Glass Houses (album)

1980 studio album by Billy Joel

Glass Houses

Studio album by

Billy Joel

Released| March 12, 1980
Studio| A & R, New York City
Genre|

* New wave[1][2][3]
* rock[4]
* pop rock[4]

Length| 35:06
Label| Columbia
Producer| Phil Ramone
Billy Joel chronology
| 52nd Street
(1978)  | Glass Houses
(1980)  | Songs in the Attic
(1981)

|
|

Back cover (some versions)

On the LP and some CD releases, Joel is shown looking through a hole after throwing a rock in the glass house. This is also seen on the front cover of some of the single releases from this album.

Singles from  Glass Houses

1. "You May Be Right"
Released: March 1980
2. "All for Leyna"
Released: March 1980 (Europe and Australia)
3. "It's Still Rock and Roll to Me"
Released: May 1980
4. "Don't Ask Me Why"
Released: July 1980
5. "Sometimes a Fantasy"
Released: September 1980

Glass Houses is the seventh studio album by American singer-songwriter Billy Joel, released on March 12, 1980, by Columbia Records.[5] The record was a commercial success, topping the Billboard 200 chart for six consecutive weeks. It features Joel's first single to peak at No. 1 on Billboard's Hot 100 chart, "It's Still Rock and Roll to Me". It was ranked No. 4 on Billboard's 1980 year-end chart.[6] The album is the 41st best-selling album of the 1980s, with sales of 7.1 million copies in the US alone. In 1981, Joel won a Grammy Award for Best Male Rock Vocal Performance for his work on Glass Houses.[7] According to music critic Stephen Thomas Erlewine, the album featured "a harder-edged sound" compared to Joel's other work, in response to the punk and new wave movements.[8] This was also the final studio album to feature the original incarnation (Joel, Richie Cannata, Doug Stegmeyer, Russell Javors and Liberty DeVitto) of the Billy Joel Band, augmented by new lead guitarist David Brown. Multi-instrumentalist Cannata left the band just before the sessions began for Joel's next studio album, 1982's The Nylon Curtain.

## Background

[edit]

This album was the third collaboration between Joel and producer Phil Ramone, following The Stranger and 52nd Street and the final such collaboration in association with Home Run.

Opening with the sound of glass shattering, Glass Houses has more of a hard rock feel than Joel's previous albums. The cover shows Joel poised to throw a rock through the two-story window of his real-life waterfront glass house in Cove Neck. On some versions, the back cover shows Joel looking through the hole that the rock made in the glass. This alludes to the adage that "people in glass houses shouldn't throw stones".[citation needed]

## Critical reception

[edit]

Professional ratingsReview scores

Source| Rating
AllMusic| [4]
Blender| [9]
Christgau's Record Guide| B−[10]
The Encyclopedia of Popular Music| [11]
The Great Rock Discography| 6/10[12]
Record Mirror| [13]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide| [14]
Smash Hits| 8/10[15]

Rolling Stone critic Paul Nelson stated: "Billy Joel writes smooth and cunning melodies, and what many of his defenders say is true: his material's catchy. But then, so's the flu."[16] In Christgau's Record Guide: The '80s (1990), Robert Christgau said: "From the straight-up hubba-hubba of 'You May Be Right' to the Rick Wakeman ostinatos of 'Sometimes a Fantasy' to the McCartneyesque melodicism of 'Don't Ask Me Why' to the what-it-is of 'It's Still Rock and Roll to Me,' it's all rock and roll to him, but to me it's closer to what pop meant before ironists and aesthetes, including yours truly, appropriated the term. Closer than any skinny-tie bands, that's for sure: gregarious, shameless, and above all profitable. Of course, if it doesn't make up in reach what it lacks in edge, ironists and aesthetes needn't notice it's there. And beyond 'Sleeping With the Television On,' I couldn't tell you thing one about side two, which I just played three times."[10]

In 2004, the pop-culture journalist and rock critic Chuck Klosterman praised the album in an essay on Joel titled "Every Dog Must Have His Every Day, Every Drunk Must Have His Drink" from his book Sex, Drugs, and Cocoa Puffs (the title of the essay refers to a line from the Glass Houses song "Don't Ask Me Why").[17] Klosterman praised some of the more obscure tracks from the album including "All for Leyna", "I Don't Want to Be Alone", "Sleeping with the Television On" and "Close to the Borderline".[17]

In a retrospective review, Stephen Thomas Erlewine of AllMusic wrote: "It may not be punk – then again, it may be his concept of punk – but Glass Houses is the closest Joel ever got to a pure rock album."[4]

## Track listing

[edit]

All songs written by Billy Joel.

