# 30 Day Song Challenge, number 26: a song that you can play on an instrument **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [August 1, 2016, 11:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/30-day-song-challenge-number-26-a-song-that-you-can-play-on-an-instrument/761512 "2016-08-01T23:26:37Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![journeyman\_southpaw](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/5e9695/32.png) [@journeyman\_southpaw](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/journeyman_southpaw)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2016, 11:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/30-day-song-challenge-number-26-a-song-that-you-can-play-on-an-instrument/761512/1 "2016-08-01T23:26:37Z")
[Def Leppard - Hysteria](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jaiaaar88EM) is one of a handful of rock songs I ever learned on guitar when I took lessons as an adolescent. The main melody is real simple beginner-level stuff. ---
**Author:** ![joyfool](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/df788c/32.png) [@joyfool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/joyfool)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2016, 11:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/30-day-song-challenge-number-26-a-song-that-you-can-play-on-an-instrument/761512/2 "2016-08-01T23:47:09Z")
I played my man’s greatest hit on Guitar Hero once, so I nominate that. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/2Oo8QzDHimQ/maxresdefault.jpg "Alice Cooper - School's Out (from Alice Cooper: Trashes The World)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Oo8QzDHimQ) ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2016, 12:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/30-day-song-challenge-number-26-a-song-that-you-can-play-on-an-instrument/761512/3 "2016-08-02T00:29:42Z")
[Mary Had a Little Lamb](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aUNlhOewSfs) ---
**Author:** ![TheInimitableMaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b19c9b/32.png) [@TheInimitableMaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheInimitableMaven)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2016, 12:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/30-day-song-challenge-number-26-a-song-that-you-can-play-on-an-instrument/761512/4 "2016-08-02T00:47:47Z")
**[“White Room” by Cream](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4jpmY8ZXRgw)** Specifically, the bass line from that. ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2016, 2:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/30-day-song-challenge-number-26-a-song-that-you-can-play-on-an-instrument/761512/5 "2016-08-02T02:55:37Z")
Well, this isn’t fair! Despite having guitars, a bass, keyboards, a coronet and 2 vintage accordions on-hand, I really can’t play shit! For people without instruments, what are they gonna do? I can do (semi-reasonably) basic 12 bar blues songs on the drums, with the occasional fill. But I’ll go with _The Star Spangled Banner_ on drums. Not a whole lot to fuck up there. ---
**Author:** ![drad\_dog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/aeb1de/32.png) [@drad\_dog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drad_dog)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2016, 3:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/30-day-song-challenge-number-26-a-song-that-you-can-play-on-an-instrument/761512/6 "2016-08-02T03:52:10Z")
“Everybody’s Been Burned” by the Byrds [The Byrds - Everybody's Been Burned - YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I7Uh8933Jvs) ---
**Author:** ![scabpicker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scabpicker/32/8268_2.png) [@scabpicker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scabpicker)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2016, 5:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/30-day-song-challenge-number-26-a-song-that-you-can-play-on-an-instrument/761512/7 "2016-08-02T05:33:18Z")
I can play lots of songs, but one of my favorites is Fleetwood Mac’s version of [Shake Your Money Maker](https://youtu.be/rqxqyxnuaJg?t=190). It’s one of the few songs I can actually sing and play on the guitar at the same time. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2016, 6:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/30-day-song-challenge-number-26-a-song-that-you-can-play-on-an-instrument/761512/8 "2016-08-02T06:16:49Z")
For my high school senior solo, I played the First Movement of Eduard Lalo’s [Symphonie espagnole](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cw20rHFqaPQ). I could possibly still play it, very slowly and very poorly. (That’s not me in the video.) ---
**Author:** ![Face\_Intentionally\_Left\_Blank](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/face_intentionally_left_blank/32/288_2.png) [@Face\_Intentionally\_Left\_Blank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Face_Intentionally_Left_Blank)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2016, 9:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/30-day-song-challenge-number-26-a-song-that-you-can-play-on-an-instrument/761512/9 "2016-08-02T09:35:53Z")
This is gonna be hard for non-musicians to answer. I can kinda-sorta play: Scarborough Fair Somewhere Over the Rainbow on harmonica I can kinda-sorta play lead on, “Satisfaction” on electric guitar. I’ve pretty much given up on harp, but I hope to improve on guitar in the future. ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2016, 10:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/30-day-song-challenge-number-26-a-song-that-you-can-play-on-an-instrument/761512/10 "2016-08-02T10:29:24Z")
> [@Mahaloth](#): > > [Mary Had a Little Lamb](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aUNlhOewSfs) Funny. I’ll go with the same title, but Stevie Ray Vaughn’s version: [https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=5aP2RzLNlbw](https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=5aP2RzLNlbw) Not note for note - that’s not my thing, and I’m not that good - but I can sell it just fine. ---
