Animaniacs "Piano Rag" song on piano (of all things!)

You can download my transcription of this tune here:
http://www.keeper1st.com/music/pianorag.pdf
I put the chord names on the sheet music, so you guitarists out there might be able to use it too. And at the end here, I give you an overview of the tune, though I generally dislike "tutorial" videos. But for those who don't read music, I was feeling generous today (you are expected to know basic chords and scales, at least).

This song is sung by the Warners in "Piano Rag" from episode 7 of Steven Spielberg Presents Animaniacs, after they take over the piano at a classical music concert.

'Twas a guy named Joe from Kokomo
Playin' that piano rag.
He banged the keys with his head and his knees
Playin' that piano rag.
He twiddled with his toes and he diddled with his nose
Playin' that piano rag.
And when the day was done he had some fun
Playin' that piano rag!
He was playin' that piano rag!

Category:

Music

Tags:

• ragtime
• piano
• rag
• pianist
• sheetmusic
• animaniacs
• wb
• wba
• cartoon
• yakko
• wakko
• dot

[ciararavenblaze]

I'm not gonna comment (much) on your talent--because you already know I think you're quite good at what you do. but I'm curious--what's with some of the keys missing the ivory covering on 'em?

[Keeper1st]

@ciararavenblaze Actually they're all missing the ivory; someone removed them for money and replaced them with plastic covers before I bought the piano. When moving from sea level to almost a mile above sea level, the change in air pressure caused the wooden black keys to expand, and many of them rubbed against the white key covers, so they got pulled off.

[lbrown21494]

Well done! Maybe i'll try and learn it. I don't generally play piano often, but heyy, why not\? I can't wait to hear this piece up to speed! I actually considered asking you to transcribe this, or if you had, but kept forgetting about it. Oh, I've started storyboarding episode one, warm up your Rutherferd voice! (that sounds....odd)

[Keeper1st]

@lbrown21494 Heh, well, last time you said my normal voice was more what you had in mind, so... consider it warmed!

[trudbol]

I'm very naive, so forgive me for asking : why force onesefl to play in a certain key and not transpose to a key with perhaps less sharps or flats? Since the piano is tuned in equal temperament, it shouldn't make a difference, should it?

Keep posting your great videos, I'm always happy to watch what you have in store for us!

[Keeper1st]

@trudbol No, it doesn't really make a difference, but I thought it was important to write the music down in its original key, and thus to present it in the original key as well.

[AceWissle]

You played it wrong, you have to dance and jump and fool around on that stool and use your feet to play!

So... when will Tom play this? :D

[Keeper1st]

@perfessorbill Of course, but as I am presenting my transcription of the piece, I wanted not only for the transcription to be in the original key, but my presentation also. (Though my piano-shaped object isn't tuned to modern concert pitch -- insofar as it's tuned at all -- so it's a little flatter than the original.)

But frankly, what I did here is about as good as it gets for me at the keyboard, in any key! I can't even play my own rags, even if I wrote them at the keyboard.

[ciararavenblaze]

@Keeper1st d'oh!!! that sucks. but at least the piano works, right? :D

[ciararavenblaze]

also, if'n I were there, I'd hold the camera for you. :D

[kingmallow]

This is wonderful :D <3

[Keeper1st]

@alphadev When you're used to reading and playing through ragtime, it's tough, because it's rare to see anything more than one sharp in the key signature (while five flats is fairly common). So when playing lots of black keys, the instinct is to hit B-flat when you're thinking "B", as I even do a couple times when explaining that I prefer to play the bass notes an octave lower.