Constructing the Perfect Playlist

[KaraokeDJ]

Has anyone seen an article by the BBC?

Constructing the Perfect Playlist (http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/A1061416)
I know the article is some years old but just came across it. How relevant is it still? While the bilk of the article, I think, is as valid today as in years gone by - how acurate do you think the sample playlist is?

'Let's Twist Again' - Chubby Checker
'Rock Around the Clock' - Bill Haley
'Twist and Shout' - The Beatles
'She Loves You' - The Beatles
'Take Good Care of my Baby' - Bobby Vee [Never Played it]
'Do Wah Diddy' - Manfred Mann
'Under the Moon of Love' - Showaddywaddy
'Tiger Feet' - Mud
'I'm the Leader of the Gang' - Gary Glitter [Never Played it and never will]
'C'mon Feel the Noise' - Slade [Never Played it]
'Dancing Queen' - Abba
'Tainted Love' - Soft Cell
'Come on Eileen' - Dexy's Midnight Runners
'Freedom' - Wham [Never Played it]
'Relax' - Frankie Goes To Hollywood
'Uptown Girl' - Billy Joel
'Simply the Best' - Tina Turner
'Baggy Trousers' - Madness
'A Good Heart' - Feargal Sharkey [Never Played it]
'Miss you Nights' - Cliff Richard [Never Played it]
'True' - Spandau Ballet [Never Played it]
'Eternal Flame' - Bangles
'Careless Whisper' - George Michael [Never Played it]
'She's the One' - Robbie Williams [Never Played it]
'Reach' - S Club 7
'YMCA' - Village People
'Hi Ho Silver Lining' - Jeff Beck
'New York, New York' - Frank Sinatra

Things that make ya go hmmmmmm!!!

[Danno13]

Pretty much the same as you've said.. apart from Robbie.. had that requested a few times and it works as a good alternative to Angels.. which can be a bit cliche sometimes. I also rarely play Come On Elieen or YMCA unless I'm asked.

Some odd ideas in that article though.. like following Tiger Feet with Dancing Queen.. which is a drop in tempo of well over 30bpm, can't see that working too often.

And why is Tina Turner sandwhiched in the middle of an 80s set -


'Relax' - Frankie Goes To Hollywood
'Uptown Girl' - Billy Joel
'Simply the Best' - Tina Turner
'Baggy Trousers' - Madness

And I thought it was the law to play Town Called Malice before or after Baggy Trousers! :D

[KaraokeDJ]

And I thought it was the law to play Town Called Malice before or after Baggy Trousers! :D
:agree:
If I get into a good 80s session, Town Called Malice usually ends up in there!

[Vectis]

And I thought it was the law to play Town Called Malice before or after Baggy Trousers! :D

That depends on how the boys take to Baggy Trousers. If they run around like 6-year-olds then you just gotta go with 'One Step Beyond' minus the lead-in, before returning to Town Called Malice. Come On Eileen is a good follower for Malice as is Walking On Sunshine if there's a fair female contingent still dancing.

:beer1:

[Andy Westcott]

Quote:
"And why is Tina Turner sandwhiched in the middle of an 80s set"

That track got to No.5 in 1989...
There! Someone had to say it!

I wouldn't start a playlist with those particular oldies - they may be better left until a bit later on.

And 5 slowies in a row?!

[Danno13]

I always start with TCM, then Baggy Trousers and then Too much, too young..

And I never realised that Andy, always thought of it as a 70s track for some reason :confused:

[KaraokeDJ]

I wouldn't start a playlist with those particular oldies - they may be better left until a bit later on.

Me too, I've never played rock n roll that early on either. Motown is usually what I follow the first dance with.

[PropellerHeadCase]

And why is Tina Turner sandwhiched in the middle of an 80s set


That track got to No.5 in 1989...
There! Someone had to say it!

Heh-heh - if you hadn't, I would've.



And I never realised that Andy, always thought of it as a 70s track for some reason :confused:

:confused: Really? Way off. It doesn't sound like 70s, not in style, and certainly not in production style.



