I'm trying to get some variety in the songs that I play. Any suggestions for 3/4 time songs? I can come up with a few really old songs but only a couple "newer" songs such as Anne Murray's "Could I Have This Dance?" and Billy Joel's "Piano Man". Thanks.
Chuck

From PSR Tutorial www.psrtutorial.com/Resources/TopSongs/TopWaltzes.html

TOP WALTZES (WITH ABBREVIATIONS OF FAKE BOOKS WHERE EACH WALTZ IS)


Allegheny Moon (UltFake)
Always (EF,EarlyJazz,Berlin,JazzStand,Wedding,UltFake)
Amanda (ClassicRock,UltCntry)
Anniversary Song (Movie,Wedding,UltFake)
Around the World (Movie,BestEver,Legit,Jumbo)
At this Moment
Bionda
Blue Danube Waltz (Strauss) (Legit,Fantastic,Favorite,Jumbo)
Blue Skirt Waltz (FirstTime)
Could I Have this Dance (Movie,Wedding,UltCntry,BestEver)
Carnival of Venice (Folksong,Favorite)
Charade (StandReal)
Come Back to Sorrento (Fantastic,Favorite,Legit,Jumbo)
Cruising Down the River (PerfComp,BestEver,Jumbo)
Dear Heart
Edelweiss (UltFake,UltBrdwy,Legit)
Fascination (Valse Tzigane) (Fantastic,EarlyJazz,UltFake,Favorite,Jumbo)
For You (Wedding)
Girl of My Dreams (FirstTime)
I Really Don't Want to Know (Legit)
I Wonder Who's Kissing Her Now (Favorite,BestEver,Jumbo,FirstTime)
If I Had My Way (Favorite)
Il Sirio
Jole Blon
La vie en rose (Fantastic,UltFake)
Lady of Spain (UltFake,Legit,Jumbo)
The Last Waltz (Wedding,BestEver)
Are You Lonesome Tonight? (Elvis,UltFake,UltCntry,Legit)
Mammas Don't Let Your Babies Grow Up to Be Cowboys (SingerCty,UltCntry,BestEver)
Maria Elena (UltFake,EarlyRock)
Melody of Love (Fantastic,Wedding,UltFake,Favorite)
Memories (Fantastic,UltFake,Favorite)
Mexicali Rose (Movie,UltCntry,Jumbo,Fantastic,BestEver,FirstTime)
Mockin' Bird Hill (Fantastic)
Moon River (EF,JazzStand,Movie,UltFake,RealJazz,Jumbo)
My Buddy (Fantastic,JazzStand,UltFake,Favorite)
My Favorite Things (UltXmas,JazzStand,UltFake,UltBrdwy,UltJazz,Legit)
My Wild Irish Rose (Fantastic,Folksong,Favorite,BestEver,Legit,Celtic)
Now Is the Hour (Fantastic,FirstTime)
Piano Man (ClassicRock,UltFake)
Quando Una Baca De Teresa
Que Sera Sera (Whatever Will Be Will Be) (Fantastic,Movie,UltFake)
Quentins Theme
Ramona (Legit)
In a Shanty in Old Shanty Town (Fantastic,EarlyJazz,PerfComp,UltJazz,BestEver,Jumbo)
Skaters Waltz the (Waldteufel) (Legit)
Somewhere, My Love (Movie,BestEver,Legit,Fantastic)
Take It to the Limit (Fantastic)
Take Me Out to the Ball Game (Folksong,Favorite,BestEver,Fantastic)
Tales from the Vienna Woods (Fantastic,Favorite,Legit)
Tenderly (RealBook1,Jazz50s,JazzStand,Movie,Wedding,PerfComp,UltJazz,BestEver,Jumbo)
Tennessee Waltz (EF,UltFake,UltCntry,50Cntry)
Thank God and Greyhound You're Gone
That's Amore (That's Love) (Movie,Wedding,UltFake)
The River Seine (Fantastic)
Till We Meet Again (Fantastic,Chicago,UltFake,Favorite)
Together (Wedding,UltBrdwy,UltJazz)
True Love (Movie,Wedding,UltFake)
Under Paris Skies (BestEver,FirstTime)
Vaya Con Dios (May God Be with You) (Fantastic,PerfComp,UltCntry,BestEver,Jumbo)
Vienna Dreams
Vienna Life (Favorite,Legit)
Waltz Across Texas
Waltz You Saved for Me
What the World Needs Now Is Love (Fantastic,StandReal,Wedding,UltPopRock,BestEver,Jumbo)
Whose Girl Are You
With Someone Like You
Wonderful Copenhagen (Movie,PerfComp,BestEver)
Wunderbar (UltFake,UltBrdwy)
You Light Up My Life (UltFake)


[This message has been edited by Bluebird (edited 02-01-2004).]

"Take It To The Limit" and "At This Moment" go over well with young and old alike.
DonM

Bluebird,
Thanks for the list! I already know a few of them.
DonM,
Thanks for your suggestions. I've already learned "Take It To The Limit" as I like that song. I never did like "At This Moment" though.
Chuck

Oooooooh, Billy Vera and the Beaters - great song. Really juicy lyric to "dig into". Every singer should have a few of those heartwrenching, torch songs in their book.(memorized, of course!)

