♫ She’s Got A Way ♫

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I skipped my music post last night, for I was working on one when I fell asleep at the keyboard and woke a few minutes later, too disoriented to continue.  I’m starting earlier tonight!  I know I’ve already played some Billy Joel this month, but this song popped up somewhere a few days ago and it’s been haunting me ever since … well, okay, not haunting, but I keep finding myself belting out a line or two, completely out of tune, at random moments.

This song was originally released on his first studio album, Cold Spring Harbor (1971) and as a single from that album in some countries the following year.  It was also featured as a single from the 1981 live album Songs in the Attic, peaking at #23 in the U.S. and #46 in Canada … as far as I can tell, it did not chart in the UK or elsewhere in Europe.  Clive, Gary, David, Roger, Michael … any of you guys remember this one?

According to a friend of Joel’s, one Bruce Gentile, Joel wrote this song about his first wife, Elizabeth.

In a 1981 interview, Joel expressed mixed feelings about the song: “I thought it was cornball for years. I had trouble singing it at first. Then I got into it and decided everybody has a corny side, I suppose”.

She’s Got A Way
Billy Joel

She’s got a way about her
I don’t know what it is
But I know that I can’t live without her
She’s got a way of pleasin’, mmh
I don’t know what it is
But there doesn’t have to be a reason
Anyway

She’s got a smile that heals me, mmh
I don’t know why it is
But I have to laugh when she reveals me
She’s got a way of talkin’, mmh
I don’t know what it is
But it lifts me up when we are walkin’
Anywhere

She comes to me when I’m feelin’ down
Inspires me without a sound
She touches me and I get turned around
She’s got a way of showin’, mmh
How I make her feel
And I find the strength to keep on goin’
She’s got a light around her, ooh
And everywhere she goes
A million dreams of love surround her
Everywhere

She comes to me when I’m feelin’ down
Inspires me without a sound
She touches me and I get turned around, ooh, oho
She’s got a smile that heals me, mmh
I don’t know why it is
But I have to laugh when she reveals me
She’s got a way about her, mmh
I don’t know what it is
But I know that I can’t live without her
Anyway, hey

Source: LyricFind
Songwriters: Billy Joel
She’s Got A Way lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group

21 thoughts on “♫ She’s Got A Way ♫”

  1. I found it interesting that Billy Joel considered this a cornball song. If that’s the case, then thank you Billy for stirring our corny side! I luv Billy Joel, always had always will, soulful pianist extraordinaire. ❤

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  4. I can’t say I remember this, either from first release or the later live version. It sounds too delicate for the way our charts were in 1972, but a good album track. In those days our main source of new music was BBC Radio 1, or on tv there was Top Of The Pops (the chart show) and the Old Grey Whistle Test (rock and album based). It may have been on the latter but doesn’t ring any bells.

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      • Sometimes artists get airplay without sales, but I don’t think that was the case with him. It was several years before he started making our charts, either with singles or albums. The first one I recall from the time is 52nd Street, though I did play catch up with his earlier albums later on.

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        • I don’t remember 52nd Street … I’ll have to check that one out! I’m curious whether you will know the two songs I’m playing later today … they apparently didn’t chart in the UK, but I’m betting you’ll know them … Little Anthony and the Imperials.

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