Just The Way You Are (Billy Joel)

Jessye Norman (soprano)
John Williams (piano)

Opera diva, Jessye Norman moves into more popular territory with a rather unusual cover of Billy Joel's 1977 hit 'Just The Way You Are' (from his album 'The Stranger'). Jessye and John made this recording in 1992. The full text is as follows: --

Don't go changing, to try and please me
You never let me down before.
Don't imagine you're too familiar
And I don't see you anymore.
I would not leave you in times of trouble
We never could have come this far.
I took the good times, I'll take the bad times
I'll take you just the way you are.

Don't go trying some new fashion,
Don't change the color of your hair.
You always have my unspoken passion
Although I might not seem to care.

I don't want clever conversation,
I never want to work that hard.
I just want someone that I can talk to --
I want you just the way you are.

I need to know that you will always be
The same old someone that I knew.
What will it take 'till you believe in me
The way that I believe in you?

I said I love you and that's forever
And this I promise from my heart:
I couldn't love you any better
I love you just the way you are.

(The piano solo at the opening is very quiet!)