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Location: Flahdaw | I'm trying to refine my songlist.
I was at a cafe the other night and a good singer/player began playing Taxi, by Harry Chapin. I thought, "cool, never heard THAT played in a bar."
I quickly realized why.....it's long and boring and no one really wants to have to pay rapt attention to a song story when they're trying to have fun.
Other songs, like Stairway To Heaven, that are long and rambling, probably are no better....not that I would ever play that in a bar anyway.
People want to hear songs they know, but don't want to have to overthink. And I have discovered they don't care much for original stuff, whether it's good or not. Anyone out there have any other "Do Not Play" dogs...songs where you lose the audience in 20 seconds or less? |
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Posts: 10583
Location: NJ | do play
hallelujea buckley
wreck of the edmond fitzgerald lightfoot
all nine minutes of court of the crimson king fripp
anything by pink floyd especially roger waters compositions
free bird
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Location: south east Michigan | Is that really a DO play list Al???
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Beware the dirge.
If it's the right crowd we'll play "Hallelujah", but we cut it back to just 4 verses.
"Nights In White Satin" is a good one for us as long as, again... it's the right crowd.
Because I'm here in the Great Lakes region, "Wreck of the Edmond Fitzgerald" should have a following but I find to be quite the dirge. By the second verse I'd be bored playing it let alone having to listen to it. It really needs some kind of middle eight.
We have a long set list of quieter songs in search of a venue.
Nothing turns off my attention faster than those open mic or bar gig standards that have been done to death. We don't play a single Jimmy Buffet song.
Or... if you feel that you just HAVE to play Behind Blue Eyes, make sure it sounds better or different than any other version you might have ever heard before.
Edited by Slipkid 2014-01-02 11:10 AM
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Location: Caribou, ME | Brad Durasa - 2014-01-02 11:05 AM
We don't play a single Jimmy Buffet song.
Bless you. |
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Location: Colorado | Don't play anything by Barbara Streisand, Bridge over Troubled Water, or Alice's Restaurant....each have their places...probably not the set you have described |
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Location: SoCal | I like playing Two Out of Three Ain't Bad becasue it's not often that you get to play a tune by a dinner entre. But you've really got to pick your spots for stuff like that...... |
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Location: Flahdaw | There are a few (VERY few) Buffet songs that I still find tolerable played in a bar. Ones that haven't been played to death, like Banana Republic, Railroad Lady, etc. But I'll walk out if someone plays Margaritaville |
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Location: Keepin' It Weird in Portland, OR | Most Requested/Detested? House of the Rising Sun
I have an equal number of people say "That's my Favorite Song"...
and "Please don't play that!"
Side note... I will only play "Wish You Were Here" once per day.
And little kids like Hallelujah because it is in "Shrek".
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Location: Flahdaw | Hmmm....I get the MOST compliments on my House Of The Rising Sun (but I play it a LOT different)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=spGv66mjDTg&feature=c4-overview&list... |
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Location: The Great Pacific Northwest | re: "Songs NOT to play"
Well, I never say never  almost ever..
Seriously ALL of the tunes/artists above have a time and place. The key is knowing the time and place. |
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| I've been guilty of this song at Open Mic nights... especially after having to follow someone who just played a 15 minute ballad about their cat.
This is a REALLY old song... lots of versions of it... I use different verses... it's all the same idea.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fyUACQjqh1Q
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Location: Atlanta, GA. | The band gets a request to play something by The Oak Ridge Boys and they come out with "Elvira". Ackkk! or
Someone in the crowd calls out "Play Jeremiah was a Bull Frog". Ackkk, Ackkk! SHADDUP!! That's not even the name of the dam song. |
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Location: Upper Left USA | They want: Bad Moon on the Rise
Give them: There's a Bathroom on the Right
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Location: Sunshine State, Australia | Brown Eyed Girl American Pie Knockin On Heavens Door (is their a MORE boring song to play???) and for the Aussies - anything by Cold Chisel... |
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Location: Thredbo, NSW, Australia | +1 on American Pie
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| One of my friends' jokes was to play the request... but in a silly voice... bad lisp, etc. |
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Location: cincinnati, ohio | DO PLAY:
I get more requests for "The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald" than any other song I do. It ALWAYS gets a great response.
