Billy Joel Greatest Hits Volume I & II
Printed From: Top 40 Music on CD
Category: Top 40 Music On Compact Disc
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URL: https://top40musiconcd.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=10229
Printed Date: 17 June 2025 at 11:45am
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Topic: Billy Joel Greatest Hits Volume I & II
Posted By: EdisonLite
Subject: Billy Joel Greatest Hits Volume I & II
Date Posted: 01 May 2025 at 11:51am
| I noticed in the details for Billy Joel's Greatest Hits Volume I & II, it lists single versions for My Life, Big Shot & Pressure. IIRC, later versions of this CD (and I don't mean the 24-bit version) were changed back to the album version (because Billy preferred this). If anyone can verify the later pressings of this CD had the longer album versions, I think this should be reflected in the database. |
Replies:
Posted By: EdisonLite
Date Posted: 01 May 2025 at 11:52am
| PS It's fun to be back on this site! I think it had been 6 months since I last posted or checked in. Aaron, is there any way for you to easily check when I last posted before today? |
Posted By: aaronk
Date Posted: 01 May 2025 at 1:22pm
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Glad to have you back! To quote Billy, "You May Be Right" about later pressings including the LP versions. Our database doesn't usually distinguish between different pressings unless they also have a different catalog number. If you know for certain that a later pressing has different song versions but retains the same catalog number as the original/first pressing, please let us know the exact release where this can be found. It will need to be added to the database. ------------- Aaron Kannowski http://www.uptownsound.com" rel="nofollow - Uptown Sound http://www.919thepeak.com" rel="nofollow - 91.9 The Peak - Classic Hip Hop |
Posted By: EdisonLite
Date Posted: 01 May 2025 at 1:33pm
| Someone will have to verify what you ask for, but what I can say, the more I think about it, is that my early Greatest Hits vol. 1 & 2 was one of those 2-CD sets that was about 1" thick. IIRC, when they went back to the original album versions, the updated was slimmer, as thin as a regular jewel case but containing 2 CDs. So if anyone has this slimmer version, can they please verify the details (as well as the lengths for My Life, Big Shot & Pressure)? |
Posted By: Brian W.
Date Posted: 03 May 2025 at 10:20am
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Yes, the single edits are only on the pre-1998 original mastering. From Discogs: "The remastered 1998 CD version of this album replaces the five single versions with their album versions and replaces the live version of "Say Goodbye To Hollywood" with the original 1976 album version." |
Posted By: aaronk
Date Posted: 03 May 2025 at 11:35am
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When they made this change, did they also give it a new catalog number? I'm on my way out the door and don't have time to research it right now. ------------- Aaron Kannowski http://www.uptownsound.com" rel="nofollow - Uptown Sound http://www.919thepeak.com" rel="nofollow - 91.9 The Peak - Classic Hip Hop |
Posted By: LunarLaugh
Date Posted: 03 May 2025 at 12:22pm
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Unless I'm mistaken, the original cassette and vinyl editions had fewer songs than the original 2-CD version but all three of them contained the edited versions for time restrictions (mostly inherent in vinyl sides). I'm guessing they made the CD master and then simply cut a few songs out to create the vinyl and cassette masters. Then in 1998, with the acceptable playtime of CDs expanded and without the time constraints of vinyl to worry about, they substituted the full length album versions in for the edited ones in the new remaster. ------------- https://thelunarlaugh.bandcamp.com/ - Listen to The Lunar Laugh! |
Posted By: aaronk
Date Posted: 04 May 2025 at 12:40pm
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Looking at Discogs, in 1998, the catalog number changed from G2K 40121 to C2K 62391. Therefore, our database does accurately reflect which CDs have the single versions vs. the LP versions. GHV1&2 is listed separately with the different catalog numbers and the versions properly labeled. ------------- Aaron Kannowski http://www.uptownsound.com" rel="nofollow - Uptown Sound http://www.919thepeak.com" rel="nofollow - 91.9 The Peak - Classic Hip Hop |
Posted By: EdisonLite
Date Posted: 04 May 2025 at 1:30pm
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Aaron, in a recent post where I asked about the new version of the website, one question got overlooked. If it's not hard (or impossible), can you create a link that would be at the top of any page that lets us connect to the paid database - and hopefully also make it so we can toggle back and forth between the database and chat board? I know they come from 2 different web systems, but it would be helpful. Also, with the old system, there would be problems if we were in the database, exited the page, then tried to get back in. Can't recall details but it thought I was trying to log in twice and wouldn't let me in at all. In summary, if we could easily toggle back and forth between the chat and database, while staying logged into the database, that would be great. For example, right now, I read your above post and want to check out what are the other 2 single versions (I hadn't mentioned) on the original CD of Vol. !&II, then come right back here. |
