Heartbeats and headphones: Valentine’s with Trinity Rock & Pop

As pop songs (and films) have told us for decades: ‘Love is a many splendored thing, love lifts us up where we belong, all you need it love!’. So, this Valentine’s Day, we thought we’d explore the subject of love in our Rock & Pop song lists. Whether you are looking forward to a day filled with romantic gestures, mending a broken heart, or celebrating single life with friends, we’ve got your soundtrack covered.

Big love

Music can be a fantastic way of communicating how you feel to a loved one, enabling you to relive fond memories and share your common musical interests. So, if you’re thinking of serenading someone, or maybe making an old-school mix tape, this Valentine’s Day, here are some songs to get you started:

• Ain’t Nobody by Rufus & Chaka Khan – Grade 6 Vocals: Female*
• How long will I love you by Ellie Goulding – Grade 1 Vocals
• If I ain’t got you by Alicia Keys – Grade 5 Keyboards and Grade 7 Vocals: Female*
• Songbird by Oasis – Initial Vocals
• Sweet Disposition by Temper Trap – Grade 2 Bass and Grade 7 Vocals: Male*
• Take Me to Church by Hozier – Grade 5 Keyboards and Grade 6 Vocals: Male*
• Video Games by Lana Del Rey – Grade 2 Keyboards and Grade 4 Vocals
• Vision of Love by Mariah Carey – Grade 8 Vocals: Female*
• Yellow by Coldplay – Initial Bass, Initial Drums, Grade 3 Vocals
• You Are So Beautiful by Joe Cocker – Grade 7 Keyboards
• You Do Something to Me by Paul Weller – Grade 4 Drums and Grade 4 Vocals
• You Make Loving Fun by Fleetwood Max – Initial Bass, Grade 2 Drums and Grade 5 Vocals

Bad romance

Love isn’t always easy but the challenges of being in love (say, for example, with the wrong person) makes inspiration for some great songs. Here are a few examples:

• Fallin’ by Alicia Keys – Grade 2 Drums and Grade 8 Vocals: Female*
• I never loved a man (the way I loved you) by Aretha Franklin – Grade 4 Bass, Grade 3 Drums, Grade 3 Keyboards and Grade 8 Vocals: Female*
• Lonely Boy by The Black Keys – Grade 3 Guitar
• Love rears its ugly head by Living Colour – Grade 6 Drums
• I heard It through the grapevine by Marvin Gaye – Grade 4 Keyboards
• One by U2 – Grade 6 Vocals: Male*
• Substitute by The Who – Grade 4 Bass
• The Last Time by Rolling Stones – Grade 3 Guitar and Initial Vocals
• With or Without You by U2 – Initial Bass
• Wrecking Ball by Miley Cyrus – Grade 5 Vocals
• Wuthering Heights by Kate Bush – Grade 6 Keyboards
• You Know That I’m No Good by Amy Winehouse – Grade 4 Bass, Grade 5 Drums, Grade 4 Guitar and Grade 3 Vocals

Let it go

Sometimes, enough is enough and a decision has to be made to move on, as many well-known artists have described through their music:

• 50 ways to leave your lover by Paul Simon – Grade 7 Drums
• Bad Blood by Taylor Swift – Grade 2 Vocals
• Easy by The Commodores – Grade 6 Keyboards
• Forever by Haim – Grade 4 Bass
• Free Fallin’ by Tom Petty – Grade 3 Vocals
• It’s too late by Carole King – Grade 4 Vocals
• These Boots Are Made for Walking by Nancy Sinatra – Grade 1 Vocals

The one that got away

Mending a broken heart can be tough, but rest assured you’re not alone and many songwriters have penned how they have felt:

• Black Cherry by Goldfrapp – Initial Bass
• Everytime by Britney Spears – Grade 5 Vocals
• Heartbreaker by Led Zeppelin – Grade 5 Bass and Grade 5 Guitar
• Hello by Adele – Initial Keyboards and Grade 7 Vocals: Female*
• In My Place by Coldplay – Grade 3 Guitar and Grade 2 Keyboards
• Lay me down by Sam Smith – Grade 8 Vocals: Male*
• Miss You by Rolling Stones – Grade 2 Drums and Grade 2 Keyboards
• Nothing Compares 2 U by Sinead O’Connor – Grade 6 Vocals: Female*
• Reelin’ in the years by Steely Dan – Grade 8 Guitar and Grade 3 Keyboards
• Rosanna by Toto – Grade 8 Drums and Grade 7 Keyboards
• Something got me started by Simply Red – Grade 6 Bass and Grade 4 Keyboards
• When I was Your Man by Bruno Mars – Grade 7 Vocals: Male*

You’ve got a friend in me

Of course, some of our most important relationships don’t revolve around romantic love at all, but platonic. So, if you’re celebrating your friends this Valentine’s here are a few anthems to kick them off:

• Stand by me by Ben E King – Initial Bass
• With a little help from my friends by Joe Cocker – Grade 6 Bass, Grade 7 Drums, Grade 6 Guitar, Grade 5 Keyboards and Grade 6 Vocals: Male*
• You’ve Got a Friend by Carole King – Grade 2 Bass and Grade 1 Vocals

*Remember: if you’re taking a Grade 6-8 Vocals exam, while the song books available at these grades are divided into Male and Female publications, any song can be performed by any voice and in any key. All songs are available to buy as e-singles from the Trinity shop, and you can change the key of the backing tracks using our handy transposition tool.

And of course, candidates taking a Trinity Rock & Pop exam can also perform what own choice song. What love song would you add to your set list?