Today is World Pianist Day, so I thought I’d share a guilty pleasure piano song with you.
The Piano has been an instrument that has provided music and melodies for centuries. It has figured prominently in all genres of music and some very talented people have been known for the instrument.
Frederic Chopin, Ludwig Von Beethoven, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, and Franz Liszt are all well known classical pianists.
Duke Ellington, Oscar Peterson, Nat King Cole, and Count Basie are all well known jazz pianists.
Fats Domino, Little Richard, Billy Joel, Elton John, Stevie Wonder, Carole King, and Freddie Mercury were all well known pop/rock pianists.
PDQ Bach, Tom Lehrer, and Victor Borge were all known for incorporating the piano into their comedy.
Otis Spann, Billy Preston, Charles Brown, Dr. John, and Ray Charles all offered up some great blues piano tunes.
Then, of course, there was Liberace … who played everything.
When I was young, I learned how to play the Hammond Organ. I wish I had learned how to play piano, though. Over the years, I have come to appreciate how talented piano players are. I can’t imagine playing one riff with one hand and a melody on the other.
The guilty pleasure song I wanted to share today features the piano and is played by a guy who I have written about before. TV and movie star Hugh Laurie had an album out a few years back called “Let Them Talk.” On this album, he plays the song Swanee River. The song was written by the great Stephen Foster back in 1851!
Hugh’s version is an amazing boogie woogie romp that you cannot help but tap your toes to. It is one of those “pick me up” songs. I find myself listening to it when I am feeling down. So for World Pianist Day, I apologize to the legendary pianists I mentioned early on, and offer up – Mr. Hugh Laurie.
Thank you for a delightful reminder of the power of the piano. As Tom Lehrer said “Life is like a piano. What you get out of it depends on how you play it.” 🙃
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Kudos for not only knowing who Tom Lehrer is, but for quoting him!
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I love piano music
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Great you marked the day, only name I don’t know is Tom Lehrer, that’s a great quote!
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He was big in the 60’s. Harvard math professor who has a very warped sense of humor. His songs played a lot on the Dr. Demento show.
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As a music lover and fellow pianist, I’m digging this! Thanks, Keith! 🎹 🎶
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SO glad you enjoyed it. It is such a fun song.
I suppose I could have included songs from every artist mentioned ….
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Cool! That and guitar , the foundations of pretty much any and all modern music. I had no idea Hugh Laurie had any aspirations to be a musician – if that’s him playing on the track,he’s not that bad.
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It is him playing. The album is fantastic
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Here is a clip from his live show
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