From Cold Spring Harbor
1. "Tomorrow Is Today"
Taken from Joel's solo debut (he was also a member of the '60s pop group The Hassles, among others) before he was a household name, this song was written during the infamous time in his life when he was chronically depressed, poor, and even, at one point, sleeping at his local Laundromat€”and it shows. A sample lyric: "I've seen a lot of life/and I'm damn sick of livin' it." At the time, Joel himself probably wouldn't have believed the amazing success he would one day find: selling millions of records, marrying supermodel Christie Brinkley, and now being celebrated at The Kennedy Center Honors.
2. "Nocturne"
This is a beautiful instrumental reminiscent of the famous piano ballads of Beethoven. (Even its title is similar to "Moonlight Sonata.") Joel was young but still had a supreme talent to tickle the ivories unlike any of his American pianist contemporaries. The melody is sweeping and gorgeous, as it lulls you into a relaxing, near romantic rhythm. It also foreshadows the classical piano album Fantasies & Delusions he would eventually make 30 years later.