Honesty (Billy Joel song)

"Honesty"
Single by Billy Joel
from the album 52nd Street
B-side	"Root Beer Rag" "Big Shot" (PER)
Released	1979
Format	7"
Recorded	1978
Genre	Rock
Length	3:53
Label	Columbia
Writer(s)	Billy Joel
Producer	Phil Ramone
Certification	Gold (RIAJ)
Billy Joel singles chronology
"Big Shot" (1979) "Honesty" (1979) "Until the Night" (1979)

"Honesty" is a song by Billy Joel released in 1979 as the third single from his album 52nd Street. It was solely written by Joel, while production was handled by Phil Ramone. It reached number 24 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100, becoming the album's third consecutive top 40 hit. A well-known ballad that received much airplay, the song nevertheless has the odd distinction of not being included on any of Joel's US released compilation packages although it does appear on the Dutch edition as well as the aforementioned Japanese edition of Greatest Hits Volume 2, instead of "Don't Ask Me Why".

Background and composition

"Honesty" was solely written by Billy Joel while production was handled by Phil Ramone. The song was included on South Korean and Japanese edition of Joel's 1985 compilation Greatest Hits Volume 2 as one of the bonus tracks, and has been featured on the country's multiple TV commercials to date.^{[citation needed]} David Spinozza plays the acoustic guitar in the song and Robert Freedman the horn and string orchestration. "Honesty" is a ballad about the inherent lack of same even in the closest of relationships. In the song Joel sings the lines "Honesty is such a lonely word." "Leningrad" (1989), a song by Joel's eleventh studio album, Storm Front has been compared to "Honesty". According to the sheet music published on the website Musicnotes.com by Faber Music, "Honesty" is a pop rock and classical rock song written in the key of B♭ major. The song is set in common time and performed in a slow tempo of 80 beats per minute. Joel's vocals range from the note of B_b3 to A₅.

Reception

While reviewing 52nd Street Stephen Thomas Erlewine of the website Allmusic noted that "Honesty" was one of Joel's best songs. "Honesty" peaked at number 16 on the Canadian Singles Chart. On July 28, 1979 the song debuted at number 31 on the Dutch Top 40 which later become its peak position. The next week, the song fell seven position placing at number 38. However on August 11, 1979, the song charted at number 35 before falling out of the chart the next week. In New Zealand, "Honesty" debuted at number 47, on June 10, 1979 and later peaked at number 38. After its peak position, the song fell out of the chart. On the Billboard Hot 100 the song peaked at number 24. In May 2009, Joel's version was certified gold by Recording Industry Association of Japan for ringtone download sales of over 100,000 units.

Live performances

Joel performed the song with Elton John at Giants Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey in July, 1994. First, they sang "Your Song" (1970) by John and after that they performed "Honesty" while playing on the piano. "Honesty" was also performed by John and Joel on March, 29, 1995 in SkyDome, Toronto. The same routine was performed in May, 1998 in Dublin. On July 31, 2006, Joel performed the song with Canadian rock singer-songwriter Bryan Adams in Colosseum, Rome, Italy.

Credits and personnel

Credits for "Honesty" are taken from 52nd Street liner notes.

• Billy Joel - writing, vocals, piano
• Phil Ramone - producing
• David Spinozza - acoustic guitar
• Robert Freedman - horn and string orchestration

Track listing

1. "Honesty"
2. "Root Beer Rag"
3. "The Mexican Connection" (US B-Side)

Charts

Chart (1979)	Peak position
Canadian Singles Chart	16
Dutch Top 40	31
Japan Oricon Singles Chart[citation needed]	53
New Zealand (RIANZ)	38
US Billboard Hot 100	24

Cover versions

"Honesty" has been particularly popular in South Korea and Japan for decades and covered by East Asian musicians like Chikuzen Sato, Hajime Mizoguchi, Nicotine, and K. In 1981, Mexican singer David Haro recorded under the title "Sinceridad" from the album Calido. There is a potential resemblance of part of this song to a song by Paul Simon called "Tenderness", taken from the 1973 album There Goes Rhymin' Simon.^{[citation needed]} "From Marcy to Hollywood", a song by American rappers Jay-Z, Memphis Bleek and Sauce Money from the soundtrack album The Players Club, (1998) featured a sample of "Honesty".

Beyoncé Knowles version

"Honesty"
Song by Beyoncé Knowles from the album I Am... Sasha Fierce: Platinum Edition
Recorded	2007
Genre	Urban contemporary, adult contemporary
Length	3:47
Label	Columbia
Writer	Billy Joel,
I Am... Sasha Fierce: Platinum Edition track listing
"Why Don't You Love Me" (15) "Honesty" (16) "Save the Hero" (17)

In 2008, American recording artist, Beyoncé Knowles re-recorded Billy Joel's version of the song for a compilation album of her former group Destiny's Child, titled Mathew Knowles & Music World Present Vol.1: Love Destiny. The song was later included on the Platinum Edition of her third solo album, I Am... Sasha Fierce (2008). Pip Ellwood of Entertainment Focus described Knowles' version of the song as a "turgid" ballad that doesn't "add too much to the record". Serving as the sixteenth track to Knowles' platinum edition re-release of I Am... Sasha Fierce, the song contrasts with previous tracks such as "Why Don't You Love Me". It showcases Knowles' "soulful" voice and "outstanding" vocal range as stated by Hannah Spencer of Allgigs. "Honesty" became very popular on the Korean charts, peaking at number 2. It was later performed during her concert at the Olympic Gymnastics Arena in Seoul on October 20, 2009.