Billy Joel’s “Just The Way You Are” is one of those really sweet, really feel good tunes that just goes well in any place you find yourself in.
Billy wrote it for his first wife, Elizabeth Weber.
They split in 1982 causing Joel to very rarely perform the song. Hey, you know what memories can do to a heartbroken person.
Joel’s two marriages after Elizabeth didn’t work out either. He was married to Christie Brinkley from 1985-1994, and to Katie Lee from 2004-2010.
“Every time I wrote a song for a person I was in a relationship with, it didn’t last. It was kind of like the curse. Here’s your song – we might as well say goodbye now.”
Poor man. How many guys would actually write a song about their girl?
Listen to Billy’s original work.
That is the sound of a man in love.
And even though it didn’t work out in the end, the song endured as one of the most beloved songs ever written.
Enter Harry Connick Jr.’s jazzy rendition.
It’s a different feel without straying too far from Billy Joel’s work.
There’s that Elvis Costello meets Michael Buble vibe to it and Harry’s silky smooth voice gives the song a much more laid back feel.
A standard with a martini.
Connick Jr.’s official site shares,
“HARRY CONNICK JR. HAS EXEMPLIFIED EXCELLENCE IN EVERY ASPECT OF THE ENTERTAINMENT WORLD. HE HAS RECEIVED RECOGNITION WITH MULTIPLE GRAMMY AND EMMY AWARDS AS WELL AS TONY NOMINATIONS FOR HIS LIVE AND RECORDED MUSICAL PERFORMANCES, HIS ACHIEVEMENTS ON SCREENS LARGE AND SMALL, AND HIS APPEARANCES ON BROADWAY AS BOTH AN ACTOR AND A COMPOSER.”
Watching him in this music video, the man just oozes confidence minus that swag so common in modern male musicians.
That’s not to say he doesn’t have a wild side to him.
This man could sing his way to any woman’s heart.
He married former Victoria’s Secret model Jill Goodacre in 1994 so she gets to enjoy Harry’s wonderful singing voice all to herself.
Even the music video radiates positive vibes!
Harry switches from standing with his band to singing and playing a Steinway & Sons piano. And whichever way he goes about it, Connick Jr.’s cover has listeners falling in love all over again.
“Such a beautiful arrangement, and his voice is still mellow as always. What a breath of fresh air to hear music like this, compared to the crap and n-rap being put out in what is trying to be passed as music today!”
Goes a viewer in the comments section.
Do you agree? Even if you’re single, this beautiful tune will have you longing for someone, or maybe remember a certain individual from the past.
And if you have this version on repeat, no one will even judge you for it.
Sit back and enjoy Harry’s cover of this classic below!
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