{"id":5076,"date":"2021-09-25T08:00:00","date_gmt":"2021-09-25T15:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/blog\/?p=5076"},"modified":"2023-01-09T15:38:07","modified_gmt":"2023-01-09T23:38:07","slug":"500-greatest-songs-of-all-time-piano","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/blog\/500-greatest-songs-of-all-time-piano\/","title":{"rendered":"Piano Songs from Rolling Stone&#8217;s 500 Greatest Songs of All Time"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>For the first time since 2004, <em>Rolling Stone<\/em> magazine has released a new <a href=\"https:\/\/www.rollingstone.com\/music\/music-lists\/best-songs-of-all-time-1224767\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">500 Greatest Songs of All Time<\/a> list. A culmination of efforts by songwriters, artists, producers, industry professionals, journalists, and staff, it was pared down fro  an initial 4000 songs. (You can find a breakdown of the voting process <a href=\"https:\/\/www.rollingstone.com\/music\/music-news\/500-greatest-songs-voters-list-1225358\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">here<\/a>.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>To celebrate the release of this list, we&#8217;ve compiled a list of songs that feature the piano. If you want to learn these songs, you can find most chord charts for free on Ultimate-Guitar.com. If you need a little more help, here are some free resources:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/blog\/how-to-play-piano-chords\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">How to Play Piano Chords: Triads, 7ths, Chord Extensions and More<\/a><\/strong> &#8211; if you&#8217;re completely new to chords, start here<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/blog\/reading-chord-charts\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">How to Read Chord Charts on Piano<\/a><\/strong> &#8211; knowing how to read chord charts unlocks hundreds, if not thousands of pop songs<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/blog\/play-any-song-on-the-piano\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Play Any Song on the Piano (3 Things to Know)<\/a><\/strong> &#8211; this lesson runs through all the steps to play practically <em>any<\/em> pop song on the piano<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/blog\/how-to-play-piano-by-ear\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">How to Play Piano By Ear in 10 Minutes<\/a><\/strong> &#8211; if you want to nail those iconic riffs by ear!<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>And don&#8217;t forget that for many of these songs, such as <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/blog\/how-to-play-let-it-be-piano\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">&#8220;Let It Be&#8221;<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/blog\/tiny-dancer-lesson\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">&#8220;Tiny Dancer,&#8221;<\/a> we have <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/blog\/song-tutorials\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">free tutorials<\/a> to give you a head start.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:10px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<iframe class=\"email-form-include-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/weekly-email\" frameborder=\"none\"><\/iframe>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:10px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-text-color has-cyan-bluish-gray-color has-css-opacity has-cyan-bluish-gray-background-color has-background is-style-dots\"\/>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:10px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Greatest Songs of All Time That Feature Piano<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Without further ado, here are songs on the <em>Rolling Stone<\/em> list that feature the piano:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:10px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>The Animals &#8211; &#8220;House of the Rising Sun&#8221; (#471)<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns are-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-9d6595d7 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>Let&#8217;s start with an e-organ classic: the folk ballad re-imagined by U.K. group The Animals, released two years after Bob Dylan&#8217;s version, about a girl trapped in a Southern brothel. The Animals changed the protagonist&#8217;s gender in their arrangement, and while Eric Burdon&#8217;s soaring vocals are the main star here, keyboardist and arranger Alan Price briefly steals the spotlight with an epic organ solo.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\nhttps:\/\/youtu.be\/0Fy7opKu46c\n<\/div><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:10px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Alicia Keys &#8211; &#8220;If I Ain&#8217;t Got You&#8221; (#440)<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns are-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-9d6595d7 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>Alicia Keys is now a piano legend (I mean, it&#8217;s in her name!). This emotional ballad was inspired by the untimely death of 22-year-old R&amp;B singer Aaliyah in 2001, and it&#8217;s passionately sung and dripping with loss. But it can also be interpreted as a statement against materialism. &#8220;The song idea came together right after Aaliyah passed away,&#8221; says <a href=\"https:\/\/www.complex.com\/music\/2011\/06\/alicia-keys-says-if-i-aint-got-you-was-inspired-by-aaliyahs-death\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Keys<\/a>. &#8220;It was such a sad time and no one wanted to believe it. It just made everything crystal clear to me\u2014what matters, and what doesn\u2019t.