Rock and Piano Sock Guitar and Pianoongs
Post Views: 284,270
(Last Updated On: August 17, 2021)
Originally posted May '15, updated August '21.
Hello, fellow lovers!
In today's post, we will listen to . Obviously, most of the popular songs in are based mostly on guitars and only about 3% of songs in a and modern feature as the main instrument that drives the .
However, when the is indeed used as the main instrument and the is being driven successfully by it, (like in the examples below) we can almost say that more often than not, those songs can become hits thanks to the special touch, vibes and beautiful sounds that this huge instrument brings with it.
These are songs that were mostly seen as milestones in the way that the is perceived and the different range of emotions it can evoke in the listeners. Let's start with the listed below.
The 15 Best Piano Rock Songs of All Times
Elton John at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles 1975 (© Terry O'Neill)
15 – Pink Floyd – The Great Gig In The Sky
Pink Floyd's The Great Gig In The Sky is a piano rock song with a few words but has excellent vocals. And if you're wondering who is behind that majestic that voice. That's the voice of Clare Torry
14 – Elton John – Your Song
Elton John's Your Song is one of my favorite piano rock songs. I think this song motivated me to learn the piano. This footage was Elton's second appearance on Top Of The Pops on Jan. 14, 1971. This was just a week before his song became the first-ever entry on the UK Singles Chart. Well done, Elton!
13 – Queen – Bohemian Rhapsody (1975)
The that turned Queen into such a symbol is our list opener. The influences here (Freddie Mercury grew up playing ) are very prominent and mixed hard with a lot of n' roll, incredible vocal harmonies , and Brian May's famous .
The moves from touching hymn arpeggios in the verses into a very jumpy classical style in the bridges. A big challenge for the amateur – chords can be grabbed here .
12 – Elton John – Levon (1974)
The British king of makes his first appearance on the list with this beautiful that shows just the right way to play " " while remaining captivating in your playing during the whole time.
Jon Bon Jovi covered Levon in a " fashion" for the 1991 tribute that contained 16 different Elton John covers by different artists. Bon Jovi claims Levon is his " of all time".
11 -- David Bowie – Changes (1971)
Another British diva kicks in at number 11. Beautiful runs all over the keyboard, hard bassy smashes on the low notes, enticing before the chorus. A great showcase of different techniques, enjoy.
10 – Alicia Keys – Fallin' (2001)
The debut single from the of Alicia Keys that entitled her for the of the year . You can classify this as more of an R&B than but it still deserves the spot on the list thanks to the beautiful calm arpeggios that clash beautifully with Keys' soulful voice that's going all over the place. All coming out from her own petite fingers. Such an impressive performance!
9 – Styx – Come Sail Away (1977)
"I'mmmm sailing away"… A true prog- beauty that also provides great training exercises (click here for the sheets) with a lot of different spices – maj7, sus 4, sus 2 that you can clearly hear in the recording and imitate yourself.
The "prog-" thing kicks in when the is abandoned in the second part of the and in comes the heavy drums and the electric guitars. Personally, I like the part much more but nevertheless, it is still an excellent piece.
8 – Adele – Make You Feel My Love (Bob Dylan cover) (2008)
Adele took an unfamiliar Bob Dylan from 1997 and turned it into a sad lovers hymn hummed by millions and millions all over the world. I don't know about you, but I don't think the would have had such an impact with a different main instrument. Some songs just demand a to get fully delivered and this one is one of them…
7 – The Beatles – Let It Be (1970)
As much as Let It Be is so overdone by now, give it another listen. I have truly never heard another way of making only 4 chords sound so good. C-G-Am-F is still where it's at apparently… (:
Do you play guitar? Read why it's such a great idea to start playing the piano as well:
6 – Joni Mitchell – River (1971)
Joni Mitchell in an interesting christmas mix jingle bells and a heart tearing folky ballad about a gone lover and the longing for home in Canada, written presumably from California.
Mitchell Plays the parts herself in all of her songs which is something I appreciate a lot.
5 – Billy Preston – Nothing From Nothing (1974)
It's just like virtuoso Billy Preston came and said: "It's about goddamn time someone will show people how a can be a lively, happy and funky instrument that can bring smiles to faces and not just tears". Enjoy this one!
4 – Billy Joel – New York State of Mind (1976)
Billy Joel, New York native, in one of the most recognizable New York City classics, up there with Sinatra's New York. I don't have any words to add, just watch and judge for yourself. There's also a beautiful sax solo like a lot of other Billy Joel songs, he has a great sax player and those two instruments seem to go very well together. This live version with Bruce Springsteen is my favorite.
3 – Neil Young – After The Gold Rush (1970)
A British friend I met on my travels in New Zealand named Sam told me that this is going to be his funeral . This one and not any other. Funny considering he's only in his 20's… Listen to it and you might understand why. Neil Young in a sad and peaceful performance backed up by a very hearty (yet simple) playing.
2 – Simon & Garfunkel – Bridge Over Troubled Water (1970)
Eargasm. One of the songs that I am sure that even a 100 years from now our great-grandchildren are still going to look up to when they think of what a true masterpiece really is – one that has no expiration date. The here is on a whole different level of beauty, especially when it's backed up by a section of violins and a stellar vocal performance.
1 – Elton John – Tiny Dancer (1970)
Coming into the first place is one of the most epic songs I know. The lyrics talk about the bandwagon groupie girl who's the "tiny dancer", one that came to life 30 years later in Almost Famous with Kate Hudson. The verses that travel back and forth and seem like you can fly along with them, the huge build-up before the chorus, and the chorus… That falsetto! Damn!
Surprisingly enough for , (hold on…), this one became such a hit after Almost Famous that almost everybody knows the words to it, and thanks to that, have made it to the Best Campfire Songs list as well.
That's it friends , thank you for reading and I hope you enjoyed the list. You're welcome to use the share buttons below and to add more opinions in the comment section below. Best.
A Note for Those Interested in Learning How to Play the Themselves:
I learned without a teacher but with an online course, and I highly recommend the course that I learned with. It focuses on playing songs, instead of focusing on . So if you like the songs above, you're going to deeply enjoy that method.
Read more about it here . If you want to read more about why it's so good to focus on songs and instead of on classical pieces so this post is for you: For Beginners – Learn EASILY By Avoiding The Biggest Learning Mistake!
The Smartest Way to Learn : read about The Chords Method that I learned with. Note: not intended for , the method teaches how to play songs.
The Smartest Way to Learn Piano: read about The Chords Method that I learned piano with. Note: not intended for classical music, the method teaches how to play songs.
—
What's your favorite ? Tell us in a comment below. Thanks for participating in the discussion!
Alon Cooper
Hey there! My name's Cooper, I am discovering the world while running my online teaching business, playing venues with a band / solo, and trying to learn with the most inspiring musicians wherever I go. In the last 8 years I've spent long periods in Australia, northern Europe, the USA, Sri Lanka and more. Originally I am from Tel Aviv, Israel. I hope I can be a helpful friend on your musical journey. 🙂
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Rock and Piano Sock Guitar and Pianoongs
Source: https://guitarsongsmasters.com/best-piano-rock-songs/
0 Response to "Rock and Piano Sock Guitar and Pianoongs"
Post a Comment