The Stranger (song)

"The Stranger" is a song by rock artist Billy Joel from his 1977 album of the same name, The Stranger.[2] The song was released as a single in Japan where it became very popular and peaked at #2 on the Oricon chart, selling more than 471,000 copies, charting as well in Australia, New Zealand and France.[3] It was the last single from the album in Japan, while the US and UK saw "She's Always a Woman", released the previous year, as the last single from the album.

"The Stranger"
Single by Billy Joel
from the album The Stranger
B-side"Movin' Out (Anthony's Song)"
ReleasedMay 21, 1978 (Japan)
RecordedA & R Recording,Inc., New York City, 1977
GenreBlues rock
Length5:10 (Album version)
4:10 (Single version)[1]
LabelColumbia
CBS Sony (Japan)
Songwriter(s)Billy Joel
Producer(s)Phil Ramone
Billy Joel singles chronology
"She's Always a Woman"
(1977)		 "The Stranger"
(1978)		 "My Life"
(1978)

The single is featured on Joel's greatest hits album, Greatest Hits - Volume I & II.[4]

An untitled two-minute instrumental "hidden track" reprise of this song is featured at the end of The Stranger, after "Everybody Has a Dream".[5]

Billy Joel originally wanted the melody to be played by some kind of wind instrument, but after Joel demonstrated the melody by whistling it, producer Phil Ramone convinced Joel to scrap the idea of a wind instrument and whistle instead.[6]

In 2020, the song was featured during the ending credits of the CBS All Access miniseries, Stephen King's "The Stand."

Track listing

7" vinyl (CBS)
  1. "The Stranger"
  2. "Just the Way You Are"

Japanese 7" vinyl
  1. "The Stranger" [4:10]
  2. "Movin' Out (Anthony's Song)" [3:30]

Chart history
Chart (1978) Peak
position
Australian Singles Chart 59
France (IFOP)[7] 59
Japan (Oricon Singles Chart) 2
New Zealand (RIANZ) 8

References
  1. "Billy Joel - The Stranger (Vinyl, 7", 45 RPM, Single)". Discogs.com. Retrieved 2017-04-16.
  2. Useted, Tom (24 July 2008). "Billy Joel: The Stranger". PopMatters.
  3. "Best-selling singles in Japan". Archived from the original on 2015-07-14. Retrieved 25 December 2019.
  4. Stephen Thomas Erlewine. "Greatest Hits, Vols. 1-2 (1973-1985) - Billy Joel | Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved 2016-10-13.
  5. "Billy Joel - The Stranger (Vinyl, LP, Album)". Discogs.com. Retrieved 2016-10-13.
  6. Joel, Billy (April 3, 2013). "Billy Joel Pays Tribute to Phil Ramone: 'He Was the King'". Rolling Stone.
  7. "Toutes les Chansons N° 1 des Années 70" (in French). InfoDisc. 1978-04-14. Retrieved 11 March 2019.


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