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Billy Joel always said he wanted just to be a songwriter. Of course, we all know the story. He became much more than just a songwriter as we all watched him become one of the biggest musical acts in the world. However, the core of his craft is indeed fueled by the songwriter inside him. He became what he always wanted to become while celebrating great success as one of the biggest selling musical artists of all time. Even after not having released a new album of pop songs in forty years, other musical artists still cover the man’s music constantly. That’s why they call certain songs standards. Billy Joel has written plenty of them. This article presents a list of ten Billy Joel songs covered by other artists that we think deserve a listen.
# 10 – Big Shot – Saigon Kick
We open up Our 10 Favorite Covers Of Billy Joel Songs list with Saigon Kick’s version of Billy Joel’s “Big Shot.” There is nothing like a metal version of a Billy Joel song. Saigon Kick throws its metal power at the song while adding a bit of the punk influence prevalent in the late 1970s. Saigon Kick released the song on their third studio album, “Water,” released in 1993. The album as a whole was produced by Jason Bieler, who is also the band’s guitarist and one of its founding members. In terms of musicians, the album features Jason Bieler on guitar and vocals, Phil Varone on drums, and Chris McLernon on bass. Billy Joel’s original song “Big Shot” was released on his album 52nd Street. The album was released in 1978 and produced by Phil Ramone.
# 9 – Lullabye (Goodnight, My Angel) – Celine Dion
Continuing with Our 10 Favorite Covers Of Billy Joel Songs list, we listen to the breathtaking song entitled “Lullabye (Goodnight, My Angel).” This beautiful song is one of Billy Joel’s most covered songs. There were many versions of this song that we have heard that we really enjoyed. However, it’s hard to match up to a voice like Celine Dion. Her version was released on the album Loved Me Back to Life. The song was produced by Babyface. Billy Joel released his original version on the final pop album of his career called River Of Dreams. That album was released in 1993.
# 8 – She’s Always a Woman – Venice
Venice has always been one of my favorite bands. It’s a shame they have never gotten the recognition on a national basis that they deserve. If you are from California, you probably know them well. Their sound falls somewhere between America and the Eagles. Their harmonies are out of this world gorgeous. If you dont know this band, you need to check them out. This version is fueled by only an acoustic guitar and their wonderful harmonies. That’s all they needed to make this one work beautifully.
# 7 – Your My Home – Helen Reddy
Helen Reddy jumped on this song only about a year after it had come out. At the time, I think it’s fair to say that Helen Reddy was a bigger star in 1974 than Billy Joel was. She had many hits in the early 70s, like “Angie Baby,” “You and Me Against The World” and many others. Her version of this song is just stunning.
# 6 – And So It Goes – Renato Russo
This is one of Billy Joel’s most haunting songs. There are so many cover versions of this song. We listened to a lot of them, but this one seemed to really capture the spirit of the song’s meaning. Renato Russo was originally from Brazil but moved to Queens, New York, just like the rest of the world has pretty much done over the past fifty years.
# 5 – Rosalinda’s Eyes – John Pizzarelli
One thing starts to become clear at the halfway point on Our 10 Favorite Covers Of Billy Joel Songs list. It’s the jazz artists who love covering Billy Joel songs. We almost changed the name of the article to Best Billy Joel covers by jazz artists, but bands like Saigon Kick and Fall Out Boy prevented us from doing that. John Pizzarelli’s distinctive voice and guitar playing nails this perfectly.
# 4 – Root Beer Rag – Andre Kostelanetz
At the heart of much of Billy Joel’s early music was the influence of the Western. If you grew up in the 1960s, you can remember all the Western movies and TV shows that surrounded your daily life. There were also a lot of albums done by classical composers and arrangers that took famous television and movie themes and produced classic orchestrated versions of the songs. Many of them were often a but cheezy. However, hearing what Andre Kostelanest did with Billy Joel’s “Root Beer Rag” is interesting. It’s worth the price of admission.
# 3 – We Didn’t Start the Fire – Fall Out Boy
Fall Out Boy’s cover of Billy Joel’s “We Didn’t Start The Fire” is more of a remake than a cover version. While the band stays true to the song’s chord changes, melody, and chorus, they completely rewrote the verses to bring the song’s meaning to the 2020s. It’s almost surprising that Billy Joel has never thought of doing this, but then again, the man doesn’t really write songs anymore, or at least songs he wants us to hear as he usually states. Fall Out Boy delivers a spirited version with clever lyrics that makes this a joy to listen to.
