I’m trying to think of some new CDs to buy. I absolutely love songs that have great piano work in them. The only one that comes to mind immediately is “Walking in Memphis” by Marc Cohn. That initial piano intro makes the hair on the back of my neck stand up, I swear.
What other songs out there have great piano in them?
Can I assume you’ve already got a heaping helping of Bruce Hornsby in your collection already?
“Nightswimming” by R.E.M. is nice.
Well, I have a penchant for Billy Joel.
Also, I really like the piano for “Perfect Day” by Lou Reed.
An off-the-wall choice, and you’ll have to search for it. But it IS on CD…look for the debut album by Circus Maximus on the Vanguard label. There’s an 8-minute track called “The Wind” that has some incredible piano…plus it’s a beautifully sung and written song too.
The album first came out in 1968, and Jerry Jeff Walker was a member of this band, believe it or not. But he had little if anything to do with this particular number.
Does organ/synthesizer count? I like Keith Emerson and think that “Trilogy” by Emerson, Lake and Palmer is pretty great.
There’s a great but virtually unknown pianist with a couple of albums out named Lee Feldman. “The Man In A Jupiter Hat” is a great, great CD. If you like piano, I heartily recommend this or his debut CD.
What about Elton John…
JERRY LEE LEWIS?
Love the piano work on BOB SEGER’S— STILL THE SAME, OLD TIME ROCK AND ROLL and BRAVE STRANGERS.
JANIS JOPLIN’S—PIECE OF MY HEART.
Try every song on “Whatever and Ever, Amen” and “The Unauthorised Biography of Reinhold Messner” by Ben Folds Five. The first album is more bouncy, the second is somewhat darker, but they’re both great.
There’s a sublime song on the Concrete Blonde album “Mexican Moon” called “Love is a Blind Ambition” with absolutely gorgeous paino. It’s very sparse, with bare guitar and soaring vocals, and a long piano fade-out that never fails to move me. (The same album has “Close to Home”, which also features some beautiful piano - the instrumental break is like a soaring duel between the piano and the guitar.)
“Correspondedces” by The Tea Party, from the album “The Edges of Twilight”. But be careful it doesn’t rip your heart right out of your chest.
There’s always Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, although he’s not to everyone’s taste. Good albums to check out would be “The Good Son”, the “Best of” collection and his new album “No More Shall We Part”. Fave songs of mine are “The Ship Song”, “Where the Wild Roses Grow”, “Lucy”, “The Mercy Seat”, “Red Right Hand” and “As I Sat Sadly By Her Side”.
An Australian band called The Whitlams does loads of great piano songs. If you can find it, check out an album called “Eternal Nightcap”. The song “No Aphrodisiac” is one of my all-time favourites, and it’s about as emotional as a song can get. There’s also the cracking “You Sound Like Louis Burdett”.
I have a version of “What’s Up?” by 4 Non Blondes (a b-side to the original single) done on piano. It slays me. But it’s probably very hard to get.
For something a bit different, try “Sunburn” by Muse.
I do love a good bit of piano in a rock song.
[sub][sup]There’s no aphrodisiac like loneliness
Truth, beauty, and a picture of you…[/sup][/sub]
Fools in Love - Joe Jackson - from Look Sharp!
Jah Jah Love in the Morning - Mikey Dread - from Beyond WWIII.
Tapestry - Carole King
Against the Wind - Bob Seger & the Silver Bullet Band
Deep Dark Truthful Mirror by Elvis Costello.
Def Leppard…Miss you in a Heartbeat 
I’ll second that!
Also “Right Now” by Van Halen, “Tunnel of Love” (the outro) by Dire Straits, “Love over Gold” by Dire Straits, “Someone Else” by Queensryche, and the entire oeuvre of Tori Amos.
Another vote for Tori Amos. And I’ll add Sarah MacLachlan. Especially her work on Fumbling Towards Ecstasy.
[sarcasm]
Motley Crue, Home Sweet Home.
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Just a small piece, but the jazz piano intro to Jethro Tull’s “Locomotive Breath” (On the Aqualung album) is wonderful. They have a lot of good piano/keyboard, but it is often lost behind the lead flute.
Ahem. I forgot “Second Nature” by Rush. I’ll go flog myself now.
“Edward the Mad Shirt Grinder” from Quicksilver Messenger Services’s “Shady Grove” album, featuring the illustrious Nicky Hopkins.
“Kings and Queens” by Renaissance (not the one you may know – the original). John Hawkin’s introduction on piano is sort of like hearing Alvin Lee on guitar – how the hell does he play so many notes so fast?
Queen: Seven Seas of Rhye
God, I still get shivers from it…
Cat Stevens is an underrated piano player. All of his albums feature several great “piano songs”. I recommend Teaser and the Firecat, Tea for the Tillerman, or Mone Bone Jakon.
The organ intro to ‘Bloody Well Right’ by Supertramp is one of the coolest things I’ve ever heard.
Keyboard player checking in,
ANYTHING by Dr. John
Most of the old yes stuff(with Rick Wakeman)
Rick Wakemans solo stuff, especially 6 wives
John Mayall & Bluesbreakers sense of place
My personal favorite blues player, pinetop perkins. He absolutely incredible. Anything with him in it, if you like blues.
a lot of Lynyrd Skynyrd stuff
Someone already mention ELP and Jerry Lee Lewis, But they merit mentioning again.
I’ll try to remember some more specifics. I’m not awake yet.
There’s absolutely no mistaking the opening measures of “Old Time Rock & Roll” or Billy Joel’s “Only the Good Die Young”. I also like the keyboarding in the Stones’ “She’s a Rainbow”.