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| released = November 1, 1971
| released = November 1, 1971
| recorded = July 1971
| recorded = July 1971
| studio = {{ubl|[[Record Plant]], [[Los Angeles, California]]|"Why Judy Why" and "You Look So Good to Me" - Ultrasonic Recording Studios, [[Hempstead (village), New York|Hempstead, New York]]}}
| studio = *[[Record Plant]] (Los Angeles, California)
*Ultrasonic Recording ([[Hempstead (village), New York|Hempstead, New York]])
| genre = {{flatlist|
| genre = {{flatlist|
* [[Pop rock]]
* [[Pop rock]]
* [[soft rock]]
* [[soft rock]]
}}
}}
| length = 32:54 (original)<br />29:53 (reissue)
| length = 32:54 (original)<br/>
{{Duration|29:53}} (reissue)
| label = [[Artie Ripp#Family Productions|Family Productions]]/[[Columbia Records|Columbia]]
| label = [[Artie Ripp#Family Productions|Family Productions]]
| producer = [[Artie Ripp]]
| producer = [[Artie Ripp]]
| prev_title =
| prev_title =
Line 20: Line 22:
| next_title = [[Piano Man (Billy Joel album)|Piano Man]]
| next_title = [[Piano Man (Billy Joel album)|Piano Man]]
| next_year = 1973
| next_year = 1973
| misc =
| misc = {{Singles
| type = studio
| single1 = [[She's Got a Way]]
| single1date= November 1971
}}
}}
}}
{{Album ratings
{{Album ratings
| rev1 = [[Allmusic]]
| rev1 = [[AllMusic]]
| rev1Score = {{Rating|3|5}}<ref name = "Allmusicreview">Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "[{{AllMusic|class=album|id=cold-spring-harbor-r10436/review|pure_url=yes}} Cold Spring Harbor - Billy Joel]". [[Allmusic]]. Retrieved 20 November 2010.</ref>
| rev1Score = {{Rating|3|5}}<ref name="Allmusicreview">{{cite web |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/cold-spring-harbor-mw0000194331 |last=Erlewine |first=Stephen Thomas |title=Billy Joel - Cold Spring Harbor Album Reviews, Songs & More |website=[[AllMusic]] |access-date=November 20, 2010}}</ref>
| rev8 = ''[[Tom Hull – on the Web]]''
| rev8 = ''[[Tom Hull – on the Web]]''
| rev8Score = B<ref>{{cite web|last=Hull|first=Tom|authorlink=Tom Hull (critic)|date=June 22, 2021|url=http://tomhull.com/ocston/blog/archives/2949-Music-Week.html|title=Music Week|website=Tom Hull – on the Web|accessdate=June 24, 2021}}</ref>
| rev8Score = B<ref>{{cite web |last=Hull |first=Tom |author-link=Tom Hull (critic) |date=June 22, 2021 |url=http://tomhull.com/ocston/blog/archives/2949-Music-Week.html |title=Music Week |website=Tom Hull – on the Web |access-date=June 24, 2021}}</ref>
}}
}}
'''''Cold Spring Harbor''''' is the debut [[studio album]] by American recording artist [[Billy Joel]], released on November 1, 1971, by [[Artie Ripp#Family Productions|Family Productions]]. The album sold poorly, receiving attention mainly after 1973's ''[[Piano Man (Billy Joel album)|Piano Man]]'' and later albums became popular, and was reissued in 1983.
'''''Cold Spring Harbor''''' is the debut studio album by American recording artist [[Billy Joel]], released on November 1, 1971, by [[Artie Ripp#Family Productions|Family Productions]]. The album sold poorly, receiving attention mainly after 1973's ''[[Piano Man (Billy Joel album)|Piano Man]]'' and later albums became popular. Due to a mastering error, the original LP release ran at a faster speed than originally recorded. In 1983, producer [[Artie Ripp]] oversaw a remixed, edited and speed-corrected version of the album. This revised edition was issued by [[Columbia Records]].