&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Alicia Keys almost gave the song away to Christina Aguilera, but a rep convinced her to keep it.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-4-3 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Alicia Keys - If I Ain&#039;t Got You (Official HD Video)\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/Ju8Hr50Ckwk?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:10px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Harry Styles &#8211; &#8220;Sign of the Times&#8221; (#428)<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns are-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-9d6595d7 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>&#8220;Sign of the Times&#8221; is Harry Styles&#8217; first single since striking his own path from One Direction. Produced in three hours, it&#8217;s a lush power ballad in the style of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.npr.org\/sections\/therecord\/2017\/05\/16\/528617874\/styles-of-the-times\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Britpop classics<\/a>. Simple, throbbing piano chords accompany Styles&#8217; soaring, falsetto vocals. And while the music video really shows off the (former) teen heartthrob&#8217;s hair, Styles proves he&#8217;s more than, well, style.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Harry Styles - Sign of the Times (Official Video)\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/qN4ooNx77u0?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:10px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Fiona Apple &#8211; &#8220;Criminal&#8221; (#423)<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns are-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-9d6595d7 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>18-year-old Fiona Apple wrote &#8220;Criminal&#8221; in all of 45 minutes. <em>Rolling Stone<\/em> describes the piano part as a &#8220;jagged piano bass line,&#8221; and this smoky track proves that pianos, too, can be aggressive. &#8220;Criminal&#8221; is Apple&#8217;s most successful single to date, peaking at #21 on the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.billboard.com\/music\/fiona-apple\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Billboard charts<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-4-3 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Fiona Apple - Criminal (Official HD Video)\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/FFOzayDpWoI?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:10px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Bonnie Raitt &#8211; &#8220;I Can&#8217;t Make You Love Me&#8221; (#372)<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns are-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-9d6595d7 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>Written by country songwriting legends Mike Reid and Allen Shamblin, &#8220;I Can&#8217;t Make You Love Me&#8221; took about <a href=\"https:\/\/americansongwriter.com\/lyric-of-the-week-i-cant-make-you-love-me-by-bonnie-raitt\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">six months<\/a> to write. But the end result was so heartbreaking to sing, Bonnie Raitt recorded it in one take. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A slow-moving ballad with gentle riffs on piano and organ, Raitt&#8217;s lovesick anthem has become somewhat of a pop standard; it&#8217;s been covered by Adele, George Michael, Boyz II Men, and Bon Iver.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Bonnie Raitt - I Can&#039;t Make You Love Me\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/nW9Cu6GYqxo?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:10px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<iframe class=\"email-form-include-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/weekly-email\" frameborder=\"none\"><\/iframe>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:10px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:10px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Billy Joel &#8211; &#8220;Scenes From an Italian Restaurant&#8221; (#324)<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns are-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-9d6595d7 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>&#8220;Scenes From an Italian Restaurant&#8221; is a three-part, 7.5-minute ode to life in suburban Long Island. Of the song&#8217;s subject, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/blog\/billy-joel\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Billy Joel <\/a>says it&#8217;s about people &#8220;who peaked a little too early in life.&#8221; He was inspired by George Martin&#8217;s collage approach to the second side of <em>Abbey Road<\/em>. The song definitely has a strung-together feel, but moves quite smoothly between the nostalgic moods of each section.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Billy Joel - Scenes from an Italian Restaurant (Official Audio)\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/Hxx8IWIvKg0?