Piano 🎹 | 5ive Songs

1. Weezer, “Playing My Piano”

💿 OK Human • 🏷 Crush / Atlantic • 📅 2021

“I should get back to these Zoom interviews / But I get so absorbed and time flies / I just can’t let go.” What exactly is 🎙 Rivers Cuomo referencing? Well basically, he gets caught up while playing his piano.  As a pianist myself, I can totally relate with this 🎙 Weezer song.  It appears as on a totally unexpected 2021 studio album, 💿 OK Human where the guitars are traded for orchestra.

As is the case the entire album, the two-and-a-half minute 🎵 “Playing My Piano” is quite successful.  The strings sound gorgeous, Cuomo sounds as potent as ever, and the lyrics are on-point. A prime example: “A cup of java at the edge of the keys / Dripping down from major to mixolydian.” Pianists and music theory nerds rejoice everywhere!

2. Lil Wayne, “Piano Trap”

💿 Funeral • 🏷 Young Money • 📅 2020

“I pop me a Perc and I smoke me some loud.” Charming 🎙 Lil Wayne, charming! Weezy had his share of moments on his surprise 2020 album, 💿 Funeral.  Appearing on the album is 🎵 “Piano Trap,” produced by the legendary 🎛 Mannie Fresh, who delivers some excellent brassy production on this intense, druggy joint.

On the verse, Tunechi manages to thank God for a variety of things. Still, he also asserts “All of my jewelry is fuckin’ ridiculous” as well as “Smokin’ this gas just like it’s some helium,” among other shallow moments.  As far as the ‘piano,’ well, it doesn’t really factor in until part two (“Born piss poor, I’ma die rich full of my shit”). Of course, to be fair, on part one, keyboards deliver those malicious synths. 

Also Appears On 🔽:

🔗 🎧 13 P Songs Selected with No Rhyme or Reason

3. Sampha, “(No One Knows Me) Like the Piano”

💿 Process • 🏷 Young Turks • 📅 2017 

🎵 “(No One Knows Me) Like the Piano” (💿 Process, 2017) is an emotional, reflective gem that grips the listener from the jump.  A subtle record, the lyrics pack a punch, not to mention 🎙 Sampha’s personal, authentic vocal.  In a sense, he characterizes the piano in his mother’s home as his confidante – the sole person who understands his feelings, issues, and otherwise.  On the first verse, the focus seems to be solely on the piano.

The chorus, which follows, suggests that there’s more to the story. Verse two personalizes the centerpiece of the song:

“An angel by her side, all the times I knew we couldn’t cope
They said that it’s her time, no tears in sight, I kept the feelings close
And you took hold of me and never, never, never let me go...”

Sampha has returned home, not only for his beloved childhood piano. According to Genius, his return was due to the illness and eventual death of his mom.

4. Pusha T, “Hard Piano”

Ft. Rick Ross

💿 DAYTONA • 🏷 Getting Out Our Dreams, Inc. / Def Jam • 📅 2018

“Never trust a bitch who finds love in a camera / She will fuck you, then turn around and fuck a janitor…” 🎵 “Hard Piano” appears as the third track on 💿 DAYTONA, the superb, 🏆 Grammy-nominated, 2018 album by rapper 🎙 Pusha T, is driven by the piano in its production work.  “Hard Piano” isn’t really about “tickling the ivories.”  The cocaine references are abundant – there’s no escaping the bricks here: “Still do the Fred Astaire on a brick.”

Again, the coke is ripe, but Pusha T also references prominent men accused of sexual abuse (Harvey Weinstein and Matt Lauer) and art (“The Warhols on my wall paint a war story”).  Featured guest 🎙 Rick Ross contributes to the brick-talk, asserting, “Chillin’ in a condo full of ready rock,” later spitting, “All these K-9 units still sniffin’ me.”  Besides being “Rich Off Cocaine” (see what I did there?), he’s just stinking rich.  After all, “It’s double M, baby, money monopolies.” By the way, the piano is never explicitly referenced.

Also Appears On 🔽:

🔗 🎧 13 Entertaining Songs That Reference Musical Instruments

5. Billy Joel, “Piano Man”

💿 Piano Man • 🏷 Columbia • 📅 1973

There is no possible way that any piano list would be complete without the most piano song of all – 🎵 “Piano Man.”  This is an iconic song by an iconic musician, period.  🎙 Billy Joel is the definition of beast – in the most musical genius way possible! “Piano Man” appears as the second track on his 1973 album, also titled 💿 Piano Man.

The five-time 🏆 Grammy Winner amazingly wasn’t awarded for arguably his most popular song – go figure.  Nonetheless, even approaching fifty years since it first arrived, “Piano Man” remains beloved.  What makes it so great? Terrific vocals by Joel, awesome piano playing, some harmonica, and of course, the songwriting itself.  Nothing shines more than the refrain:

“Sing us a song, you’re the piano man
Sing us a song tonight
Well, we’re all in the mood for a melody
And you’ve got us feeling alright.”