==Composition and recording==
==Composition and recording==
''Cold Spring Harbor'' was named after [[Cold Spring Harbor, New York|the hamlet]] in the town of [[Huntington, New York]], located on Long Island Sound near Joel's hometown. The front cover was photographed at Harbor Road.<ref>[http://www.musicalmaps.com.au/search/label/coldspringharbor "Cold Spring Harbor"], Musical Maps website</ref>
''Cold Spring Harbor'' was named after [[Cold Spring Harbor, New York|the hamlet]] in the town of [[Huntington, New York]], located on Long Island Sound near Joel's hometown. The front cover was photographed at Harbor Road.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.musicalmaps.com.au/search/label/coldspringharbor |website=Musical Maps: Cover Art Locations |title=Musical Maps: coldspringharbor}}</ref>


The song "Tomorrow Is Today" drew from his period of depression and hospitalization the year before.<ref name="unauthorized">{{cite book|title=Billy Joel: The Life and Times of an Angry Young Man|last=Bordowitz|first=Hank|page=39|isbn= 978-0-8230-8248-3|publisher=Billboard Books|year=2006}}</ref> When it was released as a single, ''[[Record World]]'' reviewed and said that Joel has "a flair for dramatic, lush orchestral sounds."<ref name=rw>{{cite magazine|magazine=Record World|date=April 1, 1972|accessdate=2023-04-01|title=Hits of the Week|page=1|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Record-World/70s/72/RW-1972-04-01.pdf}}</ref>
The song "[[Tomorrow Is Today (song)|Tomorrow Is Today]]" drew from his period of depression and hospitalization the year before.<ref name="unauthorized">{{cite book |title=Billy Joel: The Life and Times of an Angry Young Man |last=Bordowitz |first=Hank |page=39 |isbn=978-0-8230-8248-3 |publisher=Billboard Books |year=2006}}</ref> When it was released as a single, ''[[Record World]]'' remarked that Joel had "a flair for dramatic, lush orchestral sounds."<ref name=rw>{{cite magazine |magazine=[[Record World]] |date=April 1, 1972 |access-date=2023-04-01 |title=Hits of the Week |page=1 |url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Record-World/70s/72/RW-1972-04-01.pdf}}</ref>


Joel later released live versions of "[[She's Got a Way]]" and "[[Everybody Loves You Now]]", first included on this album, in his ''[[Songs in the Attic]]'' (1981), recorded in live performances. "She's Got a Way" was also released as a single in early 1982, and peaked at No. 23 on the [[Billboard Hot 100|''Billboard'' Hot 100]] chart.<ref>[[Joel Whitburn|Whitburn, Joel]] (2004). ''The Billboard Book of Top 40 Hits'', 8th Edition (Billboard Publications)</ref>
Joel later released live versions of "[[She's Got a Way]]" and "[[Everybody Loves You Now]]" on his 1981 live album, ''[[Songs in the Attic]]''. "She's Got a Way" was also released as a single in early 1982, peaking at No. 23 on the [[Billboard Hot 100|''Billboard'' Hot 100]] chart.<ref>{{cite book |last=Whitburn |first=Joel |author-link=Joel Whitburn |title=The Billboard Book of Top 40 Hits |date=2004 |edition=8th |publisher=Billboard Books}}</ref>


==Production==
==Production==

===Mastering===
===Mastering===
Through an error in the album's mastering, the songs played slightly too fast, causing Joel's voice to sound unnaturally high (one-half of a semitone higher—Joel joked that he sounded more like the [[Bee Gees]] or one of [[Alvin and the Chipmunks]] than himself). According to a long-standing rumor, when Joel first heard the finished product, he "ripped it off the turntable, ran out of the house, and threw [the record] down the street."<ref name = "Allmusicreview"/> Arthur "Artie" Ripp, owner of Family Productions and hence the owner of the original master tapes, was responsible for the production error, and the mistake cost him his friendship with Joel. He had originally signed the 22-year-old Joel to a ten-record contract that stripped Joel of all rights to the original tapes and to the publishing rights to all current and future songs.<ref name = "The Life and Times of an Angry Man">Bordowitz, Hank. ''Billy Joel: The Life and Times of an Angry Young Man.'' Billboard Books, 2006.</ref>
Through an error in the album's mastering, the songs played slightly too fast, causing Joel's voice to sound unnaturally high, which he later compared to [[The Bee Gees]] and [[Alvin and the Chipmunks]]. In 1996, Joel recalled that, upon the album's release, he'd organized a listening party with his friends and after hearing the album, "I was, like, furious. I took the thing and I threw it like a [[frisbee]]."<ref name="Wawzenek">{{cite web |url=https://ultimateclassicrock.com/billy-joel-cold-spring-harbor/ |title=Why Billy Joel Hated His First Album, 'Cold Spring Harbor' |last=Wawzenek |first=Brian |website=Ultimate Classic Rock |date=November 1, 2016 |access-date=February 27, 2024}}</ref>