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:10px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:10px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Neil Young &#8211; &#8220;After the Gold Rush&#8221; (#322)<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns are-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-9d6595d7 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>Neil Young abandons his usual guitar-and-harmonica set-up for a piano ballad written in half an hour \u2014 with a touch of French horn. Inspired by a friend&#8217;s idea for a film about a natural disaster in California, its memorable, delicate vocals and sparse accompaniment evoke a strange feeling of nostalgia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Fun fact: Young&#8217;s piano player, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cbc.ca\/music\/after-the-gold-rush-5-facts-about-neil-young-s-breakthrough-solo-album-on-its-50th-anniversary-1.5727422\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Nils Lofgren<\/a>, did not know how to play piano when he recorded parts for Young. The accordion player was told &#8220;you&#8217;ll figure it out&#8221; and practiced &#8220;24\/7&#8221; to get his parts tight.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-4-3 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"After the Gold Rush\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/d6Zf4D1tHdw?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:10px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>The Doors &#8211; &#8220;Light My Fire&#8221; (#310)<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns are-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-9d6595d7 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>The 60s was when organs and keyboards rocked as hard as guitars and drums. The Doors&#8217; hit is a seven-minute masterpiece of sharp, shredding keyboards and Jim Morrison&#8217;s charismatic vocals, but the single version was cut to three minutes. According to <em>Rolling Stone<\/em>, this is the song that rocketed the Doors to celebrity status overnight.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"The Doors - Light My Fire (Official Vinyl Video)\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/_g_tuOS-iZ4?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:10px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:10px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:10px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Bruce Springsteen &#8211; &#8220;Jungleland&#8221; (#298)<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns are-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-9d6595d7 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>A twinkling, confident piano opens this nine-and-a-half-minute epic with a memorable motif, but its a saxophone that takes the spotlight. Recording the sax solo involved a 16-hour, intense studio session where Springsteen and saxophonist Clarence Clemons mapped out the solo note for note. According to <em>Rolling Stone<\/em>, Springsteen called the end product Clemons&#8217; &#8220;greatest recorded moment.&#8221; &#8220;Thunder Road,&#8221; another Springsteen track in the piano-driven <em>Born to Run<\/em> album, also makes an appearance on the Rolling Stone list at  #111. Title track &#8220;Born to Run&#8221; crests the top 30 at #27.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-4-3 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Bruce Springsteen - Jungleland [Album Version]\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/JR_0nbEzVdY?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:10px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:10px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Ray Charles &#8211; &#8220;Georgia on My Mind&#8221; (#283)<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns are-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-9d6595d7 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>Ray Charles, a Georgia native, recorded &#8220;Georgia on My Mind&#8221; because he kept singing it in his car and his driver suggested it. The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.songfacts.com\/facts\/ray-charles\/georgia-on-my-mind\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">original song<\/a> was written in 1930 by Hoagy Carmichael and Stuart Gorrell, both of whom were not from Georgia. (It&#8217;s speculated that Georgia is a woman, not the state, in the original.) Charles&#8217; version got to the #1 slot of the Hot 100. His other hit, &#8220;What&#8217;d I Say&#8221; also makes the <em>Rolling Stone <\/em>list at #80.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Ray Charles - Georgia On My Mind (Live)\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/qIp9TwSEgFg?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:10px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Randy Newman &#8211; &#8220;Sail Away&#8221; (#275)<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns are-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-9d6595d7 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>A lush, gentle ballad, &#8220;Sail Away&#8221; is an exercise in irony. It&#8217;s all about the American Dream&#8230;but from the perspective of a slave trader. Muted horns give way to oceanic strings and then a shanty-like keyboard motif described as &#8220;austere.&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If this sounds like a controversial song, you&#8217;re not wrong; Randy Newman is no stranger to controversy. He once told <a href=\"https:\/\/www.npr.org\/templates\/story\/story.php?storyId=93300109\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">NPR<\/a> that &#8220;26,438,982&#8221; people have gotten angry with him.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-4-3 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Sail Away (Remastered)\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/HCRGrnhdNQE?