She 's Got a Way - wikipedia She 's Got a Way Not to be confused with She 's Got a Way with Words. `` She 's Got a Way '' Artwork for the 1982 live re-release Single by Billy Joel from the album Cold Spring Harbor and Songs in the Attic B - side `` Everybody Loves You Now '' `` The Ballad of Billy the Kid '' ( 1982 ) Released 1972, 1982 Format 7 '' Recorded July 1971 at Record Plant Studios, Los Angeles, CA June 1980 at Paradise Club, Boston, MA Genre Soft rock Length 3 : 00 3 : 10 ( live ) Label Family Productions ( U.S. ) Philips ( UK ) Columbia ( live re-release ) Songwriter ( s ) Billy Joel Producer ( s ) Artie Ripp Phil Ramone ( live re-recording ) Billy Joel singles chronology `` She 's Got a Way '' ( 1972 ) `` Piano Man '' ( 1973 ) `` She 's Got a Way '' ( 1972 ) `` Piano Man '' ( 1973 ) `` Say Goodbye to Hollywood '' ( Live ) ( 1981 ) Say Goodbye to Hollywood 1981 `` She 's Got a Way '' ( Live ) ( 1982 ) She 's Got a Way1982 `` Pressure '' ( 1982 ) Pressure 1982 `` She 's Got a Way '' is a song by American singer - songwriter Billy Joel, originally released on his first solo album, Cold Spring Harbor ( 1971 ) and as a single from that album in some countries. It was also featured as a single from the 1981 live album Songs in the Attic, peaking at number 23 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in early 1982. Contents 1 Lyrics and music 2 Critical reception 3 Live version 4 Chart performance 5 Cover versions 6 References 7 External links Lyrics and music `` She 's Got a Way '' is a love ballad. The lyrics to `` She 's Got a Way '' have the singer describing how various characteristics of a particular woman, such as her laugh, make him love her, even though he ca n't understand why. To music critic Mark Bego it 's a song about a woman who has `` mesmerized '' him. Joel biographer Fred Schruers describes the lyrics as a `` plainspoken, never - quite - corny adoration of a loved one. '' According to a friend of the couple, Bruce Gentile, the song was written about Joel 's first wife Elizabeth. Schruers describes the song 's melody as alternating between `` surging '' and `` relenting. '' The original studio version has minimal instrumentation. The most prominent instruments are Joel 's piano and some cymbal crashes. Schruers describes Joel 's piano playing as `` stately. '' On the 1983 reissue of Cold Spring Harbor, `` She 's Got a Way '' also incorporated strings, which may have been inspired by a live performance at Carnegie Hall in New York City at which strings were included in the instrumentation. Schruers attributes some of the poignance of the song to the way Joel sings the final word of the final phrase `` I do n't know what it is / But there does n't have to be a reason anyway. '' Schruers describes the last word `` anyway '' as hanging in the air, `` trailing off '' and `` disrupting the tempo '' and thus `` seemingly giving in to the emotion '' of love. In a 1981 interview, Joel expressed mixed feelings about the song : `` I thought it was cornball for years. I had trouble singing it at first. Then I got into it and decided everybody has a corny side, I suppose ''. Joel originally included `` She 's Got a Way '' on a five - song demo tape that also included other songs that would appear on Cold Spring Harbor such as `` Everybody Loves You Now '' and `` Tomorrow Is Today '' which Joel made in an unsuccessful attempt to secure his first solo recording contract with Paramount Records. Critical reception Allmusic critic Stephen Thomas Erlewine described the studio version as being `` lovely '' and rated it as one of Joel 's `` finest songs. '' Bego described it as a `` beautiful love ballad '' and one of Joel 's `` most serious and