An Innocent Man (song)

"An Innocent Man" is a 1983 song performed by Billy Joel released as the third single from his album of the same name. The song, whose musical style is an homage to Ben E. King and the Drifters, reached No. 10 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, the third consecutive top 10 single from the album.^[5] It also spent one week at No. 1 on the Billboard adult contemporary chart.^[6]

"An Innocent Man"
Single by Billy Joel
from the album An Innocent Man
B-side	"I'll Cry Instead" (live)
Released	December 1983[1]
Genre	Doo-wop[2] pop rock[3] soul[2] R&B[4]
Length	5:17
Label	Columbia
Songwriter(s)	Billy Joel
Producer(s)	Phil Ramone
Billy Joel singles chronology
"Uptown Girl" (1983) "An Innocent Man" (1983) "The Longest Time" (1984)

Joel was quoted in a 1997 interview describing the high notes he sang during the song: "I had a suspicion that was going to be the last time I was going to be able to hit those notes, so why not go out in a blaze of glory? That was the end of Billy's high note."^[6]

Reception

Cash Box said that "sounding soulful with a suburban lilt, Joel takes a cue from the Righteous Bros. in a performance that recalls Joel’s previous 'Until the Night.'"^[7]

Walter Everett described the song's lyrics as "one of Joel's deepest".^[8]

Chart positions

Chart (1983-1984)	Peak position
Australia (Kent Music Report)[9]	23
Canada Top Singles (RPM)[10]	16
Ireland (IRMA)	3
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[11]	24
UK Singles (OCC)[12]	8
US Billboard Hot 100[13]	10
US Billboard Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks[14]	1
Venezuela (UPI)[15]	5

Year-end chart (1984)	Rank
UK Singles (Gallup)[16]	64
US Top Pop Singles (Billboard)[17]	72

Certifications

Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
United Kingdom (BPI)[18]	Silver	250,000^
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

See also

• List of number-one adult contemporary singles of 1984 (U.S.)

References

1. Strong, Martin Charles (1995). Great Rock Discography. Canongate Press. p. 437. ISBN 978-0-86241-541-9.
2. Mitchell, Matt (January 20, 2024). "The 25 Greatest Billy Joel Songs of All Time". Paste. Retrieved January 20, 2024.
3. https://rateyourmusic.com/song/billy-joel/an-innocent-man/
4. Molanphy, Chris (April 30, 2020). "Still Billy Joel to Me Edition". Hit Parade | Music History and Music Trivia (Podcast). Slate. Retrieved April 2, 2024.
5. Whitburn, Joel (2004). The Billboard Book of Top 40 Hits, 8th Edition (Billboard Publications)
6. Hyatt, Wesley (1999). The Billboard Book of #1 Adult Contemporary Hits (Billboard Publications)
7. "Reviews" (PDF). Cash Box. December 10, 1983. p. 7. Retrieved July 20, 2022.
8. Everett, Walter (2000). "The learned vs. the vernacular in the songs of Billy Joel". Contemporary Music Review. 18 (4): 117. doi:10.1080/07494460000640051. ISSN 0749-4467.
9. Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992. St Ives, NSW: Australian Chart Book. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
10. "Top RPM Singles: Issue 4473." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved November 19, 2024.
11. "Billy Joel – An Innocent Man". Top 40 Singles.
12. "Billy Joel: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company.
13. "Billy Joel Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved December 21, 2023.
14. "Billy Joel Chart History (Adult Contemporary)". Billboard. Retrieved December 21, 2023.
15. "Las canciones más populares en América Latina". La Opinión (Los Angeles) (in Spanish). April 9, 1984. Retrieved October 1, 2024.
16. "Top 100 Singles 1984" (PDF). Music Week. Retrieved September 18, 2022.
17. "Talent Almanac 1985: Top Pop Singles". Billboard. Vol. 96, no. 51. December 22, 1984. p. TA-19.
18. "British single certifications – Billy Joel – An Innocent Man". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved November 3, 2023.