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:10px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Roberta Flack &#8211; &#8220;Killing Me Softly With His Song&#8221; (#273)<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns are-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-9d6595d7 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>The story of &#8220;Killing Me Softly&#8221; is a story of happy accidents. Songwriter Lori Lieberman originally heard a song in a club that she related to so much, she thought it was about her. She then wrote a poem about it, and this poem was transformed into a song by Charles Fox and Norman Gimbel. Roberta Flack then heard the song as part of in-flight entertainment, and it is her version that cements &#8220;Killing Me Softly With His Song&#8221; as a classic.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Roberta Flack - Killing Me Softly With His Song (Official Audio)\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/DEbi_YjpA-Y?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:10px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Procol Harum &#8211; &#8220;A Whiter Shade of Pale&#8221; (#271)<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns are-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-9d6595d7 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>If you think &#8220;A Whiter Shade of Pale&#8221; has a classical vibe to it, you&#8217;re on to something. It&#8217;s based on an organ theme from &#8220;Air on the G String&#8221; (Suite No. 3 in D Major) by J.S. Bach. (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/blog\/pop-vs-classical-music\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Here&#8217;s<\/a> a demonstration of the song&#8217;s classical roots.) The track has since become a classic of its own, evoking longing and nostalgia. Interestingly, it is the only song recorded by Procol Harum&#8217;s original line-up, and it&#8217;s arguably their most successful.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"PROCOL HARUM - A Whiter Shade Of Pale - promo film #2 (Official Video)\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/2puubv2e0L4?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:10px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Joni Mitchel &#8211; &#8220;River&#8221; (#247)<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns are-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-9d6595d7 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>Even a motif as done and dusted as the &#8220;Jingle Bells&#8221; theme can sound haunting and beautiful when you give it to Joni Mitchell. She originally joked about writing a song titled &#8220;Have Yourself a Morbid Little Christmas,&#8221; and the mood of this track fits. &#8220;River&#8221; is about grieving the end of a relationship in the cold of winter: &#8220;It&#8217;s a Christmas song for people who are lonely at Christmas,&#8221; mused Mitchell. (By the way, if you&#8217;re wondering, &#8220;Both Sides Now&#8221; is #225 on the list.)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Joni Mitchell - River (Official Audio)\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/F8MqF7xEGhs?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:10px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Bill Withers &#8211; &#8220;Lean on Me&#8221; (#236)<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns are-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-9d6595d7 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>An iconic chord riff opens up the wholesome classic that is &#8220;Lean on Me.&#8221; Bill Withers was an unusual musician in that he rejected the rock&#8217;n&#8217;roll lifestyle so prevalent in the &#8217;70s: he kept his factory job making toilets for planes, dedicated a love song to his grandmother, and dressed plainly. &#8220;Lean on Me&#8221; was his only #1 track, but it&#8217;s the theme song for friendships everywhere.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-4-3 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Lean on Me\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/fOZ-MySzAac?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:10px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Nina Simone &#8211; &#8220;Mississippi Goddamn&#8221; (#172)<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns are-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-9d6595d7 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>There&#8217;s an urgency in Nina Simone&#8217;s &#8220;Mississippi Goddamn.&#8221; The legendary singer-songwriter and activist wasn&#8217;t always fond of protest songs, but this all changed when a bombing killed four Black children in a church in Birmingham, Alabama. Earlier that year, Medgar Evers of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People was also murdered. There&#8217;s not much joy in this track, but there is passion. &#8220;The name of this tune is Mississippi Goddam,&#8221; is Simone&#8217;s opening, &#8220;and I mean every word of it.&#8221;<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Nina Simone - Mississippi Goddam (Official Audio - Live)\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/-HM2S6TVYII?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:10px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Journey &#8211; &#8220;Don&#8217;t Stop Believin'&#8221; (#133)<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns are-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-9d6595d7 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>A simple keyboard motif ushers in this hopeful, 80s anthem written by Journey keyboardist Jonathan Cain. Inspired by his father, who told him &#8220;don&#8217;t stop believing&#8221; when he was a struggling musician, the song came to life when Cain and vocalist Steve Perry saw people walking under street lamps. Add some dazzling guitar licks, and &#8220;Don&#8217;t Stop Believin'&#8221; is now road trip classic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For an interesting twist, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/blog\/major-songs-in-minor-keys\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">listen to Lisa and Sam<\/a> play this optimistic song in a minor key.