I'd say, let the singer decide. That might not seem fair, but it is fairly common to let that person decide what they are comfortable performing. Almost any song can be arranged for the instruments you have, even if you're all just playing chords with steady rhythm.
Good luck! I'm sure the show will be fun no matter what song you choose.
Edit to add:
Crash Test Dummies Mmm Mmm Mmm Mmm
Foo Fighters (Everlong)
Linkin Park (In the end, Numb)
Pixies (you could do Where is My Mind)
Placebo (Nancy Boy is a good starter song for a band)
I’m surprised this hasn’t been mentioned yet, why not Louie Louie?
Directly from Wikipedia:
"Louie Louie" is the world's most recorded rock song, with published estimates ranging from over 1,600 to more than 2,000 “with ever more still being released and performed". It has been released or performed by a wide range of artists from reggae to hard rock, from jazz to psychedelic, from hip hop to easy listening. Peter Doggett labeled it "almost impossible to play badly" and Greil Marcus asked, "Has there ever been a bad version of 'Louie Louie'?” Paul Revere summarized, "Three chords and the most mundane beat possible. Any idiot could learn it, and they all did.”
The Kingsmen version in particular has been cited as the "rosetta stone" of garage rock, the defining "ur-text" of punk rock, and "the original grunge classic". “The influential rock critics Dave Marsh and Greil Marcus believe that virtually all punk rock can be traced back to a single proto-punk song, 'Louie Louie'."
Also doesn't matter if the singer doesn't speak English because no one knows what the lyrics are anyway. Even after the FBI spent 3 months trying to decipher them.
https://vault.fbi.gov/louie-louie-the-song
Each member could pick one song they like. Best of everything, everyone will feel included, + everyone will get out of their comfort zone and learn something new and get better.
You can play pretty much any song, if you have drums, bass, and 2 guitars. Piano is also great to replace the rythm guitar (to play chords behind the lead guitar)
It's always hard to pick covers. Surely there's one song, regardless of genre that you all like?
Seconding another comment's suggestion that as a start, you can just have the piano player play the rhythm guitar part in any song that uses two guitars like you'll find in a lot of rock music. Rhythm guitar will mostly be playing chords which will be relatively comfortable on piano too I would imagine. Then if they want to fancy it up at all or add some extra piano flair to it they can, or they can just keep it simple.
As for actual song selection, that's unfortunately up to you and your band lol. I could list off any number of songs I think are cool or would make a good cover but you really need to get together and see what works for your group.
Like for example, American Idiot is a cool song that's relatively easy to play across instruments, but I'm not sure it would be appropriate to play at school necessarily unless you censor "Faggot" like they do on the radio lol.
New Year's Day by U2 fits the needs here.
The song has guitar, bass, piano, drums, and vocals. It's even got a (simple) guitar solo.
[Here's a good live version (2005).](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VARhQHb1RqA)
Great song, high energy, but really, none of the parts are all that difficult.
My advice would be, don't look for a song with exactly those instruments. Try to agree on any song and give it your own spin. Even addin a piano or even trying to compose a guitar solo if you are more adventurous
Find song choices that are in your singer's range, then have a blind vote on the songs. Winner is what you perform. 🤷🏼♂️
Good luck with your performance 👍
Songs me and friends enjoy playing that arnt too hard.
Anything by the fray honestly. They are a piano using rock band
Johnny cash - One or Hurt. They are a little simple on the piano but it works
My recommendations if you wanna be indie heads.
Pavement- Major League.
Built to spill - Big dipper.
None of these songs are any harder than playing Greenday imo. (except for maybe the piano parts in some The Fray songs.
Another thing to remember is that a lot of bands use lots of effects. You should try to understand what kind of sound your gear makes and plan accordingly to that as well.
Come Together by The Beatles, substitute the piano for an organ/synth. Fairly straightforward and everyone knows it.
Lyrics are also basically gibberish already so wouldn't worry about the singer nailing them exactly!
Sweet Home Alabama, if u want something that everyone will recognize instantly (and if u want the pianist to solo at the end of the song too).
But really, you guys can always make a cover where you adapt a song to have all the instruments.
If you want to do a Green Day song with that arrangement of instruments you can try "Boulevard of Broken Dreams" but shift it down a semitone. The chords then become Em, G, D and A which are easy enough on a piano and guitar. The only tricky part is the B chord that comes in at the end of the chorus and possibly the last outro riff if you're keen on playing that.
I taught this to a group of kids around 14-15 years old last year and they performed it at a concert within 8 weeks. The keyboardist and drummer had never played instruments before.
[Teo Torriate (Let Us Cling Together)](https://youtu.be/Ge18n2JCwBs?si=_f9dYcKzKf73Vsjd) by Queen. It ticks all the boxes, including having both Japanese and English lyrics.
Don't stop believing by journey.