Side oneNo.| Title| Length

|
|

1.| "You May Be Right"| 4:15
2.| "Sometimes a Fantasy"| 3:40
3.| "Don't Ask Me Why"| 2:59
4.| "It's Still Rock and Roll to Me"| 2:57
5.| "All for Leyna"| 4:15
Total length:| 18:06

Side twoNo.| Title| Length

|
|

6.| "I Don't Want to Be Alone"| 3:57
7.| "Sleeping with the Television On"| 3:02
8.| "C'était Toi (You Were the One)"| 3:25
9.| "Close to the Borderline"| 3:47
10.| "Through the Long Night"| 2:43
Total length:| 16:54

## Personnel

[edit]

Musicians

* Billy Joel – vocals, acoustic piano, electric pianos, synthesizers, accordion, harmonica
* Richie Cannata – organs, saxophones, flute
* David Brown – acoustic and electric guitars (lead)
* Russell Javors – acoustic and electric guitars (rhythm)
* Doug Stegmeyer – bass guitar
* Liberty DeVitto – drums and percussion

Production

* Phil Ramone – producer
* Jim Boyer – engineer
* Bradshaw Leigh – assistant engineer
* Ted Jensen – mastering at Sterling Sound (New York, NY).
* Brian Ruggles – technician
* Steve Cohen – lighting
* Jim Houghton – photography
* Michele Slagter – production assistant
* Jeff Schock – product management

## Accolades

[edit]

### Grammy Awards

[edit]

Year  | Nominee / work  | Award  | Result

|
|
|

1981 | Glass Houses | Best Rock Vocal Performance – Male[7] | Won
Album of the Year[18] | Nominated

### American Music Awards

[edit]

Year  | Nominee / work  | Award  | Result

|
|
|

1981 | Glass Houses | Favorite Pop/Rock Album[19] | Won
Billy Joel (performer) | Favorite Pop/Rock Male Artist[19] | Nominated

## Charts

[edit]

### Weekly charts

[edit]

| Chart (1980)  | Peak
position

|

Australian (Kent Music Report)[20] | 2
Austrian Albums (Ö3 Austria)[21] | 4
Canadian Albums (RPM)[22] | 1
Dutch Albums (MegaCharts)[23] | 20
French Albums (SNEP)[24] | 21
Icelandic Albums (Tónlist)[25] | 1
Japanese Albums (Oricon)[26] | 6
New Zealand Albums (RIANZ)[27] | 6
Norwegian Albums (VG-lista)[28] | 2
Spanish Albums (AFE)[29] | 27
Swedish Albums (Sverigetopplistan)[30] | 6
Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)[31] | 16
UK Albums (OCC)[32] | 9
US Billboard 200[33] | 1
West German Albums (Media Control)[34] | 24
Zimbabwean Albums (ZIMA)[35] | 3

### Year-end charts

[edit]

| Chart (1980)  | Position

|

Australian Albums Chart[20] | 2
Austrian Albums Chart[36] | 17
Canadian Albums Chart[37] | 2
French Albums Chart[38] | 91
Japanese Albums Chart[39] | 21
New Zealand Albums Chart[40] | 20
Norwegian Albums Chart (Vår Period)[41] | 2
UK Albums Chart[42] | 63
US Billboard 200[6] | 4
Chart (1981)  | Position
Canadian Albums Chart[43] | 94
US Billboard Year-End[44] | 64

## Certifications and sales

[edit]

Region  | Certification | Certified units/sales

|
|

Australia (ARIA)[45] | Platinum  | 50,000^
Canada (Music Canada)[47] | 5× Platinum  | 740,000[46]
Hong Kong (IFPI Hong Kong)[48] | Gold  | 10,000*
Japan  | —  | 317,000[49]
United Kingdom (BPI)[50] | Gold  | 100,000^
United States (RIAA)[51] | 7× Platinum  | 7,000,000^

* Sales figures based on certification alone.
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

## References

[edit]