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-4-3 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Journey - Don&#039;t Stop Believin&#039; (Live 1981: Escape Tour -\u00a02022 HD Remaster)\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/VcjzHMhBtf0?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:10px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<iframe class=\"email-form-include-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/weekly-email\" frameborder=\"none\"><\/iframe>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:10px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>George Michael &#8211; &#8220;Freedom! &#8217;90&#8221; (#126)<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns are-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-9d6595d7 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>George Michael used &#8220;Freedom! &#8217;90&#8221; to express all his <a href=\"https:\/\/www.allure.com\/gallery\/george-michael-freedom-video-behind-the-scenes\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">frustrations<\/a> with his career and the music industry. Michael had tired of the attention he received as a celebrity, so instead of appearing in the music video himself, he enlisted the greatest supermodels of the day (including Naomi Campbell and Cindy Crawford) to lip-sync the words. The models were only given the lyrics a few days in advance and had to memorize them in a time crunch. Another fun fact: the track samples &#8220;Funky Drummer&#8221; (1970) by James Brown, earning it a dash of hip-hop.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-4-3 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\nhttps:\/\/youtu.be\/diYAc7gB-0A\n<\/div><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:10px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>The Beatles &#8211; &#8220;Let It Be&#8221; (#121)<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns are-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-9d6595d7 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>&#8220;Let It Be&#8221; is now considered a signature song of the Beatles, but it wasn&#8217;t always this way. <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Let_It_Be_(Beatles_song)#Origins\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Inspired<\/a> by his mother Mary Patricia McCartney, who died in 1956, John Lennon initially dismissed the song penned by Paul McCartney after seeing his mother in a dream. In the end, &#8220;Let It Be,&#8221; recorded the day after the group&#8217;s last live performance and released four months later, came to define the band.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"How To Play &quot;Let It Be&quot; By The Beatles (Beginner Piano Lesson)\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/NMs2NPpbP8I?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><meta charset=\"utf-8\">McCartney&#8217;s masterpiece has reached legendary status, but as a composition, it&#8217;s quite simple. Consisting of only <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/blog\/how-to-play-let-it-be-piano\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">four basic chords<\/a> arranged in the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/blog\/pop-piano-chord-progressions\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">most popular progression of all time<\/a>, &#8220;Let It Be&#8221; proves that genius does not always require virtuosity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:10px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Jackson 5 &#8211; &#8220;I Want You Back&#8221; (#104)<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns are-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-9d6595d7 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>&#8220;I Want You Back&#8221; and &#8220;ABC&#8221; introduced the world to 11-year-old Michael Jackson&#8230;and music was never the same again. The funkiness of &#8220;I Want You Back&#8221; is courtesy of Sly Stone and James Brown. After peaking at <a href=\"https:\/\/www.billboard.com\/music\/the-jacksons\/chart-history\/hot-100\/song\/581782\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">#1 <\/a>on the Billboard charts, this track has sustained popularity in the hip-hop world, sampled in Jay-Z&#8217;s &#8220;Izzo (H.O.V.A.)&#8221; and Kriss Kross&#8217; &#8220;Jump.&#8221;<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-4-3 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"I Want You Back\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/UvynvnxZJ3Q?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:10px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>The Beatles &#8211; &#8220;Hey Jude&#8221; (#83)<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns are-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-9d6595d7 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>&#8220;Hey Jude&#8221; topped the U.S. charts at #1 for nine weeks, making it the Beatles&#8217; biggest single this side of the pond. Paul McCartney wrote the song for Julian, John Lennon and Cynthia&#8217;s son, after his parents&#8217; divorce as a &#8220;chin up, mate.&#8221; (&#8220;Jude&#8221; was originally &#8220;Jule,&#8221; for Julian.) <meta charset=\"utf-8\">&#8220;Hey Jude&#8221; is a little more complex than &#8220;Let It Be,&#8221; but once you&#8217;re comfortable with a few F Major chords, you should breeze through the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/blog\/how-to-play-hey-jude-on-piano\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">tutorial<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"How To Play &#039;Hey Jude&#039; - Piano Lesson (Pianote)\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/l_wa2_5czsw?