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DIY wedding music

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so i'm getting married and i'm po and picky about music. i'd like to program the tunes myself a la iPod--is this a bad idea? any suggestions?

i've got ideas for first dance songs and there are more here:
What song would you like played at your wedding?
What record would you like played first at your wedding reception?
Perfect "Wedding Songs"
Wedding Themes

but what we want for general music may not go over so well with a more, er, mainstream audience. tell me a song you'd like to hear at a wedding plus one you never want to hear again?

― mookieproof (mookieproof), Tuesday, 18 October 2005 21:40 (7 years ago) Permalink

i kill everything i fuck

― caitlin oh no (caitxa1), Tuesday, 18 October 2005 21:52 (7 years ago) Permalink

We recorded a couple of mix CDs and threw them on a P.A. Our reception didn't involve any garter belt throws or bouquet heaves, so it worked out pretty well.

x-post

― Pleasant Plains /// (Pleasant Plains ///), Tuesday, 18 October 2005 21:53 (7 years ago) Permalink

We did mix CDs too but also had a friend DJ after dinner. No flower flinging for us, either, so we had music flowing through the whole thing. Turned out beautifully.

― rasheed wallace (rasheed wallace), Tuesday, 18 October 2005 21:56 (7 years ago) Permalink

haha caitlin is invited!

― mookieproof (mookieproof), Tuesday, 18 October 2005 22:06 (7 years ago) Permalink

yeah, we've got no flinging or anything. but we'd like to have people dancing without, as our photographer commented, "playing all these songs from your parents' time."

― mookieproof (mookieproof), Tuesday, 18 October 2005 22:08 (7 years ago) Permalink

Don't program a damn iPod... it's your wedding, class it up a little.

Ick.

― andy --, Tuesday, 18 October 2005 22:19 (7 years ago) Permalink

That's like making a TDK mix-tape in 1986... hire a band or a DJ at leasst.

― andy --, Tuesday, 18 October 2005 22:20 (7 years ago) Permalink

Don't listen to them. It's your night. Band = suxx, DJ = OK if the, erm, DJ is OK, except then it's drunken requests all the time. We just made our own CDs (didn't have iPods etc, but same thing) (and even decided on the order they should be played), and mixed stuff that (we thought) diff generations would like, in suitable durations.

Surprise of the night was when The Darkness came on, and my grandmother (aged 88) lit up and said "ooh I like this one!"

― The Vintner's Lipogram (OleM), Tuesday, 18 October 2005 22:27 (7 years ago) Permalink

Bands are universally awful, I'm sorry. Virtually without exception everyone would prefer to hear the original song! I mean I guess if you're going all classy and having a jazz band or a quartet or something...but jesus man you're young wtf would you do that for!!!

Anyway we're probably ditching the DJ ourselves and going for iPod/decks + ourselves and trusted friend or two to do the work. Fuck hiring a stranger to pretend he's friends with everyone.

― Allyzay knows a little German (allyzay), Tuesday, 18 October 2005 22:35 (7 years ago) Permalink

Maybe it's because I can be a bit of a control freak. Maybe it's because most DJ's I know are control freaks themselves. But I was definitely more comfortable with making CDs than trusting a DJ not to play "Strokin'" or "the Funky Chicken" or "Wind Beneath My Wings" or some shit.

― Pleasant Plains /// (Pleasant Plains ///), Tuesday, 18 October 2005 22:36 (7 years ago) Permalink

it's your wedding, class it up a little

class it up by having Comic Book Guy play the chicken dance? in a minute i'm gonna call you BRO

― mookieproof (mookieproof), Tuesday, 18 October 2005 22:37 (7 years ago) Permalink

yeah, i kinda wanna DJ it myself but i know i won't have time

― mookieproof (mookieproof), Tuesday, 18 October 2005 22:38 (7 years ago) Permalink

If making mix CDs seems too chintzy for you, may I suggest this:

  • Make twenty mix CDs
  • Hire one CD jukebox
  • Invite guests to make their own selections from the CDs available.
  • $$$ goes to Newlyweds

    • That's either the best or absolute worst idea I've ever come up with.

    ― Pleasant Plains /// (Pleasant Plains ///), Tuesday, 18 October 2005 22:40 (7 years ago) Permalink

    I'm not saying hire somebody out of the yellow pages! But I just went to a wedding in Big Sur... a nice rented PA system, two turntables, and a ton of vinyl played by a good buddy with good taste (some CD's, too)... lots of vintage soul was good for everybody, old folks and hipster alike. Don't make them listen to your Devendra Banhart.

    ― andy --, Tuesday, 18 October 2005 22:45 (7 years ago) Permalink

    That is a fantastic idea actually, as long as you make it clear to people they have to pay for jukebox at the wedding though (a lot of people don't bring $$$--I didn't last wedding I went to, I left all that in my hotel room), OR you can set it up to play on random when no one is putting quarters in (some don't do that). But that's pretty cool and novel, I would enjoy that.

    At any rate the thing with the DJ is that too many weddings I've known about with DJs, EVERY SINGLE TIME they've been all like, "Yo homeslice do not play the Macarena" they've played the Macarena. And who wants that?

    ― Allyzay knows a little German (allyzay), Tuesday, 18 October 2005 22:46 (7 years ago) Permalink

    Oh, you asked for specifics:

    Otis Redding: "Fa, Fa.."
    Desmond Dekker: The Israelites
    House of Pain: Jump Around (a universal wedding crowd pleaza!)

    ― andy --, Tuesday, 18 October 2005 22:51 (7 years ago) Permalink

    haha i possess no devendra banhart. i do have the complete stax-volt singles 1959-1971. you (andy) are presuming that a dj hired for significant $ has better taste than me, which might be true, but not hardly necessarily.

    i'll fit a superchunk song in somewhere, though.

    ― mookieproof (mookieproof), Tuesday, 18 October 2005 22:52 (7 years ago) Permalink

    DESPITE YOU, NED!