adult compositions. '' Joel biographer Hank Bordowitz called it a `` remarkable composition that, while not great, at least indicate ( d ) a rising talent. '' Billboard Magazine 's Roy Waddell similarly described it as a `` chestnut '' that did n't get its `` proper due '' until the live version was released on Songs in the Attic. Joel biographer Fred Schruers described as the one `` gem '' from Cold Spring Harbor. According to Rolling Stone Album Guide critic Paul Evans, `` She 's Got a Way '' `` set the pattern for the ballads Joel would soon turn out effortlessly. '' Live version The version released on Songs in the Attic was recorded at a live performance in Boston in 1980. Joel performs the song with only his piano accompanying him. Ken Bielen describes the performance as being influenced by Paul McCartney 's style and says that the small venue with its `` attentive audience '' provides an `` intense intimacy. '' Schruers describes this version as being `` a technically better performance much more in a chest register '' but does not consider it as poignant as the original version. Allmusic critic Stephen Thomas Erlewine calls this version `` richer and warmer '' than the studio version. Chart performance Chart ( 1981 ) Peak position Canada RPM Top Singles 46 Canada RPM Adult Contemporary U.S. Billboard Hot 100 23 U.S. Billboard Adult Contemporary Cover versions Michael Sweet covered this song on 2007 's Touched. Phil Keaggy covered the song on 2007 's Acoustic Café, accompanied only by acoustic guitar. Ken Bielen described this version as being `` sweet, gentle and simple. '' Don Henley sang `` She 's Got a Way '' as a tribute to Joel when Joel was awarded a Kennedy Center Honor in 2013. Margie Joseph recorded a femme version of the song, titled `` He 's Got a Way, '' in 1974. Her version uses electric piano as the primary instrument, and adds a Hammond B - 3 organ in the third verse to add a touch of gospel music influence. She also adds a gospel choir for background vocals which, in Bielen 's opinion gives the impression that her interpretation may be directed towards God rather than a human lover. Bernadette Peters covered `` He 's Got a Way '' on her 1996 album I 'll Be Your Baby Tonight, accompanied only on piano. Bielen described this version as being `` technically perfect albeit emotion - filled. '' Erlewine says that she is `` well - suited '' to its `` pseudo-show tune stylings. '' References Jump up ^ Whitburn, Joel ( 2004 ). The Billboard Book of Top 40 Hits, 8th Edition ( Billboard Publications ) ^ Jump up to : Bego, Mark ( 2007 ). Billy Joel : The Biography. Thunder 's Mouth Press. p. 58. ISBN 9781560259893. ^ Jump up to : Bielen, Ken ( 2011 ). The Words and Music of Billy Joel. ABC - CLIO. pp. 21, 124, 129, 131. ISBN 9780313380167. ^ Jump up to : Schruers, Fred ( 2014 ). Billy Joel : The Definitive Biography. Crown Archetype. pp. 80 -- 81, 348. ISBN 9780804140201. ^ Jump up to : Bordowitz, Hank ( 2006 ). Billy Joel : The Life & Times of an Angry Young Man. Billboard Books. pp. 36, 41, 51, 238. ISBN 9780823082483. Jump up ^ Campbell, Mary ; Associated Press ( 1981 ). `` Billy Joel Records Early Songs ''. Retrieved 2010 - 02 - 19. CS1 maint : Multiple names : authors list ( link ) Jump up ^ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. `` Cold Spring Harbor ''. Allmusic. Retrieved 2016 - 04 - 09. Jump up ^ Waddell, Roy ( May 9, 2009 ). `` The Legend of Billy the Kid ''. Billboard Magazine. p. 32. Retrieved 2016 - 04 - 09. Jump up ^ Evans, Paul ( 2004 ). Brackett, Nathan ; Hoard, Christian, eds. The Rolling Stone Album Guide ( 4th ed. ). Fireside. p. 434. ISBN 0743201698. Jump up ^ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. `` Songs