Which Billy Joel song won both Record of the Year and Song of the Year at the 1979 Grammy Awards?
Answer
Just the Way You Are
“Just the Way You Are” won both Record of the Year and Song of the Year at the 1979 Grammy Awards.
Billy Joel released the song on his 1977 album The Stranger, where it became one of the record’s defining tracks. Its smooth, romantic arrangement stood apart from the harder-driving songs elsewhere on the album, and the single reached No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100.
At the 21st Annual Grammy Awards in 1979, the recording received Record of the Year, while the composition itself received Song of the Year. Those are separate awards: Record of the Year honors the recorded performance and production, whereas Song of the Year recognizes songwriting.
The song was Joel’s first U.S. Top 10 single and helped push The Stranger from a risky follow-up to a major commercial success. “Only the Good Die Young,” “My Life,” and “Honesty” are associated with Joel, but none won both of these 1979 awards.