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:10px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Simon &amp; Garfunkel &#8211; &#8220;Bridge Over Troubled Water&#8221; (#66)<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns are-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-9d6595d7 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>&#8220;Bridge Over Troubled Water&#8221; held the #1 position in the U.S. for six weeks. An ode to friendship, it was written during a period when Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel were squabbling over everything, including who should perform vocals for the song. Simon derived the melody from a Bach chorale, and the phrase &#8220;bridge over troubled water&#8221; came from a Swan Silvertones song. Simon would later compensate Claude Jeter of the Silvertones $1,000.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Simon &amp; Garfunkel - Bridge Over Troubled Water (Audio)\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/4G-YQA_bsOU?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:10px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Elton John &#8211; &#8220;Tiny Dancer&#8221; (#47)<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns are-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-9d6595d7 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>Elton John makes the <em>Rolling Stone<\/em> list four times (&#8220;Bennie and the Jets&#8221; &#8211; #371, &#8220;Your Song&#8221; &#8211; #202, &#8220;Rocket Man&#8221; &#8211; #149, and &#8220;Tiny Dancer &#8211; #47), repping the piano in all its glory. The subject of &#8220;Tiny Dancer&#8221; was long assumed to be lyricist Bernie Taupin&#8217;s wife Maxine Feibelmann, but Taupin, a Brit, has <a href=\"https:\/\/indianexpress.com\/article\/entertainment\/music\/happy-birthday-elton-john-tiny-dancer-5108771\/lite\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">revealed<\/a> it was actually inspired by Californian women. 30 years after its initial release, &#8220;Tiny Dancer&#8221; enjoyed a resurgence in the film <em>Almost Famous<\/em>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"How to Play &quot;Tiny Dancer&quot; by Elton John (Easy Piano Tutorial)\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/EyD_TBs39zQ?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><meta charset=\"utf-8\"><meta charset=\"utf-8\">The awesome thing about &#8220;Tiny Dancer&#8221; (and all pop songs) is that you can play them as simply or as complicated as you like. Watch &#8220;Tiny Dancer&#8221; played at five levels <a href=\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/cVoS8WKN3Eg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">here<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:10px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Little Richard &#8211; &#8220;Tutti Frutti&#8221; (#34)<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns are-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-9d6595d7 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>&#8220;Tutti Frutti&#8221; was an unexpected hit, a song that Little Richard had been singing for years but didn&#8217;t think to record. But producer Robert Blackwell asked a young songwriter named Dorothy LaBostrie to clean up the original lyrics (which were <em>quite <\/em>crude), and the rest of this 50s party song is history.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.rollingstone.com\/music\/music-lists\/little-richard-20-essential-songs-15792\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">shouted scatting<\/a> (&#8220;a-wop-bom-a-loo-mop-a-lomp-bom-bom&#8221;) is either the sound of Little Richard imitating a drum fill or how he talked to his boss in his old job as a dishwasher.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Little Richard - Tutti Frutti (1956)\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/Cj059o9OwqY?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:10px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Billie Holiday &#8211; &#8220;Strange Fruit&#8221; (#21)<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns are-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-9d6595d7 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>A haunting protest song with images of lynchings, &#8220;Strange Fruit&#8221; was originally written by a Jewish teacher in the Bronx. Billie Holiday had difficulty publishing the song. She was a Columbia Records artist, but her label refused to release it. So Holiday found another label, an independent one, who would be willing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Sadly, &#8220;Strange Fruit&#8221; remains <a href=\"https:\/\/www.rollingstone.com\/music\/music-features\/strange-fruit-history-legacy-1030942\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">relevant<\/a> nearly a century later. The 2020 Black Lives Matter protests and the 2021 release of Billie Holiday biopic <em>The United States vs. Billie Holiday <\/em>has renewed interest in the song and the injustice it continues to fight against.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-4-3 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Billie Holiday - &quot;Strange Fruit&quot; Live 1959 [Reelin&#039; In The Years Archives]\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/-DGY9HvChXk?