Baby Grand
Encyclopedia
"Baby Grand" is the fourth and final single released off Billy Joel
's album The Bridge
. A duet with Joel and Ray Charles
, the song is a ballad dedicated to the baby grand piano
, and the relationship it can share with its players. The two originally got together when Charles contacted Joel about the naming of his daughter, Alexa Ray
, after Charles. Charles then suggested they create a song together.
Joel originally sang the song in his thick New York accent, but decided to do a Charles impression instead when he noticed Charles was trying to imitate his style. The song was positively received by critics. The single peaked at #75 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100
and at #3 on the Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks
chart. The music video features Joel and Charles playing the piano right next to each other.
one of his idols. "Ray Charles was my hero when I was growing up," Joel recalled. "As big of a pianist or as big of a star I could ever become, I could never be Ray Charles." According to Joel, when Charles heard that Joel named his daughter, Alexa Ray
, after him, Charles contacted him saying that he'd love to do a song with Joel, as long as he had the "right song" in mind. When writing the song, Joel tried to compose it in the style of Charles' hit, "Georgia on My Mind
", while also giving it a blues
sound. Joel wrote the song over a single night. "It was one of those rare songs, like "New York State of Mind
", that seem to come all at once - it seemed almost as though I had heard it before."
Originally Joel sang the song in his thick Hicksville
accent, and Charles did the same. According to Joel, Charles was very easy to work with. "He was just waiting for a cue from me," Joel recalled. "He would have taken the thing anywhere I wanted to take it." Originally, Joel was nervous about recording with Charles, and was unsure how to record the song. Producer Phil Ramone
told Joel to "challenge him," and to do it the way Joel wanted to. So, Joel did his best impression of Charles, and Charles understood, and they sang together in the same style.
The song is an ode to the piano
. It is a love song that extols the joy and solace of piano playing, and compares the piano to women. The song is also a tribute to Charles himself, in the way it is composed, written, and performed. During the song, Charles and Joel play dual pianos; the music video
for the song shows Joel and Charles both playing the piano right next to each other. The B-side of the single was another song off of the album, "Big Man on Mulberry Street
".
said that Charles' "[turned] in an impressively genuine performance." Steve Morse of The Boston Globe
said that the song was "engaging." However, Stephen Thomas Erlewine of Allmusic gave the song a negative review, saying that the song was "weighed down by Joel's vocal affectations." Stephen Holden believed that the song had a chance to become a "modern standard." Dave Hoekstra of The Chicago Sun-Times believed that because of the song, Joel "demands and deserves respect as a songwriter in this genre." The Philadelphia Inquirer believed that the song was the album's "obvious high point," saying that the song was "the apotheosis of the musical-instrument-as-woman genre."
David Brinn of The Jerusalem Post
thought that the song was a "small pleasure." Nikki Tranter of PopMatters
believed the song was a "stand-out" track. Lennox Samuels of The Dallas Morning News
however, thought that the song was "hazy". The San Jose Mercury News
said that "'Baby Grand' might be warmed-over Ray Charles, but Ray Charles is there to spice it up with his vocal and keyboard majesty." The Miami Herald said that "Baby Grand finds Joel actually convincing in the jazz testimonial setting, with Ray Charles and bassist Ray Brown contributing the aura of a jazz club." The Atlanta Journal Constitution joked that "A much better collaboration is Joel and Ray Charles on "Baby Grand. Sure it's a little schmaltzy and overwrought, but compared to Stevie Wonder
and Paul McCartney
's "Ebony and Ivory
," it's practically High Art." Steve Pond of The Los Angeles Times gave the song a negative review, saying, "Worst of all is the centerpiece, "Baby Grand. It's the piano man's love song to his faithful instrument, and even some help from Ray Charles can't salvage the most overly dramatic of all Joel's ballads."
Billy Joel
William Martin "Billy" Joel is an American musician and pianist, singer-songwriter, and classical composer. Since releasing his first hit song, "Piano Man", in 1973, Joel has become the sixth best-selling recording artist and the third best-selling solo artist in the United States, according to...
's album The Bridge
The Bridge (Billy Joel album)
The Bridge is Billy Joel's 10th studio album released by Columbia Records in 1986 and was his final album to be produced by Phil Ramone...
