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The one thing missing from Billy Joel's catalog in 2005 (other than a covers tribute album) was a collection of Billy's outtakes, demos, B-sides and hard-to-find cuts. My Lives remedied that gap in November 2005. It is a 4-CD, 1-DVD boxed set that compiles many of Billy's demos, outtakes, B-sides, soundtrack cuts, and live recordings, mixed in with studio versions of Billy's songs. It is a welcome addition to his catalog, but a bit of a mixed bag. This is not a definitive history of Billy Joel's songwriting career, but a collection of the odds and ends of his recording career, mixed in with some album cuts by Billy Joel.
The My Lives compilation is for the hardcore Billy Joel fan or anyone who is interested in examining the development of Billy's career. The highlights of the collection are "Oyster Bay," the more Latin version of "Rosalinda's Eyes," and the earlier raw version of "Christie Lee." There is also a bonus track on the fourth disc, a humorous conversation between Phil Ramone and Billy Joel around the time that Glass Houses was released. |
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A few things are missing from My Lives such as the 1983 version of "You've Got Me Hummin" which is the B-side to the LP single of "Tell Her About It" (which also featured a dance re-mix of that song), and a few early songs such as "Where's The Revolution," "Long, Long Time," "Josephine," and "Rosalinda." And there is no reason to put the album version of "Modern Woman" on this at all. But otherwise My Lives fills a big gap in the releases of Billy's recordings.
The liner notes were written by long-time Rolling Stone contributor Anthony DeCurtis. Notably, the DVD was the "Live from Frankfurt" concert from 1993's River of Dreams tour which had previously been unavailable. The My Lives cover is a drawing that Billy's daughter, Alexa Ray Joel, created when she was seven years old. |
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My Lives contained four CDs and one DVD, and a booklet featuring essays and photos about Billy.
My Lives included a DVD of Billy Joel's concert in Frankfurt, Germany in 1993, part of the River of Dreams tour.
My Lives also contained a special Umixit bonus CD to allow you to mix certain songs and add special effects and vocals.
 Billy went on a worldwide tour in 2006, giving some of his best performances in years. This is the tour book. 
The tour to promote My Lives ultimately resulted in the excellent live album 12 Gardens Live (2006).
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Disc One
1. My Journey's End - The Lost Souls (Demo) 2. Time And Time Again – The Lost Souls (Demo) 3. Every Step I Take (Every Move I Make) - The Hassles 4. You've Got Me Hummin' - The Hassles 5. Amplifier Fire (Part 1) – Attila (Heavily Edited) 6. Only A Man (Demo, Never Released) 7. She's Got a Way (Album Version) 8. Oyster Bay (Demo) 9. Piano Man (Demo) 10. The Siegfried Line (Demo) 11. New Mexico (Demo) (Became Worse Comes To Worst) 12. Cross To Bear (Demo) 13. Miami 2017 (Demo) 14. These Rhinestone Days (Demo) (Became "I've Loved These Days") 15. Everybody Has A Dream (Album Version) 16. Only the Good Die Young (Alternate Version) 17. Until the Night (Album Version) 18. Zanzibar (Album Version, Unfaded) 19. It's Still Rock & Roll to Me (Album Version) Disc Two 1. Captain Jack (Live Version) 2. The End Of The World (Demo) (Became Elvis Presley Blvd.) 3. The Prime Of Your Life (Demo) (Became The Longest Time) 4. She's Right On Time (Album Version) 5. Elvis Presley Blvd. (B-Side) 6. Nobody Knows But Me (Soundtrack) 7. An Innocent Man (Album Version) 8. Christie Lee (Demo) 9. Easy Money (Album Version) 10. And So It Goes (Demo) 11. I'll Cry Instead (Live, B-Side) 12. Keeping the Faith (12 Remix) 13. Modern Woman (Album Version) 14. Baby Grand duet with Ray Charles (Album Version) 15. Getting Closer duet with Steve Winwood (Alternate Version) 16. House Of Blue Light (B-Side) 17. Money Or Love (Demo) 18. The Times They Are A-Changin' (Live) Disc Three 1. The Downeaster Alexa (Album Version) 2. I Go to Extremes (Live) 3. Shout (Live) 4. All Shook Up (B-side) (Otis Blackwell, Elvis Presley) 5. Heartbreak Hotel (Soundtrack) 6. When You Wish Upon a Star (Soundtrack) 7. In a Sentimental Mood (Soundtrack) 8. Motorcycle Song (Demo) (Became All About Soul) 9. You Picked A Real Bad Time (B-side) 10. The River of Dreams (Alternate Version) 11. A Hard Day's Night (Live) 12. Light As The Breeze (Album Version) 13. To Make You Feel My Love (Album Version) 14. Hey Girl (Album Version) 15. Why Should I Worry (Soundtrack) 16. Where Were You (On Our Wedding Day?) (Soundtrack) 17. Highway 61 Revisited (Demo) Disc Four 1. Movin' Out (Anthony's Song) (Live) 2. You May Be Right duet with Elton John (Live) 3. Big Shot (Live) 4. Don't Worry Baby (Live) (link is to YouTube) 5. Goodnight Saigon – Vietnam Veterans Version (Live) 6. Los Angelenos (Live) 7. New York State of Mind (Live) 8. Opus 1. Soliloquy (On A Separation) 9. Opus 8. Suite For Piano (Star-Crossed) I. Innamorato 10. Opus 8. Suite For Piano (Star-Crossed) II. Sorbetto 11. Opus 8. Suite For Piano (Star-Crossed) III. Delusion 12. Elegy: The Great Peconic 13. Glass Houses Promo Talk Bonus Tracks 1. Josephine (Demo) -- available as bonus track on iTunes 2. So Long, Reverend Ike -- available as bonus track on iTunes |
Spotify
Video Album
This is a YouTube playlist of the songs on My Lives, containing video and audio clips.
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Spotify
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Apple Music
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Live Performances and Features
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Interview by noted music journalist Anthony DeCurtis before a live audience (which was followed by an audience Q&A, not recorded here). November 29, 2005.
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Billy Joel interview at MSG in 2006 on "The Big Idea with Donny Deutsch."
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Billy on the Conan show from 2005, promoting My Lives. He sang "Everybody Loves You Now" and "Vienna" as well. See videos below.
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Billy Joel divulging "Secrets" on the Conan show in 2005.
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Billy on The Today Show, December 16, 2005. A brief interview followed by "Keeping the Faith." He also did "She's Right On Time." See video below.
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Billy on the Conan show from 2005, promoting My Lives.
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Live Performances and Features
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A 2006 concert at Madison Square Garden, from the Facebook group Billy Joel Completely Retold, and posted by Pianoluvr2006.
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A 2006 concert at the Tokyo Dome which was televised in Japan. Posted by 333 Shouichi.
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Billy Joel promoting the My Lives collection on The Today Show in 2005, performing "She's Right On Time."
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Billy on the Ellen Show, performing "Only The Good Die Young."
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Billy singing "Everybody Loves You Now" on the Conan Show in 2005.
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Billy singing "Vienna" on the Conan Show in 2005.
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Billy and Tony Bennett singing "The Good Life" on The Today Show, live from 2006. The song was on Bennett's album "Duets; The Making of An American Classic."
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Read Ultimate Classic Rock's 2015 review of My Lives (2005).
