Greatest Hits – Volume I & Volume II
1985 greatest hits album by Billy Joel / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Greatest Hits – Volume I & Volume II is the first greatest hits album by American singer-songwriter Billy Joel, released on July 1, 1985. The album has been certified double diamond by the RIAA, selling over 11.5 million copies (23 million units) as sixth most certified album of all time in the US.[4] The album includes hits from 1973 to 1985 in chronological order with one exception. Some foreign pressings include "Honesty" in place of "Don't Ask Me Why".[5]
Greatest Hits – Volume I & Volume II | ||||
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Greatest hits album by | ||||
Released | July 1, 1985 | |||
Recorded | 1973–1985 | |||
Genre | Rock | |||
Length | 87:12 (LP/Cassette) 1:53:45 (CD) 1:57:38 (2017) | |||
Label | Family Productions/Columbia | |||
Producer | Michael Stewart, Billy Joel, Phil Ramone | |||
Billy Joel chronology | ||||
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Singles from Greatest Hits – Volume I & Volume II | ||||
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Review scores | |
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Source | Rating |
AllMusic | [2] |
Christgau's Record Guide: The '80s | A−[3] |
The compilation includes two previously unreleased tracks, "You're Only Human (Second Wind)" and "The Night Is Still Young". These two songs were also available as singles and, in 1989, on the 5-disc box set Souvenir: The Ultimate Collection which included the entire Greatest Hits Volume I & Volume II.[6] "You're Only Human (Second Wind)" later featured on the compilation The Ultimate Collection released in 2000, and on disc 15, Collected Additional Masters, of The Complete Albums Collection box set, released in 2011. "The Night Is Still Young" was also included on that same disc 15. Contrary to some sources, the sax solo on "New York State of Mind" was never re-recorded by Phil Woods for the release of Greatest Hits. The only time that Phil Woods performed on a Billy Joel recording was the song "Just the Way You Are" in 1977.
Twelve years later, this compilation was followed by Greatest Hits Volume III (1997) which included hits from 1983 to 1997. Chronologically, Greatest Hits Volume III continues from where Volume II left off.