    ― mookieproof (mookieproof), Tuesday, 18 October 2005 22:53 (7 years ago) Permalink

    And, and, and, and with that jukebox, you could put pictures of the bride and groom where the album covers would be! ANd, and, like put childhood pictures of the couple where the seventies and eighties music is placed!

    We spent most of our reception having 7,000 pictures taken of us. The music was mostly for our friends and family. Some people do it differently with a lot more ceremony, but for us, homemade CDs were just fine.

    ― Pleasant Plains /// (Pleasant Plains ///), Tuesday, 18 October 2005 22:56 (7 years ago) Permalink

    Haha I even found the tracklist!

    001 - Against the Wind main theme, computerifically slowed down by 30% to make stately bridal waltz
    002 - Righteous Bros - Unchained Melody
    003 - Barry White - You're the First, the Last, My Everything
    004 - The Mamas and the Papas - Dream a Little Dream
    005 - (?)
    006 - Madness - It Must Be Love
    007 - Proclaimers - Let's Get Married
    008 - Elvis Costello - She
    009 - Billy Idol - White Wedding
    010 - Robbie Williams & N Kidman - Something Stupid
    011 - Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel - Make Me Smile
    012 - Erasure - Oh L'Amour
    013 - Kate Bush - Wuthering Heights
    014 - Sonny and Cher - I Got You Babe
    015 - Dolly Parton - I Will Always Love You
    016 - Janet Jackson - Together Again
    017 - Tom Jones & Art of Noise - Kiss
    018 - Elvis Presley - Love Me Tender
    019 - Ten Sharp - You
    020 - Goo Goo Dolls - Iris
    021 - Wannadies - You and Me Song
    022 - Sinéad O'Connor - Nothing Compares 2 U
    023 - Proclaimers - I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles)
    024 - Darkness - I Believe in a Thing Called Love
    025 - Wham! - Freedom
    026 - Blue Oyster Cult - Don't Fear the Reaper
    027 - Britney Spears - Baby One More Time
    028 - Eurythmics - Here Comes the Rain Again
    029 - All Saints - Never Ever
    030 - Cher - The Shoop Shoop Song
    031 - Cornershop - Brimful of Asha
    032 - Gloria Gaynor - I Am What I Am
    033 - Elvis vs JXL - A Little Less Conversation
    034 - Men at Work - Down Under
    035 - Nina Hagen - African Reggae
    036 - Natalie Imbruglia - Torn
    037 - The Pogues - A Rainy Night in Soho
    038 - Pulp - Disco 2000
    039 - OutKast - Hey Ya
    040 - Las Ketchup - Asereje
    041 - Donna Summer - Hot Stuff
    042 - Kate Bush - Running Up That Hill
    043 - Chumbawamba - Tubthumping
    044 - Christina Aguilera - Beautiful
    045 - Ennio Morricone - The Godfather Waltz
    046 - The Cure - Lovecats
    047 - Los Del Rio - Macarena
    048 - Die Doraus und die Marinas - Fred vom Jupiter
    049 - B-52's - Love Shack
    050 - ABBA - Rock Me
    051 - John Coltrane - My Favorite Things
    052 - Jokke og Valentinerne - Aftenbønn
    053 - Madonna - Ray of Light
    054 - Justin Timberlake - Cry Me a River
    055 - Macy Gray - I Try
    056 - Kim Larsen & Gasolin' - Spillemand
    057 - Snap - I Got the Power
    058 - Sir Mix-a-Lot - Baby Got Back
    059 - Spice Girls - Spice Up Your Life
    060 - Stacie Orrico - Stuck
    061 - Pet Shop Boys - Being Boring
    062 - Holly Valance - Kiss Kiss
    063 - Imperiet - Du ska va president
    064 - Jimmy Cliff - You Can Get It If You Really Want
    065 - KLF ft Tammy Wynette - Justified and Ancient
    066 - Kraftwerk - Das Modell
    067 - David Bowie - Heroes
    068 - Curiosity Killed the Cat - Down to Earth
    069 - Althea and Donna - Uptown Top Ranking
    070 - Beyonce ft Jay-Z - Crazy in Love
    071 - Dum Dum Boys - Slave
    072 - Jokke og Valentinerne - Sola skinner
    073 - Ian Dury & The Blockheads - Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll
    074 - Suede - She
    075 - Sugababes - Freak Like Me
    076 - Sophie Ellis Bextor - Murder on the Dancefloor
    077 - Soul II Soul - Back to Life
    078 - Prince - Alphabet Street
    079 - Destiny's Child - Independent Women
    080 - Dire Straits - Romeo and Juliet
    081 - Jon English - Six Ribbons

    It looks a bit ragtag random (even to me now), but made sense at the time. Plus, who'd complain about the music at a wedding? "Your union seems less solid due to lack of R.E.M./Sousa/Furtwängler"? Everyone will (or should) be content to go with your idea of fun.

    multi multi xpost: Pleasant Plains's idea is actually wonderful, as long as you make sure to enforce play of the songs one or both of you feel should be present before jukebox is turned on.

    ― The Vintner's Lipogram (OleM), Tuesday, 18 October 2005 23:00 (7 years ago) Permalink

    "you (andy) are presuming that a dj hired for significant $ has better taste.."

    No, no, you misunderstand... have a friend do it, tell them what you want, and let them do the work... it's more.. well, human than a dumb iPod.

    ― andy -, Tuesday, 18 October 2005 23:02 (7 years ago) Permalink

    The funnest reception I've ever been to was DJed by friends of the bride & groom. They played chamber music through dinner, then full-on soul/oldies/rockabilly/rock'n'roll for hours and you couldn't PEEL anyone off the dance floor. And I don't think there's any chance a hired DJ has better or more widely ranging taste than like 80% of the posters here. Go for it!

    ― Laurel, Tuesday, 18 October 2005 23:03 (7 years ago) Permalink

    sorry, that's cool. it's tough, though--a friend that you would trust to do that is one you'd want at your wedding just hanging out, you know?