**Author:** ![Sahirrnee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sahirrnee/32/13937_2.png) [@Sahirrnee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sahirrnee)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2016, 10:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/30-day-song-challenge-number-26-a-song-that-you-can-play-on-an-instrument/761512/11 "2016-08-02T10:36:26Z")
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2S0Rw6g8RlU](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2S0Rw6g8RlU) ---
**Author:** ![Helena330](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/helena330/32/531_2.png) [@Helena330](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Helena330)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2016, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/30-day-song-challenge-number-26-a-song-that-you-can-play-on-an-instrument/761512/12 "2016-08-02T16:22:04Z")
My voice is my instrument (although not a very good one sometimes) so I can “play” a lot of things. I sang this in a competition in junior high but don’t remember how I did. I thought it had the most ridiculous, sappy lyrics. In Googling them I realized it’s a poem by William Blake. :dubious: [The Lamb (eyeroll)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h-mSmEfLmZc) ---
**Author:** ![fachverwirrt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/94ad74/32.png) [@fachverwirrt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fachverwirrt)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2016, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/30-day-song-challenge-number-26-a-song-that-you-can-play-on-an-instrument/761512/13 "2016-08-02T18:22:44Z")
Also a singer. Been working on [this](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EIVbZtwRqIM#t=2m42s) lately. (Not me in the video, obviously. Corelli’s dead. I do have a clip of myself singing the climactic phrase at a coaching, but not the whole thing.) ---
**Author:** ![ThisSpaceForRent](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thisspaceforrent/32/345_2.png) [@ThisSpaceForRent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThisSpaceForRent)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2016, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/30-day-song-challenge-number-26-a-song-that-you-can-play-on-an-instrument/761512/14 "2016-08-02T18:26:18Z")
Lots on a harmonica…my favorite is _Rocky Top_. ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2016, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/30-day-song-challenge-number-26-a-song-that-you-can-play-on-an-instrument/761512/15 "2016-08-02T19:30:52Z")
> [@fachverwirrt](#): > > Also a singer. Been working on [this](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EIVbZtwRqIM#t=2m42s) lately. > > (Not me in the video, obviously. Corelli’s dead. I do have a clip of myself singing the climactic phrase at a coaching, but not the whole thing.) I assume you mean the especially famous bit at about 4:45, delivered to a mirror. Man, it has got to feel amazing to be able to get behind a passage like that and just _deliver_ it. The vocal equivalent of playing a Les Paul through a Marshall. ---
**Author:** ![Dendarii\_Dame](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/bbce88/32.png) [@Dendarii\_Dame](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dendarii_Dame)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2016, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/30-day-song-challenge-number-26-a-song-that-you-can-play-on-an-instrument/761512/16 "2016-08-02T19:36:46Z")
Are you allowed to use sheet music? If so, “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star” and a few others, on the piano. If not, the melody of “Heart and Soul”. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2016, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/30-day-song-challenge-number-26-a-song-that-you-can-play-on-an-instrument/761512/17 "2016-08-02T19:54:45Z")
I can play a fair number of songs on the guitar, but the most recent song which I’ve gotten comfortable enough to play in front of people: Come Together – The Beatles ---
**Author:** ![drad\_dog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/aeb1de/32.png) [@drad\_dog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drad_dog)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2016, 12:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/30-day-song-challenge-number-26-a-song-that-you-can-play-on-an-instrument/761512/18 "2016-08-03T00:44:40Z")
Sorry but I don’t think voice is part of the OP. Look at this in context. ---
**Author:** ![fachverwirrt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/94ad74/32.png) [@fachverwirrt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fachverwirrt)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2016, 1:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/30-day-song-challenge-number-26-a-song-that-you-can-play-on-an-instrument/761512/19 "2016-08-03T01:35:34Z")
In a 30 day song challenge now entering its fifth month, I’m not sure we need to be sticklers for the rules. ---
**Author:** ![Ukulele\_Ike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/df788c/32.png) [@Ukulele\_Ike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ukulele_Ike)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2016, 1:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/30-day-song-challenge-number-26-a-song-that-you-can-play-on-an-instrument/761512/20 "2016-08-03T01:59:43Z")
The Grateful Dead’s “Uncle John’s Band” sounds AMAZING on the piano. When I’m playing, anyway. Also Dylan’s “Quinn the Eskimo.” When Little Banjo (whose real name is Quinn) turned 14, he ripped the pages out of my big Dylan piano book and threw them away. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/30-day-song-challenge-number-26-a-song-that-you-can-play-on-an-instrument/761512.md?page=2)