UK Pop to Plonk on Piano

April 1, 2019 7:32 AM

Having purchased a piano a few weeks ago, I’m having a great go of playing the music I love best, which is UK pop from the late seventies through the Britpop era. Can you recommend songs for me to try my hand at? I promise I won’t make you listen to the results.

I’m primarily looking for tracks that have a recognizable keyboard part, though I’d be happy to get suggestions for songs that sound really good/are very fun when transcribed for piano.

My favorite band as an adult is Saint Etienne, and as a kid was Madness—each of which have a lot of tracks to choose from. Blur is another, and I’ve been working on the harpsichord lines in Clover over Dover. On the transcribed side, it’s been fun playing a version of Primal Scream’s Loaded.

I’m more interested in tracks like that, which a just fun to work through alone than something like, say, Stereolab—which might be great fun to play in a group but likely boring in our music room.

Now that I’ve got the piano, I’ve somehow forgotten what music I’ve listened to for the past 30 years has piano in it. Can you help me think of things to play?

posted by Admiral Haddock to Media & Arts (8 answers total)

I don't recognize the bands you mention, so I may be way off, but I used to love playing Elton John songs, which tend to have lots of piano. The beginning of Someone Saved My Life Tonight, was a particular favorite, partly because it's pretty easy.
posted by FencingGal at 8:11 AM on April 1, 2019

The Field Mice is a good go-to.

There's also this playlist that Mefi Co-Created with me, it's all about C86, Anorak, Shambling Twee, etc:

Chalk Pastels and Contè Crayons
posted by nikaspark at 8:36 AM on April 1, 2019

There's also the band Brighter. Check out "Disney and Other Singles" on Spotify.
posted by nikaspark at 8:42 AM on April 1, 2019

Steppin' Out - Joe Jackson
Nobody's Diary - Yazoo

We have alot of fun playing "One Way to Go" by the Verve ... melodically it's one key but all the textures they throw in are fascinating ... maybe a good one to run the recording and improvise to.
posted by Rube R. Nekker at 8:57 AM on April 1, 2019

With the big caveat that I'm not any kind of musician, so no idea what's involved in playing these, here's some tracks with strong melodies that I think would sound good plonked out in the music room (these are links to piano/synth cover versions):

Tears for Fears - Mad World
Pet Shop Boys - West End Girls
Bronski Beat - Small Town Boy
Thompson Twins - Hold Me Now
New Order - Thieves Like Us
Bananarama - Cruel Summer
Fine Young Cannibals - Good Thing
posted by Bron at 1:18 PM on April 1, 2019

Step Onby the Happy Mondays
The Only One I Know by the Charlatans
Three Lionsby the Lightning Seeds
Wuthering Heights by Kate Bush
Alone Again (Naturally) by Gilbert O'Sullivan
The Whole of the Moon by The Waterboys
Year of the Cat by Al Stewart
posted by rollick at 1:44 PM on April 1, 2019

Early Roxy Music had some fun songs with simple piano parts, like the repeated 4/4 chords on 'Do The Strand'. Brian Eno & John Cale also liked 4/4 chords.
posted by ovvl at 4:24 PM on April 1, 2019

This is pretty obvious, but surely you are playing "Werewolves of London" repeatedly with great gusto.

Along similar lines, David Bowie's "Be My Wife."
posted by toastedcheese at 5:25 PM on April 1, 2019