In Dave Berry's "Book of Bad Songs" there is a list of songs bands hate to play. Among them were "Cab Driver, Drive on Mary's Face" "Feelings", "Stairway to Heaven", "Proud Mary, "My Way", "Joy to the World", "Bad Bad LeRoy Brown", "Mack the Knife" and "NY NY".

I would like to add to the list.

I hate "Sentimental Journey" and "Alley Cat".

How about you folks?

Tom

You Light Up My Life

hate them or not. When these songs make you big $$$$$$$$ nightly you play them and enjoy :>)

just remember you could have a real job! :>)


"Theeeeeesssssseeeeeee Vagabond Shoessssssss" hahahahahahah

[This message has been edited by Dnj (edited 07-13-2001).]

"CALENDAR GIRL"!!!

I love 'em all!
(most of the time......)
I think that if you hate to play something, then you're not putting enough of yourself into the performance to enjoy it. Any collection of notes can be made enjoyable, buy simply adding a little emotion, and honesty. The performance is EVERYTHING. The song is just a means to an end. Sinatra made a hit out of "Old MacDonnald's Farm" What content is in THAT one? It's all in the attitude. I adore playing "Cab Driver", and NYNY, and My WAy are STILL the biggest crowd pleasers almost everywher I work. I love the feeling of sharing the music - The tune is not all that important. Shakespere said - "The play's the thing", Billy Joel said that singing songs is like performing a bunch of little 3-4 minute plays. Look at it that way, and you'll understand what I mean.
Musicians that don't play to please an audience are just plain selfish, and it takes much of the joy & beauty away when it becomes an ego game. I really recomend that you take the tune LESS serious, and take the MOMENT into concideration. When I pick my next tune in a set - I am usually thinking...
"What rhythm is needed here?" It's all about what will please the audience. If you only play what you like, you'll eventually start fooling yourself into thinking that YOU are the only attraction. I live FOR the crowd. Like Buddy Young Jr's wife said at the end of Mr. Saturday Night - "Buddy needs that extra hug that he can only get from strangers". It's not so different with me. I love my family & friends, but I am more comfortable in front of a crowd than in a one on one. That's just me......and Buddy!

[This message has been edited by Uncle Dave (edited 07-13-2001).]

I agree with UD about pleasing the audience/employer (such as wedding receptions). Our group has played the tunes cited above countless times, smiling all the way! Once on a gig, our bass player flatly refused to play Leroy Brown. Years later, he called me long distance from a gig he was playing and asked me to quote him the lyrics to Leroy Brown over the phone! He was working a big society gig where they had to have that tune. By this time his views about particular styles of music had changed dramatically, since that was his fulltime livelihood.

Ok, I do not play this kind of music but I know exactly what you are talking about. I usually get sick of certain music if I keep playing it again and again and again. Especially, songs like "NY NY" and "Feelings" are big time favourites with many people and they keep requesting them. I like the melody of "Feelings" big time because it has tons of minor chords.


The solution for this is to rearrange it. If you play it in the framework of Jazz, try playing it in a classical framework or easy listening (ballads) ... and vice-versa. Improvise with the melody, ADD STRANGE DIFFERENT BRIDGES and SEPARATERS!! It works all the time with me. Another thing, stop using the same styles for your songs. Spend the time and energy to create new styles, or modify a little a new style. I guess creativity has no limit.