Me too, I've never played rock n roll that early on either.

Oh, I've been known to, if I play 'Crazy Little Thing Called Love' after the first dance (and I often do) and I get people Jiving or Rock'n'Roll dancing then I'll launch into a mini-set of that style. But otherwise I'd agree, Motown or 70s/80s is what I generally follow the first dance with.

[Royalblue]

Heh-heh - if you hadn't, I would've.




:confused: Really? Way off. It doesn't sound like 70s, not in style, and certainly not in production style.




Oh, I've been known to, if I play 'Crazy Little Thing Called Love' after the first dance (and I often do) and I get people Jiving or Rock'n'Roll dancing then I'll launch into a mini-set of that style. But otherwise I'd agree, Motown or 70s/80s is what I generally follow the first dance with.

Yeah I regularly do the same. I use brown eyed girl before crazy little thing and then that cues up the rock and roll which always tends to get people going.

[PropellerHeadCase]

But getting back to the original post... there is no such thing as the perfect play list as there is no such thing as the perfect audience, and if there was they would, of course, be gagging to hear what I want to play ;)

[Andy Westcott]

Well - if there is a perfect audience, I've not had them yet, although a teenage gig I had a couple of weeks ago came fairly close, but a large people/room ratio helped then, as it usually does.

[Ryu]

Never played Freedom by Wham?!? Or Careless Whisper?

[DazzyD]

Never played Freedom by Wham?!? Or Careless Whisper?

That's what I was thinking! (well, apart from the Careless Whisper bit!).

Freedom has to be an iconic track of the 80s. I can honestly say, hand on heart, that it's one the tracks that have never me let me down. It's in the same category as the RWL mix of 9 to 5, Don't Leave Me This Way by the Communards and I Am What I Am by Hannah Jones.

These are tracks that I play at just about every show. And my Customer Satisfaction Survey results speak for themselves! ;)

[KaraokeDJ]

there is no such thing as the perfect play list as there is no such thing as the perfect audience
Yep. Gotta agree there 100%!!! But to get close, Andy is right


although a teenage gig I had a couple of weeks ago came fairly close, but a large people/room ratio helped then, as it usually does.
A full room certainly helps in any situation.


That's what I was thinking! (well, apart from the Careless Whisper bit!).

Freedom has to be an iconic track of the 80s. I can honestly say, hand on heart, that it's one the tracks that have never me let me down. It's in the same category as the RWL mix of 9 to 5, Don't Leave Me This Way by the Communards and I Am What I Am by Hannah Jones.

These are tracks that I play at just about every show. And my Customer Satisfaction Survey results speak for themselves! ;)

I'm a bit :confused: Dazzy? Ryu said 'Never played Freedom...' to which you agreed but then said "Freedom has to be an iconic track of the 80s." and "These are tracks that I play at just about every show"...

So does that mean you do play Freedom?

[Ryu]

Ahh I see whats happened here...

I said Never played Freedom?!?! which was a question, with exclamation marks, meaning I was suprised to read you say that. This smiley has the same effect I was going for with the exclamations :eek:

I think Dazzy is saying he DOES play Freedom alot. As do I. Hence my suprise.

[KaraokeDJ]

Ahh I see whats happened here...

I said Never played Freedom?!?! which was a question, with exclamation marks, meaning I was suprised to read you say that. This smiley has the same effect I was going for with the exclamations :eek:

I think Dazzy is saying he DOES play Freedom alot. As do I. Hence my suprise.

I get it now! :doh:

[Mister Musicman]

I would like to know if anyone has advice for some "Background Music" to play quietly whilst people are dining or as they are assembling for the main event.

Usually, I play a few tracks composed by my multi-talented future brother-in-law (he is also webmaster for my site) who sings to the accompaniment of his accoustic guitar. People do not expect to be tapping their feet too much before the action starts.

Any alternative ideas would be appreciated.