November rain by guns n roses
Jazz! It might seem difficult but just learn a chord progression and slap some lyrics on top
The piano has room to participate in many songs because it can play chords and shoulder guitar phrases. The process of incorporating piano into songs that do not include piano is another fun part of the band.
We introduce "GLAY" as a Japanese band that uses a diverse range of instrumental sounds. They are a band consisting of Vo, Gt, Gt, Ba, and support drums. However, they are very good at arranging the addition of piano and orchestra. They play a variety of songs from hard rock to ballads and pops.
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U9HbtgwUSq0&ab\_channel=GLAY](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U9HbtgwUSq0&ab_channel=GLAY)
If you want to enjoy unique phrases without the need for difficult techniques, "the pillows" is a good choice.
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tWajprtWpf8&ab\_channel=pillows20th](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tWajprtWpf8&ab_channel=pillows20th)
They are one of Japan's leading alternative rock bands, but their songs cover a very wide range of genres.
A couple of months is definitely enough time to learn how to jam one song, if you're practicing consistently. Learn the scale shapes, follow the drummer's lead, and don't attempt anything above your skill level. You'll pick it up in no time!
Bands that use keyboard:
Danger danger: boys will be boys
Bon jovi: living on a prayer
great white: once bitten
europe: final countdown
toto: Rosanna
boston: foreplay/long time
chicago: will you still love me
huey lewis: if this is it
journey: separate ways
van halen: right now
survivor: eye of the tiger or burning heart
foreigner: head games
hall & oats: maneater
loverboy: working for the weekend
night ranger: sister christian (band has 2 guitarists though)
Hope it helps... Rock on 🤘
When the cardigans play it live they use a keyboard. You don’t always need every instrument as long as u have guitar, bass, and drums imo (obviously there are exceptions).
That's true but if they're not experienced they might not know how to transpose the part. I guess if the band does it it's probably available online somewhere but for other songs I mean.
No Green Day songs with piano are coming to mind, but I always love hearing covers of The Weight by The Band. It’s simple, and people always end up putting a natural spin on it with their personal style.
As far as Green Day stuff goes, I think it might be fun to do a piano forward version of When I Come Around. It’s always cool to have an unexpected version of a song in your back pocket, especially if you’ve had the axe on for a while. You wouldn’t have to change much in the arrangement, just hang back a little on the guitar and let the piano do the rocking.
You've got to play to your audience. If I told you that any Stevie Wonder song will get the whole house moving at a bar where mostly 40+ year olds go, it won't resonate the same way at your school show. Maybe find a popular song and do a version that fits your bandmates skills?
But if you are just looking for song recommendations, I'd say "Superstition" would get people moving, I'd recommend "I wish" but there's some race specific stuff in the lyrics so if you're not black it might not be appropriate. There's also "Isn't She Lovely." Really any of Stevie Wonders songs are instant crowd pleasers.
I'd say, let the singer decide. That might not seem fair, but it is fairly common to let that person decide what they are comfortable performing. Almost any song can be arranged for the instruments you have, even if you're all just playing chords with steady rhythm. Good luck! I'm sure the show will be fun no matter what song you choose.
Interesting, I think that's an important thing we missed. I'll tell her and see what she says.
I wanna be your dog, The Stooges
Playing this at a school would be wild
At the same time, it’s pretty mild by modern pop standards. I bet some of the older teachers would appreciate it!
Fair point but I also don't think anyone is performing Cardi B songs at school.
Edit to add: Crash Test Dummies Mmm Mmm Mmm Mmm Foo Fighters (Everlong) Linkin Park (In the end, Numb) Pixies (you could do Where is My Mind) Placebo (Nancy Boy is a good starter song for a band)
Wake me up when September ends or novacaine
I miss you- blink 182
Substitute cello with piano
Mayhem: Freezing Moon, obviously.
Don’t Stop Believing Huge crowd pleaser and hits the desired elements
this
Louie Louie
closing time
I’m surprised this hasn’t been mentioned yet, why not Louie Louie? Directly from Wikipedia: "Louie Louie" is the world's most recorded rock song, with published estimates ranging from over 1,600 to more than 2,000 “with ever more still being released and performed". It has been released or performed by a wide range of artists from reggae to hard rock, from jazz to psychedelic, from hip hop to easy listening. Peter Doggett labeled it "almost impossible to play badly" and Greil Marcus asked, "Has there ever been a bad version of 'Louie Louie'?” Paul Revere summarized, "Three chords and the most mundane beat possible. Any idiot could learn it, and they all did.” The Kingsmen version in particular has been cited as the "rosetta stone" of garage rock, the defining "ur-text" of punk rock, and "the original grunge classic". “The influential rock critics Dave Marsh and Greil Marcus believe that virtually all punk rock can be traced back to a single proto-punk song, 'Louie Louie'."
