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Songs You Won't Play - Musicians with dignity

Finneus

Finneus

Aug 20, 2007
88
11
Oswego, IL
soundcloud.com
#1
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
 
#5
Well here we again! :rollno:

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!
 
#7
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.
 
#12
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.
 
#16
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.
 
#17
Groove Doctor said:
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.
Click to expand...

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.
 

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