:DJ:

Rob (Mister Musicman)
www.mistermusicman.co.uk

[KaraokeDJ]

I would like to know if anyone has advice for some "Background Music" to play quietly whilst people are dining or as they are assembling for the main event.
I often give people a choice - especially if it's a big do, a wedding etc., Smooth Jazz is popular, Swing, Acoustic, etc., It depends what type of event.

[Mister Musicman]

I often give people a choice - especially if it's a big do, a wedding etc., Smooth Jazz is popular, Swing, Acoustic, etc., It depends what type of event.

Thanks Martin, I'll sift through the pile and play some of those.:cheers:
:DJ:
Rob (Mister Musicman)
www.mistermusicman.co.uk

I'll be fighting them on the beaches in Corfu for the next couple of weeks.

[KaraokeDJ]

Thanks Martin, I'll sift through the pile and play some of those.

No problem. You're welcome.
You can pick up some good collections at Amazon with the 'Simply' collections, for example Simply Smooth Jazz (http://www.amazon.co.uk/Simply-Smooth-Jazz-Various-Artists/dp/B0002S304I/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1219344459&sr=1-1), Simply Jazz (http://www.amazon.co.uk/Simply-Jazz-Various-Artists/dp/B0002BPIPO/ref=pd_bxgy_m_h__img_b) and Simply Swing (http://www.amazon.co.uk/Simply-Swing-Various-Artists/dp/B000AAVDWY/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1219344631&sr=1-1)

[nigelwright7557]

Me too, I've never played rock n roll that early on either. Motown is usually what I follow the first dance with.

My area used to be heavily into motown and Northern Soul.
In fact on the first disco I worked there was one set that only played Motown type music.

At a gig a few weeks ago put "Move on up" Curtis Mayfield (in my opinion a fantastic soul song) and everyone sat down ! I can only guess it was a bit before their time.

[PropellerHeadCase]

'Move on Up' is a fantastic song but, to be honest, it's quite a complicated groove, people have to be into their funk to get it, I think.

[KaraokeDJ]

I've found that with a few M-People tracks. Great tracks but an awkward groove. Tried one or two (but not for a long time) and they have a tendency to clear the dance floor, regardless how well you try to mix it in - it's just, well, darn right awkward... I'm sure some people know how to dance to their music but them people have not been at any events I've done.

[soundtracker]

I've found that with a few M-People tracks. Great tracks but an awkward groove. Tried one or two (but not for a long time) and they have a tendency to clear the dance floor, regardless how well you try to mix it in - it's just, well, darn right awkward... I'm sure some people know how to dance to their music but them people have not been at any events I've done.

Are we confusing Move on up with Moving on up?:)

[KaraokeDJ]

Are we confusing Move on up with Moving on up?:)

Ah! Maybe I should put me glasses on! Now where are they...?
:confused:

[PropellerHeadCase]

On your head!

[One Vision]

My area used to be heavily into motown and Northern Soul.
In fact on the first disco I worked there was one set that only played Motown type music.

At a gig a few weeks ago put "Move on up" Curtis Mayfield (in my opinion a fantastic soul song) and everyone sat down ! I can only guess it was a bit before their time.

Absolutely love that track, but like you say doesn't seem to do well as a dance track of today.
Am very surprised its not been sampled or remixed yet.
Think ill get an email off to fatboy slim as he loves to do the N soul and funk tracks. :)

[Corabar Steve]

Having read this thread yesterday, I gave Move on up a try last night.

Went down well, although it was an odd night & people were dancing to the weirdest things (like Pete & Dud "Goodnight")

[PropellerHeadCase]

Absolutely love that track, but like you say doesn't seem to do well as a dance track of today.
Am very surprised its not been sampled or remixed yet.

Ahem. 'Move on Up' was sampled in Kanye West's 'Touch the Sky' (the one with the Evel Kanyevel video).

[rup_101]

'Move on Up' is a fantastic song but, to be honest, it's quite a complicated groove, people have to be into their funk to get it, I think.

'Move on Up' is also one of my favourite songs.

[Jiggles]

Hi Rup_101 please introduce yourself in the Newbies section.