The Bridge (Billy Joel album)

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The Bridge
File:The bridge billy joel.jpg
Studio album by Billy Joel
Released July 29, 1986
Recorded The Power Station, Chelsea Sound (North), RCA Studios, New York City and Evergreen Studios, Burbank, California 1985-86
Genre Rock
Length 40:06
Label Family Productions/Columbia
Producer Phil Ramone
Billy Joel chronology
Greatest Hits, Vols. 1 & 2
(1985)Greatest Hits, Vols. 1 & 21985		 The Bridge
(1986)		 КОНЦЕРТ
(1987)КОНЦЕРТ1987
Singles from The Bridge
  1. "Modern Woman"
    Released: 1986
  2. "A Matter of Trust"
    Released: 1986
  3. "This Is the Time"
    Released: 1986
  4. "Baby Grand"
    Released: 1986
Professional ratings
Review scores
Source Rating
Allmusic 3/5 stars [1]
Chicago Tribune (Mixed)[2]
Los Angeles Times (Not favorable)[3]
Rolling Stone (Not rated)[4]

The Bridge is the tenth studio album by American singer-songwriter Billy Joel, released on July 29, 1986. It was the last studio album produced by Phil Ramone as well as the last to feature Joel's long-time bassist Doug Stegmeyer and rhythm guitarist Russell Javors. The album yielded several successful singles, including "A Matter of Trust" (peaking at No. 10), "Modern Woman" (which also appeared on the Ruthless People soundtrack, peaking at No. 10), and "This Is the Time" (peaking at No. 18).

Joel began work on the album — on which two of his major influences (Ray Charles and Steve Winwood) made guest appearances — in 1985. Charles sang a duet with Joel on the song "Baby Grand", and Winwood played Hammond organ on the song "Getting Closer". Other notable musicians who made guest appearances on the album include jazz musicians Ron Carter and Michael Brecker, who both played on the jazzy track "Big Man on Mulberry Street."

The album also had some New wave influences. For instance, the first song, "Running on Ice," is heavily influenced by the music of The Police, and the final song recorded for the album, "Code of Silence," featured Cyndi Lauper who contributed backing vocals and received co-writing credit for the lyrics (Joel would return the favor by contributing backing vocals on Lauper's song "Maybe He'll Know" for her 1986 album True Colors).

The Bridge was Joel's last album to carry the "Family Productions" logo which had appeared on all of Joel's albums up to that time as part of a deal that Columbia Records made to get Joel out of his first recording contract with Artie Ripp's Family Productions. In the closing song of the album — "Getting Closer" — Joel makes several of what are clearly attacks and observations on the iron-clad contract with Ripp, with references to "my stolen youth", "all the conmen and their acrobats who stomped me in the ground," and "I must live up to contracts."

Track listing

All songs composed by Billy Joel, except "Code of Silence" written by Joel and Cyndi Lauper.

Side One

  1. "Running on Ice" – 3:15
  2. "This Is the Time" – 4:59
  3. "A Matter of Trust" – 4:09
  4. "Modern Woman" – 3:48
  5. "Baby Grand" (duet with Ray Charles) – 4:02

Side Two

  1. "Big Man on Mulberry Street" – 5:26
  2. "Temptation" – 4:12
  3. "Code of Silence" (backing vocals by Cyndi Lauper) – 5:15
  4. "Getting Closer" – 5:00