# 2 – New York State of Mind – Tony Bennet
If you ask any songwriter from the past 60 to 70 years who they would most cherish to cover one of their songs, the answer would probably be either Frank Sinatra or Tony Bennett. Billy Joel once said that he wrote “New York State of Mind” for Frank Sinatra. However, many years later, it was recorded by Frank Sinatra’s favorite singer Tony Bennett. This version is actually a duet between Billy Joel and Tony Bennett. One can only get chills when they hear Tony begin the song’s second verse. This song was made for someone like Tony Bennett. It’s one of Billy Joel’s most beautiful and incredibly well-written songs. As a New Yorker, it makes me extra proud to hear this one.
# 1 – Just the Way You Are – Frank Sinatra
About five years after Billy Joel wrote “New York State of Mind,” with Frank Sinatra in mind, The Piano Man finally got his wish when Old Blue Eyes recorded “Just the Way You Are.” Of course, Sinatra put his own spin on a tune, turning the ballot into a swing tune like only Frank Sinatra could. Frank Sinatra even changed the lyrics at times, singing “any way you are,” instead of Just The Way You Are, but who’s going to argue with Frank Sinatra? The song was produced by Sonny Burke and released on the album Trilogy: Past, Present & Future.
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![Rob De Luca of Spread Eagle, Sebastian Bach & UFO: 10 Albums That Changed My Life From humble East Coast origins to grandest stages worldwide, veteran bassist Rob De Luca has seen and done it all. De Luca first hit the local Boston rock and metal scene in the late 80s after meeting guitarist Paul DiBartolo, bonding over Van Halen before forming Bang. Regional success came quickly, but eventually, the members of Bang went their separate ways, with De Luca and drummer Tommi Gallo heading to NYC and hooking up with Ray West and, later, DiBartolo to form Spread Eagle. By 1990, Spread Eagle was on the fast track, with a contract through MCA Records and a self-titled debut album poised to crush skulls. But poor timing and MCA's sad indifference left Spead Eagle out in the cold despite being a hard-boiled answer to Guns N' Roses's West Coast sleaze. Spread Eagle's first chapter came to an end in '95. As for Rob De Luca, his nimble fingers and gift for melody and songwriting kept him moving forward. Soon, he found a gig with former Skid Row frontman Sebastian Bach and the legendary outfit UFO. And in 2010, after coupling up with Ray West and his cousin Rik De Luca, Spread Eagle retook flight. During a break from Spread Eagle's increasingly busy touring schedule, Rob De Luca dialed in with ClassicRockHistory.com to run through the ten albums that changed his life. But only after adding, "I made a playlist of these songs, including some I've written or co-written. Do you hear any of these albums' influence on me?" Listen here: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3LWJuhDrE8JmzhsmTeIDUq 10) Gentlemen by Afghan Whigs (1993) Here's an entry that was so important to me. This may be the darkest break-up album of all time. Greg Dulli has been in many projects, but I feel Gentlemen is his zenith. Somewhat undefinable at times but always profound and honest. Listen to "Gentlemen," "Fountain and Fairfax," and "What Jail Is Like." 9) In on the Kill Taker by Fugazi (1993) By this time, I had been sucked in and spit out by the major-label record industry. Glam came and went; grunge was history, too. I was searching for new sounds. When I heard Fugazi's twin guitar approach, I knew this was what was missing. Fugazi may be considered a less polished sound than the albums above; however, once you "get it," it hits you like a ton of bricks, and there's no going back. From the moment I heard Fugazi, I went to every NYC show after. It's easily some of the best concerts of my life, and possibly my favorite bassist in Joe Lally. And their DIY ethics refused to charge us more than $5 a show! In on the Kill Taker is a powerful album demonstrated in songs such as "Smallpox Champion," "Great Cop," and "Public Witness Program." 8) Appetite for Destruction by Guns N' Roses (1987) I discovered many of these albums (sometimes long) after they were released. However, I was at the right place at the right time for this one. Steve Ostromogilsky had a Berklee College of Music lunch card and used to sneak out sandwiches for me. One day, he invited me to hang out at his place and listen to music. As we got off the train, he put Sony Walkman headphones on my ears and said, "Hey, check out this brand-new group." A song like "It's So Easy" was so different from the popular Sunset Strip sound at that time. Me and about 499 other informed rockers were lucky enough to see them on their first East Coast tour at the sold-out Paradise on Commonwealth Avenue, Boston (the same street Aerosmith started on). I saw Gn'R every tour after until I took a break when Buckethead joined. Gn'R is the band I've been lucky enough to see the most times live, almost 100! Everyone on this album is just stellar. Axl [Rose] had the tones, power, melodic sensibilities, and foresight to do what no other singer did then. Slash's playing was beyond memorable. Duff [McKagan] is one of the most underrated bassists in rock history, and learning his Appetite basslines is a masterclass. Steven [Adler] had the natural swing, and Izzy [Stradlin] was the secret weapon songwriter. Everything that's been heralded about this gem is deserved and true. Check out "It's So Easy," "Out Ta Get Me," and "Mr. Brownstone.' 