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Billy Joel (Cold Spring Harbor):

This page is about Billy Joel's first solo album (1971), "Cold Spring Harbor" and the story behind it (along with some pretty pix and sound samples mixed in).

Some of you might know that Billy was in a band called, The Hassles in the 1960's (2 albums), then formed a short lived band called, Attila (1970). The latter had a Deep Purple / Led Zeppelin kind of sound (and you wouldn't really recognize it as Billy's work). However, "Cold Spring Harbor" set the seeds for Billy's stardom.

Unfortunately, as the story goes, Billy has pretty much disowned the album - not due to the content of its great songs, but because the album's post-production was severely screwed up. More specifically, "someone" thought the album would sound better, if it were sped up. The problem was, the speed change isn't natural and Billy doesn't sound right. (2) Two of the songs were sped up by 7.3% and the rest of the album by 5.3%. (At the bottom of the page are sound samples comparing the changes.)

Fast forward to 1983, the album was remixed, edited and new instruments added. While the new release claimed to "undo" the speed issues, it's still a bit too fast (5 tracks are approximately 2.5% and 1 track 3% too fast). The corrected original is a much better album. Perhaps one day, they will re-release the original as it was intended...

Directly below are some pictures of the album, the various singles and then lastly sound comparison samples between the versions.

Enjoy!

Cold Spring Harbor - 1971 Original Album (1972 Holland LP) and 1983 Remix (1984 Japan CD):

Track List: She's Got A Way, You Can Make Me Free, Everybody Loves You Now, Why, Judy, Why, Falling Of The Rain, Turn Around, You Look So Good To Me, Tomorrow Is Today, Nocturne, Got To Begin Again

Way back in the early 1980's, I learned about this album and bought a pirate USA copy at a local record show for $10. Eventually, I found an official copy for $50. The album was released in various countries.

Cold Spring Harbor - 1971 USA 8-Track

Front and back... 

She's Got A Way / Everybody Loves You Now (Spain "b" side - You Can Make Me Free)

From left to right: USA, UK, France, Holland, Norway and Spain 

You Can Make Me Free / You Look So Good To Me - 1972 Portugal 45

Nocturne / Tomorrow Is Today - 1972 Holland 45 

Tomorrow Is Today / Everybody Love's You Now - 1972 USA 45 (Promo) 

Track List Run Time Comparison Between 1971 Original Version And 1983 Remix 

Sound Sample Comparison between 1971 Original Version (Uncorrected), Original Version (Pitch Corrected) and 1983 Remix 

She's Got A Way:

Original (Uncorrected)   Original (Pitch Corrected)   Remix

You Can Make Me Free:

Original (Uncorrected)   Original (Pitch Corrected)   Remix 

Everybody Loves You Now:

Original (Uncorrected)   Original (Pitch Corrected)   Remix  

Why, Judy, Why:

Original (Uncorrected)   Original (Pitch Corrected)   Remix   

Falling Of The Rain:

Original (Uncorrected)   Original (Pitch Corrected)   Remix   

Turn Around:

Original (Uncorrected)   Original (Pitch Corrected)   Remix  

You Look So Good To Me:

Original (Uncorrected)   Original (Pitch Corrected)   Remix   

Tomorrow Is Today:

Original (Uncorrected)   Original (Pitch Corrected)   Remix   

Nocturne:

Original (Uncorrected)   Original (Pitch Corrected)   Remix   

Got To Begin Again:

Original (Uncorrected)   Original (Pitch Corrected)   Remix   

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