I need help picking a song...

[smile_for_me7465]

I've got a school Talent show coming up, and I was wondering if you guys could help me pick out a song. I'm looking for a good rock song that is not hard to play (preferably a tab type of song even though I'm good with chords) I want it to sound good, be easy to play, and satisfying. All I want are some opinions and some songs. It has to be rock too.

[screamin eagle]

instrumental or with lyrics

can't you hear me knocking-rolling stones
over the hills and far away-lex zeppelin
she talks to angels-black crowes

[smile_for_me7465]

sorry about, preferably lyrics

[screamin eagle]

Star Star by the Rolling stones--now that will raise some ears--at least google the lyrics

[jimmylegs]

Electric or Acoustic? Band or Solo?

Acoustic
Like a Stone - Audioslave (Chris Cornell)
Doesn't Remind Me - Audioslave (Chris Cornell)
Photograph - Nickelback

Electric
Remedy - Seether
Animal I Have Become - Three Days Grace
Boys of Summer - The Ataris
Take me Home Tonight - Eddie Money(Hinder version is awesome)

Some of these are pretty easy, why because I can play them (Ha Ha)! Not sure how long you've been playing but I've been playing acoustic for almost 2 yrs and electric for 6 months. Anyway good luck and if someone records it, post it up we would love to see it.

[smile_for_me7465]

I want a whole song, solo or no solo, at long as it's the lead guitar. And it doesn't matter if it's electric or acoustic as long as it sounds good.

[smile_for_me7465]

oh yeah, if you know a place to get the accurate tab, please tell me.

[tommo2]

It has to be rock too.

Haha... trying to impress the ladies... lol

I know a person who played a song at a school talent show... think it was called the power of something... his name was marty...

Can anyone guess his surname???

Anyway, dont mean to take the p1ss, ... best of luck... try nirvava come as you are

[jimmylegs]

smile - sent you a PM which I think is the best tab site. If you check the highest rated ones and read some of the comments you should be able to find a pretty accurate one. The only one is Take me home tonight. Even though there's not much to that song, I couldn't find a full one just partial.

Let us know which song your going to play and how it goes.

[RADAR_Brian]

who is the audience? High school students or the parents or both? Who judges? teachers or students?

[Scott7975]

ummmm


Hot For Teacher - Van Halen?

Sorry had to be said =)

[Mark U.]

Acoustic - Blackbird

Electric - Manic Depression

[smile_for_me7465]

students, but it has to be school appropriate

[tommo2]

I know a person who played a song at a school talent show... think it was called the power of something... his name was marty...

Can anyone guess his surname???



Cannot believe no-one recognises the film... theres a hint

[RADAR_Brian]

McFly. Power of Love.

[RADAR_Brian]

Are you playing alone or with a band?

If it's not just overplayed to death in your school, you might consider Hey There, Delilah by Plain White T's. I bet chicks would dig it. If they aren't sick of it by now that is.

[Dobrenis]

seize the day by avenged sevenfold, i just learned it, beast solo

[oddball13]

Fortunate Son by Clevience Clearwater (how ever it's spelled)

[smile_for_me7465]

probably just, me. Maybe a singer though.

[RADAR_Brian]

I agree with a previous post that Blackbird by the Beatles would be a real crowd pleaser.. adult and student alike...

I think it would be hard to do a real rocking song if it is just you and a singer. I dunno... maybe if you had a backing track.

[hookooekoo]

I love the Pun of your Title. Help Picking a song, slaps knee.

Anything by Tool would definitely rock the crowd.

Ok seriously, Blackbird is a great suggestion, and farely easy. Guitaretab has a very accurate tab of it. PM if you can't find it via google or whatever, i will hook it up. However DON'T do the Beatles Version, as the Sarah Mclachlan version is far superior.

Side Note.... The Sarah Mclachlan being superior is hopefully an obvious joke, as the guitar part is the same.

[smile_for_me7465]

well I'll probaly have the song playing in the back ground to add everything else while I play the guitar part louder

[AndJustice4All612]

IRONMAN! by SABBATH ah...metal :D

tryin to find somethin easy on windows media player

Back In Black, T.N.T., The Jack :D all by AC/DC


all i can really find is Metal songs, For Whom The Bell Tolls by MetallicA is pretty easy

[Strat_Copy]

Easy... with a solo- preferabley easy to... sounds satisfying...for a teenage school audience... Smells Like Teen Spirit anyone? :)

[RADAR_Brian]

Then again, maybe the better question is.. what songs do YOU know now? If the show is coming up soon, you will fair much better playing a song you don't even have to think about when you play.

