Just the Way You Are (Billy Joel song)

"Just the Way You Are"
Single by Billy Joel
from the album The Stranger
B-side	"Get It Right the First Time"
Released	September 1977
Format	7"
Recorded	1977
Genre	Pop rock, Soft rock
Length	4:47 (album version) 3:36 (single version)
Label	Columbia
Writer(s)	Billy Joel
Producer	Phil Ramone
Certification	Gold (RIAA)
Billy Joel singles chronology
"New York State of Mind" (1976) "Just the Way You Are" (1977) "Movin' Out (Anthony's Song)" (1977)

"Just the Way You Are" is a song by Billy Joel from his 1977 album, The Stranger. It was Joel's first US Top 10 (reaching #3) and UK Top 20 single, as well as Joel's first gold single in the US. "Just the Way You Are" won the 1978 Grammy Awards for Record of the Year and Song of the Year.

Contents 1 Background 2 Track listing 3 Chart positions 4 Other versions 5 See also 6 References

Background

The song, which concerned then wife and business manager Elizabeth Weber, was not liked by either Joel or his band, and Joel had originally decided against making the track a part of the album. However, at the request of both Linda Ronstadt and Phoebe Snow (both were recording in other studios in the same building at the time), Joel and producer Phil Ramone agreed to put the song on the final mix. After Joel and Weber split in 1982, Joel rarely performed the song live until the 2000s.^[1]

When "Just the Way You Are" was released as a single, it was shortened by over a minute. The differences are the removal of the second verse and an earlier fade. A live performance of the song was also used as a music video. On February 18, 1978, Joel performed a shorter version of the song as the musical guest on Saturday Night Live (along with "Only the Good Die Young"). The single version was included in the first release of Greatest Hits Volume I, but the full album version was restored for the remastered release of that compilation.

Since its initial release, the song has been covered by Mina (singer), Barry White, Diana Krall, Ahmad Jamal, Shirley Bassey, Frank Sinatra, Isaac Hayes, Will Martin, Harry Connick, Jr., José José and Jay R. The song was performed by Leslie Ann Warren and Rowlf the Dog in an episode of The Muppet Show. It was also covered by the Ska Rangers on the soundtrack for The Hangover Part II.

Track listing

7" U.S. and UK single (1977)

1. "Just the Way You Are" - 3:27
2. "Get It Right the First Time" - 3:54

Chart positions

Chart (1978)	Peak position
Australian Singles Chart	6
Canadian Singles Chart[2]	2
Irish Singles Chart	7
New Zealand Singles Chart	6
UK Singles Chart[3]	19
US Billboard Hot 100	3
US Billboard Easy Listening[4]	1

Other versions

• Diana Krall - Live in Paris (2002)

See also

• List of number-one adult contemporary singles of 1978 (U.S.)

References

Billy Joel Studio albums Cold Spring Harbor Piano Man Streetlife Serenade Turnstiles The Stranger 52nd Street Glass Houses The Nylon Curtain An Innocent Man The Bridge Storm Front River of Dreams Fantasies & Delusions Live albums Songs in the Attic KOHЦEPT 2000 Years: The Millennium Concert 12 Gardens Live Live at Shea Stadium: The Concert Compilations Greatest Hits, Vol. 1–3 Souvenir: The Ultimate Collection The Ultimate Collection The Essential Billy Joel Piano Man: The Very Best of Billy Joel My Lives Tours An Innocent Man Tour Face to Face 1994 Face to Face 1995 Face to Face 1998 Face to Face 2001 Face to Face 2003 Face to Face 2009 Face to Face 2010 Singles "Piano Man" "The Entertainer" "New York State of Mind" "Just the Way You Are" "Movin' Out (Anthony's Song)" "Only the Good Die Young" "She's Always a Woman" "The Stranger" "My Life" "Big Shot" "Honesty" "Until the Night" "All for Leyna" "You May Be Right" "It's Still Rock and Roll to Me" "Don't Ask Me Why" "Sometimes a Fantasy" "Say Goodbye to Hollywood" (Live) "She's Got a Way" (Live) "Pressure" "Allentown" "Goodnight Saigon" "Tell Her About It" "Uptown Girl" "An Innocent Man" "The Longest Time" "Leave a Tender Moment Alone" "This Night" "Keeping the Faith" "You're Only Human (Second Wind)" "The Night Is Still Young" "Modern Woman" "A Matter of Trust" "This Is the Time" "Baby Grand" "Back in the U.S.S.R." (Live) "We Didn't Start the Fire" "Leningrad" "I Go to Extremes" "The Downeaster 'Alexa'" "That's Not Her Style" "And So It Goes" "Shameless" "All Shook Up" "The River of Dreams" "All About Soul" "No Man's Land" "Lullabye (Goodnight, My Angel)" "To Make You Feel My Love" "Hey Girl" "All My Life" "Christmas in Fallujah" See also Discography Movin' Out Billy Joel Band The Hassles Attila Book Category Music portal

Grammy Award for Record of the Year (1970s) "Aquarius/Let the Sunshine In" performed by The 5th Dimension (Billy Davis, Jr., Florence LaRue, Marilyn McCoo, Lamont McLemore, Ron Townson) produced by Bones Howe (1970) "Bridge over Troubled Water" performed by Simon & Garfunkel (Art Garfunkel, Paul Simon) produced by Art Garfunkel, Paul Simon & Roy Halee (1971) "It's Too Late" performed by Carole King produced by Lou Adler (1972) "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" performed by Roberta Flack produced by Joel Dorn (1973) "Killing Me Softly with His Song" performed by Roberta Flack produced by Joel Dorn (1974) "I Honestly Love You" performed by Olivia Newton-John produced by John Farrar (1975) "Love Will Keep Us Together" performed by Captain & Tennille (Daryl Dragon, Toni Tennille) produced by Daryl Dragon (1976) "This Masquerade" performed by George Benson produced by Tommy LiPuma (1977) "Hotel California" performed by The Eagles (Don Felder, Glenn Frey, Don Henley, Randy Meisner, Joe Walsh), produced by Bill Szymczyk (1978) "Just the Way You Are" performed by Billy Joel produced by Phil Ramone (1979) Complete list (1960s) (1970s) (1980s) (1990s) (2000s) (2010s)

Grammy Award for Song of the Year (1970s) Joe South - "Games People Play" (1970) · Paul Simon - "Bridge over Troubled Water" (1971) · Carole King - "You've Got a Friend" (1972) · Ewan MacColl - "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" (1973) · Norman Gimbel & Charles Fox - "Killing Me Softly with His Song" (1974) · Marilyn Bergman, Alan Bergman & Marvin Hamlisch - "The Way We Were" (1975) · Stephen Sondheim - "Send in the Clowns" (1976) · Bruce Johnston - "I Write the Songs" (1977) · Barbra Streisand & Paul Williams - "Evergreen (Love Theme from A Star Is Born)" and Debby Boone & Joe Brooks - "You Light Up My Life" (1978) · Billy Joel - "Just the Way You Are" (1979) Complete list (1960s) (1970s) (1980s) (1990s) (2000s) (2010s)