What's your go to 'party song'?

[ITGITC]

I'm certainly not afraid to break out Piano Man when asked. Hell, I'll do it even when I'm not asked! In fact, I played it in front of a crowd of Keyboard Corner Forumites during a Mid-Atlantic hang some time back (which led to two drunk chicks at the bar coming up to me afterwards and asking if I could play some more Billy Joel). Noah

 

And a fine job you did of it too.

 

(I have the recording.)

 

[Dana.]

I'm certainly not afraid to break out Piano Man when asked. Hell, I'll do it even when I'm not asked! In fact, I played it in front of a crowd of Keyboard Corner Forumites during a Mid-Atlantic hang some time back (which led to two drunk chicks at the bar coming up to me afterwards and asking if I could play some more Billy Joel). So, go ahead and bring on the disdain if you so choose, but I've got MikeT's back on this one.

OK, I'll revise my statement. The only time it's acceptable to play "Piano Man" is if it will help you "seal the deal." Personally, though, I wouldn't feel good about it in the morning.

[MAJUSCULE]

I'm kind of on the MikeT's side here, just because, believe it or not, I've never heard the song. When we were doing renovations at home and had to move the piano over to the neighbor's, he asked me to play it, so I got the sheet music. I haven't really played it much. It's an alright tune, but I never went to the trouble of really learning it.

[Eric VB]

Wasn't there a time when everybody had a piano in the parlor for guests to entertain themselves? Just sayin'.

 

For a high school kid I'd think any opportunity to play for an audience would be a good thing.

 

When I started playing music I learned songs like "Turkey in the Straw". My friends were listening to Zep, the Cars, Kiss, etc. So I didn't exactly have the kind of material that goes over well with that crowd.

 

I'm with the other guy who said try to learn something contemporary if you're going to be playing in front of your peers.

 

And you're lucky: you play keys, the best instrument ever for playing solo. If singing doesn't work our for you just arrange songs for solo piano. (FYI that doesn't work so well for trombone. ) [Oh, that's right. You don't even have to work out solo arrangements; piano is the only instrument you can buy solo arrangements for for just about any song under the sun.]

 

Definitely give singing a go, though. IMO it's easier to start with modern songs because of the garage/punk influence (i.e. you can be a little sloppy). But if you have the pipes for Steve Perry then give up keys and make your living as a singer instead in a Journey tribute band.

 

Piano is not my primary instrument and nobody who knows me would ask me to play piano on the spot like that. My wife might, though. She's more classically trained so her version of popular music is "The Entertainer". (She doesn't prefer to sing while playing, either.) She won't play classical unless she practices beforehand, and she never practices, so ... you won't even get "Fur Elyse" out of her.

 

On bass I might play a solo instrumental I wrote. (One of these days I might have the Stu Hamm version of "Linus and Lucy" down; it's just not a priority right now. Besides, most people are smart enough not to ask for a bass solo. ) On guitar I'll play "The Middle" (Jimmy Eat World) for a younger crowd. On mandolin, uh, I'd probably go with "Crocodile Rock" right now (overplayed, yes, but not on mandolin) because "Losing My Religion" is a little rusty atm. (That reminds me: time to practice!)

[NoahZark]

 

And a fine job you did of it too.

 

(I have the recording.)

 

Thanks, TH. You're far too kind.

 

Noah

[NoahZark]

I'm certainly not afraid to break out Piano Man when asked. Hell, I'll do it even when I'm not asked! In fact, I played it in front of a crowd of Keyboard Corner Forumites during a Mid-Atlantic hang some time back (which led to two drunk chicks at the bar coming up to me afterwards and asking if I could play some more Billy Joel). So, go ahead and bring on the disdain if you so choose, but I've got MikeT's back on this one.

OK, I'll revise my statement. The only time it's acceptable to play "Piano Man" is if it will help you "seal the deal." Personally, though, I wouldn't feel good about it in the morning.

 

Well, if you had "sealed the deal" with either of the two young ladies in the bar that day, you wouldn't have felt good about that in the morning either.

 

Noah

[colinio]

man some nice suggestions there! especially like Linus and Lucy and Tipitania! (maybe even mixed together! haha)

 

I think nothing beats a hot blues or some noodling on ii-V-I's.

 

I'm not a big fan of irony, but if it's for a crowd of under 25's I'd usually just bust out a four chord pop song done in a lounge style with a bit of slow LH stride or walking bass (like Estelle's "American Boy" or Coldplay's "Vida La Vida") usually someone will take over the singing but I did do it during a set break for my funk band and got a pretty positive response.

[Threadslayer]

I do about a 5-10 minute medley of a few songs. I'll start off with some free-form blues, and throw in a bunch of hot-doging sh*t. From there I go into Linus-N-Lucy, followed by a rag (Maple Leaf Rag or the Entertainer), from there it's the outro to LeyLa, then I go out with some boog-woogie, ending with a huge glissando starting at the bottom of the keyboard, up to the top, then back down with a final crunch played with my butt.

 

And THAT, in a nutshell, sums up what people really want from an ad hoc piano performance at a party. 10 minutes might be pushing their attention span a bit though...

[Moonglow]

Hey thanks, Wastrel! I've done this "canned" routine for years now, and it seems to go over well. You're probably correct, ten minutes is probably pushing it; I vary the length depending on the response. I have found, however, that you do want to give them enough to be satiated....so they stop asking to you to play....so you can party! For this same reason, I usually will play upon receiving the first request. Kind of like, "Okay, I know it's coming so let's get this over with so I can enjoy the party!" A couple of other notes: A medley going quickly from song to song eliminates the possibility for requests (I don't have a huge repertoire of solo stuff). Also, it should be noted that the butt crunch at the end is moderated by the condition of the piano....it would not happen on a pristine grand, for example. But it always results in a laugh or two, and in conjunction with ending a collection of high-energy songs (i.e., where they see you really working your ass off), it emphasizes the "that's all" component of the gig.