    (xp!)

    ― mookieproof (mookieproof), Tuesday, 18 October 2005 23:05 (7 years ago) Permalink

    Oops "Macarena" is in there! But at least it was not by accident, Ally.

    Idea: Jukebox not accepting actual $$$s but tokens, of which every guest has been supplied a limited number? In dark corners, black market may evolve.

    Oh and and and congratulations mookieproof!!! Marriedness is exactly as before, except more so, at least if it was good before!

    ― The Vintner's Lipogram (OleM), Tuesday, 18 October 2005 23:09 (7 years ago) Permalink

    haha you crazy norwegians!

    ― mookieproof (mookieproof), Tuesday, 18 October 2005 23:11 (7 years ago) Permalink

    Honestly, my one reservation about the iPod/mix CD idea is the, um, widely ranging tastes of my husband to be. I really am holding on to the idea that neither of our grandmothers care to hear Ken Ishii.

    ― Allyzay knows a little German (allyzay), Tuesday, 18 October 2005 23:17 (7 years ago) Permalink

    "Gold Digger"!

    ― miccio (miccio), Tuesday, 18 October 2005 23:19 (7 years ago) Permalink

    haha "Gold Digger" would totally refer to me!

    ― mookieproof (mookieproof), Tuesday, 18 October 2005 23:20 (7 years ago) Permalink

    also, allyzay: i totally volunteer for free to push whatever cd player buttons you need pushed at your wedding.

    ― mookieproof (mookieproof), Tuesday, 18 October 2005 23:21 (7 years ago) Permalink

    In regard to Ally's objection it must be stressed that both parties audit the final selection before it is made public. Yes. This is why there was no Neubauten.

    ― The Vintner's Lipogram (OleM), Tuesday, 18 October 2005 23:25 (7 years ago) Permalink

    At any rate the thing with the DJ is that too many weddings I've known about with DJs, EVERY SINGLE TIME they've been all like, "Yo homeslice do not play the Macarena" they've played the Macarena. And who wants that?

    Yeah. I had 30-40 minute conversation with my DJ about the music to be played, but at the time of the wedding he played whatever corny crap I had asked not to be played (except for the Chicken Dance, so I guess it could have been much worse). So either get a friend who you know isn't going to fuck things up or go with the ipod/mix idea.

    ― O'so Krispie (Ex Leon), Tuesday, 18 October 2005 23:35 (7 years ago) Permalink

    Some perhaps good wedding songs, for various purposes:
    Leonard Bernstein, "The Dance of the Great Lover"
    Neil Young, "Harvest"
    The Manhattans, "Shining Star"
    Loketo, "Extra Ball"
    Dave Matthews Band, "#36/Everyday"

    ― gabbneb (gabbneb), Tuesday, 18 October 2005 23:55 (7 years ago) Permalink

    also, allyzay: i totally volunteer for free to push whatever cd player buttons you need pushed at your wedding.

    AWESOME. Are Tom and I really this charming or do you just wanna get drunk catering style twice? ;) I offer the same to you (though if you ever heard my radio show maybe you don't trust me to push buttons correctly)

    We are going to have to play pretty much 18 tons of Clash and Billy Idol records to appease our crowd, I think.

    ― Allyzay knows a little German (allyzay), Wednesday, 19 October 2005 00:16 (7 years ago) Permalink

    DESPITE YOU, NED!

    Ahem.

    ― Ned Raggett (Ned), Wednesday, 19 October 2005 00:28 (7 years ago) Permalink

    I gotta stick up for an old friend who is a wedding/event DJ and say, are you having this as an exercise in taste or are you trying to show people a good time? A good DJ knows what music works and how to read a crowd. They'll also listen to you when you say no chicken dance or whatever. The trick is finding them, I guess. They're way less expensive than the photographer, don't sweat it.

    ― teeny (teeny), Wednesday, 19 October 2005 00:43 (7 years ago) Permalink

    whatever. program what you love to hear and as long as there is plenty of booze and you are dancing, people will dance with you.

    If i ever get married (god forbid) i will play diamanda galas and miles davis's fusion years if I want to.

    ― Mendoza Lineman (Carey), Wednesday, 19 October 2005 00:49 (7 years ago) Permalink

    "Freeway of Love"

    ― gabbneb (gabbneb), Wednesday, 19 October 2005 00:51 (7 years ago) Permalink

    Listen to songs in your living room, and if it doesn't make you want to bust a move then pass. Do play Rob Bass, though.

    ― Mendoza Lineman (Carey), Wednesday, 19 October 2005 00:55 (7 years ago) Permalink

    Jukebox not accepting actual $$$s but tokens

    Duh, duh, duh. I sat there four hours ago trying to figure out how to circumvent putting a bowl of actual quarters on every table, and that is exactly how to do it.

    You can't have it be "free" or some people would enter in their favorite song over and over. But you can't have it actually cost something. The token idea is akin to my company's Christmas party where we get drink tickets for the open bar.

    (And the drunks descend onto the sober ones to scanvege their tickets, but that's another thread.)

    Anyway. Here are the songs that were played at our reception:

    Wild Night ... Van Morrison
    Old Fashioned Love Song ... Three Dog Night
    Just the Two of Us ... Bill Withers & Grover Washington, Jr.
    Roseanna ... Toto
    Could It Be I'm Falling in Love ... The Spinners
    I Can't Tell You Why ... Eagles
    True ... Spandau Ballet
    A Girl Like You ... The Smithereens
    Black and Brown Blues ... Silver Jews
    No One Like You ... The Scorpions
    Magnet and Steel ... Matthew Sweet
    I Can't Help Falling In Love ... Elvis Presley
    Reminiscing ... Little River Band
    Cruel To Be Kind ... Letters To Cleo
    For Once In My Life ... Stevie Wonder
    Plateau ... Meat Puppets
    More Than This ... Roxy Music
    You Make My Dreams Come True ... Hall & Oates
    You Are the Woman ... Firefall
    Lookin' Out My Back Door ... Creedence Clearwater Revival
    Thing For You ... Alex Chilton
    ___________________________________________________________

