In most cases I say no to football songs particularly as, in the West of Scotland, it's not worth it. I have a groom to call back this week that has listed a well known football song and just wanted to canvass opinion on this?
Depends on the area I think, here in Gloucestershire we have no massive teams nearby like you do in the larger cities so even if I have a few Scots at a wedding for example I can play Can't Get Enough for example without any issues.
If I worked in Liverpool, Glasgow, London etc.. then footy songs would be strictly off the list unless I felt it wouldn't cause an issue (for example if they've got their theme as part of the theme as some do).
Now that Peter Reid is gone, is it safe to play Daydream Believer again?
I don't follow the football so have no idea...
So far I've only ever been asked to play one football related song since I came back, You'll never walk alone... And it was met with the loudest boos I've ever heard in reaction to a song
99.99% of the time, especially in the West and Central Belt it's a no.
With that being said, I'm off to a client meet otnight, I did their engagement and the man is a huge Rangers fan and asked if I'd play Simply the Best. i did and it went down a storm so if he asks for it to be played at the wedding I will.
A few weeks ago I was doing a wedding in Perth. the couple were from Edinburgh but the guy worked in Glasgow. All of his workmates supported Rangers or Celtic but the guy was a Jambo so they asked me to play Levels and Give It Up and dedicate it to the groom from the work lads and again it went down a storm. I did double check with the bride that he was a jambo first right enough.
It's actually written into my t's and c's that I will refuse to play any political, religious or football affiliated songs and if some random comes and asks for a football song, no chance. Only takes one idiot to get affronted and it's not the requester that they're going to come up to and have a go at.
I play football songs... but I first check with the B&G to see which team they support. Only if they support the same team... (or don't mind) will I play it.
Had a crazy RANGERS themed wedding last weekend. (Even the kilts for the Bridal party were in club colours!)
I first thought that I'd arrived at a Jeremy Kyle Show Reunion and not a wedding.... All the staff were telling me to be careful and that I am going to need extra strength tonight. The police were called to inform them of drug use on the premises and the coach firm were on standby in case they needed to arrive early to ship everyone home in the event of it being stopped. Security arrived ready for any trouble.... (a rare thing at a Wedding).
Just a few weeks earlier the original DJ told me that he didn't want to do it and passed the job to me. He had some genuine sounding excuse.. but I started to think otherwise.
Thought I was going to have to phone my wife and tell her I might end up in A&E and all my gear will be trashed.... but didn't want to alarm her.
Luckily I was using my back-up system and not my main one.. (They had booked that as it was cheaper for them).... and easier for me to set-up.
Anyway... to get to the point.
The Groom insisted that I play Penny Arcade after the 2nd dance.
Before that the Photographer had also asked me to stop the music and get everyone up onto the floor while she takes a photos from on top of ladder.
So. that is exactly what I did.
I kept the song a surprise and insisted that everyone was on the dancefloor.... saying that the Groom wanted to get his wedding going in style.
I think because I was so authoritative and got everyone up that I got control over the whole night... and from that moment my fears evaporated.
Afterwards the Groom thanked me and said that it was amazing- especially because half of his guests were die-hard CELTIC fans!!! ... and I had got them up for Penny Arcade!
Well there you have it: I know you played Simply the Best at the engagement do but my uncle stormed out so don't play it at the wedding.
Personally if a family member was so incensed by a song they decided to leave my engagement party, they wouldn't be invited to the wedding but that's just me.
As a West of Scotland DJ, I make a point of not playing Simply the Best or Just Cant Get Enough, for fear of starting something
It just takes some idiot to come out with some sectarian chant, and for all I know there may be one person there who will take offence to it. If the company is OK, I will play Penny Arcade but that is about my limit.
However, I did do a 60th party a few weeks ago in a local chapel hall, and the birthday boy was a massive Celtic fan, and although I am on the other side of the camp, I played some good Irish tunes like I'll Tell Me Maw, Galway Girl and the Saw Doctors, but didnt play Just Cant Get Enough. The people there were all Celtic fans, and at the end of the night after Loch Lomond, I did play You Will Never Walk Alone, but only because it was safe to do so.
Next year I have a wedding for Rangers fans in Ibrox, and again I am reluctant to play Simply the Best, as these clubs are looking to put a stop to all this nonsense.
I do think it takes a bit of common sense and the right situation to play these tracks, but more often than not, I play safe and refuse to do so regardless of what side of the division they are on
I've got a "West Ham wedding" next year... Really bizarre as I didn't mention who I supported until they told me the groom was a fan needless to say the bubble machine was an easy sell!
So many tracks are associated with football though... Hard to avoid unless you know them all
To be honest, it's all music to me and I don't know a lot about football songs. Would I play The Best? Not if I can get away with it. Not because of it's football connections just that I really can't stand that song!