Realizing many of us are continually seeking new song material to add to our repetoire, and that different venues & audiences may require different music, most of us still have a core group of select songs we keep going back to, to perform regularly. That said . . .

Please list 20-30 core songs you most often perform, and have become your most self-identifiable 'signature' songs.

Also curious how did these songs rose to the top of your core tune list: song's chart popularity (or audience most often repeated requests), song's personal meaning/message to you, standout melody/harmony/rhythm, song's technical challenge, your unique creative interpretation of it, or?

Scott

If I were to perform a 20 song demo set of my most favorite and representative songs, I think I would play, in no particular order:
Before You Accuse Me – this song came about because of a Blues style on a Korg iX300
That’s What I Like About You – my favorite get down song
Wonderful Tonight – love this Clapton tune; everyone dances to it
Mustang Sally – takes me back to my Rascal days; heck with Wilson Pickett
Chain of Fools – a dirty dancing tune brought back to life by the movie ‘Michael’
Don’t Let the Sun Catch You Crying – just love this melody and the organ patch I use on it (16’,1’)
Waiting On the World – a current John Mayer tune that has a great groove
Superstition – this Stevie wonder tune lets me play the clavinet, and I love it
My Girl – couldn’t do a set without it; a Motown classic
The Way You Do the Things You Do – another Temptations song; gotta love it
Summer Wind or NY NY – depends if I’m singing or my partner is – nice medium tempo dance tunes
Brown Eyed Girl – can’t escape the crowd without it
Margaritaville – a must do
Easy – love Lionel Richie songs; this one gets then on the floor
Boot Scootin Boogie – great country line dance, two step
Cocaine – man, do I love this song; don’t know why but it rocks; play it where I can
Then You Can Tell Me Goodbye – organ solo rocks
Luv Shack – great party, dance song
It’s 5 o’clock Somewhere – gotta have country
Have I Told You Lately – a great love song; and written to God



------------------
Cass

In no particular order:

1. Embraceable you
2. Lady is a tramp
3. Misty (Groove Holmes version)
4. 'round midnight
5. Days of wine and roses
6. Ain't no sunshine when she's gone
7. Moanin'
8. Watermelon man
9. You'd be so nice to come home to
10. Take five
11. Dear old Stockholm
12. Man in a raincoat
13. Lover man
14. How deep is the ocean
15. Blues in F (jam)
16. More today than yesterday
17. Motherless child
18. Autumn leaves
19. Have you met ms. Jones
20. All blues
21. Nature boy
22. Feelin' good
23. No greater love
24. Street life (Joe Sample)
25. Ruby my dear
26. Monk's mood
27. Chicken Shack/J.O.S/the Preacher
28. (Lost in) This Masquerade
29. I'll be around (Chaka Kahn/Miles Davis version)
30. Amazing Grace
31. Three or four originals the group has come up with.

Looking at this list made me realize how stuck in the past I am. Oh well. Gotta start listening to the radio more. I know it's 'shallow' but I luuvvvvv jazz fusion.

chas


Whoops, almost forgot -

32. Afro Blue
33. Willow weep for me
34. Angel Eyes
35. Green Dolphin Street
36. On a clear day
37. Cristo Redemptor (Donald Byrd)
38. Time after time ('I tell myself that I'm---)
39. Every time we say goodbye
40. I'm glad there is you (Gloria Lynn version)


[This message has been edited by cgiles (edited 07-26-2008).]

Hi Scott
I mostly play for seniors-and they like upbeat songs. Did a 50/60's theme last week-so was able to do some old old rockers (the Twist/Rockin robin/Rock around the clock/Green Door/at the hop)
No matter where I play I try to get in most of the following
Come in-Irish Rovers tune
Put your hand in the hand
Sunnyside of the street/ Pennies from heaven
Chattanoogie shoe shine/5ft2/darktown strutters ball
Delilah
Nancy Whiskey-Irish
Wonderful time up there/when the saints go marching in
My blue heaven/blacksmith blues/chat choo choo/mississippi mud/at sundown/who's sorry now
Donegal Danny-up tempo Irish
Bill Bailey/Shanty in old shanty town
Ghost riders in the sky (good style for this one on the SD1)
When you wore a tulip/I'll be with you in apple blossom time/all of me
Patsy Fagon -Irish
Walkin my baby back home
The wild rover-Irish
Your 16
Leroy Brown
Come down the mountain Katie Daly - Irish
Whiskey in the jar-Irish -always close with this oldie

[This message has been edited by Gord (edited 07-26-2008).]

