Sing-A-Long Tunes - What works for you?

[ITGITC]

Sing-A-Long Tunes

 

Many of my performances are for private parties and often there is a crowd of people who want to drink (Can ya believe it?).

 

Later in the evening we have found that it helps to kick it up a notch by playing a few sing-a-long tunes.

 

One of the interesting things that I have discovered is that the choice of tunes can be regional.

 

For instance, my guitarist from New York City, tells me that "Sweet Caroline" - Neil Diamond does well as a sing-a-long tune in the bars there. The band sings the verse & when the chorus rolls around, they stop and everyone in the audience sings just these two words: "Sweet Caroline". The band starts right back in.

 

In the past, "Mustang Sally" has been a good sing-a-long... just the part "All you wanna do is ride around Sally - Ride Sally Ride", because nobody in the audience can remember the verse.

 

Finally, for some of my rowdier gigs, I enjoy playing "Why Don't We Get Drunk..." - Jimmy Buffet. Of course, it's a bit suggestive so we save it to the last set. But it always comes through as a great sing-a-long tune.

 

-------------

 

Chorus:

 

Why dont we get drunk and screw

I just bought a water bed, its filled up for me and you

They say you are a snuff queen

Honey I dont think thats true

So, why dont we get drunk and screw

 

-------------

(Catchy huh?)

 

One tune that I would like to add to the setlist is "Redneck Woman" - Gretchen Wilson. The audience loves to chime in on "HELL YEAH"...

 

Here's the chorus:

 

Cause I'm a redneck woman

And I ain't no high class broad

I'm just a product of my raisin'

And I say "hey y'all" and "Yee Haw"

And I keep my Christmas lights on, on my front porch all year long

And I know all the words to every Charlie Daniels song

So here's to all my sisters out there keepin' it country

Let me get a big "Hell Yeah" from the redneck girls like me

Hell Yeah

Hell Yeah

================

 

Question: Do you have favorite sing-a-long tunes that your band plays? Which ones go over well?

 

C'mon. Let me hear whatcha gots.

 

Thank you.

[Garrafon]

Well, not exactly a sing-a-long, but a call and response we do is in the middle of Ray Charles's "What I Say"

 

Band "oooooh"

Audience "ooooh"

Band "ahhhh"

Audience "ahhh"

 

 

Band "Tell me What I say"

AUdience "Tell me What I say"

 

etc etc etc

 

It works.

[Phil W]

Hot Love - T.Rex (the lah-lah-lah bit)

Mustang Sally

Honky Tonk Women

Three Little Birds - Bob Marley (the chorus)

[linwood]

When I use to live in your neck of the woods, much younger, but I'll bet this tune still works there and you're sick of it:

 

39-21-46 The Showmen

[Ed Coury]

Mustang Sally is intolerable for me as it is. If I had to lead the audience into a sing along with it, I would probably implode.

 

The best response to "sing alongs" I've heard have been those obscene dueling-piano songs...the names of which are so outrageous, so profound and disgusting...'decorum prohibits listing them here'.

 

***BONUS Keyboard Corner TRIVIA: The first person to tell us the name of the film which featured that 5-sentence phrase at the end of my post wins a shout out!

[ITGITC]

Originally posted by linwood:

When I use to live in your neck of the woods, much younger, but I'll bet this tune still works there and you're sick of it:

 

39-21-46 The Showmen

Linwood, I did not know that you lived in the Raleigh area.

 

Yes, 39-21-46 has been a favorite of mine since it was released.

 

Growing up in this area I am familiar with this music - 60's Motown & R&B. I play it - and people here still enjoy it. Very regional, but for those of us who grew up with it, we still love it. This music is my roots. I couldn't get it out of my system if I tried.

 

Thanks for that.

 

Tom

[linwood]

Actually, I grew up in Richmond Va, but started gigin' at 12 and still know that songlist pretty well. Like you said,from that part of the country, it's just in your blood. I worked all up and down the coast playing beaches from NJ to Fla in the summer from 12 to 28 and then came here. Btw, I had a really good friend from Raleigh. He played guitar and harp(the one angels play, not harmonica). His name was Mike Deep. Did you know him? He passed a few years ago.

[rainbird]

Replying to Ed, re: the sig.

 

Surely that was Spinal Tap?

 

LS

[Ed Coury]

Originally posted by rainbird:

Replying to Ed, re: the sig.

 

Surely that was Spinal Tap?

 

LS

No Sir....you are INCORRECT....you LOSE.....You win NOTHING...(from Willie Wonka and the Chocolate factory).

 

But here's a CLUE: the words 'decorum prohibits listing them here' were taken from a disciplinary hearing or some sort......

[retrokeys]

The phrase is from Animal House and was heard during the indictment phase of the the Delta's Greek Council probation hearing. "Fat, drunk and stupid is no way to go through life son."

[MidLifeCrisis]

Friends in Low places works here in the South.

