Songs You Won't Play - Musicians with dignity

[Finneus]

I've been in a band that does a lot of covers for the past 15 years. We still write & record original music, but to get better paying gigs, we probably do 80% covers any given night. We used to use the motto "Songs you know but haven't heard in awhile" because we try not to do the same songs every other band plays.

We have a "no play list" songs that we will not play.

Here are the lamest of the lame from from our "no play" list, I'm curious what songs others have on their list.

Brown Eyed Girl
Sweet Home Alabama
867-5309
The Joker

[gard0300]

First of all, I will play anything if the price is right. But......

- Blue on Black
- Enter Sandman
- Teen Spirit
- Kryptonite

[Finneus]

Sandman, I forgot that one, that definitely belongs on the list.

BTW, your picture looks like Ozzie Guillen except he would probably have up a different finger in his picture.

[TundraMan]

Sweet Child O Mine

[Flashback Bass]

Well here we again!

I must be broken because I'll play anything, anywhere, anytime! I guess I have no dignity.

At our Bar/Restaurant gig this past Saturday night we had Mustang Sally at the bottom of the second set. Apparently they couldn't wait that long because some nice female tipped the rhythm guitarist $10 to play it. Since we were planning on playing it anyway, she just paid to get it to be the next song. Of course we make a big production out of the song by handing out tambourines and maracas to the ladies and inviting them up to sing the "Ride, Sally Ride" part. The crowd loves as does the management for making their patrons happy!

We abide by the Cover Band Credo of: "It's not about us, it's about them!"

Although, we do enjoy playing some more obscure "bar" music such as Locomotive Breath, A Certain Girl, and Been Down So Long! With 48 songs in a night there's lot's of room for all kind of music. One of our promotional tag lines is: Sinatra to Sabbath! Which is true as we have played That's Life and Paranoid in the same evening!

[guy n. cognito]

Sigh.

This weekend, a woman tipped us. $20 bucks to play Mustang Sally. I guess I should told her that my dignity was more important than entertaining her, but then I remembered.......I'm being PAID to entertain HER.

[sloasdaylight]

When I'm out gigging (which isn't as much as it used to be anymore sadly :-( ) I'm being employed by the venue to entertain their fans, so I'll play what the gig requires. Whether that's Blue Bossa for 3 hours or Smells like Teen Spirit, I'll play it, because I'm being paid by them to do it, and the crowd likes it, and that's what my job is.

Now, when it's my original band playing, then we play our music, with maybe a cover or two thrown in, but both sides have a different level of expectation from each other about what's going to be played.

[rtslinger]

Age old question everyone's answers and opinions will differ my is if the people want to hear it and it is in the genre of music we perform, I will be willing to play it. I take all as a learning experience

[qervo]

Like most others in here, I'll play anything but I just hope no one wants to hear Red Solo Cup by Toby Keith.

[KwinS]

I used to have a list of tunes that I wouldn't do. Now we're working up a hard rock version of Locked Out Of Heaven, by Bruno Mars...

Now a lot of the tunes on my aforementioned list are looking more desirable.

[KwinS]

Originally Posted by KwinS

I used to have a list of tunes that I wouldn't do. Now we're working up a hard rock version of Locked Out Of Heaven, by Bruno Mars...

Now a lot of the tunes on my aforementioned list are looking more desirable.

Oh yeah...IMO and stuff.

[Joe Nerve]

I'm with the guys that'll pretty much play anything, if I'm gettin paid. Only place ill draw the line is with stuff that's real hate music, or racist kinda crap. I've no problem playing any pop songs. My willingness to play sweet home and Jenny Jenny has earned me probably $10,000 in fill in gigs alone over the past decade. The songs that would make the best no play list for the OP, also make the best play list for earning money and being able to jump into any band situation. I play original music for pleasure and satisfying my creative needs, I play covers for money and to make others happy. I love playing bass. My pride doesn't interfere with that.

[Phalex]

I won't play any songs that empty the dance floor.

[champbassist]

Honestly, there's nothing I won't play if the situation demands it, but it'll be difficult for me to control my urge to decapitate anyone who asks me to play Hotel California or Summer of '69 again.

[nutso42]

Originally Posted by champbassist

it'll be difficult for me to control my urge to decapitate anyone who asks me to play ... Summer of '69 again.

Ugh. I used to like that song.

[Groove Doctor]

We did a pub gig that got us a rock'n'roll wedding reception gig. They specifically requested a song we played, but we weren't happy with it - Make Me Smile (Come Up and See Me) by Steve Harley (big hit in UK and here in Oz).

So we changed things around a bit - classical guitar, clean electric gtr, 4-part harmony, faster tempo, etc. Did our own version that suited us better.

People stopped dancing and stared when we played it - we thought coz they disliked it, but they gave us an ENORMOUS applause at the end. The song we disliked became our big showstopper.... all with a bit of creativity and loads of hard work.


Try something new/ do something different with these songs and they'll gain a new life.

[Finneus]

Originally Posted by Groove Doctor

We did a pub gig that got us a rock'n'roll wedding reception gig. They specifically requested a song we played, but we weren't happy with it - Make Me Smile (Come Up and See Me) by Steve Harley (big hit in UK and here in Oz).

So we changed things around a bit - classical guitar, clean electric gtr, 4-part harmony, faster tempo, etc. Did our own version that suited us better.

People stopped dancing and stared when we played it - we thought coz they disliked it, but they gave us an ENORMOUS applause at the end. The song we disliked became our big showstopper.... all with a bit of creativity and loads of hard work.


Try something new/ do something different with these songs and they'll gain a new life.

I've got to hand it to you Groove Doctor, taking songs and changing them up is the way to go. I can't argue that. We have done that with some others, would make it much more palatable. I have to think that most crowds would also appreciate a new spin on some of the worn out classics.

[Teabag]

Enter the sandman on guitar is fun to play really as a warm up but sweet child o mine is cool on bass and playing it piano is a lot of fun

[Rune Bivrin]

My dignity stops me from playing songs that we just can't get to sound good. Other than that, I have no shame. I'm having fun if the folks are having fun, simple as that.

[champbassist]

Originally Posted by nutso42

Ugh. I used to like that song.

So did I. Until around 11th grade. Since then, I've had to play it on around 10⁷⁸⁸⁹ different occasions.