songs by Billy Squier. This is "Emotions In Motion":
"The Big Beat":
"Don't Say You Love Me":
"My Kinda Lover":
"In The Dark":
"Too Daze Gone":
First time I ever heard this song. According to someone on the internet (take that for what it's worth), this is an Axl Rose favorite song. "Calley Oh":
"Rock Me Tonite" "Squier's preference is to spell it "Tonite":
Everybody Wants You":
"She's A Runner":
Billy Joel released 6 CDs in the, 80's the quality seems to follow a yo yo pattern. In 1980 he released probably my favorite Joel CD "Glass Houses". It features "It's Still Rock and Roll To Me", "You May Be Right", "Don't Tell Me Why" and "Sometimes A Fantasy". It also has the great non hits, "All For Leyna" and "I Don't Want To Be Alone". Not every song was a hit, but most of the songs are pretty darn good.
In 1981 Joel released a live album, "Songs In The Attic", these are mostly obscure songs that Joel wanted to introduce to late joining fans. (Thanks to Wikipedia.org.) Two songs reached the top 25 "Say Goodbye To Hollywood" and the absolutely amazing "She's Got A Way". Pretty much every song on this CD is amazing. The highlights of the highlights include "Captain Jack", "The Ballad Of Billy The Kid", "Los Angelenos" and "I've Loved These Days".
In 1982 Joel followed with "The Nylon Curtain", which through the first 4 songs is a very solid CD. "Allentown", "Pressure" and "Goodnight Saigon" are the highlights of those 4 songs. But the rest of the CD is so so. Joel bounced back with a bit better CD the next year, in 1983 he released "An Innocent Man". A CD that features "Uptown Girl", "An Innocent Man" and "For The Longest Time".
Sadly in 1986 he hit his nadir in his 80's recordings when he released "The Bridge". That CD is barely notable for "A Matter of Trust" and "This Is the Time". However Joel sent the 80s out on a strong note. In 1989 he released "Storm Front", a CD that includes several great songs. Again all the songs weren't hits. But any CD that features the songs "We Didn't Start The Fire", "The Downeaster 'Alexa'", "I Go To Extremes and "Leningrad" is a very good CD.
Billy Joel's "Allentown":
"Close To The Borderline":
This is a 1977 performance from Billy Joel and his band, I'm including it as it's a song that's on a CD that Joel released in the 80s. Well that and it also is a damn good song. "Say Goodbye To Hollywood":
"I Don't Want To Be Alone":
"Miami 2017: "Seen The Lights Go Out On Broadway" (Live From 2012):
"Pressure":
If you are at a Billy Joel show and you hear the sound of a helicopter that can only mean one thing, "Goodnight Saigon": (The end of this video is amazing and causes some goosebumps.)
"A Matter of Trust":
"We Didn't Start The Fire" (first a parody that made me feel really dumb):
Now the actual song, which doesn't make me feel quite as dumb:
"The Downeaster "'Alexa'":
"I Go To Extremes":
"Leningrad":
A video about Billy Joel's time in Leningrad.
Billy Idol's "White Wedding":
Billy Gibbons and the rest of ZZ Top, "Stages":
Although this is a remake of a Beatles song, I suggest this is Billy Ocean's best song. "The Long And Winding Road":
And one of the greatest songs of the 80s, Michael Jackson's "Billie Jean":
themusicaddict
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