7) Wish You Were Here by Pink Floyd (1975) Another contender for my favorite album and band of all time. Using The Beatles machine (same recording studio, engineer, record label), Pink Floyd made what I feel is their strongest, most cohesive album (my second favorite of theirs would be Animals). This list mainly consists of bands with an instantly recognizable sound. Floyd is certainly no exception to that! This album included a solid handful of undeniable rock radio classics, bookended by two halves of the mind-blowing song "Shine on You Crazy Diamond.' That song was written about former band member and founder Syd Barrett. It would be hard to live in a world without this album. Check out "Welcome to The Machine," "Shine on You Crazy Diamond (parts 6-9),' or even better yet, listen to the whole thing in one sitting! 6) Decade by Neil Young (1977) About this time, I started playing guitar. As a beginner, it was comfortable jamming to this album because the chord changes were simple—a great "first ten years" retrospective of Neil's stunning, unique songwriting. Neil is a treasure who always writes from the heart and stands up for what's right. Check out "Southern Man," "A Man Needs a Maid," "Down by The River," and "After the Goldrush." 5) Highway to Hell by AC/DC (1979) When I heard this album, I was firmly "me." My life would be 100% focused on hard rock music forever. AC/DC are like air; they're ubiquitous. Everyone knows them and their incredible songs. However, as a young teen in Wilmington, Delaware, I only had WMMR 93.3 FM Philadelphia and a few friends to inform me about the world of Rock outside my bedroom. AC/DC had not gone mainstream, and their albums were available primarily in the USA as imports. To put things more in perspective, I only knew two people in the world who had heard of AC/DC. A friend had an import that we played in Steve Buckley's basement, which sounded ripping. When Highway to Hell was released, WMMR started spinning the title track, and I immediately bought the album, listening to it every single day after school. Then WMMR announced AC/DC was coming to the Spectrum in Philly, supporting Ted Nugent! I liked Ted but loved AC/DC, so my good friend Mick Cummins and I bought tickets, and he drove us up to the Spectrum (where we saw most of our concerts). Bon Scott was in fine form, and the band went over great. Although the crowd knew Ted better, Angus [Young] wouldn't let anyone upstage him. I'll never forget it! Unfortunately, Bon would be gone in 6 months. Check out "Walk All Over You," "Touch Too Much," "Shot Down in Flames," and "If You Want Blood (You Got It)." 4) Toys in the Attic by Aerosmith (1975) By the time I heard this, I was now in my teens. I had a childhood friend up the street, Jim Linberg (we're still good buddies). His older sister had a great album collection, including Toys in The Attic. Once I heard that groove, my taste changed. I lost interest in rock music that didn't have some sort of "swing" feel to it. I think Rocks is a slightly better Aerosmith album (and possibly my favorite album of all time), but both are perfect or very close. Check out "Uncle Salty," "Adam's Apple," "No More No More," "Round and Round," and "You See Me Crying." 3) Alive! by Kiss (1975) When I was still a little kid, I asked for Cheech and Chong's Up in Smoke album for Christmas. The entire family came over for an enormous feast, and I dropped the needle. When my mother heard the content, she turned off the album and said I had to exchange it. My mom was cool, but I was young and knew much more about life than she suspected. Anyway, the next day, she drove me back to the store. In the music section, promoted on an "endcap" was a Kiss Alive! display. I had never heard of Kiss, but that cover picture told me I had to have it! My first foray into hard rock. Check out “Strutter.” I went through my Kiss phase very quickly, I believe in a matter of months because I discovered the previous entry, Aerosmith's Toys in the Attic. 2) Honky Chateau by Elton John (1972) When I was a wee lad, my parents bought a used Volkswagen camper van from my uncle Ozzie. My favorite Elton John album is Yellow Brick Road, but Honky Chateau is great and easily one of his best. It sent me down a lifelong rabbit hole of loving everything about the 1970s partnership between Elton and lyricist Bernie Taupin. The simple beauty of voice, the master songwriting, the perfect backing band, the clear, unobtrusive recordings, and always Bernie's incredible lyrics. The day this album was released, Elton became an unstoppable force that conquered the music industry. Check out "Mona Lisas and Mad Hatters" and "Rocket Man." 1) Sergeant Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band by The Beatles (1967) Another tape that was included in the VW Camper. The van had a bunch of music tapes, and one was Sgt Pepper. I was too young to understand the sophistication of the music, but that was one of the many skills of The Beatles. They attracted listeners at every level, even little kids. I still feel that immediate connection to Sgt Pepper; now, I hear so much more. It's an album that changed the world and the world of music. Check out "Lucy in The Sky with Diamonds," "A Day In The Life," and "Fixing a Hole."](https://www.classicrockhistory.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Shutterstock_1815495569-1-300x200.jpg)
