Just the Way You Are 2/7/20

Today's "Great Song of the '70s" was a little something Billy Joel dreamed up. Literally.

According to Billy, the melody and chord progression for the song came to him in a dream, and was inspired by "Rag Doll" by the Four Seasons--the same song that inspired his later hit, "Uptown Girl."

Billy wrote it with his first wife and business manager, Elizabeth, in mind, but didn't originally think it was one of his best songs. In fact, when he was putting together his 1977 album, "The Stranger," he didn't want to include it, until Linda Ronstadt and Phoebe Snow (who were recording at the same studio), as well as producer Phil Ramone convinced him it was a hit.

Columbia Records agreed and made it the lead single off the album.

Good choice!

It spent the entire month of January 1978 in the #1 spot on Billboard's Easy Listening Chart. It also went to #3 on Billboard's Hot 100, and was a top 10 hit in 5 other countries--including #1 in Canada.

It was Billy's first gold record, and it also garnered two 1979 Grammy Awards: Record of the Year and Song of the Year!

It was a dream come true for Billy--until it wasn't. In 1982, Billy and Elizabeth divorced and he didn't play the song in concert again until the 2000s.

TRIVIA The saxophone solo was played by Phil Woods, a well-known jazz musician and bandleader.

From 1977-78-79: