I've enjoyed sharing & comparing our song repetoire list favorites http://www.synthzone.com/ubbs/Forum37/HTML/005946.html
but I think it's time now to narrow things down.

1) List your 10 'most frequently' requested songs.

2) Which of these songs do you enjoy or hate performing?

3) What technique(s) do you do use to make the songs you dislike, more bareable?

3) List 10 obscure tunes (the ones less likely to be recognizable by 'your' audience) that you consider your 'personal' favorites. What is it about them that provides 'special appeal' to you?

I'm hoping this topic will stimulate new song possiblity ideas, as well as assist people new to gigging in determining which 'essential' songs are needed to have under your belt before hitting the streets.

I look forward to reading everyone's responses. I promise not to offer my response till I at least hear from a few others first.

Scott

The request I get most frequently is - to stop playing.

Jerry

------------------
jam on,
Terry
http://imjazzed.homestead.com/Index.html

Right at the top of the list are:

1. Unchained Melody
2. Unforgatable
3. In The Still of The Night (Five Satins)
4. Crazy
5. Have I told You Lately (Rod Stewart)
6. Margarettaville
7. For The Good Times
8. Girl From Epanema
9. Help Me Make It Through The Night
10.Devil Went Down To Georgia

Much of the requests depend on the audience you're playing for at the time. If you're at the "Blood & Guts Saloon," also known as the local American Legion, the requests will vary from doo-wop to country and a little old time rock & roll. You're sure not gonna' fire up with rendidtion of Billy Jean while playing at the local senior center, but they'll jam the floor if you kick off with YMCA, Electric Slide or some country line dancing tunes. Every job is different, but the songs I listed sure seem to be in demand no matter where you play.

10 Songs I hate to play:

1. Heartbreak Hotel
2. Have Nagila
3. Georgy Girl
3. Dance To The Music
4. All My Ex's Live In Texas
5. Africa
6. A Tastte of Honey
7. Battle of New Orleans
9. Sunrise Sunset
10.Spanish Eyes (like the song--just can't sing it.)

Keep in mind that I sing nearly every song on my master song list, therefore, most of the songs on that list I enjoy performing. Some, however, are requested that I just don't know, and I usually have no problem telling the person requesting it that it's just one of the few songs I don't know well enough to perform, and is there something else that I can play for them. Usually, their response "Oh, just play something nice and slow so I can get my husband or boyfriend to dance with me."

Cheers,

Gary

[This message has been edited by travlin'easy (edited 02-25-2003).]

ooooh...let's not forget "House of the Rising Sun"

Scott, you beat me to the punch on this one, however I was going to ask for those songs which are the biggest crowd pleasers. You know, where everyone screams and throws money!

Now, I'm just starting (restarting) and have only done a few nursing and assisted living places... and so for not much screaming a no money thrown. But anything "audience participation seems to go well.

Participation in YMCA, even if it's staff people, seems to go over well. Also, with Tie A Yellow Ribbon", at "the whole damn bus is cheering" everyone cheers, with some prompting. They like that.

Glenn

I have the unpopular opinion that the musical tastes of audiences in general is poor, cliche' and force-fed from years of being trained what to expect. Not only that, but every damn time I get so many requests for a song that I finally learn it, the requests magically stop.

So here's my list, mostly in order:

1. Laura's Theme from Dr Zhivago (learned it and they stopped asking for it)
2. Musicbox Dancer (I'm NOT learning that!)
3. Love Theme from Romeo & Juliet (maybe learn in a new arrangment)
4. Love Theme from Love Story (see #3)
5. Everything from "Phantom of the Opera" (not going there either)
6. Margaritaville (sigh, played that as much as JB has)
7. Moonlight In Vermont (learned it - you know the rest)
8. Stars Fell on Alabama (don't like - substitute Moonlight in Vermont)
9. New York, New York (sick of - thinking of creating a reggae version)
10. I Left My Heart In SF (only get requests for this when someone else asked for NY, NY).

One word...

F R E E B I R D !!!!

Ugh!

Al

Oh sorry - now my fav songs and why:

1. Someone To Watch Over Me (I have a super cool new modern version that has me jazzed up)
2. As Time Goes By (same as #1)
3. Take Five (the 4/4 spaced-out version by Dancing Fantasy)
4. Pure Imagination from "Willie Wonka" (same as #1)
5. Beautiful (Gordon Lightfoot song done same as #1)
6. Summer Breeze (same as #1)
7. Can't Help Falling In Love With You (same as #1)
8. Fly Like An Eagle (I use the Hip-Hop arranger pattern for this)
9. Kiss From A Rose (note-for-note perfect, you don't hear this everyday)
10. Angela from "Taxi" (Bob James - just to show off both chops and good taste)

Hey - I want to do this reggae too, then go latin for the fast part ala' Santana's "Black Magic Woman"... it'll slay 'em, trust me !