Joined: 14 Nov 2003 Posts: 142 Location: Melbourne, Australia
Posted: Tue Nov 23, 2004 5:27 pm Post subject: Songs that you ALWAYS have to play, but hate...
Ok, following on from the other thread, I thought I'd throw this question out there. I'm talking about the songs that almost every gig someone will walk up to you and ask "Do you know how to play...".
E.g. my brother played in an acoustic trio with an excellent fiddle player and EVERY gig they would get asked for Devil Went Down To Georgia.
Then there's always the classic Trad Jazz band thing of having a sign with "Requests $5, Saints $50".
For Australian bands, the main culprit song is "Khe Sanh" by Cold Chisel. An Aussie Rock classic, recorded about 20 years ago but any self respecting Australian male above the age of 12 knows all the words. Most Australians don't know the words to our national anthem, so this is no mean feat.
My wife has a section on here songlist (for clients to choose songs from) dedicated to songs like these. i.e. she will not play them unless specifically requested:
- Chicken Dance
- Nutbush
- Time Warp
- Khe Sanh
Let me know your list! Was interesting to see the mix of stuff on the other thread, so be interested to see what comes up here.
Chris _________________ because I rock, and that's important.
Posted: Wed Nov 24, 2004 1:42 am Post subject: request
Yes, great question : I must have been Jinxed : on numerous times it happens that we are asked to play :
Smoke on the water,
Europa,
Stairway to heaven,
Which i don't play because :
i don't like them
i am not such a consumate pro
i don't play by request, i am an artist not a juke box.
Think about this : While you are playing your melting of R.FORD,Hendrix,J.WINTER with heart and groove , suddenly a drunken loud voice go out of tune and out of tempo SMMMOOOOOKE ON THE WWATTTTTERRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR.
Joined: 16 Jul 2003 Posts: 534 Location: SF Bay area
Posted: Wed Nov 24, 2004 7:27 am Post subject: I'm laughing so hard I nearly spit out my coffee!
Oh Monsieur Lobsterman,
I believe it is considered really bad form when a member of the band pulls out a gun on the audience (snort, snort, snicker, snicker) and usually means you won't be asked to play there again. On the other hand, it might be worth it just to see the look on people's faces.
"I wanna hear Caravan with a drum solo!"
love, elizabeth _________________ www.elizabethgage.com
Joined: 26 Nov 2003 Posts: 916 Location: Fairhope, AL
Posted: Wed Nov 24, 2004 7:29 am Post subject: ohnonotagain!
Not long ago, we were playing a gig and a member of the audience starting playing the spoons during our stuff! I think that justifies the use of force. The song we get all the time is "Sweet Home Alabama". We are as mainly accoustic trio!
Frank
Joined: 05 Dec 2003 Posts: 107 Location: Long Island, NY
Posted: Wed Nov 24, 2004 9:55 am Post subject:
Here are a few I hate to play, but have to (sometimes)...
Mustang Sally
Proud Mary
Pretty Woman
Honky tonk woman
Dancing in the streets
Starway to Heaven
Sweet Home
Freebird
Some Kind of Wonderful (this one really kills me)
Sunshine of your love
But when there are pretty girls dancing in front of me I love to play all these songs, plus the $100 in my pocket at the end of the night helps.
We also play When I leave here, Tired of Talking, Cannonball shuffle and Keep On Running, and on occasion someone will say play something I know like Jumping Jack Flash.....that makes me see RED!
Regarding Smoke on the Water - I think that's a great song, and awesome guitar solo (a classic), when done well it's fun to play. There's a few tricky 16th note runs in that solo.......my 2 cents....
............
We also play When I leave here, Tired of Talking, Cannonball shuffle and Keep On Running, and on occasion someone will say play something I know like Jumping Jack Flash.....that makes me see RED!
Regarding Smoke on the Water - I think that's a great song, and awesome guitar solo (a classic), when done well it's fun to play. There's a few tricky 16th note runs in that solo.......my 2 cents....
LI Rod
You see red, exactly , now please don't give US a guitar lesson About Smoke on the Water, i am not in the mood to fustigate you with a lesson on , mmmmhhhhh , let's see : Stairway to alabama, great guit parts, or
Mustang mary , to complicated for beginners.
my 2 cents of Euros.
Bye
Joined: 04 Nov 2003 Posts: 886 Location: SF Bay Area
Posted: Wed Nov 24, 2004 2:11 pm Post subject:
Bluelobster wrote:
Mustang mary , to complicated for beginners.
my 2 cents of Euros.
