This has been brewing in my head for a little while. Maybe I'm too close to my craft of choice, even though I'd probably be homeless if I decided to go professional as a musician.
So often, rock music, and even much of pop music, is synonymous with the guitar. You could even argue that without it, there would be no rock&roll. But what are the songs that we adore that don't feature the guitar, or have no guitar at all?
Off the top of my head, and maybe just cuz it's near Lennon's 70th (I'll leave that to jessey ;) I think of Imagine. This is not easy. One other that comes to mind is Great Gig in the Sky from Dark Side of the Moon.
Rock songs without Guitar
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Rock songs without Guitar
posted at 10/5/2010 11:32 PM EDT
- softwareDevMusician
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Re: Rock songs without Guitar
posted at 10/5/2010 11:54 PM EDT
- Klaas
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Do you consider Elton John to be rock? If so, I can name you a whole bunch. -
Re: Rock songs without Guitar
posted at 10/6/2010 4:06 AM EDT
- jesseyeric
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In Response to Re: Rock songs without Guitar:Do you consider Elton John to be rock? If so, I can name you a whole bunch.
Posted by Klaas
Absolutely.
ELP recorded plenty of songs with just Emerson and a bass guitar. Pretty sure Billy Joel recorded a few without a guitar playing in the background. -
Re: Rock songs without Guitar
posted at 10/6/2010 9:04 AM EDT
- softwareDevMusician
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How could I forget ELP?!? Take a Pebble is a perfect example. Heck, most of their debut LP, save Lucky Man is guitar free for the most part. And much of Tarkus and Pictures. Elton John is among the first I thought of, but most of the tunes that come to mind do have guitar. At least the most popular ones that I can think of. Billy Joel definitely. Piano Man, Movin' Out, New York State of Mind (my favorite of his work), Just the Way You Are, the list goes on. Good call jessey. -
Re: Rock songs without Guitar
posted at 10/6/2010 12:52 PM EDT
- ZILLAGOD
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Actually among the types of rock music I love is the "electronic" or whatever it is called, style.
I love groups like Depeche Mode, Kraftwerk, Front 242, Gary Numan and Ministry. Groups that use mainly synthesized sounds.
'Strangelove' by Depeche Mode is a big favorite and 'The Model' by Kraftwerk is a very cool song. -
Re: Rock songs without Guitar
posted at 10/6/2010 1:09 PM EDT
- NumbaFouwer
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Zilla just beat me to it. A lot of songs have synthesizers instead of guitars. One of my all time favorite songs is "Lord Of The Rings" by Styx on their "Pieces Of Eight" album. This song is set up or preceded by a short song called "The Message", which is all synthesizers. -
Re: Rock songs without Guitar
posted at 10/6/2010 1:34 PM EDT
- jesseyeric
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Let's not forget Barbarian by ELP and Moby Dick by Zep. -
Re: Rock songs without Guitar
posted at 10/6/2010 1:47 PM EDT
- yogafriend
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The Pet Shop Boys. Insofar as techno-pop / synthie music goes, it doesn't get any better. This might not be for everyone, but as far as this genre goes, I always thought they were highly entertaining and fun to listen to. "Actually" is one of my favorite albums.
Insofar as piano goes ... the most loved and elegant "Your Song" by Elton John will endure as a classic. I know people of all ages that love Elton singing that song. -
Re: Rock songs without Guitar
posted at 10/6/2010 2:04 PM EDT
- ZILLAGOD
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Agreed, Pet Shop Boys are excellent. "Being Boring" and "It's a Sin" are favorites of mine. -
Re: Rock songs without Guitar
posted at 10/6/2010 3:31 PM EDT
- Mattyhorn
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On The Run - Pink Floyd
"Hurt" and "Only" - NIN - on most NIN tracks guitars are an afterthought.
Almost anything by Morphine - one of my favorite boston acts - they were just drums, sax and two-string slide bass(!) - a very dynamic sound and good live band, too.
Ben Folds/Five comes to mind...good piano players/songwriters seem better at this...Joe Jackson, Elton John
On some motown records, the guitars are very muted - almost invisible. -
Re: Rock songs without Guitar
posted at 10/6/2010 4:09 PM EDT
- gerbs
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In Response to Re: Rock songs without Guitar:Ben Folds/Five comes to mind...good piano players/songwriters seem better at this...Joe Jackson, Elton John On some motown records, the guitars are very muted - almost invisible.
Posted by Mattyhorn
If memory serves, Joe Jackson's entire "Night & Day" album had no guitar. Oops, reminds me that Graham Maby should be on the unheralded list... -
Re: Rock songs without Guitar
posted at 10/6/2010 4:15 PM EDT
- schadenfreude99
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I need guitar and drums -
Re: Rock songs without Guitar
posted at 10/6/2010 4:51 PM EDT
- NumbaFouwer
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Beth by KISS (drummer Peter Criss sings the song), on the KISS Symphony: Alive IV album, performed with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KbtO_Ayjw0M -
Re: Rock songs without Guitar
posted at 10/6/2010 8:59 PM EDT
- joel49
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Well, it's not exactly a rock song, but I'll say "What'd I Say" by Ray Charles. Even though it opens with the electric piano riff, that was the first riff I learned to play on the guitar.