Piano shop tinklers are told: Hands off Adele hit

Adele (GETTY IMAGES)

When Adele sings "Someone Like You" it is a moving piano ballad. But too many ham-fisted renditions by amateur ivory-tinklers has forced a Dublin music shop to ban customers from playing the hit tune.

A sign in the window of the Opus ii instrument store in the Irish capital informs musicians testing out the keyboards: "Strictly NO Adele". Regular exposure to the lachrymose opening piano chords of the multi-million-selling hit has prompted extreme measures.

"It's become the piano equivalent of 'Stairway To Heaven'. Everyone thinks they can play it," said Warren, an Opus ii shop assistant. "The sign was a bit of a joke, but the song can drive you mad."

The store's piano prohibition also applies to Michael Nyman, whose sweeping soundtrack to The Piano has delighted for long enough and Beethoven's over-played "Für Elise".

Traditionally, it has been long-suffering guitar showroom employees who have imposed bans on the opening chords of Led Zeppelin's "Stairway To Heaven" and "Deep Purple's Smoke On The Water" riff. The Zeppelin ban was immortalised in the film Wayne's World when the lead character's attempt at the opening notes was halted by an employee referring him to a "no Stairway" sign.