in the Attic ''. Allmusic. Retrieved 2016 - 04 - 09. Jump up ^ Collectionscanda.gc.ca Jump up ^ Collectionscanda.gc.ca Jump up ^ `` Touched ''. Allmusic. Retrieved 2016 - 04 - 09. Jump up ^ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. `` I 'll Be Your Baby Tonight ''. Allmusic. Retrieved 2016 - 04 - 09. External links Lyrics of this song at MetroLyrics Billy Joel Studio albums Cold Spring Harbor Piano Man Streetlife Serenade Turnstiles The Stranger 52nd Street Glass Houses The Nylon Curtain An Innocent Man The Bridge Storm Front River of Dreams Fantasies & Delusions Live albums Songs in the Attic KOHЦEPT 2000 Years : The Millennium Concert 12 Gardens Live Live at Shea Stadium : The Concert Compilations Greatest Hits, Vol. 1 -- 3 Souvenir : The Ultimate Collection The Ultimate Collection The Essential Billy Joel Piano Man : The Very Best of Billy Joel My Lives The Hits Singles `` She 's Got a Way '' `` Piano Man '' `` You 're My Home '' `` Worse Comes to Worst '' `` Travelin ' Prayer '' `` The Ballad of Billy the Kid '' `` The Entertainer '' `` Just the Way You Are '' `` Movin ' Out ( Anthony 's Song ) '' `` Only the Good Die Young '' `` She 's Always a Woman '' `` Vienna '' `` The Stranger '' `` My Life '' `` Big Shot '' `` Honesty '' `` Until the Night '' `` All for Leyna '' `` You May Be Right '' `` It 's Still Rock and Roll to Me '' `` Do n't Ask Me Why '' `` Sometimes a Fantasy '' `` Say Goodbye to Hollywood '' ( Live ) `` She 's Got a Way '' ( Live ) `` Pressure '' `` Allentown '' `` Goodnight Saigon '' `` Tell Her About It '' `` Uptown Girl '' `` An Innocent Man '' `` The Longest Time '' `` Leave a Tender Moment Alone '' `` This Night '' `` Keeping the Faith '' `` You 're Only Human ( Second Wind ) '' `` The Night Is Still Young '' `` Modern Woman '' `` A Matter of Trust '' `` This Is the Time '' `` Baby Grand '' `` Back in the U.S.S.R. '' ( Live ) `` We Did n't Start the Fire '' `` Leningrad '' `` I Go to Extremes '' `` The Downeaster ' Alexa ' '' `` That 's Not Her Style '' `` And So It Goes '' `` Shameless '' `` All Shook Up '' `` The River of Dreams '' `` All About Soul '' `` No Man 's Land '' `` Lullabye ( Goodnight, My Angel ) '' `` To Make You Feel My Love '' `` Hey Girl '' `` All My Life '' `` Christmas in Fallujah '' Other songs `` Everybody Loves You Now '' `` Captain Jack '' `` Los Angelenos '' `` Root Beer Rag '' `` New York State of Mind '' `` Prelude / Angry Young Man '' `` Miami 2017 ( Seen the Lights Go Out on Broadway ) '' `` Scenes from an Italian Restaurant '' `` Zanzibar '' `` Laura '' `` Scandinavian Skies '' `` Big Man on Mulberry Street '' Tours An Innocent Man Tour Face to Face 1994 Face to Face 1995 Face to Face 1998 Face to Face 2001 Face to Face 2003 Face to Face 2009 Face to Face 2010 Billy Joel in Concert Film Oliver & Company The Last Play at Shea See also Discography Movin ' Out Billy Joel Band The Hassles Attila Alexa Ray Joel Christie Brinkley Katie Lee `` Movin ' Out '' ( Glee episode ) Book Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=She%27s_Got_a_Way&oldid=809421012 '' Categories : Billy Joel songs 1971 songs 1972 singles 1982 singles Live singles Songs written by Billy Joel Columbia Records singles Philips Records singles Song recordings produced by Artie Ripp Song recordings produced by Phil Ramone Hidden categories : CS1 maint : Multiple names : authors list Music infoboxes with deprecated parameters Articles with hAudio microformats Talk Contents About Wikipedia Norsk nynorsk Português Edit links This page was last edited on 9 November 2017, at 00 : 16. 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Question: who is she's got a way about
Answer: Joel's first wife Elizabeth