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    But only songs like these
    Played in minor keys
    Keep those memories holding on

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      "Baby Grand" is a bluesy jazz ballad that is an ode to the piano itself, as well as an homage to Billy's idol, Ray Charles.  The song is a duet between the two piano men and was written specifically for this purpose.  While it did not quite become the classic that "New York State of Mind" or Charles' own "Georgia on My Mind" have become, it is still a worthy and satisfying composition.

       Billy discusses his admiration for Ray Charles and how "Baby Grand" came about in this article from The New York Times in 1986:

"Ray Charles was my hero when I was growing up,'' recalled Mr. Joel, who for years has done an affectionate concert impersonation of the soul music giant. ''As good a pianist or as big a star as I could ever become, I could never be Ray Charles, who is a total natural and one of the greatest singers of all time. I've never had much confidence in my own singing. The collaboration came about because I named my baby daughter, Alexa Ray, after him. Ray heard about it from Quincy Jones, who is a friend of my producer, Phil Ramone, and sent word that he would love to record with me if I had the right song.  I was so excited that that very night I sat down and wrote 'Baby Grand,' and polished it up the next morning. It was one of the 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.

''A funny thing happened when we finally got together to record the song in Los Angeles.  I started singing very tentatively.  And Ray, assuming that's what I wanted, came in sounding like me - a white kid from Hicksville.  When we started it again, I did my Ray Charles imitation, and Ray kicked in as Ray - the rest was smooth sailing.''

​     Despite the lyric that "no one's going to play this on the radio," the song was played on the radio and reached #75 on the Billboard charts.  

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Ray Charles and Billy Joel.  Columbia Records (1986).

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       In 1999, Ray Charles inducted Billy Joel into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.  See the video here.  Billy's humble acceptance speech is shown below (right).  Read Billy Joel's Hall of Fame biography,  Read Ray Charles' Hall of Fame biography.

      Billy and an all-star band performed Ray Charles' "What'd I Say" at the 1999 Hall of Fame induction ceremony, as well as a few other songs.  It was an impressive class of inductees including:  Paul McCartney, Bruce Springsteen, Curtis Mayfield, Dusty Springfield, Del Shannon (see video of "Runaway" on YouTube, Billy and others), the Staple Singers ("I'll Take You There"), and  The Beatles producer George Martin.   

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​​Baby Grand

<<            >>

Kohuept (1987)  |  A Matter of Trust: The Bridge to Russia (2014)
Originally released on The Bridge (1982)
​Words and Music by Billy Joel

​Late at night
When it's dark and cold
I reach out
For someone to hold
When I'm blue
When I'm lonely
She comes through
She's the only one who can
My baby grand
Is all I need

In my time
I've wandered everywhere
Around this world
She would always be there
Any day
Any hour
All it takes
Is the power in my hands
This baby grand's
Been good to me

I've had friends
But they have slipped away
I've had fame
But it doesn't stay
I've made fortunes
Spent them fast enough
As for women
They don't last with just one man
But my baby grand
Will stand by me

They say that no one's gonna play this on the radio
They said the melancholy blues were dead and gone
But only songs like these
Played in minor keys
Keep those memories holding on

I've come far
From the life I've strayed in
I've got scars
From those dives I've played in
Now I'm home
And I'm weary
In my bones
Every dreary one night stand
But my baby grand
Is coming home with me

Ever since this gig began
My baby grand's
Been good to me

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Billy on "Baby Grand" (audio) from SiriusXM.

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Billy Joel and Ray Charles recording "Baby Grand."  Columbia Records publicity photo (1986).

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Billy talks about his hero Ray Charles in this excerpt from SiriusXM. 

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From The Bridge inner sleeve, Producer Phil Ramone and Ray Charles recording "Baby Grand" (1986).

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Photo:  Mary Ellen Mark (1986)

      Billy Joel gave his daughter Alexa the middle name "Ray" in honor of Ray Charles.  She was born the year prior to the release of The Bridge.   Billy and Alexa sang "Baby Grand" together at a fundraiser in 2008, see video below, as well as later in concert at Madison Square Garden.

      The iconic photo (left) of a young Alexa on Billy's piano was taken by photographer Mary Ellen Mark.  From her Foundation's Facebook page in 2014:  "I took this photograph during Billy Joel's "The Bridge Tour” in the former Soviet Union.  My husband Martin Bell was filming the documentary "A Matter of Trust," which aired on ABC TV in 1988. . . ."

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Videos

Billy sings "Baby Grand" in Russia during his historic concerts in 1987.  Here is another angle.

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Billy discusses "Baby Grand," Ray Charles, and the piano, from "Building The Bridge" (1986).

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Billy and daughter Alexa sing "Baby Grand" at an Obama fundraiser in 2008.  This is an audience video and cuts off at the end.  A full version is here but the video is shaky.

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Billy ”disrupts” Igudesman & Joo in performing "Baby Grand.” Joo played Billy’s compositions on Fantasies & Delusions.

Official music video for "Baby Grand" from 1986.
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Billy Joel's acceptance speech for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1999, after Ray Charles introduced him.

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Alexa Ray Joel joins Billy at MSG on June 2, 2018 (eight years after their performance at the Obama fundraiser).

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