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Billy Joel The Greatest Hits
On The Acoustic
Here on my Billy Joel the greatest hits page you'll find acoustic tutorial demos, free chord sheets you can download in .pdf format, some tips on strumming these songs and low cost acoustic tutorials to assist you in playing Billy Joel tunes on the guitar.
8 Good Billy Joel Songs
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Billy Joel The Greatest Hits
Chords, Lyrics, Rhythm Tips, Tutorials
As you know, Billy Joel has been an influence in music culture since 1965. It's no coincidence that he and Elton John have become great friends through the years. Their talents are on the same instrument, they started during the same period (Sir Elton in 1962) and both are close to the same age (Joel is 73 and Elton 75 in 2022).
1. A Matter Of Trust
A Matter Of Trust released this song in the summer of 1986 from his album "The Bridge".
The song reached #10 in the US and #3 in Canada. The music video for this one featured Ringo Starr and Paul McCartney as spectators and is the only music video featuring Billy Joel playing guitar.
- Drop D Tuning: No
- Capo: No
- Rhythm: down down up down down up down up and repeat
- Picking: Yes
- Chords: D, Bm, Gbm, A, D, Em, Dmaj7
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2. Allentown
Allentown was a #1 hit in Australia and reached #17 in the US. The song has taken on a persona as a representation of the working class blue collar man. Joel began writing this song in the 1970's but never finished it until 1982. He called it Allentown not because it was an industrial steel town like Bethlehem PA and Levittown NY, but because it was easier to write lines that rhyme with Allentown.
One of those Billy Joel guitar songs that has it's own special vibe to try and capture on an acoustic. Find this track on the 1982 album "The Nylon Curtain".
- Drop D Tuning: No
- Capo: No
- Rhythm: down down up down down up down up and repeat
- Picking: No but a few riffs in the rhythm
- Chords: C, Em, D, G, A7, Am7, Bm, Gbm, A#, F
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3. An Innocent Man
An Innocent Man hails from the 1983 Billy Joel album of the same name. This song pays respect to Ben E King and The Drifters and Joel commented he went for the high notes in this one while he still had the vocal range.
The song peaked at #10 on the billboard Hot 100.
- Drop D Tuning: No
- Capo: No
- Rhythm: root down up root up down up
- Picking: No
- Chords: C, Dm, F, G, A#
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4. Honesty
Honesty was released in May of 1979 from the "52nd Street" album which was released a year earlier. The song was a #1 hit in France and peaked at #24 in the US.
Joel has performed this song with Elton John on occasion. This is one of those great Billy Joel guitar songs that everyone knows well.
- Drop D Tuning: No
- Capo: No - original key 1 fret higher
- Rhythm: down down up down up and repeat
- Picking: a few riffs
- Chords: A, A/Gb, Fmaj7, E7, D, E, Dbm, Gbm, B7, Esus, E, Fdim, Ab, Dbsus, Dmaj7, Gbm/E, Db7, A7, E7
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5. It's Still Rock N Roll To Me
It's Still Rock And Roll To Me was a #1 hit in the US during the summer of 1980. If you listen closely you'll hear that the snare drum is tuned lower than usual which was a technique requested by the sound engineer of drummer Liberty Devitto.
The song was also a #1 in Canada. The song hails from the "Glass Houses" album.
- Drop D Tuning: No
- Capo: 3rd fret
- Rhythm: down up down up and repeat
- Picking: Yes a little
- Chords: A, Dbm, G, D, Gbm, B7, E, Bm, Db, F, C
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6. Just The Way You Are
Just The Way You Are hails from "The Stranger" album from 1977. This was a career launching song for Joel as his first top 10 in the US, reaching #3, and won Grammy's for Record Of the Year and Song Of The Year.
Yeah that will get you noticed for sure. The released single was about a minute shorter than the album version.
- Drop D Tuning: No
- Capo: No
- Rhythm: down down up down up down up and repeat
- Picking: No
- Chords: D, Dsus, Bm, G, D7, Gm, G6, Am, Esus, E, A7, Em, Gbm, B7
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7. Keeping The Faith
Keeping The Faith is from the album "An Innocent Man" and peaked at #18 on the Billboard Hot 100.
Christy Brinkley, Richard Pryor and Joe Piscopo all appear in the music video.
- Drop D Tuning: No
- Capo: 2nd fret
- Rhythm: a steady down up down up shuffle
- Picking: No
- Chords: D, G, A, Em
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8. Only The Good Die Young
Only The Good Die Young was one of four singles were released from "The Stranger" album back in 1977. Because the song was considered anti-catholic at the time because the guy in the song was lusting after a catholic girl, many radio stations got pressure from the church.
Of course the controversy drove up sales as it always does. And the guy in the song never scored with the girl in the end. The song peaked at #24 in the US.
- Drop D Tuning: No
- Capo: No
- Rhythm: down up down up and repeat
- Picking: Yes a little in rhythm
- Chords: F, G, Am, C, D, C7
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9. Piano Man
Piano Man reflects what Billy Joel played in the bar scenes in the beginning of his climb, and this song reflects some of the characters he'd encounter in piano lounges in Los Angeles in the early 1970's. This song was his first major hit peaking at #4 on the Easy Listening chart.
During the last half of the 1970's, all of Billy Joel's singles did better in Canada than in the US. The track can be found on the "Piano Man" album of 1973.
- Drop D Tuning: No
- Capo: No
- Rhythm: down down up down up and repeat
- Picking: Yes
- Chords: C, G6, Am, Am/G, F, G, Em, D, D/Gb
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I hope you found this Billy Joel the greatest hits page helpful. Any questions, touch base.
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Acoustic Versions Of Rock Songs