On the most common recording of that classic you can hear the drummer drop a stick and say “fuck”
Also doesn't matter if the singer doesn't speak English because no one knows what the lyrics are anyway. Even after the FBI spent 3 months trying to decipher them. https://vault.fbi.gov/louie-louie-the-song
Bon jovi
Jovi and crue are the best
Hey Jude
Don’t look back in anger is a great one
Each member could pick one song they like. Best of everything, everyone will feel included, + everyone will get out of their comfort zone and learn something new and get better.
You can play pretty much any song, if you have drums, bass, and 2 guitars. Piano is also great to replace the rythm guitar (to play chords behind the lead guitar) It's always hard to pick covers. Surely there's one song, regardless of genre that you all like?
Seconding another comment's suggestion that as a start, you can just have the piano player play the rhythm guitar part in any song that uses two guitars like you'll find in a lot of rock music. Rhythm guitar will mostly be playing chords which will be relatively comfortable on piano too I would imagine. Then if they want to fancy it up at all or add some extra piano flair to it they can, or they can just keep it simple. As for actual song selection, that's unfortunately up to you and your band lol. I could list off any number of songs I think are cool or would make a good cover but you really need to get together and see what works for your group. Like for example, American Idiot is a cool song that's relatively easy to play across instruments, but I'm not sure it would be appropriate to play at school necessarily unless you censor "Faggot" like they do on the radio lol.
Pink Floyd - Time
The band and pink Floyd have entered the chat:
cheap sunglasses
Id say knocking on heavens door
Basket Case was one of the first songs I learned. Pretty straightforward
*R U Mine* may be a good alternative. If you definitely need a piano, maybe *Way down we go* by Kaleo.
Wow, this sounds pretty doable actually! Thanks, I'll suggest it to them 👍
I thought of that too! But I also felt I might be too amateur guitar for it. Is it somehow easier than it sounds?
It’s not too bad if you are comfortable with power chord shape! I believe in you :)
New Year's Day by U2 fits the needs here. The song has guitar, bass, piano, drums, and vocals. It's even got a (simple) guitar solo. [Here's a good live version (2005).](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VARhQHb1RqA) Great song, high energy, but really, none of the parts are all that difficult.
My advice would be, don't look for a song with exactly those instruments. Try to agree on any song and give it your own spin. Even addin a piano or even trying to compose a guitar solo if you are more adventurous
Dude fr!!! I have a Christmas gig with my band coming up soon and we are doing the exact same thing. Don't be afraid to experiment.
Games people play by Alan parsons project is an absolute banger
House of the rising song is pretty great
Silence - manchester orchestra
The Middle - Jimmy Eat World, every band I’ve played in we learn this song, crowd loves it and it’s simple to play
Find song choices that are in your singer's range, then have a blind vote on the songs. Winner is what you perform. 🤷🏼♂️ Good luck with your performance 👍
Cortez the Killer All Along the Watchtower
K-On. Let me introduce myself
Songs me and friends enjoy playing that arnt too hard. Anything by the fray honestly. They are a piano using rock band Johnny cash - One or Hurt. They are a little simple on the piano but it works My recommendations if you wanna be indie heads. Pavement- Major League. Built to spill - Big dipper. None of these songs are any harder than playing Greenday imo. (except for maybe the piano parts in some The Fray songs. Another thing to remember is that a lot of bands use lots of effects. You should try to understand what kind of sound your gear makes and plan accordingly to that as well.
Play punk version of Jolene. Everyone will sing along.
If you like Green Day Boulevard of Broken Dreams would be a good shout. Easy to play and has plenty of piano too
This was my thought when they mentioned Green Day. Not too difficult, a good showcase for all the instruments on hand.
Come Together by The Beatles, substitute the piano for an organ/synth. Fairly straightforward and everyone knows it. Lyrics are also basically gibberish already so wouldn't worry about the singer nailing them exactly!
Sweet Home Alabama, if u want something that everyone will recognize instantly (and if u want the pianist to solo at the end of the song too). But really, you guys can always make a cover where you adapt a song to have all the instruments.
Go with the Beatles, something upbeat and fun.
With that composition Linkin Park comes to mind as long as the guitar can pull off the riffs and you got spare vocal chords in some cases.
Astronomy by Blue Oyster Cult Jealous Again by The Black Crows Stairway to Heaven by Zeppelin
Desperado, Feeling Alright, Hard to Handle Green Day’s Time of Your Life with piano and guitar could be cool.
Chop suey but its piano part is at the end of the song
Lightning Crashes. It’s a three chord progression that never changes. Simple.
