That's not her style I can tell you
That ain't my woman That's not her style I can tell you Because I'm her man "That's Not Her Style" is a bluesy-rock ode
to Christie Brinkley, or at least what the paparazzi may think of supermodels like her. While the media may think she jets across the country and "wines and dines with Argentines and Kuwaitis," she is actually much more down to earth. Billy has stated that the song is "a commentary on all the ridiculous things you read about yourself if you're a celebrity. Ninety percent of what is reported in the press is untrue." It is a theme similar to the one in Billy's song "Careless Talk" from the 1983 album An Innocent Man in which Billy laments that "everyone's telling lies, I don't even know why, why can't people find something better to do?" The topic and lyrics are perhaps a bit unrelatable to most fans who don't lead lives that are covered by the tabloid press. Billy's life had changed dramatically from his early years, so much so that he is now writing a song about his supermodel wife. Nonetheless, how satisfying it must have been for him to be able to write "because I'm her man" rather than "but you ain't got the time to go to Cold Spring Harbor, no more" (from "Everybody Love You Now").
Billy on guitar in 1990. Photo: Unknown
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That's Not Her Style
Some people think that she's one of those mink-coated ladies
They say she wakes up at one And makes the paparazzi run till dawn She wines and dines with Argentines and Kuwaitis After she sips margaritas on the White House lawn That's not her style I can tell you That ain't my woman That's not her style I can tell you Because I'm her man The papers say she was seen in L.A. with a stranger She found a perfect body with a Maserati right outside And then she chartered a Lear When she heard her career was in danger And gave the pilot somethin' extra for a perfect ride That's not her style I can tell you That ain't my woman That's not her style I can tell you Because I'm her man I'ts not that she's never done something crazy Or done something wild It's just that she's better at doing whatever Suits her style . . . and that's not her style I've read where it's said that she sleeps in a bed made of satin She's had her face done in every place you can try They say she gets a piece of every lease in Manhattan And says she's thirty when she's really pushing forty-five That's not her style I can tell you That ain't my woman That's not her style I can tell you Because I'm her man
Billy on "That's Not Her Style" and the photo shoot, from SiriusXM.
"That's Not Her Style" was the fifth single released from the "Storm Front" album and reached #77 on the Billboard charts. Although not a big hit, it's a fun rocker with a catchy chorus "that's not her styyyyyle." As with many Billy Joel's harder or bluesier songs, it sounds much better live (see video below). Crystal Taliefero does a great job strutting and vamping to the song in the video, from Live at Yankee Stadium in 1990. These days, however, Billy rarely performs the song in concert.
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Richard Marx (who had a string of hits in the 80s and 90s like "Right Here Waiting") provides background vocals on "That's Not Her Style" and "Storm Front." He also recorded a cover version of Billy's "Miami 2017." Billy played piano on Marx's "I Get No Sleep."
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