Billy Joel’s The Bridge Turns 40: The Album That Closed One Chapter and Opened Another

Forty years after its release, Billy Joel’s tenth studio album The Bridge remains one of the most debated records in his catalogue. While it produced major hit singles and featured collaborations with some of Joel’s musical heroes, the songwriter himself later became one of its strongest critics.

by Paul Cashmere

Released on 25 July 1986, The Bridge marked a significant turning point in Billy Joel’s career. The album reached No. 2 in Australia, No. 7 on the Billboard 200 in the United States and achieved multi-platinum sales, yet it also represented the end of several long-standing creative partnerships that had helped define Joel’s most successful years.

Looking back four decades later, The Bridge occupies a unique place in Joel’s body of work. It was the final studio album produced by Phil Ramone, whose collaboration with Joel had begun with The Stranger in 1977 and continued through some of the biggest-selling albums of the era. It was also the last studio recording to feature long-time bassist Doug Stegmeyer and rhythm guitarist Russell Javors, musicians who had been central members of Joel’s touring and recording band throughout his commercial peak.

Coming just a year after the blockbuster Greatest Hits Volume I & Volume II, expectations for The Bridge were considerable. Joel entered the sessions during 1985 and 1986 with an ambition to broaden his musical palette while also working alongside artists he had admired for much of his career.

Among the album’s most memorable moments was Baby Grand, a duet with Ray Charles. Sharing lead vocals and piano duties with one of his greatest influences was a career milestone for Joel, and the collaboration remains one of the record’s defining performances. Another guest appearance came from Steve Winwood, who played Hammond B3 organ on Getting Closer, while acclaimed jazz musicians Ron Carter and Michael Brecker joined Joel on the sophisticated Big Man On Mulberry Street.

The album also demonstrated Joel’s willingness to experiment with contemporary sounds of the mid-1980s. Running On Ice reflected the influence of The Police, while Modern Woman, originally featured in the film Ruthless People, embraced a polished pop-rock approach that became one of the album’s biggest commercial successes.

One of the final songs completed for the record, Code Of Silence, featured Cyndi Lauper on harmony vocals and included a lyrical co-writing credit for the singer-songwriter. Joel later returned the favour by contributing backing vocals to Lauper’s Maybe He’ll Know on her True Colors album later that year, highlighting the creative relationship between the two artists during one of pop music’s most commercially successful periods.

Commercially, The Bridge delivered several successful singles. A Matter Of Trust reached No. 3 in Australia and No. 10 on the Billboard Hot 100 in the United States. Modern Woman also peaked at No. 10 in America, while This Is The Time later became Joel’s first No. 1 Adult Contemporary single from the album. Although Baby Grand charted more modestly, it remains one of the record’s best-known tracks because of the pairing of Joel and Charles.

The album also represented the end of an era behind the scenes. The Bridge was Joel’s final release to carry the Family Productions logo, closing a long-running contractual arrangement dating back to his earliest recording career. Joel appeared to reference those experiences in Getting Closer, with lyrics reflecting frustration over contracts and the business side of the music industry.

Despite its commercial success, Joel has consistently spoken candidly about his feelings towards the album. In later interviews he admitted he was dissatisfied with both the material and the circumstances surrounding its creation.

Joel reflected that he did not believe the songs were among his strongest work and felt pressure to complete the project too quickly. He also acknowledged agreeing with some of the critical reviews the album received at the time.

He later explained that his priorities had shifted during recording. Having recently become a father following the birth of daughter Alexa, Joel admitted he would have preferred spending time at home with his family rather than in the recording studio. Those emotions found their way into the song Temptation, which explored the conflict between professional demands and personal life.

Critical opinion on The Bridge has remained divided over the past four decades. Some reviewers praised its musicianship, ambitious guest appearances and polished production, while others viewed it as an uneven collection that lacked the consistency of classics such as The Stranger, 52nd Street and An Innocent Man.

With the benefit of hindsight, however, the album has gained greater appreciation as a transitional work. It captured Joel at a moment when he was balancing commercial expectations with changing personal priorities, while also bringing together an impressive collection of collaborators from across rock, soul and jazz.

Forty years after its release, The Bridge stands as more than simply Billy Joel’s tenth studio album. It documents the closing chapter of one of popular music’s most successful creative partnerships with producer Phil Ramone, the final recordings with key members of his long-time band, and an artist beginning to reassess both his career and his life beyond the recording studio.

Tracklisting
Running On Ice
This Is The Time
A Matter Of Trust
Modern Woman
Baby Grand (duet with Ray Charles)
Big Man On Mulberry Street
Temptation
Code Of Silence (duet with Cyndi Lauper)
Getting Closer