How to enjoy playing "Dancing Queen"?

lomo · #1 07-23-2008, 07:50 AM

This topic doesn't seem to fit well anywhere so I'll try it here. Mods please move as required.

I play in a classic rock cover band (Floyd, Stones, CCR, some Motown and 80s oddities like Psycho Killer etc) and we have a coworker who comes to all our gigs. We have a problem. She likes Abba (don't get me started) and wants to hear "Dancing Queen". We want to cover it in our own way, and I'm hoping to transmogrify it into something fast and danceworthy. My question is: into what style would you transform it. I'm thinking ska, but thought I'd solicit other ideas-we're open to anything , but thrash metal won't go over well with our usual audience.

Also-I haven't listened to it since I was forced to by am radio in my parents' car as a kid-anyone know the chords off hand (I'm gonna ownload it 2nite).

Tnavis · #2 07-23-2008, 07:56 AM

One of my bands in college used to do a cover of Dancing Queen, and it was actually one of my favorites. We kept the tempo the same, just made it much more raw and gritty with some slightly overdriven guitars and louder dynamics on the choruses. The crowd loved it. It also helped that the guy we had singing it had a nice gravelly rock voice.

**Eric Perry** · #3 07-23-2008, 07:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tnavis

One of my bands in college used to do a cover of Dancing Queen, and it was actually one of my favorites. We kept the tempo the same, just made it much more raw and gritty with some slightly overdriven guitars and louder dynamics on the choruses. The crowd loved it. It also helped that the guy we had singing it had a nice gravelly rock voice.

Same here. I'll post a link to it when I get home.

staindbass · #4 07-23-2008, 07:59 AM

i dont know, but that is a great song ! i wish i had wrote those changes... i have abbas greatest hits, ive jammed on that manytimes. id keep it the same, maybe speed it up 5 beats per min. johnny a

lomo · #5 07-23-2008, 08:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Eric618

Same here. I'll post a link to it when I get home.

Thanks. This sounds good!

lomo · #6 07-23-2008, 08:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by staindbass

i dont know, but that is a great song ! i wish i had wrote those changes... i have abbas greatest hits, ive jammed on that manytimes. id keep it the same, maybe speed it up 5 beats per min. johnny a

I agree the melody and chords sound wonderful, but the whole Abba thing and the way the vocals were recorded make me wince.

**Eric Perry** · #7 07-23-2008, 08:52 AM

Yeah, we changed it around to a degree. I'd like to think we didn't hack it up. The key was lowered (guy sings it), and it was heavied up and sped up slightly. The arrangements are true to the original, as is the feel.

Again, I'd like to hope we did it justice. The greatest covers, in my opinion, are ocnes that stay true to the original. Faith No More's Easy Like Sunday Morning is a great example of a great cover, IMO.

**Eric Perry** · #8 07-23-2008, 08:54 AM

I just checked and it is on one of my servers....

Here's the link. Please excuse the poor quality, it's compressed to hell! I helped with the changes, played bass, and did some of the background vocals...

http://www.knuckleheaddesigns.com/Mi...ncin_queen.mp3

Smaz · #9 07-23-2008, 09:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Eric618

I just checked and it is on one of my servers....

Here's the link. Please excuse the poor quality, it's compressed to hell! I helped with the changes, played bass, and did some of the background vocals...

http://www.knuckleheaddesigns.com/Mi...ncin_queen.mp3

Thats pretty funky, I like it

pbass2 · #10 07-23-2008, 09:02 AM

Great song. What a hook.
I agree, no need to change it much, just play it harder and more raw, more . . "New York" if ya know what I mean.

Deacon_Blues · #11 07-23-2008, 09:08 AM

I like this version:

http://www.imeem.com/people/TmJz1s//...dancing_queen/

DocBop · #12 07-23-2008, 10:06 AM

When we used to have to covers we didn't like we, but the audience loved we would start the song normal so get them smiling and dancing. Then turn the beat into a shuffle. They get weird'd out they are hearing the song they love, but for some reason don't know how to move their feet to it. Screw with it too much and you lose them as friends and fans, just tweak it a little and they just scratch their heads.

In music school we had a blast in my improv group no matter what song we were working on we finished practice doing it raggae style. Playing All the Things You Are Bob Marley style everyone leaves practice smiling.

lomo · #13 07-23-2008, 12:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pbass2

Great song. What a hook.
I agree, no need to change it much, just play it harder and more raw, more . . "New York" if ya know what I mean.

Right. We ARE in NY, after all (even though it's waaaaaaaaaaay up in the woods)

.

Bassic83 · #14 07-23-2008, 01:15 PM

ABBA is seriously under-rated for their hooks, melodies, and arrangements. They are pop personified, in a 70s-80s kinda way. That said, just play it straight- chances are you aren't going to sound like the Swedish wonders anyway. Then try it different ways. All at the practice pad, of course.

**Thor** · #15 07-23-2008, 01:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bassic83

ABBA is seriously under-rated for their hooks, melodies, and arrangements. They are pop personified, in a 70s-80s kinda way. That said, just play it straight- chances are you aren't going to sound like the Swedish wonders anyway. Then try it different ways. All at the practice pad, of course.

I kind of agree with that. Rock cover band guys are not gonna
sound anything like Abba.

I'd go for it straight. Plan 2 would be a little Reggae sound to it.
If Frank Zappa can dub up Ring of Fire, you can do DQ.

I alwats wanted to cover a couple of Roxette songs off the
CD 'Look Sharp'. She was a hot little number with great pipes.

**Eric Perry** · #16 07-23-2008, 01:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Thor

I kind of agree with that. Rock cover band guys are not gonna
sound anything like Abba.

You didn't like our version??

Just kiddin'!

**Thor** · #17 07-23-2008, 02:09 PM

I'll have to catch that later, no speakers here at work!

**Eric Perry** · #18 07-23-2008, 02:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Thor

I'll have to catch that later, no speakers here at work!

Just jokin', buddy. Seriously though, check it out and lemme know what ya think!

Emmaemme · #19 07-23-2008, 02:27 PM

I love this version on The Moonshine Sessions album:

http://www.deezer.com/track/522758

pbass2 · #20 07-23-2008, 02:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lomo

Right. We ARE in NY, after all (even though it's waaaaaaaaaaay up in the woods)

.

Cool----yeah, I'm thinking downtown, like when the Clash came to Electric Lady and were soaking in the NYC dance club sounds into their vibe, like "This is Radio Clash". Smack it hard, a little disco-punky