[This message has been edited by Gord (edited 07-26-2008).]

Chas,

I'm a member of that club " stuck in the past" They are great tunes you mentioned.

Cass you're doing some hip stuff. Although I'm getting ready to play a Jimmy Buffet themed party in September and have been playing Margaritaville, Volcano and a number of Beach Boy tunes, I keep gravitating toward the Great American Songbook and show tunes. But that's what works in the NH/assisted living facilites I play. Don't Let the Sun Catch You Cryin is a great one, I do play that.

Here's what seems to work best on NH gigs which is about 90% of what I play:

1. All of Me
2. Strangers in the Night
3. Cheek to Cheek
4. Never on a Sunday
5. Lady is a Tramp
6. Cabaret
7. Alley Cat Solo Piano
8. The Entertainer (From the Sting) Solo Piano
9. NY, Ny
10. You're Cheatin Heart
11. Makin Whopee
12. Bye Bye Blackbird
13. Beyond the Sea
14. Beer Barrel Polka
15. It's Only a Paper Moon
16. King of the Road
17. Hello Dolly
18. Moonlight Serenade
19. Bad Bad Leory Brown
20 Unforgettable.

Steve that a great place to "BE STUCK" for sure! Expecially in todays world of music.

I'm not gonna give a big list, because, as it's been mentioned - read the crowd - every wedding is different - to a degree........


BUT

What IS it about Brown Eyed Girl?????

Also lately we've found Ring of Fire (actually most of Johnny Cash's big hits) are huge with young and old - is it JUST because of "Walk The Line" (the Movie) or what???

*Sorry guys, replied to the "wedding thread" in the "most often" thread - very similar topics...

lol

These are for the senior circuit...all my own arrangements (no smf) on the PA800


Begin The Beguine - love the style for this on this board

Summer Wind - use scats - work well

Leroy Brown/Don't Mess With Jim/How Sweet It Is - medley - they just love this

Night and Day - my Dad's favorite song

Country Roads - good country style

Another Saturday Night - really uptempo rock

On A Clear Day/I Can See Clearly - medley - use the whistle on the first song - love it

American Patrol/Brown Jug/Pennsylvania/Chattanooga - medley - enough great big band styles make it happen

My Cherie/Sunshine of My Life/I Wish - medley - I love Stevie - I Wish rocks

5'2/Oh You Beautiful Doll/Under My Skin/Had To Be You/Ain't She Sweet/When the Saints - medley - signature medley is a huge hit

The More I See You - great unplugged style

Don't Get Around Much - nice big band style

Crazy Thing Called Love - great use of repeated fills

Can't Help Falling In Love - unreal style

Margaritaville - another fabulous style

King of the Road (don't laugh, this is an awesome arrangement)- great guitars

50's medley (12 songs)

Sentimental Journey - always a favorite

Copacabana

Kansas City/Boogie Woogie Bugle - medley

Ipanema / Blue Spanish Eyes / Misty More, etc - cocktail set

My Life / Just The Way You Are - medley - styles work great on these

Your Song - unglugged style is great

Bee Gees Medley




[This message has been edited by zuki (edited 07-26-2008).]

Zuki, are you using charts for these songs..or are you saving them in your performances.."song book"..including text for lyrics and chords?

My list include your list of songs too..but I prefer to play in a style or manner that fits the mood (my mood)...Since I am already familiar with the tunes (no charts needed)..I can mix it up at will...

I also find the G70 styles more than capable to handle these tunes...and I can quickly go into manual bass without auto stuff..with in the same tune...

I prefer to only use a few basic user Programs and make the changes in real time ..Styles and realtime sound patches (all 6 parts of realtime parts}..I even like to use the Make up and cover tools in realtime....I am never bored...and have the freedom to do what I want...If I have to use arranger..I want the freedom of choice..