[Bobadohshe]

I find that people's attention span really is absurd. I know that when they start clamoring for me to play the piano, they want maybe 2 minutes of it, and it has to be constantly changing, or else they start shouting for different pieces. Forget classical music. I could play a beautiful Chopin nocturne, but nobody there is in a mood to appreciate the beauty of such a thing, which is understandable. Even some tour de force like an etude will only work for so long. So instead, I'll end up taking requests. Even if they say play piano man, very few people actually know the words, so it ends up being a bit of a shambles.

 

Instead, I play what is for generation Y the ultimate crowd pleasers: Various Nintendo themes. It sounds lame, but when people hear the theme from Super Mario Bros. (which is a clever ass piece of 3 part writing) they react very favorably. Then I'll hit them with some Mario 2, SNES Mario World and some Zelda. Maybe Mike Tyson's Punch Out. Kills them every time.

 

As with any good performance, the trick is to leave them wanting more, and stop before people's interest totally dies.

[FunkKeysStuff]

man some nice suggestions there! especially like Linus and Lucy and Tipitania! (maybe even mixed together! haha)

 

Never tried that one, but I have been known to drop a little bit of "Signed, Sealed, Delivered" into "Tipitina," and then work my way back via the 3/4 section of "Living For the City." It started by accident when I was looking for new ways to play the turnaround in Tipitina, and ended up playing the one from SSD unintentionally. Kinda cheesy, but it is a great party trick.

 

I'm not a big fan of irony, but if it's for a crowd of under 25's I'd usually just bust out a four chord pop song done in a lounge style with a bit of slow LH stride or walking bass (like Estelle's "American Boy" or Coldplay's "Vida La Vida") usually someone will take over the singing

 

That reminds me: my equivalent for crowds of a slightly older generation (i.e. mine) is my solo piano version of Prince's "Kiss." Not loungey or ironic at all, but coming out of a stride-funk feel. As I play the guitar riff with the right hand, I just look at the crowd expectantly, and invariably they all yell "Kiss!"

 

 

[Garrafon]

The OP asked what are your "go to" songs in that situation. While some people answered the question, many went off on a tangent. The question was NOT whether you should agree to play in such a situation, or whether someone else's "go to" song was a good one or not. He simply asked what YOU think is a good go to song you would use.

 

If Piano Man will make everyone happy. Then playing it for four minutes out of your life is unlikely to ruin your future. Personally, I find just jamming out some honky tonk/blues makes them happy, so I will typically do that. If there is a request, I will try to honor it if I can. Why not?

 

Oh, and by the way, I get asked for legal advice far more often then I get asked to play a song at a party. I guess I could respond that "oh, that aiding and abetting statute is so old and boring, I'm just not going to talk about it again."

[skydogg]

I do about a 5-10 minute medley of a few songs. I'll start off with some free-form blues, and throw in a bunch of hot-doging sh*t. From there I go into Linus-N-Lucy, followed by a rag (Maple Leaf Rag or the Entertainer), from there it's the outro to LeyLa, then I go out with some boog-woogie, ending with a huge glissando starting at the bottom of the keyboard, up to the top, then back down with a final crunch played with my butt.

 

Ha!

 

I hope you're not joking.

[Moonglow]

Not joking at all! Actually, I've become rather adept at doing this....so it looks much "worse" than it really is (i.e., minimal force placed on the keys).

[skydogg]

Not joking at all! Actually, I've become rather adept at doing this....so it looks much "worse" than it really is (i.e., minimal force placed on the keys).

 

Should put that up on youtube

[MAJUSCULE]

You know, I was listening to the Tom Waits album Small Change recently... Now, although it would quite possibly take some major arranging/jamming/shortening, The Piano Has Been Drinking. I mean really, that title is just made for this situation. It's perfect!

[execlass2]

To me, these usually do the trick to capture people's attention AND (perhaps uber alles, their PARTICIPATION):

 

Beatles: Let It Be; Hey Jude; Yellow Submarine

John Lennon: Imagine

Billy Joel: Just The Way You Are

Bob Marley: No Woman No Cry

Commodores: Easy

Eric Clapton: Wonderful Tonight

Queen: We Are The Champions; Friends Will Be Friends

 

These songs vary from easy to moderately difficult to play and sing at the same time, but I have found out that they can capture the attention and participation of a crowd - as long as the player has the right attitude and can "connect" with the audience (ex: winking, nodding, ask them to sing along, etc).

 

[J. Dan]

"Lick My Love Pump" in D Minor - the saddest of all keys

[MAJUSCULE]

Dan's a genius. Plus, that'll get you all the ladies, guaranteed!

[SpaceNorman]

Depends on the setting - if it's lively, I pound out a some two fisted R&B stuff. If it's a little more subdued - I have some "loungy" set pieces that I run through.

 

To be honest - I don't care to be put on the spot to play like that - primarily out of my own sense of inadequacy. Asking me (a keyboard player who works almost exclusively in a group setting and doesn't have much of a solo repertoire) to perform is sort of like asking a baseball team catcher to show you what they do - without another ball player in sight.

 

It's a situation I prefer to simply avoid.

[Bobadohshe]

 

Asking me (a keyboard player who works almost exclusively in a group setting and doesn't have much of a solo repertoire) to perform is sort of like asking a baseball team catcher to show you what they do - without another ball player in sight.

 

It's a situation I prefer to simply avoid.

 

That's a good analogy.