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:10px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>John Lennon &#8211; &#8220;Imagine&#8221; (#19)<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns are-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-9d6595d7 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>One of the gentler songs on this list, &#8220;Imagine&#8221; is an anthemic song of hope that brings to mind peaceful sunny afternoons and John Lennon&#8217;s white piano. It&#8217;s not a difficult song, written in C Major with a simple yet iconic motif. In fact, we believe you can learn this song on the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/blog\/how-to-learn-piano-fast\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">sixth day<\/a> of learning piano. Imagine the possibilities \u2014 and try it out yourself!<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"How To Play &quot;Imagine&quot; by John Lennon - Piano Lesson (Pianote)\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/q8iYw7D2of4?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:10px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:10px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Queen &#8211; &#8220;Bohemian Rhapsody&#8221; (#17)<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns are-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-9d6595d7 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>180 vocal parts. Opera. Hard rock. Soulful ballad. Stadium rock anthem. &#8220;Bohemian Rhapsody&#8221; is all of these things, and then some. A triumph of both performance and production, Queen&#8217;s most legendary hit remains a favorite to music-lovers young and old. The biopic of the same name has reinvigorated interest in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/blog\/freddie-mercury-piano\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Freddie Mercury&#8217;s life<\/a>, as well as granting Rami Malek an Oscar for playing him.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"How to Play Bohemian Rhapsody by Queen (Piano Tutorial)\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/HLB28rTqNTw?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:10px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Aretha Franklin &#8211; &#8220;Respect&#8221; (#1)<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns are-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-9d6595d7 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>The beltable hit performed by Aretha Franklin isn&#8217;t exactly a piano-driven song, but we figure you may want to learn the #1 song on <em>Rolling Stone<\/em>&#8216;s 500 greatest songs list.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&#8220;Respect&#8221;&#8216;s position on the list is <a href=\"https:\/\/www.abc.net.au\/news\/2021-09-19\/rolling-stone-s-500-greatest-songs-of-all-time\/100473354\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">significant for many reasons<\/a>. For one, it means <em>Rolling Stone<\/em> is not ranking songs based on how much they&#8217;ve affected the magazine. (In contrast, their 2004 list put Bob Dylan&#8217;s &#8220;Like a Rolling Stone&#8221; at #1 and #2 was &#8220;Satisfaction&#8221; by <em>the<\/em> Rolling Stones.)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Aretha Franklin - Respect (Official Lyric Video)\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/A134hShx_gw?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Crucially, all top three spots in the publication&#8217;s 2021 greatest songs of all time list are occupied by Black artists. (#1 is Aretha Franklin&#8217;s &#8220;Respect,&#8221; #2 is Public Enemy&#8217;s &#8220;Fight the Power,&#8221; and #3 is Sam Cooke&#8217;s &#8220;A Change Is Gonna Come.) As anyone who has read the news in the past few years will observe, the times are a-changin&#8217; and people, music-lovers included, want more diversity. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>And perhaps we&#8217;re finally respecting that.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:10px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<iframe class=\"email-form-include-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/weekly-email\" frameborder=\"none\"><\/iframe>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:10px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-text-color has-cyan-bluish-gray-color has-css-opacity has-cyan-bluish-gray-background-color has-background is-style-dots\"\/>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:10px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Cover photo (left to right): Paul McCartney, Aretha Franklin, and Elton John \u2014 all artists represented on Rolling Stone&#8217;s 500 Greatest Songs of All Time List. (Source: public domain, Wikimedia Commons).<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Here are songs from Rolling Stone&#8217;s 500 Greatest Songs of All Time that feature the piano. Learn how to play them!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":49,"featured_media":5130,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1108],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-5076","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-musicianship"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5076","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/49"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5076"}],"version-history":[{"count":17,"href":"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5076\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":10400,"href":"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5076\/revisions\/10400"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/5130"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5076"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5076"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5076"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}