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Say Goodbye to Hollywood
Encyclopedia
For the similarly named Eminem
song, see: The Eminem Show
.
"Say Goodbye to Hollywood" is a song written & performed by Billy Joel
, first released in 1976 on his album Turnstiles
. The song achieved greater notoriety in 1981 when a live version from Songs in the Attic
was released as a single. Joel wrote the song after moving back to New York City
in 1975; he had previously relocated to Hollywood to see if it would boost his career.
in mind. Indeed, the song's arrangement and instrumentation bear a noticeable resemblance to The Ronettes
' "Be My Baby
", featuring a saxophone solo and a near identical percussive intro.
Eminem
Marshall Bruce Mathers III , better known by his stage name Eminem or his alter ego Slim Shady, is an American rapper, record producer, songwriter and actor. Eminem's popularity brought his group project, D12, to mainstream recognition...
song, see: The Eminem Show
The Eminem Show
The Eminem Show is the fourth studio album by the American rapper Eminem, released in 2002. It was the best-selling album of 2002 in the United States, with sales of 7.6 million copies. At the Grammy Awards of 2003 it was nominated for Album of the Year and became Eminem's third LP in four years to...
.
"Say Goodbye to Hollywood" is a song written & performed by Billy Joel
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...
, first released in 1976 on his album Turnstiles
Turnstiles
Turnstiles was the fourth album by Billy Joel, released in 1976. In part, the album was made to celebrate Joel's return to New York City after his sojourn in California. Three of the album's tracks reference New York: "Summer, Highland Falls", "New York State of Mind" and "Miami 2017 "...
. The song achieved greater notoriety in 1981 when a live version from Songs in the Attic
Songs in the Attic
Songs in the Attic is the first live album by Billy Joel, released in 1981 .At the time of its release, it was unique as being the first widely available appearance of music from his first album, Cold Spring Harbor from 1971....
was released as a single. Joel wrote the song after moving back to New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
in 1975; he had previously relocated to Hollywood to see if it would boost his career.
Influence
Joel has stated that he wrote the song with Ronnie SpectorRonnie Spector
Veronica Yvette "Ronnie" Spector is an American rock and roll and popular music vocalist, and was the lead singer of the 1960s hit-making girl group, The Ronettes, who were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2007. She is known as the "original bad girl of rock and roll."-Personal...
in mind. Indeed, the song's arrangement and instrumentation bear a noticeable resemblance to The Ronettes
The Ronettes
The Ronettes were a 1960s girl group from New York City, best known for their work with producer Phil Spector. The group consisted of lead singer Veronica Bennett ; her older sister, Estelle Bennett; and their cousin Nedra Talley...
' "Be My Baby
Be My Baby
"Be My Baby" is a 1963 single written by Phil Spector, Jeff Barry, and Ellie Greenwich, performed by The Ronettes and produced by Spector. When released as a single, the song reached #2 on the U.S. Billboard Pop Singles Chart and #4 on the UK's Record Retailer...
", featuring a saxophone solo and a near identical percussive intro.
Chart positions
Charts (1981) | Peak position |
---|---|
Australian Singles Chart | 45 |
Canadian Singles Chart Canadian Singles Chart The Canadian Singles Chart is currently compiled by the U.S.-based music sales tracking company, Nielsen SoundScan . The chart is compiled every Wednesday, and is published by Jam! Canoe on Thursdays.... |
27 |
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... |
17 |
U.S. Billboard Adult Contemporary 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... |
35 |
U.S. Billboard Top Tracks | 11 |
Covers
- Bette MidlerBette MidlerBette Midler is an American singer, actress, and comedian, also known by her informal stage name, The Divine Miss M. She became famous as a cabaret and concert headliner, and went on to star in successful and acclaimed films such as The Rose, Ruthless People, Beaches, and For The Boys...
recorded a cover for her album Broken BlossomBroken BlossomBroken Blossom is the fourth studio album by American singer Bette Midler, her second album release in 1977 and her fifth on the Atlantic Records label...
(1977). - Ronnie SpectorRonnie SpectorVeronica Yvette "Ronnie" Spector is an American rock and roll and popular music vocalist, and was the lead singer of the 1960s hit-making girl group, The Ronettes, who were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2007. She is known as the "original bad girl of rock and roll."-Personal...
and the E Street BandE Street BandThe E Street Band has been rock musician Bruce Springsteen's primary backing band since 1972.The band has also recorded with a wide range of other artists including Bob Dylan, Meat Loaf, Bonnie Tyler, Air Supply, Dire Straits, David Bowie, Peter Gabriel, Stevie Nicks, Tom Morello, Sting, Ian...
released their version of "Say Goodbye to Hollywood" as a single in 1977.