Posted By: EdisonLite
Date Posted: 04 May 2025 at 1:40pm
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Currently, I can't log in to the database. Can anyone tell me, besides My Life, Big Shot & Pressure, what other 2 songs had single versions on the original pressing on the 2-CD set? Also, anyone who has the remastered 1998 CD, does it come in a slimmer jewel case than the 1" jewel case of the original pressing? |
Posted By: LunarLaugh
Date Posted: 08 May 2025 at 9:06am
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Allentown was also edited, if memory serves me correct. And yes, the remaster was issued in a slimline case with a octagonal yellow and pink BEST VALUE hype sticker on the front of the jewel case that matched all the others in the 1998 Billy Joel CD EXTRA remasters (stating: "*24-Bit Digitally Remastered" at the top). ------------- https://thelunarlaugh.bandcamp.com/ - Listen to The Lunar Laugh! |
Posted By: Glenpwood
Date Posted: 08 May 2025 at 9:16am
| Just The Way You Are and Tell Her About It are the other 2 single versions on the 85 original. |
Posted By: AndrewChouffi
Date Posted: 09 May 2025 at 5:15am
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I believe "Tell Her About It" on the original Greatest Hits was an early fade of the 45/LP version (which were within a coupla seconds of each other). Please confirm me right-or-wrong! Andy |
Posted By: aaronk
Date Posted: 09 May 2025 at 6:37am
The logo at the top of the chat board page takes you to the home page where you can access the searchable database. I would recommend opening the home page in a new tab of your browser to quickly switch between the two. ------------- Aaron Kannowski http://www.uptownsound.com" rel="nofollow - Uptown Sound http://www.919thepeak.com" rel="nofollow - 91.9 The Peak - Classic Hip Hop |
EdisonLite wrote:Posted By: Ringmaster_D
Date Posted: 09 May 2025 at 9:29am
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I only own the original "fatboy" release of this, but I did once borrow a friend's copy of the re-release at work as was shocked to find the alternate versions that were swapped. I think the Wikipedia entry is correct about the differences: In 1998, the two CD set was digitally remastered and packaged with two bonus videos ("You're Only Human (Second Wind)" and "The Night Is Still Young") on disc 1. All of the songs that were edited in the 1985 package ("Pressure", "My Life", "Big Shot", "Just the Way You Are" and "Tell Her About It") were restored to their original album lengths. Also, the live version of "Say Goodbye to Hollywood" was removed and replaced with the studio version from Joel's 1976 album Turnstiles. Surprisingly, "Captain Jack" has been shortened instead, fading out about 20 seconds sooner (6:56 instead of 7:15) I found the replacement of the hit live version of "Say Goodbye To Hollywood" to be the oddest of all the swaps. |
Posted By: Brian W.
Date Posted: 10 May 2025 at 10:46am
Correct. And that's the first time that early fade was issued. I've always suspected that that was "supposed" to be the single version, since the runtime matches what is printed on the 45 label. |
Posted By: whyaduck
Date Posted: 10 May 2025 at 10:57am
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My Life Big Shot Pressure Just the Way You Are Are those tracks the 45 single versions? radio edits? new/custom edits for GH? |
Posted By: Paul Haney
Date Posted: 10 May 2025 at 11:39am
Yes, they are the single (commercial 45) versions. Although technically, "Just The Way You Are" runs about 8 seconds longer than the true 45 version. |
Posted By: EdisonLite
Date Posted: 10 May 2025 at 1:35pm
| Oh yes, of course "Just the Way You Are" was another edit - which makes 4. It sounds like there were no other single edits in the '85 version, just Tell Her About It being faded a few seconds early than any previous CD/45/LP. I hope I got that right. |
Posted By: David Pro
Date Posted: 12 May 2025 at 11:55am
Another interesting thing about the original cassette, vinyl, and CD editions is the inclusion of the "Honesty" in the Japanese and European versions replacing "Don't Ask Me Why". All the 1998 remastered releases (no matter the country) feature "Don't Ask Me Why", although the 2017 Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab box set reissue features both "Honesty" and "Don't Ask Me Why". |
Posted By: whyaduck
Date Posted: 13 May 2025 at 4:41am
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and of course the Alternate, I feel inferior, "New York State of Mind" with different Sax solo, on all the the 1985 editions (and the 1998). MFSL restored original as well.
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