"An Innocent Man"
Single by Billy Joel
from the album An Innocent Man
B-side"I'll Cry Instead" (live)
ReleasedDecember 1983[1]
Genre
Length5:17
LabelColumbia
Songwriter(s)Billy Joel
Producer(s)Phil Ramone
Billy Joel singles chronology
"Uptown Girl"
(1983) 		"An Innocent Man"
(1983) 		"The Longest Time"
(1984)

"An Innocent Man" is a 1983 song performed by Billy Joel released as the third single from his album of the same name. The song, whose musical style is an homage to Ben E. King and the Drifters, reached No. 10 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, the third consecutive top 10 single from the album.[4] It also spent one week at No. 1 on the Billboard adult contemporary chart.[5]

Joel was quoted in a 1997 interview describing the high notes he sang during the song: "I had a suspicion that was going to be the last time I was going to be able to hit those notes, so why not go out in a blaze of glory? That was the end of Billy's high note."[5]

Reception

Cash Box said that "sounding soulful with a suburban lilt, Joel takes a cue from the Righteous Bros. in a performance that recalls Joel’s previous 'Until the Night.'"[6]

Chart positions

Chart (1983-1984) Peak
position
Australia (Kent Music Report)[7] 23
Canada Top Singles (RPM)[8] 16
Ireland (IRMA) 3
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[9] 24
UK Singles (OCC)[10] 8
US Billboard Hot 100[11] 10
US Billboard Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks[12] 1
Year-end chart (1984) Rank
UK Singles (Gallup)[13] 64
US Top Pop Singles (Billboard)[14] 72

Certifications

Region Certification Certified units/sales
United Kingdom (BPI)[15] Silver 250,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

See also

References

  1. ^ "Great Rock Discography". p. 437.
  2. ^ a b Mitchell, Matt (January 20, 2024). "The 25 Greatest Billy Joel Songs of All Time". Paste. Retrieved January 20, 2024.
  3. ^ Molanphy, Chris (April 30, 2020). "Still Billy Joel to Me Edition". Hit Parade | Music History and Music Trivia (Podcast). Slate. Retrieved April 2, 2024.
  4. ^ Whitburn, Joel (2004). The Billboard Book of Top 40 Hits, 8th Edition (Billboard Publications)
  5. ^ a b Hyatt, Wesley (1999). The Billboard Book of #1 Adult Contemporary Hits (Billboard Publications)
  6. ^ "Reviews" (PDF). Cash Box. December 10, 1983. p. 7. Retrieved July 20, 2022.
  7. ^ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992. St Ives, NSW: Australian Chart Book. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
  8. ^ "Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada". Collectionscanada.gc.ca. Retrieved January 11, 2012.
  9. ^ "Billy Joel – An Innocent Man". Top 40 Singles.
  10. ^ "Billy Joel: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company.
  11. ^ "Billy Joel Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved December 21, 2023.
  12. ^ "Billy Joel Chart History (Adult Contemporary)". Billboard. Retrieved December 21, 2023.
  13. ^ "Top 100 Singles 1984" (PDF). Music Week. Retrieved September 18, 2022.
  14. ^ "Talent Almanac 1985: Top Pop Singles". Billboard. Vol. 96, no. 51. December 22, 1984. p. TA-19.
  15. ^ "British single certifications – Billy Joel – An Innocent Man". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved November 3, 2023.
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