[[Artie Ripp]], owner of Family Productions and hence the owner of the original master tapes, was responsible for the production error, and the mistake cost him his friendship with Joel. He had originally signed the 22-year-old Joel to a ten-record contract that stripped Joel of all rights to the original tapes and to the publishing rights to all current and future songs.<ref name="unauthorized"/>
⚫
As part of a deal with [[Columbia Records]] to release Joel from his contract, Ripp was still able to collect royalties on sales of Joel's records long after Joel's acrimonious departure from Family Productions (up until 1986's ''The Bridge''). Ripp only sold the publishing rights to Joel's song catalog back to Joel reluctantly after intense pressure from CBS/Columbia Records president [[Walter Yetnikoff]], who claimed he had to threaten Ripp to finalize the deal.<ref name = "The Life and Times of an Angry Man"/><ref>Interview with Yetnikoff. ''The Last Play at Shea'' (documentary film). 2010.</ref><ref>[https://movies.nytimes.com/2010/10/29/movies/29last.html?adxnnl=1&pagewanted=2&adxnnlx=1330667106-wZ7ekxAk4zTJ9gnyg65+fw Last Play at Shea (2010)]. [[The New York Times]]. October 28, 2010.</ref>

⚫
As part of a deal with [[Columbia Records]] to release Joel from his contract, Ripp was still able to collect royalties on sales of Joel's records long after Joel's acrimonious departure from Family Productions (up until 1986's ''[[The Bridge (Billy Joel album)|The Bridge]]''). Ripp only sold the publishing rights to Joel's song catalog back to Joel reluctantly after intense pressure from CBS/Columbia Records president [[Walter Yetnikoff]], who later stated that he had to threaten Ripp to finalize the deal.<ref name="unauthorized"/><ref name="Shea">{{cite AV media |title=[[The Last Play at Shea]] |publisher=[[Lionsgate Films]] |date=2010 |id=298584}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/29/movies/29last.html |title=Brenda, Eddie, Billy and Friends Bury a Ballpark |last=Holden |first=Stephen |work=[[The New York Times]] |date=October 28, 2010}}</ref>


===Remix===
===Remix===
In July–September 1983, Ripp and Larry Elliot [[remix]]ed ''Cold Spring Harbor'' at Ripp's Fidelity Studios in [[Studio City, Los Angeles|Studio City, California]]. The album's pitch was adjusted to correct Joel's vocal tone, and to enhance the album's sound Ripp brought in studio musicians Mike McGee (drums), [[Al Campbell (keyboard player)|Al Campbell]] (synthesizers), and L.D. Dixon ([[Fender Rhodes]]) to overdub new rhythm sections on "Everybody Loves You Now" and "Turn Around." In addition, "You Can Make Me Free" was truncated by nearly three minutes (removing most of the original tail-end, fadeout jam), and the bass, drums, and orchestration on "Tomorrow Is Today" were removed.
In July–September 1983, Ripp and Larry Elliot remixed ''Cold Spring Harbor'' at Ripp's Fidelity Studios in [[Studio City, Los Angeles|Studio City, California]]. The album's speed was adjusted to correct Joel's vocal tone, and to enhance the album's sound, Ripp brought in studio musicians Mike McGee (drums), [[Al Campbell (keyboard player)|Al Campbell]] (synthesizers), and L.D. Dixon ([[Fender Rhodes]]) to overdub new rhythm sections on "Everybody Loves You Now" and "Turn Around". In addition, "You Can Make Me Free" was truncated by nearly three minutes (removing most of the original tail-end, fadeout jam), and the bass, drums, and orchestration on "Tomorrow Is Today" were removed.


The remix was released through Columbia Records, without any involvement from Joel. In a 2011 interview with actor [[Alec Baldwin]], Joel stated that despite the remix, he believes that the album still does not sound very good.{{citation needed|date=October 2022}}
The remix was released through Columbia Records, without any involvement from Joel.<ref name="Wawzenek"/> In a 2012 interview with actor [[Alec Baldwin]], Joel stated that, despite the remix, he believes that "there's something wrong with it. It just doesn't sound right."<ref>{{cite AV media |title=Here's the Thing with Alec Baldwin |author=[[Billy Joel]] |date=July 30, 2012 |publisher=[[WNYC]] |type=podcast |time=22m40s}}</ref> The original, uncorrected version of the album can still be heard on the music streaming service [[Spotify]].