    The One Thing ... INXS
    Fade Into You ... Mazzy Star
    Heavy Heart ... You Am I
    You're My Best Friend ... Queen
    Beyond The Sea ... Bobby Darin
    I Was Made to Love Her ... Stevie Wonder
    La La Love You ... Pixies
    Take Me Out ... Franz Ferdinand
    She's A Lady ... Tom Jones
    Love And Happiness ... Al Green
    She's Got A Wa ... Billy Joel
    My Wife ... The Who
    I Saw The Light ... Todd Rundgren
    Passionate Kisses ... Mary Chapin Carpenter
    The Killing Moon ... The Quake
    Living on a Prayer ... Pastel Vespa
    Another Night ... The Tremors
    Save Tonight ... Eagle Eye Cherry
    You Are The Sunshine Of My Life ... Stevie Wonder
    I Can Dream About You ... Dan Hartman
    Send in the Clouds ... Silver Jews

    Pretty pedestrian, but like I said, we weren't kicking up a lot of dirt at the actual reception anyway. It was more or less background music as the guests drank champagne and milled about on a cold and happy January night.

    ― Pleasant Plains /// (Pleasant Plains ///), Wednesday, 19 October 2005 03:27 (7 years ago) Permalink

    the fucking dork who dj'd my wedding can go jump off a cliff.

    ― bingo (Chris V), Wednesday, 19 October 2005 09:21 (7 years ago) Permalink

    My friend was married in august and she had specifically requested Champagne Supernova be played as her first song because it was the absolute only thing that meant something to the pair of them.

    She phoned the band and told them that she didn't care what else was played - this was the most important.

    So, the band came on and fucking sang Angels by Robbie Williams! Not wanting to make a fuss, they danced to it anyway, but it really took the shine off their day.

    ― Rumpie, Wednesday, 19 October 2005 09:52 (7 years ago) Permalink

    teeny, I agree with you, a good DJ can do that, but "good DJ" and "wedding DJ" generally don't mesh. I mean, everyone's going to dance to something like Macarena because, well, they're drunk! But they'd rather be dancing to something they like better, and it's hard to find a DJ with taste (including non-wedding DJs these days). I mean I think you are aware I'm not the world's most tasteful music listener...It's just too much of a risk! I would trust a friend if they wanted to DJ because I have a couple friends who are excellent DJs, good at reading crowds and with big collections (plus my collection anyway), but it's like someone said upthread about wanting your friend to party instead of work...if a guest volunteered to do the duties or something, it'd be a different story but I don't wanna ask.

    ― Allyzay knows a little German (allyzay), Wednesday, 19 October 2005 13:08 (7 years ago) Permalink

    Two and a half words, buddy: Hall and Oates

    I have a feeling mookie is a good dancer...I just SENSE it somehow

    :)

    ― God Body, Wednesday, 19 October 2005 13:47 (7 years ago) Permalink

    i defy anyone to find a better suited song than "in the aeroplane over the sea" for a wedding.

    ― Lovelace (Lovelace), Wednesday, 19 October 2005 13:51 (7 years ago) Permalink

    Listen to songs in your living room, and if it doesn't make you want to bust a move then pass.

    This was the principle we applied. We had about 5 mix CDs in the end and the two of us loved every single track. Didn't care overly much about anyone else, because it was our wedding and if nobody but us was dancing then so be it. We were total control freaks about the whole day I guess but why when you spend so much time planning every other detail would you let the music be decided by someone else?

    As it happened everyone else liked our choices too (or was drunk enough not to care).

    ― Archel (Archel), Wednesday, 19 October 2005 13:53 (7 years ago) Permalink

    one of the loveliest weddings i ever went to had 'in the aeroplane over the sea' played by a solo violinst.

    i have djed weddings before from cd-rs. it is a really good time! and no one has to wear a foam hat. THAT'S A GUARANTEE.

    (so, if anyone needs a dj ...)

    ― maura (maura), Wednesday, 19 October 2005 13:54 (7 years ago) Permalink

    ― maura (maura), Wednesday, 19 October 2005 13:54 (7 years ago) Permalink

    My friends got married in September and put an iPod (actually it wasn't an iPod but some other brand of mp3 player) through a mixing board and it worked great. On the other hand, at my wedding we had a DJ who was playing dismally shite music until my mum went up and told him to stop playing crap records (unprompted by me). He also made snarky remarks after playing songs off the CDR we made of songs we liked (e.g. "the Cramps? Who are they? That was reaaaally good wasn't it" - got more people dancing than fucking Elton John, mate).

    Can't complain too much cos he did it for free (son of a friend of my mum's) and drove us to the hotel afterwards, but still, I know which one I'd go for with hindsight.

    ― Colonel Poo (Colonel Poo), Wednesday, 19 October 2005 13:58 (7 years ago) Permalink

    I got around the problem of wanting my friends to DJ and party by asking two people to DJ the reception. That way they could go in shifts and not get anchored to the DJ table. As it was though, they both ended up voluntarily staying behind the decks for much of the night. I brought a ton of music and they did the same and it was great.

    ― ianinportland (ianinportland), Wednesday, 19 October 2005 14:25 (7 years ago) Permalink

    6 months pass...
    I thought about doing this too (mixes or iPod), but my first thought was "Fuck, I'm going to spend way too much time making mixes when I should be planning other things, and then I'm going to want to fiddle with the music during the reception."

    Any reason not to just get a friend or some local hipster bar DJ instead?

    ― Abbadavid Berman (Hurting), Thursday, 20 April 2006 02:06 (7 years ago) Permalink

    we're really liking that "friends in shifts" concept for ours, but feel clueless about the technical/equipment side of things. where would you get that kind of stuff?

    ― Kim (Kim), Thursday, 20 April 2006 02:35 (7 years ago) Permalink

    the wedding planner that we spoke to (but did not hire) totally threw shit all over the idea, but she was unhelpful and not to be trusted.

