Three Best songs to Memorize?

[Beckiesu]

Most friends and family know that I have played piano, now keyboard for a very, very long time. I own a Yamaha DGX660 and certainly get my monies worth out of it. I was classically trained from the age of 5 and in recent years have made great strides in playing by ear, improvisation and even dabbling in jazz and blues.

For fun, I have decided to challenge myself to learn and memorize three songs. Songs that people would enjoy when I hear
"I heard you play piano, play something for us!"

What should those three songs be?

 

[Biggles]

The way I see it is that three songs that would be known to listeners of all ages is quite a task.

Zero point in obscure songs or songs from today, only a limited audience will know them.

So what three classics would I choose?

We Will Rock You, Queen’s classic is universally known to all ages, it is also played at many sporting events.

As Time Goes By, play it again Beck’s

Bridge Over Troubled Water.

All suitable for being jazzed up and a bit of improv thrown in.

 

[Rayblewit]

What should those three songs be?

Funny you asked . .
I thought the same since I have about 500 tunes and rarely play one 100% perfect. So I decided too, to just pick a few and make up a play list of just a few favs that I can play ad lib at anytime.
You mentioned jazz and blues which is my main love of music as well as latin. I have these in my playlist (which I practise everyday) Almost have them 100%. I play them over and over and over. Almost ready to throw away the sheet music.. . sacrilege!

Perfidia
Girl from Ipanena
Petite Fleur
Strangers in the Night
Spanish Eyes
The Third Man Theme
Spanish Harlem
So Nice (a summer samba)
Stranger on the Shore

Now I plan to create a second play list to break up the monotony of repetition.

Love music Love life ray

 

[Beckiesu]

Great suggestions! That's what I was hoping for. Some of these I would never have thought of. And Bridge over Troubled Water, wow, classic!

 

[ChrisNabil]

The way I see it is that three songs that would be known to listeners of all ages is quite a task.

Zero point in obscure songs or songs from today, only a limited audience will know them.

So what three classics would I choose?

We Will Rock You, Queen’s classic is universally known to all ages, it is also played at many sporting events.

As Time Goes By, play it again Beck’s

Bridge Over Troubled Water.

All suitable for being jazzed up and a bit of improv thrown in.

Most friends and family know that I have played piano, now keyboard for a very, very long time. I own a Yamaha DGX660 and certainly get my monies worth out of it. I was classically trained from the age of 5 and in recent years have made great strides in playing by ear, improvisation and even dabbling in jazz and blues.

For fun, I have decided to challenge myself to learn and memorize three songs. Songs that people would enjoy when I hear
"I heard you play piano, play something for us!"

What should those three songs be?

I read music and play by ear. Sometimes i can look at a complex piece of sheet music and get put off but if i play partly by ear that helps with the reading of the music. I was not classically trained, im 39 now and think its to late to re-learn

 

[Beckiesu]

Awww, never think that you are to old to re-learn. I have a couple of decades on you! I used to not be able to play anything without music in front on me. Now I can just sit down, put a chord progression in my head and feel the melody come out. My piano teacher would roll over in her grave! But I don’t know that my friends want to hear that. They want “songs”.

 

[ChrisNabil]

Awww, never think that you are to old to re-learn. I have a couple of decades on you! I used to not be able to play anything without music in front on me. Now I can just sit down, put a chord progression in my head and feel the melody come out. My piano teacher would roll over in her grave! But I don’t know that my friends want to hear that. They want “songs”.

Thank you Maybe i will take your advise and see if i can get a teacher at some point !

 

[Biggles]

Great list there Ray.

I have some of them in my own repotoire.

One more Paul Simon song that is very well known and capable of interpretaion in many styles and instrument voices is Sound of Silence

 

[Rayblewit]

never think that you are to old to re-learn.

Maybe i will take your advise and see if i can get a teacher at some point !

I agree with both above statements.

Never too old to rock and roll . . by all means seek out a teacher if you feel inclined.

However!
Me personally . . I can see clearly now the rain has come.