==Track listing==
==Track listing==
Line 55: Line 62:
| headline = Side one
| headline = Side one
| extra_column = Length (Original LP)
| extra_column = Length (Original LP)
| title1 = [[She's Got a Way]]
| title1 = [[She's Got a Way]]
| length1 = 2:50
| length1 = 2:50
| extra1 = 2:47
| extra1 = 2:47
| title2 = You Can Make Me Free
| title2 = You Can Make Me Free
| length2 = 2:59
| length2 = 2:59
| extra2 = 5:49
| extra2 = 5:49
| title3 = [[Everybody Loves You Now]]
| title3 = [[Everybody Loves You Now]]
| length3 = 2:49
| length3 = 2:49
| extra3 = 2:46
| extra3 = 2:46
| title4 = Why Judy Why
| title4 = Why Judy Why
| length4 = 2:58
| length4 = 2:58
| extra4 = 2:52
| extra4 = 2:52
| title5 = Falling of the Rain
| title5 = Falling of the Rain
| length5 = 2:38
| length5 = 2:38
| extra5 = 2:35
| extra5 = 2:35
}}
}}


Line 75: Line 82:
| headline = Side two
| headline = Side two
| extra_column = Length (Original LP)
| extra_column = Length (Original LP)
| title6 = Turn Around
| title1 = Turn Around
| length6 = 3:06
| length1 = 3:06
| extra6 = 3:26
| extra1 = 3:26
| title7 = You Look So Good to Me
| title2 = You Look So Good to Me
| length7 = 2:29
| length2 = 2:29
| extra7 = 2:25
| extra2 = 2:25
| title8 = Tomorrow Is Today
| title3 = [[Tomorrow Is Today (song)|Tomorrow Is Today]]
| length8 = 4:40
| length3 = 4:40
| extra8 = 4:50
| extra3 = 4:50
| title9 = Nocturne
| title4 = Nocturne
| length9 = 2:46
| length4 = 2:46
| extra9 = 2:39
| extra4 = 2:39
| title10 = Got to Begin Again
| title5 = Got to Begin Again
| length10 = 2:52
| length5 = 2:52
| extra10 = 2:54
| extra5 = 2:54
}}
}}


==Personnel==
==Personnel==
Credits adapted from 1971 LP liner notes,<ref>{{cite AV media notes |title=Cold Spring Harbor |author=[[Billy Joel]] |publisher=[[Artie Ripp#Family Productions|Family Productions]] |date=1971 |type=LP liner notes |id=FPS 2700}}</ref> except where otherwise noted.
{{Col-begin}}

{{Col-2}}
'''Musicians'''
'''Musicians'''
* [[Billy Joel]] – acoustic piano, [[Hammond organ]], [[harpsichord]], harmonica, vocals
* [[Billy Joel]] – piano, organ, [[harpsichord]], harmonica, vocals
⚫
* [[Rhys Clark]] – drums
* [[Rhys Clark]] – drums on "[[Everybody Loves You Now]]" (1971 mix), "Falling of the Rain", "Turn Around" (1971 mix), and "Tomorrow Is Today" (1971 mix), cymbals on "[[She's Got a Way]]"
* Sal DiTroia – guitar
* [[Denny Seiwell]] – drums
* Don Evans – guitar
* Don Evans – guitar
* Sal DiTroia – guitar
⚫
* [[Jimmie Haskell]] – [[arrangements]], [[conducting|conductor]]
* [[Sneaky Pete Kleinow]] – [[pedal steel guitar]] on "Turn Around"
* [[Joe Osborn]] – bass guitar
* [[Larry Knechtel]] – bass
* [[Larry Knechtel]] – bass guitar
* [[Sneaky Pete Kleinow|Sneaky Pete]] – [[pedal steel guitar|steel guitar]]
⚫
* [[Joe Osborn]] – bass
* Mike McGee – drums ("Everybody Loves You Now", "Turn Around") (1983)<ref name="1983liners">{{cite AV media notes |title=Cold Spring Harbor |author=[[Billy Joel]] |publisher=[[Columbia Records]] |date=1983 |type=LP liner notes |id=PC 38984}}</ref>
* [[Artie Ripp]] – arrangements, conductor
⚫
* [[Al Campbell (keyboard player)|Al Campbell]] – keyboards ("Turn Around") (1983)<ref name="1983liners"/>
* [[Denny Seiwell]] – drums on "You Can Make Me Free" and "You Look So Good to Me"
* Mike McGee – drums on "Everybody Loves You Now" and "Turn Around" (1983 remixes)
* L. D. Dixon – [[Rhodes piano|Fender Rhodes piano]] ("Turn Around") (1983)<ref name="1983liners"/>
⚫
* [[Al Campbell (keyboard player)|Al Campbell]] – keyboards on "Turn Around" (1983 remix)
* L. D. Dixon – [[Rhodes piano|Fender Rhodes]] on "Turn Around" (1983 remix)


