I'm talking with a restaurant owner who wants to add a piano bar. His vision includes a small sing-along component with songsheets for patrons to join in. If you google top piano bar songs you get selections like Brown Eye Girl, Imagine, American Pie, Beatles songs, NY-NY, Piano Man, and the like. However, this restaurateur would also like some Rat Pack period songs of the like of Sinatra, Dean Martin, ect.

What songs do you think I should add to the list to meet the owner's request?

'll Always Love You (Day After Day) - Dean Martin
Mr. Bojangles - Sammy Davis, Jr.
I'm Gonna Live Till I Die - Frank Sinatra
Rhythm Of Life - Sammy Davis, Jr. (excellent song : )
Ain't That A Kick In The Head - Dean Martin
Too Close For Comfort - Sammy Davis, Jr.
That Old Black Magic - Sammy Davis, Jr.
Somewhere There's A Someone - Dean Martin
Me And My Shadow - Frank Sinatra
Lady Is A Tramp - Sammy Davis, Jr. or the Sinatra version
Innamorata (Sweetheart) - Dean Martin
(Love Is) The Tender Trap - Frank Sinatra
Something's Gotta Give - Sammy Davis, Jr.
Volare - Dean Martin
Mr. Success - Frank Sinatra
A Lot Of Livin' To Do - Sammy Davis, Jr.
You Make Feel So Young - Frank Sinatra
Shelter of Your Arms - Sammy Davis, Jr.
Sam's Song - Dean Martin
When You're Smiling - Dean Martin
My Shining Hour - Sammy Davis, Jr.
That's Amore - Dean Martin
My Shining Hour - Sammy Davis, Jr.
The Lady Is A Tramp - Frank Sinatra
Guys & Dolls - Frank Sinatra & Dean Martin
The Birth Of The Blues - Sammy Davis, Jr.
Little Ole Wine Drinker Me - Dean Martin
I've Gotta Be Me - Sammy Davis, Jr.
You're Nobody 'Til Somebody Loves You - Dean Martin
Chicago - Frank Sinatra
This Guy's in Love with You - Sammy Davis, Jr.
Powder Your Face With Sunshine - Dean Martin
What Kind of Fool Am I? - Sammy Davis, Jr.
Hey There - Sammy Davis, Jr.
Witchcraft - Frank Sinatra
Have A Little Talk With Myself - Sammy Davis, Jr.
Eee-O Eleven - Sammy Davis, Jr.

Summer wind
Return to me
All of Me

Great songs so far. I just add these:

Fly Me to the Moon
L-O-V-E
New York New York
My Way

Thanks for the responses. It sets me on the right track.

Funny story about a song on Donny's list: "The Shelter of your Arms". Local Philly resident and former hitmaker, Jerry Samuels (Napoleon XIV - They're Coming to take me away, ha ha ..." wrote that song, and he told me how it came from an idea he heard at another session ... the rhythm of the words made him think of the title. Peter Nero has a terrific version too.

I am having a hard time pictureng patrons singing along with song sheets, especially the songs that have mentioned here on this thread. Is this something that anybody else is doing successfully? Is the idea to have only one person sing at a time or a bunch? I just can't imagine this coming off at all. It sounds like it would be worse than regular kareoke.

Scott: I'm glad you brought this up. Dave too when he said "I'd never expect to hear at a piano bar". I had the identical concerns that I have voiced with the owner. I even asked if he knew anyone else doing it. It's his place and his vision. I don't want to be so rigid as to not be willing to consider trying something new. However, I don't want to compromise on what I think I am able perform at my standards. He is also a realist and knows that if it doesn't make money, it doesn't matter what he likes, it's what his customers like that matters. It's a balance that I am trying to navigate succesfully.

I'd probably ask that, if the Rat Pack theme didn't pan out for him financially after whatever time frame he is willing to lose money over, that you be allowed to play that period of time doing what YOU think the audience wants, and see if it can be rescued.

Otherwise, I'd be cautious... There are many restaurant owners that think that whatever harebrained scheme they come up with is, of course, brilliant, and the only reason it didn't work was the poor musician forced to abide by it..!