Cat No. JM103030
Price £35.00
Composer: Billy Joel
Arranger: Tom Davoren
Category: Pop Music

The music was specially arranged for Reg Vardy’s ’Time' programme for Brass in Concert 2018 at the Sage, Newcastle by Tom Davoren.
 
It utilizes a standing group at the front of the stage imitating a barbershop Choir.
 
The Woodblock and Triangle parts can be played by any of the other band members as they are only used at the conclusion of the piece.

"The Longest Time" is a doo-wop single by Billy Joel. The song was released as a single in 1984 as the fourth single from the 1983 album An Innocent Man. Following the theme of the album in paying tribute to Joel's musical influences, the song is presented in the style of Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers. It reached number 14 on the Billboard Hot 100 and number 1 on Billboard's Adult Contemporary chart. In the United Kingdom the song reached number 25 on the UK Singles Chart.

The song features Joel on /ead vocals and all backing vocals. Two musical instruments are present in the song:
a bass guitar and a snare drum being played with brushes. When the song is covered by vocal groups, the bass part is typically sung. All other sounds in the song are Joel's vocals, along with percussive sounds such as finger snaps and hand claps. Phil Ramone and Joel had intended to feature a vocal group but Joel recorded each of the parts himself.