'''Technical'''
{{Col-2}}
* [[Artie Ripp]] – producer, director (1971); arranger, conductor, engineer, mixing, editing (1983)<ref name="1983liners"/>
'''Production'''
⚫
* Irwin Mazur – executive producer, art direction
* [[Artie Ripp]] – [[Record producer|producer]], [[engineer]], [[remixing]], [[editing]], [[Music director|director]]
⚫
* [[Jimmie Haskell]] – arranger, conductor
⚫
* Irwin Mazur – [[executive producer]], [[art direction]]
* Larry Elliott – engineer, remixing, editing
* Bob Hughes – engineer, mixing
⚫
* Michael Stone – second engineer
* Larry Elliott – engineer, mixing, editing (1983)<ref name="1983liners"/>
* John Bradley – engineer
* John Bradley – engineer
* Michael D. Stone – second engineer
* Gordon Watanabe – assistant engineer (1983)<ref name="1983liners"/>
⚫
* [[Doug Sax]] – mastering (1983)<ref name="1983liners"/>
⚫
* Gordon Watanabe – assistant engineer
* Bob Huges – [[Audio mastering|mastering]] (LP)
⚫
* Doug Sax – mastering (1987 CD)
* Joseph Palmaccio – [[Audio mastering|remastering]] (1998 CD)
* [[Ted Jensen]] – remastering (2011 CD)
{{col-end}}


==Charts==
==Charts==
{| class="wikitable sortable"
{| class="wikitable sortable"
!Year (1984)
!Chart (1984)
!Peak<br/>position
!Peak<br/>position
|-
|-
|Japanese Albums ([[Oricon]])<ref name="JPCB_s">{{Cite book| last = Okamoto | first = Satoshi| title = Single Chart Book: Complete Edition 1968-2010 | year = 2011 | publisher = Oricon Entertainment | location=Roppongi, Tokyo | language = ja | isbn = 978-4871310888}}</ref>
|[[1984 in Japanese music|Japanese Albums]] ([[Oricon]])<ref name="JPCB_s">{{Cite book |last=Okamoto |first=Satoshi |title=Single Chart Book: Complete Edition 1968-2010 |year=2011 |publisher=Oricon Entertainment |location=Roppongi, Tokyo |language=ja |isbn=978-4871310888}}</ref>
|align="center"|44
|align="center"|44
|-
|-
{{album chart|UK|95|artist=Billy Joel|date=4 February 1984|refname=UKcharts|access-date=July 8, 2013}}
{{album chart|UK|95|artist=Billy Joel|date=4 February 1984|refname=UKcharts|access-date=July 8, 2013}}
|-
|-
|US [[Billboard 200|''Billboard'' 200]]<ref name = "1984Billboard200">{{cite web | url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/cold-spring-harbor-mw0000194331/awards | title=Cold Spring Harbor - Billy Joel: Awards | work=[[Allmusic]] | publisher=[[Rovi Corporation]] | access-date=July 8, 2013}}</ref>{{Ref label|note_a1|A}}
|US [[Billboard 200|''Billboard'' 200]]<ref name = "1984Billboard200">{{cite web |url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/cold-spring-harbor-mw0000194331/awards |title=Cold Spring Harbor - Billy Joel: Awards |work=[[AllMusic]] |publisher=[[Rovi Corporation]] |access-date=July 8, 2013}}</ref>{{Ref label|note_a1|A}}
|align="center"|158
|align="center"|158
|-
|-
Line 140: Line 142:


==Notes==
==Notes==
*'''A''' {{Note|note_a1}} ''Cold Spring Harbor'' peaked at number 202 on the ''Billboard'' [[Bubbling Under the Top LP's]] chart in 1972.<ref>{{cite magazine | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=BkUEAAAAMBAJ&q=cold+spring+harbor+billboard+1972+bubbling&pg=PT72 | title=Bubbling Under the Top LP's | issue=April 8, 1972 |magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]] | date=8 April 1972 | page=45}} Accessed from July 8, 2013.</ref> The album was then re-issued by Columbia in December 1983. All chart positions listed for ''Cold Spring Harbor'' are for its reissue.
*'''A''' {{Note|note_a1}} ''Cold Spring Harbor'' peaked at number 202 on the ''Billboard'' [[Bubbling Under the Top LP's]] chart in 1972.<ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=BkUEAAAAMBAJ&q=cold+spring+harbor+billboard+1972+bubbling&pg=PT72 |title=Bubbling Under the Top LP's |issue=April 8, 1972 |magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]] |date=8 April 1972 |page=45 |access-date=July 8, 2013}}</ref> The album was then re-issued by Columbia in December 1983. All chart positions listed for ''Cold Spring Harbor'' are for its reissue.


==References==
==References==
Line 149: Line 151:
{{Authority control}}
{{Authority control}}


{{DEFAULTSORT:Cold Spring Harbor (Album)}}
[[Category:Billy Joel albums]]
[[Category:Billy Joel albums]]
[[Category:1971 debut albums]]
[[Category:1971 debut albums]]

Latest revision as of 15:10, 12 November 2024

Cold Spring Harbor
1983 reissue variant of original artwork
Studio album by
Billy Joel
ReleasedNovember 1, 1971
RecordedJuly 1971
Studio
Genre
Length32:54 (original)
29:53 (reissue)
LabelFamily Productions
ProducerArtie Ripp
Billy Joel chronology
Cold Spring Harbor
(1971) 		Piano Man
(1973)
Singles from Cold Spring Harbor
  1. "She's Got a Way"
    Released: November 1971
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[1]
Tom Hull – on the WebB[2]

Cold Spring Harbor is the debut studio album by American recording artist Billy Joel, released on November 1, 1971, by Family Productions. The album sold poorly, receiving attention mainly after 1973's Piano Man and later albums became popular. Due to a mastering error, the original LP release ran at a faster speed than originally recorded. In 1983, producer Artie Ripp oversaw a remixed, edited and speed-corrected version of the album. This revised edition was issued by Columbia Records.

Composition and recording

[edit]

Cold Spring Harbor was named after the hamlet in the town of Huntington, New York, located on Long Island Sound near Joel's hometown. The front cover was photographed at Harbor Road.[3]

The song "Tomorrow Is Today" drew from his period of depression and hospitalization the year before.[4] When it was released as a single, Record World remarked that Joel had "a flair for dramatic, lush orchestral sounds."[5]

Joel later released live versions of "She's Got a Way" and "Everybody Loves You Now" on his 1981 live album, Songs in the Attic. "She's Got a Way" was also released as a single in early 1982, peaking at No. 23 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.[6]

Production

[edit]

Mastering

[edit]

Through an error in the album's mastering, the songs played slightly too fast, causing Joel's voice to sound unnaturally high, which he later compared to The Bee Gees and Alvin and the Chipmunks. In 1996, Joel recalled that, upon the album's release, he'd organized a listening party with his friends and after hearing the album, "I was, like, furious. I took the thing and I threw it like a frisbee."[7]

Artie Ripp, owner of Family Productions and hence the owner of the original master tapes, was responsible for the production error, and the mistake cost him his friendship with Joel. He had originally signed the 22-year-old Joel to a ten-record contract that stripped Joel of all rights to the original tapes and to the publishing rights to all current and future songs.[4]

As part of a deal with Columbia Records to release Joel from his contract, Ripp was still able to collect royalties on sales of Joel's records long after Joel's acrimonious departure from Family Productions (up until 1986's The Bridge). Ripp only sold the publishing rights to Joel's song catalog back to Joel reluctantly after intense pressure from CBS/Columbia Records president Walter Yetnikoff, who later stated that he had to threaten Ripp to finalize the deal.[4][8][9]

Remix

[edit]

In July–September 1983, Ripp and Larry Elliot remixed Cold Spring Harbor at Ripp's Fidelity Studios in Studio City, California. The album's speed was adjusted to correct Joel's vocal tone, and to enhance the album's sound, Ripp brought in studio musicians Mike McGee (drums), Al Campbell (synthesizers), and L.D. Dixon (Fender Rhodes) to overdub new rhythm sections on "Everybody Loves You Now" and "Turn Around". In addition, "You Can Make Me Free" was truncated by nearly three minutes (removing most of the original tail-end, fadeout jam), and the bass, drums, and orchestration on "Tomorrow Is Today" were removed.