. A duet with Joel and Ray Charles
Ray Charles
Ray Charles Robinson , known by his shortened stage name Ray Charles, was an American musician. He was a pioneer in the genre of soul music during the 1950s by fusing rhythm and blues, gospel, and blues styles into his early recordings with Atlantic Records...
, the song is a ballad dedicated to the baby grand piano
Piano
The piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
, and the relationship it can share with its players. The two originally got together when Charles contacted Joel about the naming of his daughter, Alexa Ray
Alexa Ray Joel
Alexa Ray Joel is an American singer, songwriter and pianist. She is the daughter and only child of singer-songwriter Billy Joel and supermodel Christie Brinkley....
, after Charles. Charles then suggested they create a song together.
Joel originally sang the song in his thick New York accent, but decided to do a Charles impression instead when he noticed Charles was trying to imitate his style. The song was positively received by critics. The single peaked at #75 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
and at #3 on the Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks
Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks
The Adult Contemporary chart is a weekly chart published in Billboard magazine that lists the most popular songs on adult contemporary and "lite-pop" radio stations in the United States...
chart. The music video features Joel and Charles playing the piano right next to each other.
Writing and recording
Production of the song began in early 1986. Joel considered Ray CharlesRay Charles
Ray Charles Robinson , known by his shortened stage name Ray Charles, was an American musician. He was a pioneer in the genre of soul music during the 1950s by fusing rhythm and blues, gospel, and blues styles into his early recordings with Atlantic Records...
one of his idols. "Ray Charles was my hero when I was growing up," Joel recalled. "As big of a pianist or as big of a star I could ever become, I could never be Ray Charles." According to Joel, when Charles heard that Joel named his daughter, Alexa Ray
Alexa Ray Joel
Alexa Ray Joel is an American singer, songwriter and pianist. She is the daughter and only child of singer-songwriter Billy Joel and supermodel Christie Brinkley....
, after him, Charles contacted him saying that he'd love to do a song with Joel, as long as he had the "right song" in mind. When writing the song, Joel tried to compose it in the style of Charles' hit, "Georgia on My Mind
Georgia on My Mind
"Georgia on My Mind" is a song written in 1930 by Hoagy Carmichael and Stuart Gorrell . It is the official state song of the U.S. state of Georgia. Gorrell wrote the lyrics for Hoagy's sister, Georgia Carmichael. However, the lyrics of the song are ambiguous enough to refer either to the state or...
", while also giving it a blues
Blues
Blues is the name given to both a musical form and a music genre that originated in African-American communities of primarily the "Deep South" of the United States at the end of the 19th century from spirituals, work songs, field hollers, shouts and chants, and rhymed simple narrative ballads...
sound. Joel wrote the song over a single night. "It was one of those rare songs, like "New York State of Mind
New York State of Mind
"New York State of Mind" is a song written by Billy Joel which initially appeared on the album Turnstiles in 1976. While not a hit when it was first released, it has received much more frequent airplay in recent years...
", that seem to come all at once - it seemed almost as though I had heard it before."
Originally Joel sang the song in his thick Hicksville
Hicksville, New York
Hicksville is a hamlet and census-designated place located within the Town of Oyster Bay in Nassau County, New York, United States. The population of the CDP was 41,547 at the 2010 census...
accent, and Charles did the same. According to Joel, Charles was very easy to work with. "He was just waiting for a cue from me," Joel recalled. "He would have taken the thing anywhere I wanted to take it." Originally, Joel was nervous about recording with Charles, and was unsure how to record the song. Producer Phil Ramone
Phil Ramone
Phil Ramone is a South-African violinist, composer, recording engineer, and record producer.-Biography:As a young child in South Africa, Ramone was a musical prodigy, beginning to play the violin at age three and performing for Queen Elizabeth II at age ten...
told Joel to "challenge him," and to do it the way Joel wanted to. So, Joel did his best impression of Charles, and Charles understood, and they sang together in the same style.