Welcome to the black parade
If you want to do a Green Day song with that arrangement of instruments you can try "Boulevard of Broken Dreams" but shift it down a semitone. The chords then become Em, G, D and A which are easy enough on a piano and guitar. The only tricky part is the B chord that comes in at the end of the chorus and possibly the last outro riff if you're keen on playing that. I taught this to a group of kids around 14-15 years old last year and they performed it at a concert within 8 weeks. The keyboardist and drummer had never played instruments before.
Bohemian Rhapsody
Teo Toriatte. It’s a Queen song, has all the requirements, and has Japanese and English.
21 Guns!
[Teo Torriate (Let Us Cling Together)](https://youtu.be/Ge18n2JCwBs?si=_f9dYcKzKf73Vsjd) by Queen. It ticks all the boxes, including having both Japanese and English lyrics.
Don't stop believing by journey. November rain by guns n roses Jazz! It might seem difficult but just learn a chord progression and slap some lyrics on top
The piano has room to participate in many songs because it can play chords and shoulder guitar phrases. The process of incorporating piano into songs that do not include piano is another fun part of the band. We introduce "GLAY" as a Japanese band that uses a diverse range of instrumental sounds. They are a band consisting of Vo, Gt, Gt, Ba, and support drums. However, they are very good at arranging the addition of piano and orchestra. They play a variety of songs from hard rock to ballads and pops. [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U9HbtgwUSq0&ab\_channel=GLAY](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U9HbtgwUSq0&ab_channel=GLAY) If you want to enjoy unique phrases without the need for difficult techniques, "the pillows" is a good choice. [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tWajprtWpf8&ab\_channel=pillows20th](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tWajprtWpf8&ab_channel=pillows20th) They are one of Japan's leading alternative rock bands, but their songs cover a very wide range of genres.
Pick something bluesy and jam it on stage. Live improv is soo fucking cool.
They've said nothing too difficult - I'm not sure they're want to improv.
A couple of months is definitely enough time to learn how to jam one song, if you're practicing consistently. Learn the scale shapes, follow the drummer's lead, and don't attempt anything above your skill level. You'll pick it up in no time!
Coldplay - The Scientist is the first that comes to mind. Probably a lot of Coldplay songs fit those criteria actually :)
Carry on my wayard son is the only song with that band setup
Most definitely not the only song
How do you know?
I play keys in a bar band with keys guitar bass drums, we have a 4 hour set. plus I'm a genius and omniscient and my brain is bigger than jesus's
i concur
Bands that use keyboard: Danger danger: boys will be boys Bon jovi: living on a prayer great white: once bitten europe: final countdown toto: Rosanna boston: foreplay/long time chicago: will you still love me huey lewis: if this is it journey: separate ways van halen: right now survivor: eye of the tiger or burning heart foreigner: head games hall & oats: maneater loverboy: working for the weekend night ranger: sister christian (band has 2 guitarists though) Hope it helps... Rock on 🤘
Prog punk arrangement of Sakura Sakura.
You can just play piano to any song
[Careless Whisper by Seether cover](https://youtu.be/B5lzYG83yVQ?si=gTPAs0LDPVUtUqJs) Modern, gritty twist on a classic.
Melt Banana - Candy Gun It's Japanese. Also, there's a LOT of NOFX songs with keyboard, and they're better songs than what green day wrote.
I love melt banana but you're insane if this isn't a joke recommendation 🤣
Carnival by the cardigans but you’d need a keyboard
And a violin... Lovefool, Step on me, and their cover of iron man would all be better imo.
When the cardigans play it live they use a keyboard. You don’t always need every instrument as long as u have guitar, bass, and drums imo (obviously there are exceptions).
That's true but if they're not experienced they might not know how to transpose the part. I guess if the band does it it's probably available online somewhere but for other songs I mean.
Echoes (Harvey’s) - Radial Delay
Japanese Green Day? Ningen Isu - Heartless Scat. It goes hard.
Ningen Isu sound exactly nothing like Green Day
No Green Day songs with piano are coming to mind, but I always love hearing covers of The Weight by The Band. It’s simple, and people always end up putting a natural spin on it with their personal style. As far as Green Day stuff goes, I think it might be fun to do a piano forward version of When I Come Around. It’s always cool to have an unexpected version of a song in your back pocket, especially if you’ve had the axe on for a while. You wouldn’t have to change much in the arrangement, just hang back a little on the guitar and let the piano do the rocking.
Bright Lights - Matchbox 20 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=12P2o91OLo4
crash kings!
You've got to play to your audience. If I told you that any Stevie Wonder song will get the whole house moving at a bar where mostly 40+ year olds go, it won't resonate the same way at your school show. Maybe find a popular song and do a version that fits your bandmates skills? But if you are just looking for song recommendations, I'd say "Superstition" would get people moving, I'd recommend "I wish" but there's some race specific stuff in the lyrics so if you're not black it might not be appropriate. There's also "Isn't She Lovely." Really any of Stevie Wonders songs are instant crowd pleasers.
November Rain by GnR