The remix was released through Columbia Records, without any involvement from Joel.[7] In a 2012 interview with actor Alec Baldwin, Joel stated that, despite the remix, he believes that "there's something wrong with it. It just doesn't sound right."[10] The original, uncorrected version of the album can still be heard on the music streaming service Spotify.

Track listing

[edit]

All songs written by Billy Joel.

Side one
No.TitleLength (Original LP)Length
1."She's Got a Way"2:472:50
2."You Can Make Me Free"5:492:59
3."Everybody Loves You Now"2:462:49
4."Why Judy Why"2:522:58
5."Falling of the Rain"2:352:38
Side two
No.TitleLength (Original LP)Length
1."Turn Around"3:263:06
2."You Look So Good to Me"2:252:29
3."Tomorrow Is Today"4:504:40
4."Nocturne"2:392:46
5."Got to Begin Again"2:542:52

Personnel

[edit]

Credits adapted from 1971 LP liner notes,[11] except where otherwise noted.

Musicians

Technical

  • Artie Ripp – producer, director (1971); arranger, conductor, engineer, mixing, editing (1983)[12]
  • Irwin Mazur – executive producer, art direction
  • Jimmie Haskell – arranger, conductor
  • Bob Hughes – engineer, mixing
  • Michael Stone – second engineer
  • Larry Elliott – engineer, mixing, editing (1983)[12]
  • John Bradley – engineer
  • Gordon Watanabe – assistant engineer (1983)[12]
  • Doug Sax – mastering (1983)[12]

Charts

[edit]
Chart (1984) Peak
position
Japanese Albums (Oricon)[13] 44
UK Albums (OCC)[14] 95
US Billboard 200[15][A] 158

Notes

[edit]
  • A ^ Cold Spring Harbor peaked at number 202 on the Billboard Bubbling Under the Top LP's chart in 1972.[16] The album was then re-issued by Columbia in December 1983. All chart positions listed for Cold Spring Harbor are for its reissue.

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Billy Joel - Cold Spring Harbor Album Reviews, Songs & More". AllMusic. Retrieved November 20, 2010.
  2. ^ Hull, Tom (June 22, 2021). "Music Week". Tom Hull – on the Web. Retrieved June 24, 2021.
  3. ^ "Musical Maps: coldspringharbor". Musical Maps: Cover Art Locations.
  4. ^ a b c Bordowitz, Hank (2006). Billy Joel: The Life and Times of an Angry Young Man. Billboard Books. p. 39. ISBN 978-0-8230-8248-3.
  5. ^ "Hits of the Week" (PDF). Record World. April 1, 1972. p. 1. Retrieved 2023-04-01.
  6. ^ Whitburn, Joel (2004). The Billboard Book of Top 40 Hits (8th ed.). Billboard Books.
  7. ^ a b Wawzenek, Brian (November 1, 2016). "Why Billy Joel Hated His First Album, 'Cold Spring Harbor'". Ultimate Classic Rock. Retrieved February 27, 2024.
  8. ^ The Last Play at Shea. Lionsgate Films. 2010. 298584.
  9. ^ Holden, Stephen (October 28, 2010). "Brenda, Eddie, Billy and Friends Bury a Ballpark". The New York Times.
  10. ^ Billy Joel (July 30, 2012). Here's the Thing with Alec Baldwin (podcast). WNYC. Event occurs at 22m40s.
  11. ^ Billy Joel (1971). Cold Spring Harbor (LP liner notes). Family Productions. FPS 2700.
  12. ^ a b c d e f g Billy Joel (1983). Cold Spring Harbor (LP liner notes). Columbia Records. PC 38984.
  13. ^ Okamoto, Satoshi (2011). Single Chart Book: Complete Edition 1968-2010 (in Japanese). Roppongi, Tokyo: Oricon Entertainment. ISBN 978-4871310888.
  14. ^ "Billy Joel | Artist | Official Charts". UK Albums Chart. Retrieved July 8, 2013.
  15. ^ "Cold Spring Harbor - Billy Joel: Awards". AllMusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved July 8, 2013.
  16. ^ "Bubbling Under the Top LP's". Billboard. No. April 8, 1972. 8 April 1972. p. 45. Retrieved July 8, 2013.
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