    ― Kim (Kim), Thursday, 20 April 2006 02:40 (7 years ago) Permalink

    I assume you have to at least rent a PA and that you'd need a minimum of two music apparati (two turntables or two CD players or one of each, but preferably more than this) plus a mixer. People who DJ regularly tend to already have equipment, which is one of the advantages. Plus you should consider the fact that if it's friends who don't have any DJing experience, that they might not be good at keeping things moving, making smooth transitions, etc.

    Wedding planners strike me as people in the business of convincing you to spend money you don't have on things you don't want, though they should know a thing or two about potential logistical problems that you don't know.

    ― Abbadavid Berman (Hurting), Thursday, 20 April 2006 02:43 (7 years ago) Permalink

    1 year passes...

    On a self-made wedding mix (ok, a playlist) how many Prince songs is too many?

    ― G00blar, Wednesday, 12 September 2007 12:11 (5 years ago) Permalink

    Should I include "slow songs"?

    Will people dance to "How Deep is Your Love"?

    ― G00blar, Wednesday, 12 September 2007 12:21 (5 years ago) Permalink

    I included one slow song for about every five uptempo songs. This worked out well early in the evening, but it seemed like after an hour or two, people just wanted to dance dance dance. So if you're programming your playlist in order, maybe keep the slow songs to the first half of your playlist?

    I think we only had one Prince song, but it was near the end of our playlist and people kept asking "Why aren't you playing any Prince?" and eventually I skipped ahead to the Prince song so people would shut up about it.

    ― n/a, Wednesday, 12 September 2007 12:24 (5 years ago) Permalink

    haha ok.

    That seems smart re: slow songs early in the evening.

    ― G00blar, Wednesday, 12 September 2007 12:30 (5 years ago) Permalink

    if you're programming a list in order here's my never-fail slow-dance one-two punch:

    Unchained Medley >>> Wonderful Tonite

    Those are basically the only two slow songs you need in the last two or three hours of dancing; play them back to back.

    ― gr8080, Wednesday, 12 September 2007 20:05 (5 years ago) Permalink

    I am DJing a friend's wedding this weekend and have spent much more time on it than I expected. Some of the songs they wanted me to play I had to search out and download, and now they're having me make two back-ups: a second iPod and then all of the songs on audio CDs.

    I am a little torn as to whether I want to actually "play DJ" -- i.e., pick and choose on the fly among the 150 or so songs I have in a playlist on my iPod -- or just sequence a mix beforehand. The former would be more fun, I think, but the couple is so particular about what they want played that it's not like I'm going to be suddenly wowing the crowd with something unexpectedly awesome. Plus, my girlfriend wants to dance with me without me having to rush over to the stereo after three minutes to cue up the next song.

    ― jaymc, Wednesday, 12 September 2007 20:17 (5 years ago) Permalink

    Also, I have learned two things from having informally done this in the past: a) you can never have too many Prince songs and b) you need to have "Livin' on a Prayer" or else drunk guys will yell at you.

    ― jaymc, Wednesday, 12 September 2007 20:19 (5 years ago) Permalink

    are you getting paid?

    ― gr8080, Wednesday, 12 September 2007 20:20 (5 years ago) Permalink

    No.

    ― jaymc, Wednesday, 12 September 2007 20:22 (5 years ago) Permalink

    Processional: "Isis" -- violin, guitar, drum instrumental
    Recessional: hand yanked bells
    Cocktail hour/Dinner: ipod shuffle of 1950s rnr n lee perry tunes
    First Dance: "Sea of Love" -- percy vers for the heads
    Father Daughter Dance: "I Wonder Why" -- Dion/belmonts
    Bouquet Toss: "Edge of 17"
    Garter Toss: "Pour Some Sugar On Me"
    Last Dance: detroit techno banger with fireworks
    --we had our pals tag team Djs with equpiment borrow from all over the country, but then again our pals are all superhuman .... NOTE:
    All above worked like gangBUSTERS!!!, (except 50s music alienated no-kids baby boomer contingent to a degree)

    ― sexyDancer, Wednesday, 12 September 2007 20:23 (5 years ago) Permalink

    then just do the playlist and dance with your GF.

    XP

    ― gr8080, Wednesday, 12 September 2007 20:24 (5 years ago) Permalink

    Bouquet Toss: "Edge of 17"

    Mikey/Freddie used to play that at Plant bar, once that was the only record he brough, and he played it over and over again.

    ― dan selzer, Wednesday, 12 September 2007 20:35 (5 years ago) Permalink

    oops actually reverse that:
    Bouquet Toss: "Pour Some Sugar On Me"
    Garter Toss: "Edge of 17"
    ...this union thing gets confusing
    (sounds like she's singin who who who)

    ― sexyDancer, Wednesday, 12 September 2007 20:39 (5 years ago) Permalink

    I've dj'd 3 friends weddings in the last year, each time with a large set of CDs called "the ultimate wedding songs according to Dan" and I will be selling it soon on late night TV via Ronco.

    I will say selecting songs on the fly is pretty important, less about wowing and more about adjusting to the crowd. If nobody's dancing then the mix goes into some 80s hip-hop staple or something and everyone's dancing, it'd probably be smart to play a few more songs like that and not just let the mix move onto whatever genre is next.

    The most recent wedding I did was for good friends who were serious indie-rockers, so I was nervous. I know I've seen people DJ stuff like that before, but it's not my forte. But I pulled out some alternative dance classics and mixed it up with my usual stuff (disco, new wave, mostly).

    Suprising and effective segways:

    Violent Femmes-Blister in the Sun followed by Neil Diamond's Cherry Cherry
    Outkast's Hey Ya followed by Iggy Pop's Lust for Life
    The Humpty Dance followed by Cannonball by the Breeders.

    These aren't the kinds of segways I normally would put in a set, but I was trying to please many folk. Generally I think you want to make all these groups happy...the really old people, the parents, the drunk cousins, the close friends etc etc. I found I was able to move between lots of different genres and as always rely on certain key transition songs to help move between disco and rock or whatever else.