Brown Eyed Squirrel although overplayed, gets a good response if timed late in the evening and used as a sing-a-long

[Ed Coury]

Originally posted by retrokeys:

The phrase is from Animal House and was heard during the indictment phase of the the Delta's Greek Council probation hearing.

You ARE CORRECT! Now, here's your shout-out:

 

Go Retro -- it's your birthday!

[Ed Coury]

Originally posted by MidLifeCrisis:

Brown Eyed Squirrel although overplayed, gets a good response if timed late in the evening and used as a sing-a-long

Again, a song that's rough to get through without hurling -- BUT, it does get many women with brown eyes to come out and dance in a provocative manner....and for that Sir, I will play anything!

It's the stuff that get's me through the monotony of Leave your Hat On as well....

[Eric VB]

I've been on the audience side of a sing-a-long to Don McLean's "American Pie", and I only have one thing to say: that song has way too many verses! I'd definitely avoid this one.

[retrokeys]

Thanks Mr. Ed for the shout out. Speaking of sing alongs...How could y'all forget about "Shout" Hey... ey... eyy... A little bit louder now.....

[Ed Coury]

Shama Lama,

huh

Rama rama rama ding dong

baby huh

You put the

ooh mou mou

oh oh oh oh

back into my smile, child

 

Hey

That is why

 

That is why

You are my sugar dee dee doo

[retrokeys]

Can we dance with your dates?

[Ed Coury]

How MANY times I've wanted to walk up to a guitar player and do what Belushi did to Stephen Bishop's guitar on the staircase of the Delta house! In fact, I may do that this weekend to my own guitar player......who has been asking for it for months ;-)

[Botch]

The Doobie Bros' "Black Water"

 

and

 

Def Leppard's "Pour Some Sugar on Me" (??? )

[BluesKeys]

Lots of good ones here Tom. Of course I have a couple to add.

 

My own Tune

1. I'm Living With My Next Ex Wife

 

I sing I'm Living and the audience sings With My Next Ex Wife.

 

Always seems to work and it even puts smiles on the womens faces when they sing it, so go figure.

 

2. Let The Good Times Roll

 

This works because I shout

HEY EVERYBODY(gets their attention)

Let's have some fun,

you know you only live once

and when your dead your gone.

(then I stop and tell every one to echo me when I sing Let The Good Times Roll) Let The Good Times Roll. Ok I didn't hear you lets try it again

LET THE GOOD TIMES Roll

let the good times roll

LET THE GOOD TIMES ROLL

let the good times Roll

Don't care if your young or old get together let the good times roll.

 

Are we having fun yet?

where is the beer wench?

[ITGITC]

Originally posted by BluesKeys:

Lots of good ones here Tom. Of course I have a couple to add.

 

My own Tune

1. I'm Living With My Next Ex Wife

 

Good one Jimmy.

 

BTW, I wish you hadn't told those girls we met at the gig the other night that they were so skinny you thought they must have a tapeworm.

 

Or maybe I should be glad you did.

 

Thanks man.

[BluesKeys]

Originally posted by Is There Gas in the Car?:

 

Good one Jimmy.

 

BTW, I wish you hadn't told those girls we met at the gig the other night that they were so skinny you thought they must have a tapeworm.

 

Or maybe I should be glad you did.

 

 

Thomas,

 

You must have been drinking. I surely didn't say that either of them had a tapeworm. You thought one of them must be working out to be so skinny. She said she never worked out and I said me neither, I'm just waiting for a good tapeworm to take care of my problem areas.

 

Oh how rumors get started. Hey bird dog, I am a free man, you want to hook up and go dazzle some more women this week? It worked so well last week.

 

Thanks man. [/QB]

[stepay]

My band doesn't do "sing-alongs" unless someone just gets crazy and starts singing the song on the dance floor -- that happens sometimes, but we never orchestrate it.

[ITGITC]

Originally posted by BluesKeys:

Thomas,

 

You must have been drinking.

Oooops. My bad. You are correct. Sorry.

 

And yes, I was drinking.

 

Between the hot wings and the beer, I was up all night.

 

That was a great band though.

 

Let's do it again.

[BluesKeys]

Cheers... let's do it again ...I second that.

[BluesKeys]

Cheers... let's do it again ...I second that.

[marino]

I recently heard some musician having the audience sing along "Englishman in New York". It seemed to work great.

[shniggens]

"Hey! You've Got To Hide Your Love Away!"

[Chris Link]

Originally posted by Ed Coury:

Mustang Sally is intolerable for me as it is. If I had to lead the audience into a sing along with it, I would probably implode.

 

The best response to "sing alongs" I've heard have been those obscene dueling-piano songs...the names of which are so outrageous, so profound and disgusting...'decorum prohibits listing them here'.

 

***BONUS Keyboard Corner TRIVIA: The first person to tell us the name of the film which featured that 5-sentence phrase at the end of my post wins a shout out!

BTW, Bluesman Johnny Rawls has a sticker on his guitar- a red circle with a diagonal line over "Mustang Sally".

[SilverDragonSoun]

What about the Hokey Pokey. Isn't that what its all about?