Just the Way You Are

Rosa Clará, Billy Joel

About Just the Way You Are

"Just the Way You Are" is a song by Billy Joel from his fifth studio album The Stranger (1977). It was released in September 1977 as the album's lead single. It became both Joel's first US Top 10 and UK Top 20 single (reaching #3 and #19 respectively), as well as Joel's first gold single in the US. The song also topped the Billboard Easy Listening Chart for the entire month of January 1978. "Just the Way You Are" garnered two Grammy Awards for Record of the Year and Song of the Year in 1979.  


Year:
2008
4:48
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Don't go changing to try and please me
You never let me down before
Don't imagine you're too familiar
And I don't see you anymore

I wouldn't leave you in times of trouble
We never could have come this far
I took the good times; I'll take the bad times
I'll take you just the way you are

Don't go trying some new fashion
Don't change the color of your hair
You always have my unspoken passion
Although I might not seem to care

I don't want clever conversation
I never want to work that hard
I just want someone that I can talk to
I want you just the way you are

I need to know that you will always be
The same old someone that I knew
What will it take till you believe in me
The way that I believe in you?

I said I love you and that's forever
And this I promise from the heart
I could not love you any better
I love you just the way you are

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Billy Joel

William Martin "Billy" Joel (born May 9, 1949) is an American pianist, singer-songwriter, and 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 the RIAA. He also has the third best-selling album in the United States with his Greatest Hits Vol. 1 & 2. more »

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Written by: Billy Joel

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind


11 facts about this song

Release Date
"Just the Way You Are" was released by Columbia Records on September 18, 1977, as part of Billy Joel's fifth studio album "The Stranger".
Chart Performance
The song topped the Billboard Hot 100 chart in the United States and spent 27 weeks in the UK's top 75 chart, peaking at number 19.
Grammy Awards
Billy Joel won two Grammy Awards in 1979 for this song: Record of the Year and Song of the Year.
Song Inspiration
Billy wrote the song as a birthday gift for his then-wife, Elizabeth Weber. However, despite the song's widely perceived romanticism, Weber was actually quite critical of Joel's career.
Musical Style
Joel's "Just the Way You Are" is considered soft rock and is centered around jazz and pop influences.
Album Success
The song played a significant role in the overall success of the album "The Stranger", which was Joel's most successful album and one of the best-selling albums of 1978.
Regret over Single Release
Billy Joel initially didn’t want to release the song as a single because he believed that it wasn’t representative of his edgier rock ‘n’ roll style.
Music Video
The song’s music video is a live performance clip from "A Matter of Trust – The Bridge to Russia", the concert film set to the album.
Cover Versions
The song has been covered by numerous artists including Frank Sinatra, Harry Connick Jr., Barry White, Diana Krall, and José José.
Later Dedication
Despite being originally written for his first wife, Billy Joel now dedicates this song in concert to his daughter, Alexa Ray Joel.
Discomfort Singing the Song
Joel has admitted to feeling uncomfortable singing "Just the Way You Are" in concert following his divorce from Weber. He has also been known to change the lyrics as a cheeky nod to the song’s original muse.

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