Writer: Billy Joel
Producer: Phil Ramone
Recorded: Summer 1979 to early 1980 in New York City
Released: March 1980
| Players: | Billy Joel — vocals, piano David Brown — guitar Russell Javors — guitar Doug Stegmeyer — bass Richie Cannata — organ, saxophone Liberty DeVitto — drums |
| Album: | Glass Houses (Columbia) |
“You May Be Right” kicked off Billy Joel's Glass Houses album with the sound of shattering glass and a guitar attack that signaled a step away from Joel's established, piano-dominated pop style.
Joel explained that “You May Be Right,” and some of the other Glass Houses tracks, were inspired by the heavy touring he did in the late '70s: “I wanted to write bigger songs that had a lot of energy in them. I felt I needed to do songs that were bigger, could be louder, a lot faster, shorter, and punchier…That was one of the most fun albums I've ever made.”
Joel posed for promotional photos for Glass Houses in a very new wave-looking black outfit and tie. He acknowledged, “There was a new wave influence, but I wasn't trying to do new wave.” Rather, he was nodding to the style of garage rockers such as the Standells and Them, who were among his favorites while growing up.
“You May Be Right” peaked at Number Seven on the Billboard Hot 100.
Glass Houses spent six weeks at Number One on the Billboard 200 chart, and it was Joel's third consecutive million-seller.
Glass Houses won the 1981 Grammy for Best Rock Vocal Performance, Male, as well as the American Music Award for Favorite Album, Pop/Rock.