The song is an ode to the piano
Piano
The piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
. It is a love song that extols the joy and solace of piano playing, and compares the piano to women. The song is also a tribute to Charles himself, in the way it is composed, written, and performed. During the song, Charles and Joel play dual pianos; the music video
Music video
A music video or song video is a short film integrating a song and imagery, produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings...
for the song shows Joel and Charles both playing the piano right next to each other. The B-side of the single was another song off of the album, "Big Man on Mulberry Street
Big Man on Mulberry Street
"Big Man on Mulberry Street" is a jazz influenced song by Billy Joel from the 1986 album The Bridge .An extended version of the song was used on a season three episode of Moonlighting. The episode was titled "Big Man On Mulberry Street". In a dream sequence, Maddie Hayes envisions David Addison...
".
Reception
Reception for the song was mostly positive. Anthony DeCurtis of Rolling StoneRolling Stone
Rolling Stone is a US-based magazine devoted to music, liberal politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J...
said that Charles' "[turned] in an impressively genuine performance." Steve Morse of The Boston Globe
The Boston Globe
The Boston Globe is an American daily newspaper based in Boston, Massachusetts. The Boston Globe has been owned by The New York Times Company since 1993...
said that the song was "engaging." However, Stephen Thomas Erlewine of Allmusic gave the song a negative review, saying that the song was "weighed down by Joel's vocal affectations." Stephen Holden believed that the song had a chance to become a "modern standard." Dave Hoekstra of The Chicago Sun-Times believed that because of the song, Joel "demands and deserves respect as a songwriter in this genre." The Philadelphia Inquirer believed that the song was the album's "obvious high point," saying that the song was "the apotheosis of the musical-instrument-as-woman genre."
David Brinn of The Jerusalem Post
The Jerusalem Post
The Jerusalem Post is an Israeli daily English-language broadsheet newspaper, founded on December 1, 1932 by Gershon Agron as The Palestine Post. The daily readership numbers do not approach those of the major Hebrew newspapers....
thought that the song was a "small pleasure." Nikki Tranter of PopMatters
PopMatters
PopMatters is an international webzine of cultural criticism that covers many aspects of popular culture. PopMatters publishes reviews, interviews, and detailed essays on most cultural products and expressions in areas such as music, television, films, books, video games, comics, sports, theater,...
believed the song was a "stand-out" track. Lennox Samuels of The Dallas Morning News
The Dallas Morning News
The Dallas Morning News is the major daily newspaper serving the Dallas, Texas area, with a circulation of 264,459 subscribers, the Audit Bureau of Circulations reported in September 2010...
however, thought that the song was "hazy". The San Jose Mercury News
San Jose Mercury News
The San Jose Mercury News is a daily newspaper in San Jose, California. On its web site, however, it calls itself Silicon Valley Mercury News. The paper is owned by MediaNews Group...
said that "'Baby Grand' might be warmed-over Ray Charles, but Ray Charles is there to spice it up with his vocal and keyboard majesty." The Miami Herald said that "Baby Grand finds Joel actually convincing in the jazz testimonial setting, with Ray Charles and bassist Ray Brown contributing the aura of a jazz club." The Atlanta Journal Constitution joked that "A much better collaboration is Joel and Ray Charles on "Baby Grand. Sure it's a little schmaltzy and overwrought, but compared to Stevie Wonder
Stevie Wonder
Stevland Hardaway Morris , better known by his stage name Stevie Wonder, is an American singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, record producer and activist...
and Paul McCartney
Paul McCartney
Sir James Paul McCartney, MBE, Hon RAM, FRCM is an English musician, singer-songwriter and composer. Formerly of The Beatles and Wings , McCartney is listed in Guinness World Records as the "most successful musician and composer in popular music history", with 60 gold discs and sales of 100...
's "Ebony and Ivory
Ebony and Ivory
"Ebony and Ivory" is a 1982 number-one single by Paul McCartney and Stevie Wonder. It was released on March 29 of that year. The song is featured on McCartney's album Tug of War. The song reached number one on both the UK and the U.S. charts...
," it's practically High Art." Steve Pond of The Los Angeles Times gave the song a negative review, saying, "Worst of all is the centerpiece, "Baby Grand. It's the piano man's love song to his faithful instrument, and even some help from Ray Charles can't salvage the most overly dramatic of all Joel's ballads."
Chart positions
| Chart (1987) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australian Singles Chart | 78 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot 100 Billboard Hot 100 The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday... |
75 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks The Adult Contemporary chart is a weekly chart published in Billboard magazine that lists the most popular songs on adult contemporary and "lite-pop" radio stations in the United States... |
3 |