The Nylon Curtain is an album by Billy Joel. It was released by CBS in 1982 (see 1982 in music) and produced by Phil Ramone.

The album is perhaps best known for bringing global attention to the plight of Allentown, Pennsylvania. In the song "Allentown," the lead track, Joel sings of the city's resoluteness amidst the demise of industry in this eastern Pennsylania city.

"The Nylon Curtain" was the seventh best selling album of 1982, with two million sales in the United States alone.

Track listing

all songs by Billy Joel

1. "Allentown" - 3:52
2. "Laura" - 5:05
3. "Pressure" - 4:40
4. "Goodnight Saigon" - 7:04
5. "She's Right on Time" - 4:14
6. "A Room of Our Own" - 4:04
7. "Surprises" - 3:26
8. "Scandinavian Skies" - 6:00
9. "Where's the Orchestra?" - 5:47

Personnel

• Billy Joel - vocals, piano, synthesizer, hammond organ, melodica
• Liberty DeVitto - drums, percussion
• Doug Stegmeyer - bass
• Russell Javors - electric guitar (rhythm), acoustic guitar (rhythm)
• David Brown - electric guitar (lead), acoustic guitar (lead)
• Dave Grusin - string and horn arrangement
• David Nadien - concertmaster on all except "Laura" and "Scandinavian Skies"
• "String Fever" - strings on "Laura" and "Scandinavian Skies"
• Domonick Cortese - accordian on "Where's the Orchestra?"
• Charles McCracken - cello on "Where's the Orchestra?"
• Eddie Daniels - saxophone and clarinet on "Where's the Orchestra?"
• Rob Mounsey - synthesizer on "Scandinavian Skies"
• Bill Zampino - field snare on "Goodnight Saigon"