The Beatles: Seven Great Piano Based Classic Songs

Perhaps it’s because of Paul McCartney’s idolization of Little Richard that he started playing in quite a few of The Beatles songs but unlike Little Richard, The Beatles usually used piano for ballads (although there is “Lady Madonna” which is certainly not a ballad.) This article is a look at seven Beatles songs which feature a piano as the main rhythmic & harmonic instrument.

“Hey Jude” was one of The Beatles longest songs and it was also one of their most popular. To this day it remains one of their most listened to songs (just check the Last.FM website for proof) and it’s certainly one of the most obvious examples of a piano based Beatles song.

“Let It Be” is currently the most played Beatles song according to the Last.FM music site. Obviously this is a song that has a timeless quality to it. The piano part that McCartney plays for this song is quite simple and I think that’s part of it’s charm. Another great element of this beautiful song is the gorgeous guitar solo by George Harrison.

“The Long & Winding Road” is a song that divides listeners more than the almost universally loved “Hey Jude” & “Let It Be.” Many people find this one a bit too “schmaltzy” but I think that’s primarily due to the overblown production put on the original release by Phil Spector (who did so without Paul McCartney’s approval.) Check out the stripped down version on the 2003 Let It Be… Naked album to hear what Paul’s original version for the song was.

“For No One” wasn’t a hit single like the previous three songs but for many Beatles fanatics it’s one of their greatest songs. It’s a great example of the kind of song casual Beatles fans are missing out on by just sticking to the “Greatest Hits” compilation albums.

“The Fool on the Hill” is a rather quirky tune which includes piano but certainly has many other sounds in there as well (the flutes stand out in particular.)

“Lady Madonna” this an upbeat song whose melody so catchy that it became a hit again in the 1990s when Sublime used it for their song “What I Got.” Along with that catchy melody and the piano, the song also features a saxophone and a suitably awesome bass line by Paul McCartney. And here’s a tip: If you haven’t, start paying attention to The Beatles bass lines. They’re awesome.

“Good Day Sunshine” is a brilliant tune from Revolver that is fun & catchy but also sort of slyly tongue in cheek. The piano licks help make this song great.