by Jake Topp
The Beatles incorporated the use of a piano much more so than most other rock bands. While most of their songs were guitar based, a number of them were based primarily around the piano. Seven of The Beatles best piano based songs are featured in this article.
"Let It Be" is one of The Beatles most timeless songs and like all seven of The Beatles piano based songs in this article it was sung and written by Paul McCartney (who also played the piano on all of these songs). It was the title track of the last album The Beatles released, although it was actually recorded before Abbey Road. It was a hit single in countries around the world and is still among their most popular songs today.
"Hey Jude" was groundbreaking for it's length (over seven minutes long) and for a long time it was the longest #1 single ever in the US and the UK. It was one of The Beatles most commercially and critically successful songs. Like many of The Beatles greatest singles, it was never included on a Beatles album. But it has been, of course, included on Beatles "great hits" compilations along with the Past Masters compilation (which includes all of the Beatles singles not released on albums, it's highly recommended). "Hey Jude" is the highest ranking Beatles song on the 2004 Rolling Stone magazine list of the 500 greatest songs of all time (it's ranked at #8.)
"For No One" is a very beautiful ballad from Revolver. Along with the piano, it also features a french horn and a harpsichord. The Beatles were always looking for new sounds to try on their recordings. This song is less well known than it should be. Those of you who only have The Beatles "greatest hits" compilations are really missing out on some of their greatest work. Buy the albums!
"Lady Madonna" is an upbeat song whose melody so catchy that it became a hit again in the 1990s when Sublime used it for their song "What I Got." Along with that catchy melody and the piano, the song also features a saxophone and a suitably awesome bass line by Paul McCartney. And here's a tip: If you haven't, start paying attention to The Beatles bass lines. They're awesome.
"Good Day Sunshine" is a brilliant tune from Revolver that is fun and catchy but also sort of slyly tongue in cheek. The piano licks help make this song great.
"The Long and Winding Road" is a pretty ballad that was overblown by Phil Spector's over the top production on the version released in 1970. The more stripped back version heard on Let It Be... Naked allows you to hear McCartney's true intention for this song (and lets you hear the piano that's pretty much drowned out in the Spector version). I really like the little organ solo on the stripped down version.
"The Fool on the Hill" is a rather quirky tune which includes piano but certainly has many other sounds in there as well (the flutes stand out in particular).
Jake Topp recommends going to http://www.musicbyday.com/pianolessons.html to find out about Rocket Piano which can help you to learn how to play piano like The Beatles.
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