[hookooekoo]

Electric or Acoustic? Band or Solo?

Acoustic
Photograph - Def Leppard

Electric
Boys of Summer - Don Henley


Made some Corrections for you Jimmy, and btw Jimmy by Tool is a great choice.

Also, the Smells Like Teen Spirit Choice is prolly a good one too. Although with today's Youth, Prolly pick something by Green Day, Something like Since I come around is like one of the easiest songs ever to learn. Wake me up when september ends is another good one.

Just be sure you pay royalties.

[smile_for_me7465]

I still can't decide

[tommo2]

Just be sure you pay royalties.

This really shows how things have gone recently.
Dont pay any royalties. The record companies arent interested in you. They want people to be afraid to use their songs without copyright but in reality wont go after the small fish. It just isnt worth it.

Dont be afraid of these a$$holes. Play the song and be happy

[jimmylegs]

hookoo, your showing your age man ;) . I might be close to your age but like a lot stuff along with the old (I'm 38) but Photograph - Def Leppard is probably one of their worst songs (sorry not too big of a Def Leppard fan) - Photograph by Nickelback is 100 times better. Boys of Summer - Don Henley, yeah that's the original but The Atari's version is way better and is probably more suitable for smiles age group, which means it rocks a bit more. If you haven't heard their version you should do a search, they did have a video for it, you'll like it.

smile - someone else mentioned - what songs do you know already?

or maybe get a chick to sing for you and do some FLYLEAF - I'M SO SICK, PERFECT, SORROW

[hookooekoo]

hookoo, your showing your age man ;) . I might be close to your age but like a lot stuff along with the old (I'm 38) but Photograph - Def Leppard is probably one of their worst songs (sorry not too big of a Def Leppard fan) - Photograph by Nickelback is 100 times better. Boys of Summer - Don Henley, yeah that's the original but The Atari's version is way better and is probably more suitable for smiles age group, which means it rocks a bit more. If you haven't heard their version you should do a search, they did have a video for it, you'll like it.

smile - someone else mentioned - what songs do you know already?

or maybe get a chick to sing for you and do some FLYLEAF - I'M SO SICK, PERFECT, SORROW

LoLz

I like the Atari's Version Better, but Photograph is their worst song? You sir are Dead to me.

If you wanna do something SICK, do Hearts "Crazy For You" The intro isn't toooo hard with a bit of practice, just take it a bit at a time. You pull that off, you will look like a god :p Tons of Youtube Vidz on this, including a few Sick ones of Nancy doing an extended Intro.

BTW, anyone catch the Alice N Chains/Gretchen Wilson Performance on of Barracuda? That was SICK.

[RADAR_Brian]

I still think some of you guys are choosing songs that wouldn't sound good with just a single guitarist and a vocalist. Maybe if he used a backing track... but eh..

I think you should choose a song YOU KNOW and LOVE. That emotion will translate and even fans who don't like a particular song will recognize the performer's passion.

[hookooekoo]

I still think some of you guys are choosing songs that wouldn't sound good with just a single guitarist and a vocalist. Maybe if he used a backing track... but eh..

I think you should choose a song YOU KNOW and LOVE. That emotion will translate and even fans who don't like a particular song will recognize the performer's passion.

Please he is probably gonna get boo'd unless he plays Sexyback or Candy Shop.

[RADAR_Brian]

Well.. you may be right, but I am a high school teacher in a primarily "rap oriented" school and when the rocker kids play at talent shows the hip hop crowd still cheers them an and pays respect.

Maybe it's just our smalltown nature though. :)

[smile_for_me7465]

Well most of the songs are longer than I like, I'm looking for something around 3min, and is kinda repetitive but not alot. Cause I don't want to have to remember alot of stuff just to play this 1 song.... Also I only know a few songs, so I'm going to have to learn something new

[ez-one]

Nobody knows you when your down clapton
its a fairly easy accoustic song, good for vocals

[AndJustice4All612]

i got a song just over 2 mins...its acoustic though, don kno if u play acoustic...its Good Riddance by Green Day. I just learned it, learned it pretty quickly too and its fun to play

[smile_for_me7465]

I've kinda changed my question, I'm still looking for a good easy song, but I want something with some good distortion and still rock the crowd.