    Basically I opened with the oldies following the dance with the parents, Build Me Up Buttercup, some Motown or Stevie, then move into a more 70s old-school vibe into disco then using something like Blondie's Heart of Glass or Bowie or Queen Another One Bites the Dust to go into a some 80s and New Wave, staring with disco-y/clubby New Wave like New Order then moving into the Cure Just Like Heaven for a bit of an alternative set and so on...and from 80s stuff Madonna or Prince can take you back to more clubby/old-school stuff. Maybe later when I have my CDs out I'll list the most effective tracks. Anyway this all depends on the kind of wedding and kind of crowd, I think if I was at a wedding that expected or required Living on a Prayer, I wouldn't want to be djing.

    And I still don't know what the Cha Cha Slide is.

    ― dan selzer, Wednesday, 12 September 2007 20:47 (5 years ago) Permalink

    Violent Femmes-Blister in the Sun followed by Neil Diamond's Cherry Cherry

    I'll remember that. Both are on the playlist. (As are "Hey Ya" and "Cannonball" but not "Lust for Life" and "The Humpty Dance.")

    ― jaymc, Wednesday, 12 September 2007 20:54 (5 years ago) Permalink

    And you're absolutely right about adjusting to the crowd.

    ― jaymc, Wednesday, 12 September 2007 20:54 (5 years ago) Permalink

    which is why ipods are good for "mood music" but not so much for serious dancing.

    ― sexyDancer, Wednesday, 12 September 2007 20:57 (5 years ago) Permalink

    this is the playlist i ended up putting together (on a laptop, with another as backup). we'd told people to suggest songs on the invitation, so some are requests. number 1 was kinda my standing-around-waiting music, number 2 was her entrance music, number 3 was the after-kiss music, the next bunch was supposed to be for cocktails, the bunch after that for dinner, number 53 was the "first dance" and then the rest was for dancing. not everything got played, if i was nearby i would sometimes bump it--i kind of wish i'd been available to actually dj, but then i was too busy having a really good time.

    1. Yo La Tengo - Big Day Coming (7:05)
    2. Jon Brion - Phone Call (1:03)
    3. Superchunk - Throwing Things (3:26)

    4. Death Cab for Cutie - A Movie Script Ending (4:19)
    5. Edith Frost - Cars and Parties (3:24)
    6. The Pogues - Gridlock (3:33)
    7. The Black Crowes - Remedy (5:12)
    8. Aimee Mann - Save Me (4:35)
    9. Beastie Boys - In 3's (2:19)
    10. Calexico - Sunken Waltz (2:27)
    11. Afghan Whigs - 66 (3:23)
    12. Elliott Smith - Thirteen (demo) (2:48)
    13. The Postal Service - Such Great Heights (4:25)
    14. Thievery Corporation - Lebanese Blonde (4:42)
    15. Los Lobos - Saint Behind the Glass (3:17)
    16. The Flaming Lips - Do You Realize?? (3:32)
    17. Ray Charles - What'd I Say (4:30)
    18. The Dismemberment Plan - A Life of Possibilities (4:34)
    19. Stars - Look Up (4:18)
    20. Luna - Sideshow by the Seashore (3:08)
    21. The Notwist - One With the Freaks (4:02)
    22. Beth Orton - Stolen Car (35:04)
    23. Nico - These Days (3:33)
    24. Bloc Party - So Here We Are (3:53)
    25. Chavez - Unreal is Here (2:12)
    26. Yo La Tengo - My Little Corner of the World (2:25)
    27. Ted Leo/Pharmacists - Me and Mia (3:31)
    28. Low - California (3:26)
    29. Matthew Sweet - I've Been Waiting (3:36)
    30. Pretenders - Brass in Pocket (3:03)
    31. The Karminsky Experience Inc. - Exploration (5:35)
    32. James - Laid (2:38)

    33. The Shins - New Slang (3:51)
    34. Cannonball Adderley - Work Song (5:07)
    35. The Andrews Sisters - I Can Dream, Can't I? (2:37)
    36. The Beatles - Here, There and Everywhere (2:25)
    37. Combustible Edison - The Millionaire's Holiday (2:15)
    38. Milton Nascimento, Lô Borges e Márcio Borges - Clube da Esquina No. 2 (3:38)
    39. Bebel Gilberto - Sem Contenção (3:10)
    40. Damien Jurado - Never Ending Tide (4:44)
    41. Bobby Timmons - Moanin' (5:08)
    42. Yo La Tengo - A Worrying Thing (2:54)
    43. Dusty Springfield - The Look of Love (4:08)
    44. Stan Getz & João Gilberto - Corcovado (Quiet Nights of Quiet Stars) (45 Version) (2:20)
    45. John Coltrane - Nancy (With the Laughing Face) (3:10)
    46. Cannonball Adderley - Sticks (3:54)
    47. B.B. King - Sweet Little Angel (4:09)
    48. Yo La Tengo - Pablo and Andrea (4:16)
    49. Van Morrison - Tupelo Honey (6:56)
    50. Grandaddy - The Warming Sun (5:43)
    51. The Allman Brothers Band - Stormy Monday (8:48)
    52. Lemon Jelly - The Staunton Lick (5:22)

    53. Sarah Vaughan - Polka Dots and Moonbeams (2:36)

    54. 1979 Super Steelers (2:32)

