Big Shot

When Joel appeared on The Howard Stern Show in 2010, he explained that he wrote this song about Bianca Jagger, who was a socialite married to Mick Jagger, but it was written from Mick's perspective. Mick and Bianca were on the outs and divorced shortly before the album was released, and Billy was thinking about how Mick would sing the song to Bianca when he recorded it.

Phil Ramone produced 52nd Street. The theme of the album is nighttime in Manhattan.

Big Shot is the name of a popular Billy Joel tribute band. Formed by Joel soundalike Mike DelGuidice in 2000, the band quickly grew a following in Long Island, and after Joel stopped touring in 2010 to recover from hip-replacement surgery, two members of his band, guitarist Tommy Byrnes and drummer Chuck Burgi, joined Big Shot. When Joel started touring again in 2013, he had DelGuidice stand in for him at rehearsals, and then asked him to join the tour as support on vocals and acoustic guitar. DelGuidice was thrilled, and enthusiastically accepted the offer. He continued performing with Big Shot when he wasn't working with Joel.