Personnel

Additional personnel

  • Peter Hewlett – background vocals on "Running on Ice"
  • Rob Mounsey – synthesizers on "Running on Ice"; orchestration on "This Is the Time", "Modern Woman" and "Big Man on Mulberry Street"
  • Jeff Bova - synthesizers on "A Matter of Trust" and "Code of Silence"; orchestration on "Temptation"
  • Jimmy Bralower – percussion on "Modern Woman"
  • Mark Rivera – tenor saxophone on "Modern Woman", alto saxophone on "Temptation"
  • Ray Charles – vocals and piano on "Baby Grand"
  • Vinnie Colaiuta – drums on "Baby Grand"
  • Dean Parks – guitar on "Baby Grand"
  • Patrick Williams – arrangements on "Baby Grand"
  • Ron Carter – acoustic bass on "Big Man on Mulberry Street"
  • Eddie Daniels – alto saxophone on "Big Man on Mulberry Street"
  • Michael Brecker – tenor saxophone on "Big Man on Mulberry Street"
  • Ronnie Cuber – baritone saxophone on "Big Man on Mulberry Street"
  • Marvin Stamm – trumpet on "Big Man on Mulberry Street"
  • Alan Rubin – trumpet on "Big Man on Mulberry Street"
  • Dave Bargeron – trombone on "Big Man on Mulberry Street"
  • Philippe Saisse – orchestration on "Temptation"
  • Cyndi Lauper – vocals on "Code of Silence"
  • Steve Winwood – Hammond B3 organ on'"Getting Closer"
  • Neil Jason – bass guitar on "Getting Closer"
  • John McCurry – guitar on "Getting Closer"

Production

  • Produced by Phil Ramone
  • Engineer: Jim Boyer
  • Associate engineers: Steve Boyer, Fred Tenny, David Dickson and Bradshaw Leigh
  • Technical support: Joe Salvatto, Gary Ciuzio, Joe Lopes, Frank Rodriguez, Peter Bergren, Bruce Howell, Cary Butler, Ed Evans, Mark Betts, Steve Buller, Ricki Begin, Audrey Tanaka, Billy Rothschild and Phil Vachon
  • Production coordinator: Joseph D'Ambrosio
  • Support system: Jim Flynn, Barry Bongiovi and The Power Station staff
  • Digitally recorded at The Power Station, Chelsea Sound (North), RCA Studios, New York, NY and Evergreen Studios, Burbank, CA
  • Mixed at The Power Station, New York, NY
  • Direct metal mastering at Sterling Sound, New York, NY by Ted Jensen
  • Acoustic Piano: supplied by Yamaha
  • Design: Mark Larson
  • Cover painting: Brad Holland
  • Photography: Patrick Demarchelier
  • Sleeve photos: Larry Busacca, Phil Ramone and Charles Reilly

Charts

Certifications

Region Certification Sales/shipments
Australia (ARIA)[24] Platinum 70,000
Canada (Music Canada)[25] 2× Platinum 200,000
Japan (Oricon Charts) 250,000[13]
New Zealand (RMNZ)[26] Gold 7,500
United Kingdom (BPI)[27] Silver 60,000
United States (RIAA)[28] 2× Platinum 2,000,000

Singles

Year Single Country Chart Position
1986 "Modern Woman" United States Billboard AC 7
Billboard Hot 100 10
Billboard Mainstream Rock 34
"A Matter of Trust" Australia Kent Music Report 3
United States Billboard Hot 100 10
Billboard Mainstream Rock 14
Billboard AC 17
United Kingdom UK Singles Chart 52
1987 "This is the Time" United States Billboard AC 1
Billboard Hot 100 18
Billboard Mainstream Rock 32
"Baby Grand" Billboard AC 3
Billboard Hot 100 75

References

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  1. ↑ The Bridge at AllMusic
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  4. ↑ [1] Archived July 26, 2008 at the Wayback Machine
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  7. ↑ http://books.google.ca/books?id=GSQEAAAAMBAJ&lr=&rview=1
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  10. ↑ http://books.google.ca/books?id=oCQEAAAAMBAJ&lr=&rview=1
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  18. ↑ Allmusic – The Bridge > Charts & Awards > Billboard Albums
  19. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
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  24. ↑ NO certyear WAS PROVIDED for AUSTRALIAN CERTIFICATION.
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  26. ↑ THE FIELD id (chart number) MUST BE PROVIDED for NEW ZEALAND CERTIFICATION.
  27. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. Enter The Bridge in the field Keywords. Select Title in the field Search by. Select album in the field By Format. Select Silver in the field By Award. Click Search
  28. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Album, then click SEARCH
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