    55. Prince & the Revolution - Let's Go Crazy (4:39)
    56. Stevie Wonder - Signed, Sealed, Delivered I'm Yours (2:48)
    57. Sister Sledge - We Are Family (edit) (3:18)
    58. Chic - Le Freak (3:35)
    59. Michael Jackson - Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough (4:49)
    60. Barry White - You're the First, the Last, My Everything (4:35)
    61. The Pogues - Fairytale of New York (4:35)
    62. The Smashing Pumpkins - Luna (3:20)
    63. The Go-Go's - We Got the Beat (2:33)
    64. Duran Duran - Hungry Like the Wolf (3:25)
    65. Joan Jett & the Blackhearts - I Love Rock N' Roll (2:55)
    66. Naked Eyes - Always Something There to Remind Me (3:36)
    67. The Weather Girls - It's Raining Men (3:31)
    68. The B-52's - Rock Lobster (4:54)
    69. The Commodores - Easy (4:14)
    70. Feist - Now at Last (3:15)
    71. Beck - Debra (5:37)
    72. Dusty Springfield - Son of a Preacher Man (2:29)
    73. Rick James - Super Freak (3:25)
    74. Greyboy - Got to Be a Love (3:27)
    75. Kool & the Gang - Get Down On It (3:33)
    76. Neko Case - Pretty Girls (3:25)
    77. Tom Waits - Little Trip to Heaven (On the Wings of Your Love) (3:38)
    78. Kylie Minogue - Can't Get You Out of My Head (3:50)
    79. Beastie Boys - Sabotage (2:58)
    80. Archers of Loaf - Web in Front (2:04)
    81. Madonna - Beautiful Stranger (4:21)
    82. Violent Femmes - Blister in the Sun (2:24)
    83. R. Kelly - Ignition (Remix) (3:03)
    84. Kelis - Milkshake (3:06)
    85. Outkast - Hey Ya! (3:48)
    86. Franz Ferdinand - Take Me Out (3:57)
    87. Queen & David Bowie - Under Pressure (3:42)
    88. Prince - 1999 (edit) (3:37)
    89. The Go-Go's - Our Lips Are Sealed (2:45)
    90. The Knack - My Sharona (4:56)
    91. Soft Cell - Tainted Love (2:41)
    92. The Smiths - This Charming Man (2:42)
    93. The Clash - Train in Vain (3:13)
    94. New Order - Regret (4:08)
    95. Blondie - Call Me (3:29)
    96. Ohio Players - Love Rollercoaster (4:46)
    97. Wyclef Jean - Gone Till November (3:16)
    98. Nellie McKay - I Wanna Get Married (4:01)
    99. Peggy Lee - Bye Bye Blackbird (3:03)

    ― mookieproof, Wednesday, 12 September 2007 21:26 (5 years ago) Permalink

    awesome!!!

    ― Curt1s is coming to Zwinktopia !, Wednesday, 12 September 2007 21:28 (5 years ago) Permalink

    number 2 was her entrance music

    Aw.

    ― jaymc, Wednesday, 12 September 2007 21:29 (5 years ago) Permalink

    thanks!

    ― mookieproof, Wednesday, 12 September 2007 21:36 (5 years ago) Permalink

    82. Violent Femmes - Blister in the Sun (2:24)
    83. R. Kelly - Ignition (Remix) (3:03)
    84. Kelis - Milkshake (3:06)
    85. Outkast - Hey Ya! (3:48)
    86. Franz Ferdinand - Take Me Out (3:57)
    87. Queen & David Bowie - Under Pressure (3:42)
    88. Prince - 1999 (edit) (3:37)

    *standing, applauding*

    a) you can never have too many Prince songs and b) you need to have "Livin' on a Prayer" or else drunk guys will yell at you.

    a) Thank you, this affirms what I was leaning towards (i.e., pretty much all of the greatest hits).
    b) Way ahead of you--I'm from New Jersey, and thus, there will be a number of NJ fellas attending who will demand this song.

    ― G00blar, Wednesday, 12 September 2007 22:37 (5 years ago) Permalink

    Our external hard drive crashed pretty soon after the wedding so I lost our playlist. ;_; I made a copy for my sister before it died but I doubt she is willing to go through and type up a list of every single song on the cd.

    ― n/a, Thursday, 13 September 2007 12:38 (5 years ago) Permalink

    have her drag it into winamp and export an html file of the playlist

    ― mookieproof, Thursday, 13 September 2007 20:22 (5 years ago) Permalink

    3. Superchunk - Throwing Things (3:26)

    number 3 was the after-kiss music

    <3^^^^^

    Dear Mookie:

    I kind of love you.

    Love

    Mr. Que

    ― Mr. Que, Thursday, 13 September 2007 20:26 (5 years ago) Permalink

    awwww.

    it was the no pocky version, too, not the acoustic.

    ― mookieproof, Thursday, 13 September 2007 20:44 (5 years ago) Permalink

    I'm thinking of renaming my mp3 of "Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go" something else, like "Don't Stop Til You Get Enough" or "Groove is in the Heart", so whoever is manning the iPod can't foil my plans.

    ― G00blar, Thursday, 13 September 2007 21:05 (5 years ago) Permalink

    10 months pass...

    We also included the "Please select two songs for the reception" form in our invitations and with a few executive editorial decisions came up with this playlist - it went over well and accommodated all the parents, relatives, friends, coworkers, and drone rockers in the audience ranging from age 14 to 92.

    Aside #1: There was another differently-ordered playlist set aside if there was going to be a big dancing crowd, but as it turned out most people were into socializing, chowing down on food/drink, and maybe dancing on occasion. I had way more music set aside than what was actually used, but all turned out well

    Standing-around-waiting music was provided by a fellow band member who played backgroundy ambient stuff on electric guitar where he switched to an instrumental "God Only Knows" for us to walk down the aisle together. After the "ladies and gentlemen, may we present Mr. & Mrs..." the Beach Boys' version kicked in. We didn't do a first dance per se, but the first song on for us was Spiritualized's "Ladies And Gentlemen We Are Floating In Space" (the full "Elvis ending" version)

    In the end, the playlist was:

