More Songs from Piano Rock – New Wave 80’s Edition
Here are some of the most memorable ’80s New Wave piano songs and riffs:
New Year’s Day – U2 Old piano gets an unlikely boost from a guitar-dominated band with this U2 cut War album. U2 gives a simple piano, bass and drums riff the power they give to their usual lineup of guitar, bass and drums. The Edge plays this riff on a Yamaha CP-80 which has a distinctive and unusual piano sound that you hear on other ’80s cuts by Peter Gabriel and Hall and Oates. The shorter bites of the CP-80 give a slightly more guitar-like tone, only bigger. U2 also used the grand piano effect on another single. The sweetest thing.
Up On the Catwalk & Alive and Kicking – Simple Minds Michael MacNeil of Simple Minds was also a CP-80 user and it is the signature keyboard sound of the most successful Simple Minds albums like shine in the rain and the massive Once upon a time. These 2 cuts show the piano starting with the main octave part that kicks off the stadium rock of on the catwalk. Alive and kicking has a full breakdown featuring nothing but piano, unprecedented in a number one hit.
Like Heaven – The Cure This song only has piano during the solo section, but what a great and memorable part it is. The Cure were known for being an emotional band and the piano solo in this song just makes you want to get out your eyeliner and pictures of your ex-girlfriend and sit and cry in front of the mirror until your mascara runs.
Rush – great audio dynamite This song is from the 90s, but BAD was created from The Clash, who were from the 80s (and 70s), so BAD comes in. The reason this song is included is because there is a full piano breakdown in the second verse. Pianos don’t have many of those.
Rock the Casbah Since we are talking about The Clash, I would hate to forget about this huge success for them. Listen closely how the piano is what drives the song most of the time and makes it rock, and the guitars add the flavor. Usually it is the other way around.
Stay close to me – ABC This ABC hit has a great piano riff that drives the chorus, in fact it’s almost the entire chorus of the chorus, that’s how catchy it is.
Head Over Heels – Tears of Fear There’s an epic piano riff that opens this song that was used for a very weird dance number in the movie. donnie darko. A bit similar, and just as catchy as the be close to me riff
No one’s fault – Howard Jones Another CP-80 user, Howard Jones, was a pioneer in doing a one-man show using just one keyboard setup. People told him he was crazy but he made it work surrounded by a mountain of keyboards and his venerable CP-80.