1. ^ Johnson, Brent (May 9, 2012). "Brent Johnson's Lost Songs: 'All For Leyna' by Billy Joel". The Pop Break. Retrieved May 14, 2023.
2. ^ Cateforis, Theo (2011). Are We Not New Wave?: Modern Pop at the Turn of the 1980s. University of Michigan Press. p. 40\. ISBN 978-0472034703.
3. ^ "The Bridge by Billy Joel album review | Classic Rock Review". June 14, 2011. "It was also Joel's first album during the 1980's to not be focused on a single, overriding concept. 1980's Glass Houses was punk/new wave.."
4. ^ a b c d Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Glass Houses – Billy Joel". AllMusic. Retrieved August 25, 2011.
5. ^ "Billy Joel – Glass Houses | Shop the Billy Joel Official Store". billyjoel.shop.musictoday.com. Retrieved June 21, 2019.
6. ^ a b "Billboard.com – Year End Charts – Year-end Albums – The Billboard 200". Billboard. Archived from the original on October 20, 2006. Retrieved September 11, 2008.
7. ^ a b "Past Winners Search". grammy.com. Retrieved November 1, 2011.
8. ^ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Billy Joel". Allmusic. Retrieved November 7, 2015.
9. ^ Browne, David (May 22, 2007). "Billy Joel: Glass Houses". Blender. Archived from the original on February 3, 2010. Retrieved January 4, 2020.
10. ^ a b Christgau, Robert (1990). "Billy Joel: Glass Houses". Christgau's Record Guide: The '80s. Pantheon Books. ISBN 0-679-73015-X. Retrieved November 25, 2020.
11. ^ Larkin, Colin (2011). "Joel, Billy". The Encyclopedia of Popular Music (5th concise ed.). Omnibus Press. ISBN 978-0-85712-595-8.
12. ^ Strong, Martin C. (2002). "Billy Joel". The Great Rock Discography (6th ed.). Canongate Books. ISBN 1-84195-312-1.
13. ^ Smith, Robin (March 15, 1980). "The sound of breaking glass". Record Mirror. p. 20.
14. ^ Evans, Paul (2004). "Billy Joel". In Brackett, Nathan; Hoard, Christian (eds.). The New Rolling Stone Album Guide (4th ed.). Simon & Schuster. pp. 434–35. ISBN 0-7432-0169-8.
15. ^ Cranna, Ian (April 3–16, 1980). "Billy Joel: Glass Houses". Smash Hits. Vol. 2, no. 7\. p. 31.
16. ^ Nelson, Paul (May 1, 1980). "Billy Joel: Glass Houses". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on February 28, 2008. Retrieved August 25, 2011.
17. ^ a b Klosterman, Chuck. Sex, Drugs, and Cocoa Puffs Scribner, 2004.
18. ^ "GRAMMYs' Best Albums 1980–1989". grammy.org. Archived from the original on August 30, 2011. Retrieved November 1, 2011.
19. ^ a b "8th American Music Awards". Retrieved November 1, 2011.
20. ^ a b Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992. St Ives, NSW: Australian Chart Book. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
21. ^ "austriancharts.at Billy Joel - Glass Houses". Hung Medien (in German). Archived from the original on October 21, 2012. Retrieved November 1, 2011.
22. ^ Library and Archives Canada. Archived December 30, 2013, at the Wayback Machine Retrieved November 1, 2011
23. ^ "dutchcharts.nl Billy Joel – Glass Houses". Hung Medien, dutchcharts.nl (in Dutch). MegaCharts. Archived from the original on December 7, 2013. Retrieved November 1, 2011.
24. ^ "InfoDisc : Tous les Albums classés par Artiste > Choisir Un Artiste Dans la Liste" (in French). infodisc.fr. Archived from the original on September 10, 2013. Retrieved November 1, 2011.
25. ^ "Tonlist Top 40". DV. Retrieved February 9, 2017.
26. ^ "Yamachan Land (Archives of the Japanese record charts) – Albums Chart Daijiten – Billy Joel" (in Japanese). December 30, 2007. Archived from the original on June 19, 2007. Retrieved November 1, 2011.
27. ^ "charts.nz – Billy Joel – Glass Houses". charts.nz. Recording Industry Association of New Zealand. Retrieved November 1, 2011.
28. ^ "norwegiancharts.com Billy Joel – Glass Houses". Hung Medien, norwegiancharts.com. VG-lista. Archived from the original on November 10, 2012. Retrieved November 1, 2011.
29. ^ Salaverri, Fernando (September 2005). Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002 (1st ed.). Spain: Fundación Autor-SGAE. ISBN 84-8048-639-2.
30. ^ "swedishcharts.com Billy Joel - Glass Houses". Hung Medien, swedishcharts.com (in Swedish). Sverigetopplistan. Retrieved November 1, 2011.
31. ^ "Billy Joel – Glass Houses – hitparade.ch". Archived from the original on February 26, 2015. Retrieved August 8, 2011.
32. ^ "The Official Charts Company – Billy Joel – Glass Houses". Official Charts Company. Retrieved November 1, 2011.
33. ^ "allmusic ((( Glass Houses > Charts & Awards > Billboard Albums )))". allmusic.com. Retrieved November 1, 2011.
34. ^ "Album Search: Billy Joel" (in German). Media Control. Retrieved November 1, 2011.[dead link]
35. ^ * Zimbabwe. Kimberley, C. Zimbabwe: albums chart book. Harare: C. Kimberley, 2000
36. ^ "Austriancharts.st – Jahreshitparade 1980" (in German). Hung Medien. Archived from the original on November 9, 2010. Retrieved October 4, 2011.
37. ^ "RPM Top 100 Albums of 1980". RPM. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved October 3, 2011.
38. ^ "Les Albums (CD) de 1980 par InfoDisc" (in French). infodisc.fr. Archived from the original (PHP) on January 9, 2016. Retrieved February 4, 2012.
39. ^ "Japanese Year-End Albums Chart 1980" (in Japanese). Oricon. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved September 12, 2011.
40. ^ "The Top 50 Albums of 1980". Retrieved February 4, 2015.
41. ^ "The Top 20 Albums of Vår 1980". Retrieved February 4, 2015.
42. ^ "Complete UK Year-End Album Charts". Archived from the original on January 11, 2012. Retrieved October 4, 2011.
43. ^ "Top 100 Albums of 1981". RPM. December 26, 1981. Archived from the original on October 20, 2012. Retrieved December 6, 2010.
44. ^ "Top Pop Albums of 1981". Billboard. December 31, 1981. Retrieved February 24, 2012.
45. ^ "Kent Music Report No 341 – 5 January 1981 > Platinum and Gold Albums 1980". Kent Music Report. Retrieved January 24, 2020 - via Imgur.com.
46. ^ "Juno Album, Singles Data" (PDF). Billboard. January 24, 1981. p. 102. Retrieved March 2, 2021 - via World Radio History.
47. ^ "Canadian album certifications – Billy Joel – Glass Houses". Music Canada.
48. ^ "IFPIHK Gold Disc Award − 1983". IFPI Hong Kong.
49. ^ Oricon Album Chart Book: Complete Edition 1970–2005. Roppongi, Tokyo: Oricon Entertainment. 2006. ISBN 4-87131-077-9.
50. ^ "British album certifications – Billy Joel – Glass Houses". British Phonographic Industry.
51. ^ "American album certifications – Billy Joel – Glass Houses". Recording Industry Association of America.