    The Beach Boys - "God Only Knows"
    Spiritualized - "Ladies And Gentlemen We Are Floating In Space (Elvis Mix)"
    Harry Connick Jr. - "It Had To Be You"
    Django Reinhardt - "All Of Me"
    Frank Sinatra - "I Get A Kick Out Of You"
    Etta James - "At Last"
    Diana Krall - "I've Got You Under My Skin"
    Tom Waits - "Little Trip To Heaven (On The Wings Of Your Love)"
    Frank Sinatra - "I Could Write A Book"
    K.D. Lang & Tony Bennett - "Dream A Little Dream Of Me"
    Billie Holiday - "The Way You Look Tonight"
    James Carr - "Young Lovers"
    Al Green - "Let's Stay Together"
    Count Basie And His Orchestra / Frank Sinatra - "The Best Is Yet To Come"
    Stan Getz & Astrud Gilberto - "The Girl From Ipanema"
    Jane Birkin - "69 Année Érotique (en duo avec Gainsbourg)"
    Françoise Hardy - "Ce petit coeur"
    The Beatles - "In My Life"
    Robert Plant & Alison Krauss - "Stick With Me Baby"
    Stevie Wonder - "Ribbon In The Sky"
    John Lee Hooker - "Dimples"
    Frank Sinatra - "Always"
    Ingrid Michaelson - "The Way I Am"
    Jonathan Richman - "I Took A Chance On Her"
    Vashti Bunyan - "Some Things Just Stick In Your Mind"
    Roxy Music - "Take A Chance With Me"
    Lush - "Sweetness And Light"
    Ivy - "Edge Of The Ocean"
    The Verve - "Space And Time"
    Mazzy Star - "Fade Into You"
    Ed Kuepper - "I'm With You"
    The Jesus And Mary Chain - "My Girl"
    Survivor - "The Search Is Over"
    The Beatles - "Here There And Everywhere"
    The Electric Prunes - "I Happen To Love You"
    The Kinks - "Everybody's Gonna Be Happy"
    Snow Patrol - "Chasing Cars"
    The Call - "Like You Never Been Loved"
    Maria McKee - "You Gotta Sin To Get Saved"
    Little Heroes - "One Perfect Day"
    Emmylou Harris - "(You Never Can Tell) C'est La Vie"
    The Spinanes - "Sunday"
    Love - "You I'll Be Following"
    Tindersticks - "A Marriage Made In Heaven"
    The Association - "Cherish"
    Weezer - "Island In The Sun"
    Brian Eno - "I'll Come Running"
    The Lovetones - "Inside A Dream"
    Goo Goo Dolls - "Give A Little Bit"
    Lush - "For Love"
    Aretha Franklin - "Respect"
    The Drifters - "Save The Last Dance For Me"
    Roy Orbison - "Oh, Pretty Woman"
    Hope - "Who Am I To Say"
    Manic Street Preachers - "Everything Must Go"
    Tapes n Tapes - "Crazy Eights"
    The Proclaimers - "I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles)"
    Sarah Vaughan - "Ain't Misbehavin'"
    Edwin Starr - "25 Miles"
    The Four Tops - "I Can't Help Myself (Sugar Pie Honey Bunch)"
    Spectrum - "How You Satisfy Me"
    Talking Heads - "Take Me To The River"
    Blondie - "Dreaming"
    Katrina And The Waves - "Walking On Sunshine"
    Glen Hansard & Marketa Irglova - "Falling Slowly"
    Bob Seger - "Old Time Rock & Roll"
    The Rolling Stones - "Happy"
    Outkast - "Hey Ya!"
    Ryan Adams - "Wonderwall"
    Madonna - "Holiday"
    Sister Sledge - "We Are Family"
    Kool And The Gang - "Get Down On It"
    Percy Sledge - "When A Man Loves A Woman"
    James Brown - "I Got You (I Feel Good)"
    Modern English - "I Melt With You"
    The Pussycat Dolls - "Don't Cha"
    No Doubt - "Underneath It All"
    Julieta Venegas - "Limon y Sal"
    Weddings Parties Anything - "Knockbacks In Halifax"
    Persephone's Bees - "Paper Plane"
    Smoking Popes - "Need You Around"
    Doris Day - "A Bushel And A Peck"

    ― Elvis Telecom, Monday, 28 July 2008 01:33 (4 years ago) Permalink

    Some music at Abbot and Mine's wedding:

    Europe - The Final Countdown
    Bonnie Tyler - Total Eclipse of the Heart
    Chicago - You're my Inspiration
    Stevie Wonder - Isn't She Lovely
    David Bowie - Drive-in Saturday
    Bauhaus - Passion of Lovers

    uhhh, we had three cd's worth of stuff like this...

    ― Viceroy, Monday, 28 July 2008 04:36 (4 years ago) Permalink

    hahaha when did 'the final countdown' come on?

    you two are probably the best couple of all time

    ― deeznuts, Monday, 28 July 2008 04:43 (4 years ago) Permalink

    plzzzzzzzzzzz tell me final countdown was the wedding march music

    ― deeznuts, Monday, 28 July 2008 04:44 (4 years ago) Permalink

    Final countdown was right after ceremony, like a "we're starting this!" thing. Devo Corporate Anthem was wedding march music.

    ― Abbott, Monday, 28 July 2008 04:58 (4 years ago) Permalink

    yeah it was kind of like:
    "you may now kiss the bride"....
    BU DUH DAA NAAA
    DO DOO DO DO DOOOO!

    I even edited the file to start at the sweet spot.

    ― Viceroy, Monday, 28 July 2008 05:02 (4 years ago) Permalink

    Yeah, where it starts for GOB.

    ― Abbott, Monday, 28 July 2008 05:03 (4 years ago) Permalink

    damn thats even better

    abbott i hope u know if youd actually bothered to marry me i wouldve given it the same level of thought!!!

    ― deeznuts, Monday, 28 July 2008 05:05 (4 years ago) Permalink

    My cousin's wedding was a couple of weeks ago and along with the invites they included a little form for each guest to put down 3 songs that they would like to suggest to be played at the reception. They didn't promise to play all the selections, but there were definitely some and I guess that it gave them plenty of ideas at least. I thought it was a nice touch.

    ― krakow, Monday, 28 July 2008 06:54 (4 years ago) Permalink


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