[AndJustice4All612]

Brain Stew by Green Day?
For Whom The Bell Tolls by MetallicA
TNT by AC/DC

thats all i got right now, and i thinki named 2 of those already

[jimmylegs]

yeah justice - Green Day

Paranoid
Basketcase
or
Holiday

Alien Ant Farm - Smooth Criminal

[smile_for_me7465]

I look at these and think, "I can't learn this. It looks to difficult."

[ez-one]

well, my best advice is play someting you already know, since every suggestion that you have recieved here is not going to work for you. There are no easy rock songs that use distortion that you can play as a one man band and get people rockin, only easy prats of songs, Grap an accousitc, get someone to sing and figure out a song to strum chords to, thats your best bet.

[ernieball80]

I would say one of 4 songs, Iron Man, if you do the intro right everyone will know it off the bat. Sandman obvious who doesn't know that song, Teen spirit, super easy song super easy solo very well known as well, maybe free bird intro? good luck

[jimmylegs]

There not too bad, I can play them so they can't be that difficult :p

Since it seems like it's difficult to decide, why don't you give us a list of songs you know and can play. Then maybe we can suggest the best one out of them.

[AndJustice4All612]

I look at these and think, "I can't learn this. It looks to difficult."

Brain Stew is one of the most simple songs ever. Im pretty sure its in Eb, and its just 5 chords.

[NickTGS]

I would say one of 4 songs, Iron Man, if you do the intro right everyone will know it off the bat. Sandman obvious who doesn't know that song, Teen spirit, super easy song super easy solo very well known as well, maybe free bird intro? good luck

Wouldn't call the Smells Like Teen Spirit solo super easy. Easy in comparison to a lot of solos, true, but there are a lot of easier ones out there too. It does require you to use bends and vibrato, which are more advanced techniques than simply picking. Most of Cobain's solos are easier, in fact. Some Red Hot Chili Peppers' solos are easier too.

[stevenrocks]

brilliant electric rock tune with an easy and great sounding little solo in the midle

elbow - leaders of the free world! Just download it and listen it rocks no joke i love playing it and the words and chords are so easy to remember you should learn the whole song solo includid in 10 minutes no joke!

[smile_for_me7465]

what I know how to play won't really catch the crowd

[smile_for_me7465]

oh yeah, been forgetting to say the song can only be 4min max

[RADAR_Brian]

Still... can you list some stuff that you DO know how to play? It will at least give people an idea of your level.

[smile_for_me7465]

rocky top, BLVD of Broken dreams, a horse with no name, intro's to many metallica songs, part of highway to hell, bits of ironman, remedy. That's about it

[Birdbath01]

How about Johnny be good....Always gets our crowd going...Fairly simple and cool sounding

[lino]

What about Ramones or Sex Pistols?
Songs are easy to play and they are very popular. At least here they are :)

[NickTGS]

I'd recommend "Californication" by the Red Hot Chili Peppers (although the solo will take some work, and you'd have to cut some of the verses to make it in 4 minutes) or "Times Like These" (Acoustic) by the Foo Fighters. The latter is mostly open chords, instantly recognizable, and will go great with just a singer. In fact, if you can find someone who can sing relatively well, it'd be a great performance.

[AndJustice4All612]

remedy would be awesome...by Sither right?

[ernieball80]

What About Taking A Bunch Of Really Easy Intros And Putting Them Together Playing One After Another, Kind Of What Metallica Did On Mtv's Anniversary Show A Fwe Years Ago, But W/ Out The Magnitud Of It Being Metallica Of Course, That Might Be Cool.

[jimmylegs]

Seether - Remedy is a good one love that song. Although I don't think you can do it if your by yourself.

Here's an easy one for ya:

Weezer - Beverly Hills

or the old stand by Wild Thing.

[smile_for_me7465]

I'm still trying to find something, but right now I just want to thank you all who have helped so far. I really appreciate it.

[Yarbles]

Based on my experience with talent shows, which is limited, but i've had the joy of watching lots of friends performing and gauging the audiences reactions.

If you want to impress the pants off of people (Isn't that why we all picked up a guitar in the first place? :D ), don't aim for something really difficult. Pick something acoustic, relatively easy, and very very VERY emotional. your singer is paramount to the emotion put in, but a short n' sweet acoustic set will definetly swoon all the girls and pull some heart strings, and overall be a lot more memorable performance then any rock song. My recommendations would be:

If I saw you in Heaven - Eric Clapton
(the first time I saw this performed was shortly after a well loved teacher at our high school passed away at the age of 38, there wasn't one dry eye in the room, I guarantee.)