I started learning to play keyboard late in life knowing nothing about music. Never ever touched a piano key in my first 55 years of life. Now after 10 years of self teaching I can play real tunes.
I look at life from both sides now.
I only have maybe one decade of life left before I expire . .maybe two, god willing. . So I can't be bothered now with lessons. But as I said that's me personally and if I was not happy with my achievements 'til now then I would certainly seek lessons.

So each to their own . . Age is no barrier for learning something new. Inspire yourself. Who knows I might even pick up the guitar at 70..

Old man look at my life, I'm a lot like you were. .

Ray

 

[ellienmarty]

Most friends and family know that I have played piano, now keyboard for a very, very long time. I own a Yamaha DGX660 and certainly get my monies worth out of it. I was classically trained from the age of 5 and in recent years have made great strides in playing by ear, improvisation and even dabbling in jazz and blues.

For fun, I have decided to challenge myself to learn and memorize three songs. Songs that people would enjoy when I hear
"I heard you play piano, play something for us!"

What should those three songs be?

If you're thinking as far back as "Time goes By" may I suggest "Stardust" by Hoagy Carmichael or the theme from the Godfather, "Speak Softly". I have ADHD and found it difficult to learn music notes so I converted notes to numbers. I have songs that date back to the 1930's.

 

[ellienmarty]

My collection (545) of old, old, oldies took me 8years to complete. I taught myself to play the keyboard for my 80th birthday.

 

[Beckiesu]

Thank you all for your responses! Also great to hear that others are still enjoying their music into their "later" years.

So far my choices are:
Time Goes By
Bridge over Troubled Water
Still on the fence for the third: Maybe Imagine?
Thinking I need one song that is a little faster tempo.

 

[happyrat1]

An oldie but still a classic.

Gary

 

[CowboyNQ]

For fun, I have decided to challenge myself to learn and memorize three songs....What should those three songs be?

I can definitively say that the three best songs to memorise are:

...um

...wait

...darn I forgot them!

 

[Rayblewit]

I can definitively say that the three best songs to memorise are:

...um

...wait

...darn I forgot them!

As long as you are sure. We can't gave you procrastinating on stage.

 

[Biggles]

As long as you are sure. We can't gave you procrastinating on stage.

That is why Cowboy is on keys.

Imagine the problems if the Drummer said

........ hang on guys I’m not sure which of these round things to hit next !

 

[goranmagdic]

I read music and play by ear. Sometimes i can look at a complex piece of sheet music and get put off but if i play partly by ear that helps with the reading of the music. I was not classically trained, im 39 now and think its to late to re-learn

You're never too late! I just started learning to play piano last year at the age of 33 (I had never played an instrument before apart from the recorder at school!)
My teacher has a 68 year old guy who hasn't been learning for long.

How about a Disney song? Everyone knows them!

 

[James Roscoe]

This is a great question..! I've always meant to learn more songs by memory. I love improvising/writing but when it comes to playing actual songs there are relatively few I know from memory.

I suppose these are three I know by heart that stand out as being pretty popular:

1. Queen's 'Bohemian Rhapsody' - The piano part is truly iconic (especially with the overlapping hands!), and everybody knows the song (and usually the lyrics too). If you play it at a party you are guaranteed to have a room full of people singing along by the end of it. Difficult to learn by memory because of all the different sections but the early 'Mama' ballad section is a good place to start...
   
   
2. Elton John's 'Your Song' - One of the most famous songs by one of the world's most popular piano players. Usually goes down pretty well.
   
   
3. Billy Joel's 'Piano Man' - Probably best played in a crowded pub at 9 o'clock on a Saturday. A true classic that really ought to be in any piano player's repertoire...

 

[happyrat1]

Actually the only songs any keyboard player needs to know are Happy Birthday, Jingle Bells and The Flintstone's Theme...



Gary

 

[James Roscoe]

Actually the only songs any keyboard player needs to know are Happy Birthday, Jingle Bells and The Flintstone's Theme...

Haha, you're probably right actually, Happy Birthday is an absolute must..!!