Anything by James Taylor goes over great.
In Ohio, Kentucky and Indiana, anything by Buffett is fine, especially in the winter when it's so blasted cold. Reminds everybody of warm weather, palm trees and boat drinks. I try to mix stuff like Banana Republic," "A Pirate Looks at 40/50," and "Come Monday."
Anything by Creedence or John Fogerty solo gets a standing ovation.
DON'T PLAY:
Anything by Harry Chapin. Harry wrote GREAT songs, but the brain has to be engaged, and most audiences don't want that. |
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Location: Tennessee | rick endres - 2014-01-03 9:07 AM I get more requests for "The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald" than any other song I do. It ALWAYS gets a great response. Anything by James Taylor goes over great. Anything by Creedence or John Fogerty solo gets a standing ovation. I think I live in an alternate universe. |
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Location: south east Michigan | Sometimes someone can do well with a questionable song when they well.... do it well.
We have been surprised how Itchycoo Park has been received. Part of that is no else does it and if you can commit to lyrics like "I feel inclined to blow my mind", the crowd appreciates the bravery.
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Sometimes is just how well you can do it.
For instance... I saw a guy get up and announce that his next tune was going to be "I Got You Babe" (without a girl singing the girl part).
I thought "oh no... here comes a train wreck".
But NO!!!
It was a highlight of the night and a inspiration for my future song selections. |
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Location: Colorado | +1 on if they do it well or not.
Long time ago a wise man told me ...."if you want to make money playing music...you gotta play the songs people who have money like and want to hear." Notice he did not say if you want to become famous...or if you want to find your groove...or if you want to play your own music....and he mentioned nothing about critical acclaim....his lesson to me was if you are content with 10 - 25 per hour...go play the bars and honky tonks....if you want 100-250 per hour...play the private dinner and country clubs and very nice restaurants. You can also earn the right to get a little creative - if you do the stuff they like very well. Here is a real set list from a rehearsal dinner at a nice restaurant a few weeks ago...you'll probably laugh - then cry...
Dream a Little Dream of Me, All of Me, Salon and Saloon, The Fool on the Hill, Take Five, Breezin, Last Night I Didn't get to Sleep at all, Harvest Moon, Side by Side, L-O-V-E, Just the Way you Are, Somewhere (Beyond the Sea).
Artists covered are Mamas and Papas, Willie Nelson, Jim Croce, Beatles, Dave Brubek, George Benson, 5th Dimension, Leon Redbone, sfinatra, Nat King Cole, Billy Joel, Bobby Darin.
12 songs, one hour, out before 8:30...the dance band then started...400 bucks.
Don't get me wrong - there isn't one Chapin song I can't do by memory(including his plethora of words) - but that's the coffee house scenario,
Learn to read and sight read - they'll pay you to do the show stuff too. |
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Location: Colorado | Hey Bob...last I remember you were in northern california somewhere....so another universe applies....all things being equal...I'd rather be playin Orleans, Kottke, Kansas, Beatles, some Chapin, and even Lloyd Webber and Elton John....but those were all in my basement. |
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Location: NJ | it was supposed to be don't play LOL
jimmy buffet is on my hate list |
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Posts: 1609
Location: Colorado | I know Al....let's see - at the rehearsal dinner... don't play "Pinball Wizard" or the "Colorectal Surgeon"...yet each has their place ...and I will admit each has been requested in the nicer places....and I know both - but passed on playing them at the time. |
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Posts: 10583
Location: NJ | I always thought "you can't always get what you want" is a good rehearsal dinner song.
along with "I knew the bride when you used to rock and roll"
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Posts: 9301
Location: south east Michigan | Tho not a regular, we've had luck with American Pie.
But as mentioned, ya gotta read the crowd.
If the crowd has really tipped a few play American Pie but leave out all those pesky verses and just sing the chorus over... and over.... and over. |
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Songs NOT to play on stage
