Should you play Mustang Sally?

[onosson]

Most of the joints I play in have a "No Mustang Sally" rule. But I will not play "Stairway to Freebird" under any condition. I'll leave that to the experts.

I've played Freebird and Stairway to Heaven live on stage, back-to-back, in their entirety. Before it happened I would have said "no way", but our frontman pulled it off and it was a lot of fun! So we did it again another time. If you play anything with conviction, that gets you halfway there.

 

[73jbass]

I have a general rule that if it gets requested,and all the band members know the song,we play it. Keeping the bar patrons happy keeps the bar owners happy,which means you get to keep playing. Call it job security. If you refuse to play tunes that people like,whether you are sick of them or not,you are shooting yourself in the foot.

 

[1bassplayinfool]

You didn't get the joke.

 

[BassyBill]

This thread is a real coincidence. I just turned down an offer to play bass in a “blues” band because they play the same old, worn-out, beat-to-death songs that I played as a teenager in the late 70’s, early 80’s:

Mustang Sally
Play That Funky Music
Tush
Long Train Running
.
.
.

I know -- a gig’s a gig. But I promised myself that I’d never play these songs again as a part of a regular set list.

I still play "Funky Music" and "Long Train Running" on a regular basis. I agree that the first one is beaten to death, but surprisingly I don't often hear the other one played over here in England. The Doobies were never as huge here as they were in the US.

Other ones in the "Mustang Sally" category here include Midnight Hour, Soul Man and I Feel Good.

I've never heard a cover band do "Tush", by the way.

 

[kevteop]

I've been in bands where Mustang Sally is a better song than every single one of the 12 "original" songs written by some hack song writer with delusions of grandeur...

You tell 'em.

Also, the best TV show ever made was Columbo. They should just show Columbo continuously on every channel, rather than let some hack with delusions of grandeur try to create something new.

 

[NoiseNinja]

Mustang Sally smells bad taste cliche cover band to me. It's about the only thing less original than actually playing in a cover band. When come to think of it that song might be one of the main reasons for my aversion for cover bands.

 

[NoiseNinja]

You tell 'em.

Also, the best TV show ever made was Columbo. They should just show Columbo continuously on every channel, rather than let some hack with delusions of grandeur try to create something new.

+1

 

[Stumbo]

We're entertainers. If the audience loves it, play it and take your cash home with you.

 

[DrayMiles]

If the people want it, and they're willing to pay you for it, PLAY IT...
I played it 7 days a week, 4 sets a night, for three years.. It's just a song... and it's money. IT WON't KILL YOU.

 

[gweimer]

You tell 'em.

Also, the best TV show ever made was Columbo. They should just show Columbo continuously on every channel, rather than let some hack with delusions of grandeur try to create something new.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with creativity. Among my favorite bands are King Crimson and Deerhoof, but you have to keep things in context. If you are in a cover band, and the topic of Mustang Sally comes up, your choices might well be 1. Just do it or 2. Make it fit your context.

You would be hard pressed to name a band that never EVER played a cover song. Cover material is a perfect way of letting your style be known in a context of a song that everyone already knows.

The point of playing out live is to be heard AND to be enjoyed. To veto a time tested classic just tells me that you never cared about either of those two points.

 

[gweimer]

Mustang Sally smells bad taste cliche cover band to me. It's about the only thing less original than actually playing in a cover band. When come to think of it that song might be one of the main reasons for my aversion for cover bands.

That pretty much rules out ever doing blues or country for you.

 

[A.Scovanner]

... You would be hard pressed to name a band that never EVER played a cover song. Cover material is a perfect way of letting your style be known in a context of a song that everyone already knows.

The point of playing out live is to be heard AND to be enjoyed. To veto a time tested classic just tells me that you never cared about either of those two points.

That about sums up this thread.

Next.

 

[dave_bass5]

I've been in bands where Mustang Sally is a better song than every single one of the 12 "original" songs written by some hack song writer with delusions of grandeur...

Agreed.
If it fills the dance floor, and the audience want it then i see no reason not to play it.

Of course, so many musicians know better and aren't actually there to entertain the audience, but to wank off on stage to show how good they (think) the are so i can understand some bands wont play it.

Ive seen quite a few singers bad mouth Mustang Sally at gigs, then go on to play some MOR or Blues crap and empty the dance floor.

 

[kevteop]

The point of playing out live is to be heard AND to be enjoyed. To veto a time tested classic just tells me that you never cared about either of those two points.

I don't really care about being heard or enjoyed by an audience that just wants to get drunk and bellow along to a chorus they know. I'd rather have a small (even tiny) audience that actually likes music.

This is the part where you get to call me a snob.

 

[dave_bass5]

I don't really care about being heard or enjoyed by an audience that just wants to get drunk and bellow along to a chorus they know. I'd rather have a small (even tiny) audience that actually likes music.

This is the part where you get to call me a snob.

If they are singing, or bellowing along wouldn't that indicate they do like music?

Normally with covers bands, especially weddings and functions, the audience arent there to see the band, you are there to entertain and get people dancing. its a pretty miserable night if people just stand around listening to the band and not dancing or enjoying themselves. to me that indicates you are doing a bad job (assuming you are supposed to be getting the dance floor filled of course).

So, and no offence meant, yes, you are a snob but each to his own.

 

[dtripoli]

You didn't get the joke.

+1, yup and posters will still get serious about our "duty" to perform said songs.
Yes, yes, we know we have to perform these sometimes
And yes, yes, we know it is our duty as paid performers,
And yes, yes, even though we have played them ad nauseum, we still perform them with a smile.
So, this forum is our break room and we can laugh about the job here.

(truth be known, if there are chicks and they just gotta hear and dance to Mustang Sally,
my only question is; "What key?")

 

[NoiseNinja]

I guess then that's the difference between being an artist and an entertainer.

 

[dave_bass5]

I guess then that's the difference between being an artist and an entertainer.

An Artiste is one who struggles for years without really getting anywhere, then starts playing covers.
An entertainer is someone who entertains, be it originals or covers.

 

[kevteop]

If they are singing, or bellowing along wouldn't that indicate they do like music?

No it indicates that they have developed a Pavlovian response to the chorus of Mustang Sally.

So, and no offence meant, yes, you are a snob but each to his own.

Or perhaps we're too quick to accept lowest-common-denominator entertainment and to dismiss anyone who objects with lazy name-calling.

 

[NoiseNinja]

An Artiste is one who struggles for years without really getting anywhere, then starts playing covers.
An entertainer is someone who entertains, be it originals or covers.

And you still can't seem to get pass the cliches.... That said you don't see stand up comics doing covers.