* v
* t
* e

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
* Kontsert
* 2000 Years: The Millennium Concert
* 12 Gardens Live
* Live at Shea Stadium: The Concert

Compilations|

* Greatest Hits – Volume I & Volume II
* Souvenir: The Ultimate Collection
* Greatest Hits Volume III
* The Complete Hits Collection: 1973–1997
* The Ultimate Collection
* The Essential Billy Joel
* Piano Man: The Very Best of Billy Joel
* My Lives
* The Hits

Singles|

* "She's Got a Way" / "Everybody Loves You Now"
* "Piano Man" / "You're My Home"
* "Worse Comes to Worst"
* "Travelin' Prayer"
* "The Ballad of Billy the Kid"
* "The Entertainer"
* "I've Loved These Days" / "Say Goodbye to Hollywood"
* "Just the Way You Are" / "Vienna"
* "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"
* References
* "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"
* "No Man's Land"
* "All About Soul"
* "Lullabye (Goodnight, My Angel)"
* "To Make You Feel My Love"
* "All My Life"
* "Christmas in Fallujah"
* "Turn the Lights Back On"

Other songs|

* "Captain Jack"
* "Tomorrow Is Today"
* "Los Angelenos"
* "Root Beer Rag"
* "New York State of Mind"
* "Prelude/Angry Young Man"
* "Miami 2017 (Seen the Lights Go Out on Broadway)"
* "Scenes from an Italian Restaurant"
* "Zanzibar"
* "Laura"
* "Scandinavian Skies"
* "Big Man on Mulberry Street"

Tours|

* The Nylon Curtain Tour
* An Innocent Man Tour
* The Bridge Tour
* Storm Front Tour
* River of Dreams Tour
* Face to Face Tours
* 1994
* 1995
* 1998
* 2001
* 2002
* 2003
* 2009
* 2010
* Billy Joel in Concert

See also|

* Discography
* Billy Joel band members
* Movin' Out
* The Last Play at Shea
* The Hassles
* Attila
* Alexa Ray Joel
* Christie Brinkley
* Oliver & Company
* soundtrack
* Katie Lee
* "Movin' Out" (Glee episode)

* Category

Authority control databases |

* MusicBrainz release group

|

*[No.]: Number
*[v]: View this template
*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template