Favorite 'early years' songs?

[Kevbo1987]

"It's Still Billy Joel to Me" is the best, but I would put "Nobody Here But Us Frogs" a close second.

[HappyGilmore]

Of the ones I've heard, I like "It's Still Billy Joel To Me" and "Pac-Man."

There's a few I like but those two are the best.

[Way_Moby]

I, personally, really like "Pac-Man." I wish that'd be recorded for an album. I know Al thought that once the Pac-Man craze was over, no one would care, but Pac-Man is still pretty popular, even today.

[weirdojace]

The real issue is that George Harrison denied permission for it, and his estate even sent Dr. Demento a cease and desist letter to stop him from playing it.

(Strange, because he seemed to have a great sense of humor. He even funded a Monty Python movie!)

[Mad Genius]

SADNESS!!! Now, speaking of early, pre-debut album songs, I LOVED "You Don't Take Your Showers," moreso, the full version that was played live, on the Dr. Demento Show, in 1979.

Much like everybody else, I love It's Still Billy Joel to Me and Pac-Man because they would've been pretty awesome in an album. I could see Pac-Man being on the self-titled album, and It's Still Billy Joel to Me on In 3-D.

However, I am surprised nobody made mention of the demo version of Yoda, which would be re-done for Dare to Be Stupid, so, I am unsure if this one truly counts, since it was eventually released.

Someone mentioned a second version of Belvedere Cruising with a slightly fater tempo. Where can I obtain this? I'm quite curious on how it sounds, along with the alternate version of Won't Eat Prunes Again.

[joseyklein]

I have a version of Belvedere Cruisin that Al did in '94.

My favorites are "Its Still Billy Joel To Me" "Baby Likes Burping" "Won't Eat Prunes Again" and "Nobody Here But Us Frogs"

[TheLazenby]

The faster "Belvedere Cruisin'" was recorded live at Cal Poly, and is more or less identical to the 1976 version - except that after the long instrumental intro, it jumps into a much faster tempo than the original.

Oh, I never named my favorites -
* Dead Car Battery Blues - This has been stuck in my head recently! I still cringe hearing it, though, because I remember exactly where the volume surges were on the old 'vandalized' version that some fan was circulating. In spite of that, it's a great song, both lyrically and instrumentally.
* American Slob - The music itself is irritatingly catchy, and the lyrics are probably the most intelligent Al's ever written. (IMHO.)
* Hit Me With A Rock - I love it because it's a perfect artifact of Al's then-unrefined parody skills. The lyrics are silly and juvenile, and the whole production has a sloppy, amateur charm to it. The fact that Al's friends (on backing vocals) are so damn lifeless make this even funnier.

[giantlobsterrobot]

Oh yeah! American Slob. I do really enjoy that song! I forgot all about it.

[Way_Moby]

I wonder why he never recorded American Slob for his debut album?

[mrmeadows]

Pac-Man is obviously the best-produced of the bunch, so extra credit there. I'm with a lot of others on this board who feel "Nobody Here But Us Frogs" is a fantastic example of a pure nonsense song, and would be my hands-down favorite of his early originals. But It's Still Billy Joel to Me has to be #1 overall for me because it displayed his first flash of great song parody writing. Here was a parody that wasn't about food or television or something just silly. It actually skewered the song itself (and the artist) in a rather cutting and merciless way. . .which unfortunately led to Al being refused permission to release it. But we got it anyway, and it is easily the early effort that gave us the best indication of the guy we know today, who has given us such awesome, sharp parodies as SLN and PTW.