`` Takiff , Jonathan ( credited as Philadelphia Daily News writer ) , `` Talent comes naturally to Alexa Ray Joel '' ( WebCite archive ) , Belleville News-Democrat ( bnd.com ) , August 27 , 2009.In 2006 Joel remarked that `` It 's no wonder I write music in the same way ( my father ) does : melody first , and lyrics second . ''
Alexa Ray Joel 's musical upbringing with her father Billy Joel gave her a unique inside-peek into the songwriting process .