.....I'd fall down on my knee-ees ..... and kiss the ground you walk on ....

Powerful stuff. Almost as good as those dead sax guys that no one ever heard !

"How can I be sure"(Rascals)
"Chim Chim Chiree(from Mary Poppins)
"Summer Love"(Neil Diamond)

The King:

Are You Lonesome Tonight
Until Its Time for You to Go

Jim Reeves:

I Wont Forget You
He'll have to go
Adios Amigos

But new ones are really hard to find!

Ben (Olivia Newton John) is slightly less ancient.

DOH! the ONJ song is called SAM

.. an old Jack Jones tune .... "Lollipops and Roses" .....
t.

What.. ..no "House of the Rising Sun??"

Again, thanks for the suggestions. I've got to try "How Can I Be Sure?" and yes how can we forget "House of the Rising Sun".
I just came up with another by Kris Kristopherson - "The Silver Tongued Devil And I". I love this song and it would be great played in a bar setting. Did The Beatles ever have a song in 3/4 time? "Give Peace A Chance" maybe?
Chuck

Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds (Intro)
I Me Mine (George Harrison)
Long Long Long (George Harrison)
Dig A Pony (Lennon/McCartney)
BlackBird (1st measure)
* this one really switches time signature a lot, going from 3/4 to 4/4 to 3/2 to 4/4, to 2/4, and back again to 3/4.


Scott

Hi Leon: Though I've admittedly seen this tune shown (incorrectly ) in some charts as in 3/4, it's actually imo a 4/4 blues tune (with a 6/8 feel) as evidenced by it's classic guitar appegio line: http://www.eskimo.com/~ogre/print/beginner/20010513.html

To add to MacAllcock's contributions, here are a few more 3/4 country waltz time chestnuts:

Amazing Grace
Cattle Call - Eddy Arnold & Scott Yee
Four Walls - Jim Reeves
Satisfied Mind - Porter Wagoner
I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry - Hank Williams Sr.

Scott

ooooo...Scott, I beg to differ, which is s good thing, we each have our own opinions.I'm going by the charts that I have seen, not what someone posted on the internet.
Just My Thots...L

Hi Leon: I wholeheartedly agree that you should play the tune the way 'YOU' like, but if you listen to the classic Eric Burdon & the Animals, or Bob Dylan version, the groove is definitely: 1-2-3-4-5-6 (6/8 feel), and not 1-2-3-1-2-3 feel as you suggest. Listen to the bass guitar line (Animals version). You'll notice that it plays only on 'beat one' of each measure, with the 8th note guitar arpeg & rhythm guitar providing the 1-2-3-4-5-6 (6/8) rhythm feel of each measure.



Leon, though I certainly agree we shouldn't just go by something posted on the internet either, I also wouldn't rely exclusively on charts & fakebooks either. Many fakebooks & charts often reflect incorrect chords, rhythms and time signatures, and if played verbatim, end up sounding pretty square & squirely, and not what was actually intended by the composer or played by the classic hit artist, in this case Eric Burdon & Bob Dylan. I've performed this tune alot over the years, and with many different bands and never did it in waltz time . The bottom line is to listen to an actual recording, and then use 'your ears' to determine the feel (groove) of a song. My apologies for sounding so opionated about this, but this is a really important aspect to music that I think WORTH talking about. The notes on paper (charts & fakebooks) are only man's best feeble attempt at documenting what the composer/performer was actually playing. Music comes from our heart/soul, and not from notes on paper. - Scott

Scott...No offence taken..no apologies necessary like you said, "Play it the way it feels to you.
Just my thots...L

How about the old Johnny Ray standard "Cry"?

Was running through all the old tunes in my head that I'd done at one time or another and this was the only one I came up with different from every one elses lists.

I hope anyone who hadn't been doing this one will pick it up for future use as it was a true classic heart-wrenching torcher.

I am glad I remembered it. I can start to feel more like a contributer to the forum, now, and not just a lurker/user. And hope to more than pull my own weight around here someday.


You all are awesome and each in your own distinctive ways.

OldNewb

Ah yes, Johnny Ray's "Cry". Thanks for the suggestion. BTW, here's a link to one of my favorite sites for oldies arrangements. Thanks to The Guitar Guy for a great site. http://theguitarguy.com/cry.htm
Chuck

Oldnewb: Sorry to disappoint you, but Johnnie Ray's song "Cry" is not in 3/4, but in 2/4 (cut time). The one I remember hearing first was Lynn Anderson's 1972 version. - Scott

If you're playing for a country crowd or a middle age and younger, the songs that are posted here are good. IMHO

If you are talking about 3/4 time in all it's beauty, you have to go back and dig. Out of a hundred waltzes you will find three or four that are very special. They bring a special feeling to 3/4 time, a feeling that reaches any age.
When I play a latin dance, I play a latin song, it was written for latin music, it let's you feel the latin.

Can you imagine playing one of the special waltzes on a job, it puts you in a special class of performers.

IMHO--Please.
John C.