Bye
Amazing, I went to a blues jam last night to give the new speaker in my DR a whirl, and got stuck with a guy with an acoustic guitar and a bass player who even after you showed him the changes, could get a 12 bar straight. Fortunately he just ran walking bass lines all over the place so it wasn't as if he was playing too many wrong notes. Then the singer call's Mustang Sally, OMG, can it get any worse. Yep, the "singer" starts singing lines ahead of the changes. But since the bass player wasn't playing any changes anyway I just followed the singer (Hey Ashley! I'm available ) and the drummer and I just kept smiling at each other. Folks on the dance floor were whooping it up and having a grand old time dancing their brains out. What can you do? _________________ There are no such things as wrong notes, there's only the look on your face.
My Stuff: www.stevekirbymusic.com
Joined: 14 Nov 2003 Posts: 142 Location: Melbourne, Australia
Posted: Wed Nov 24, 2004 4:52 pm Post subject:
oh yeah... Mustang Sally... I forgot about that one. Must be universal. Groan.
There was a movie some years ago - The Commitments - really big here in Australia - featured this as it's main song. Fantastic film, but got the song stuck into everyone's head. That's the only reason anyone here knows it.
The biggest problem with the song is that it does NOTHING with the 12 bar blues form. There's no twists or turns, no dynamics, no contrast in the vocals, NOTHING. I suppose there's an opportunity there somewhere.
Fortunately I don't have to play most of the other songs mentioned, which is just as well!
Chris _________________ because I rock, and that's important.
oh yeah... Mustang Sally... I forgot about that one. Must be universal. Groan.
.............................................
Chris
I just realize i am really Jinxed and that i must be a really crappy guitar player trying to survive among such a great bunch of rock stars.
MUSTANG SALLY : I love this one , i can play that song ALL NIGHT LONG,
It is very tricky 'cause of the vocals leading the form, then there is a lot of contrast in the vocals : 1st the Statement : gngngng sally, mustang & ride
2st OVERstatement RIIIIIIDe Sally RRide , great choirs , then you can emulate the Horn riff with a great distorted Tone leading you to a tremendous Solo "à la" Jeff Beck (see the buddy GUY album) then if your band is not full of morons you just can turn it into a funk party (with 2 guitars it's more than a pleasure it's a necessity) So this tune could be very dynamic.
And i apologize because the last thing i wished to do was a masterclass à la Longisland Rod.
Joined: 14 Nov 2003 Posts: 142 Location: Melbourne, Australia
Posted: Thu Nov 25, 2004 2:01 am Post subject:
Blob,
thanks for the masterclass!
Must be just the versions I've listened to - I'm off to find the Buddy Guy one... sounds like you've found some cool stuff to give the song some nice twists.
Must admit that I normally end up doing this song with sequenced backing, so no other real musicians to work off. Will take some inspiration from your ideas and see how I go next time though... heh heh heh...
(and I hope the blues nazis don't mind!)
Chris _________________ because I rock, and that's important.
Joined: 29 Jan 2004 Posts: 1504 Location: Methuen, MA
Posted: Thu Nov 25, 2004 4:45 am Post subject:
Hey, like someone previously said, if they love it and makes them dance and have fun, then just do it!
Imagine Robben saying to Daved during a show, "Can you believe they want me to play Indianola? I am so sick and tired of playing that damn song everywhere we go. When will it end, dammit?!"
If it feels good, do it! And, make sure it sounds good, even if you are just a crappy guitar player like our blobby.
Joined: 16 Jun 2004 Posts: 56 Location: Mesa , Arizona (Its a Dry Heat!)
Posted: Thu Nov 25, 2004 7:22 am Post subject:
Ok here is my list of "hate to players".
Sweet Home Alabama
Keep your hands to yourself
Gimme Three Steps
Mustang Sally
Brickhouse
Things I wish we would play more often
Like a rollin stone
Them Changes
Willie the Wimp
Hoochie Coochie Man
Oh well.............
Gary _________________ -------------------------------------------------------
Playing Bass, one thump at a time.
www.glaswerks.com www.tsjband.com
-------------------------------------------------------
Joined: 16 Jul 2003 Posts: 534 Location: SF Bay area
Posted: Thu Nov 25, 2004 9:28 am Post subject: Happy Thanksgiving to everyone.
Have a happy Turkey Day...and I LOVE to do Mustang Sally. Different strokes for different folks, eh?
love, elizabeth _________________ www.elizabethgage.com
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love, elizabeth
Then the singer call's Mustang Sally, OMG, can it get any worse. Yep, the "singer" starts singing lines ahead of the changes. But since the bass player wasn't playing any changes anyway I just followed the singer (Hey Ashley! I'm available 
) and the drummer and I just kept smiling at each other. Folks on the dance floor were whooping it up and having a grand old time dancing their brains out. What can you do?
love, elizabeth