Simple Twist of fate - Requires a harmonica, but a really haunting tune - Bob Dylan

Wish you were here - Pink floyd

Heart of gold - Neil young

If your vocalist is female, I reccommend:

Travlelin' Soldier - The Dixie chicks.
I'm not sure how this would be received in the United states since last I heard they were labeled as traitors essentially for speaking out against the war, but up here in the great white north I don't think you'd have any trouble.

I went to a country school, so these may have a bit more mileage in my neck of the woods then say if you go to school in Detroit. Anywho, there's my 2cp :)

[smile_for_me7465]

any other songs you guys would recommend?

[RADAR_Brian]

I'm not sure if you are expecting people to deliver some "magical" song that will just be so awesome and so easy or what. Tons of songs have been listed that would be valid and usable.

By your own admission, you don't really know that many songs at the moment. Perhaps it is time to just buckle down and practice some new songs. Being comfortable playing is probably going to be more important than anything.

Maybe you should pick a song, record yourself playing it and let people on here have a listen and help you with arrangement and stuff.

[smile_for_me7465]

I have it narrowed down, which one should I do?

Smells Like teen Spirit - Nirvana
Numb - Linkin Park
Wish You Were Here - Pink Floyed
Fortunate Son - Creedance Clearwater Revival
Remedy - Seether
Iron Man - Black Sabbath
Animal I Have Become - three Days Grace

[ez-one]

which ever one you like best

[stevenrocks]

i would take pink floyed wish you were here outta that lot no sweat! easy to play and sounds great ;)

[YungFil]

I think these songs are fairly easy to play yet awesome sounding.

Can't stop-Red hot chili peppers(tutorials on youtube)
Iron Man-Black Sabboth
Crazy Train-Ozzy
Sweet Child of Mine-Guns and Roses

[smile_for_me7465]

I like them all, just wondering which one you all like?

[RADAR_Brian]

Well.. you have stated before that it will be basically you and maybe another person singing... I really can only see the creedence song or Wish You Were Here working best. And from there I think Wish You Were Here is the most doable.

[YungFil]

Do Smells like teen spirit or Iron Man. Extremely easy and everyone should know'em. I'm a fan of Linkin Park but I don't know how many will recognize Numb.

[AndJustice4All612]

Wish You Were Here

[smile_for_me7465]

any other want to help me by voting?

[ez-one]

you started this post back on Sept 4th, Its now Oct 14th, I think that people have went out of their way to try and help you, but no one is going to be able to pick and play it for you. When is this "show" supposed to happen???? seems like you have wasted about a month sitting on the fence and not picking a song. I'll leave this up for a few more days to see if anyone else wants to offer any suggestion, then I will close the thread.

[AndJustice4All612]

i agree with ez, its been aawhile now. Shouldn't ya have picked a song maybe a couple weeks ago so u could start practicing for ur "show"?!?!?!?!?!?

[RADAR_Brian]

By his own admission, he's not that experienced yet he keeps searching for some magical song that is going to let him rock out a crowd. When songs are presented he says their too hard and things like that. It just keeps a vicious circle going.

A part of me thinks our chains are being yanked.

No offense... :)

[ez-one]

A part of me thinks our chains are being yanked.

No offense... :)[/QUOTE]


I have been watching this and thinking the same thing for about 4 weeks now, but I try not to jump in and moderate stuff unless I really think it needs to be done, (and I am almost there :)

[jimmylegs]

Yeah, I don't know man, I think I would have been practicing a song by now. Unless the talent show isn't until spring. Anyway, if he's not that advanced, most of the songs I suggested and can play (since I've only been playing electric for about 7 months) are pretty easy but rock and some of the songs suggested from others don't seem to be to hard neither and there are plenty of real good ones. Not sure what else we can do?

Get ur done!!!

[smile_for_me7465]

I've played all of those I have listed which I'm asking if people can help me pick from. They aren't that hard at all. It's a matter of I can't decide now.

[AndJustice4All612]

Do whatever ya want. I think you should probly make a decision no matter when the show is, so you can prepare. Just pick whichecer one you think you'll be able to play the best and which one would get the crowd into it. I'd pick one that is probably recognizable to most people.

Good Luck pickin' one and playin it

[smile_for_me7465]

there's to many to pcik from, that why I want people to vote

[ez-one]

I went back and read the entire thread. I can not see anything else that could be added, Lots of people went out of their way to try and help, and there is always a reason why its not going to work or another thing needed. Sometimes the best thing you can do for someone is say, we have done all we can, now its up to you. So I have closed the thread.