Unexpected Positive Song Reaction...

[portpc]

My variety trio covers a lot of ground & I feel my ear is pretty good for a song crowds will enjoy.
That said there have been some that bandmates ' suggest I predict will be colossal fails but they turn out to be huge hits, tip jar fillers etc..

This year it has been the Yacht Rock chestnut, " I'd really like to see you Tonight." A cheesy dirge from 1976...
But my goodness - It's musical catnip & the reception is incredible for it!

Anyone else have an unlikely hit on their song list?...

 

[WI Short Scaler]

I know that song is in the "break mix" folder of music I play during our breaks. We've kind of discussed how audience members sing along to it but never seriously considered it. Maybe I'll bring it up.

Our surprise audience appreciated song is "Baby Blue/Badfinger." No one dances and when we first played it we thought maybe it was a dud. But everyone enthusiastically applauds and comments on it so we've kept it. Based on that we just added "No Matter What" as well.

 

[portpc]

I know that song is in the "break mix" folder of music I play during our breaks. We've kind of discussed how audience members sing along to it but never seriously considered it. Maybe I'll bring it up.

Our surprise audience appreciated song is "Baby Blue/Badfinger." No one dances and when we first played it we thought maybe it was a dud. But everyone enthusiastically applauds and comments on it so we've kept it. Based on that we just added "No Matter What" as well.

Baby Blue is a fantastic song & Badfinger is one of those bands that people like even if they don't realize it.. No Matter What always works -

 

[WI Short Scaler]

I never thought people would appreciate such a stripped down version of Brandy either. After Sunday we're gonna practice that one and bring it back to the "active" list. I had some clunker notes in there.

 

[portpc]

I never thought people would appreciate such a stripped down version of Brandy either. After Sunday we're gonna practice that one and bring it back to the "active" list. I had some clunker notes in there.

We cover Brandy as well and introduce it the song named after the drummers' mouthwash. He always says you don't swallow mouthwash however...

 

[WI Short Scaler]

We cover Brandy as well and introduce it the song named after the drummers' mouthwash. He always says you don't swallow mouthwash however...

Eric/guitarist introduced it Sunday as a request "based on Carmen's favorite bedtime beverage"....

Yeah, she's like me and only likes beer.

 

[portpc]

Another unexpected 70's hit is "Thunder Island." always a lot of positive feedback from that number though for me it was never my favorite song..

 

[ole Jason]

I've always wanted to do this one

 

[Kubicki Fan]

Katrina & The Waves - Walking on Sunshine

Yikes! Always got them hopping on the floor but I loathed playing it.

 

[Low Down Brown]

"Grandma's Hands" by Bill Withers and a D-wight Yoakam bit where we did "Fast as You > Little Sister". Got loads of compliments from those. I was in one group that used to cover Beastie Boys "Sabotage". People usually came out of their seats for that one.
I was in a jazz group about 20 years ago that performed what we described as "wallpaper" or background/dinner music. We did lots of 80's stuff like Total Eclipse of the Heart, Land Down Under, Time After Time, etc. We made a killing in tips with that stuff. I loved the moment of realization some folks would have halfway through their dinner conversation when they suddenly stop and turn to us and shouted, "Are you guys playing freakin 'Africa' by Toto?!"

 

[Kubicki Fan]

"Grandma's Hands" by Bill Withers and a D-wight Yoakam bit where we did "Fast as You > Little Sister". Got loads of compliments from those. I was in one group that used to cover Beastie Boys "Sabotage". People usually came out of their seats for that one.
I was in a jazz group about 20 years ago that performed what we described as "wallpaper" or background/dinner music. We did lots of 80's stuff like Total Eclipse of the Heart, Land Down Under, Time After Time, etc. We made a killing in tips with that stuff. I loved the moment of realization some folks would have halfway through their dinner conversation when they suddenly stop and turn to us and shouted, "Are you guys playing freakin 'Africa' by Toto?!"

Know thy audience

 

[Low Down Brown]

Another unexpected 70's hit is "Thunder Island." always a lot of positive feedback from that number though for me it was never my favorite song..

My kiddos love Yacht Rock. "Thunder Island", Bob Welch's "Sentimental Lady", and Andrew Gold's "Lonely Boy" are their favorites at the moment.

 

[Bar Band Bassman]

I never thought people would appreciate such a stripped down version of Brandy either. After Sunday we're gonna practice that one and bring it back to the "active" list. I had some clunker notes in there.

A very cool bass part!

BBB

 

[Bar Band Bassman]

I convinced the band to do "Can't Turn You Loose" and "Time Is Tight" as a rave up which I arranged (such as it could be called that) with me on lead vocal. We trotted it out last weekend and NOBODY danced. We finished and the whole crowd applauded and cheered. Go figure.

BBB

 

[portpc]

I've always wanted to do this one

That song now resides archived in my head as George Costanza's answering machine message on Seinfeld. ("Believe it or not George isn't home.." )

 

[Wyrdlow]

We learned Benny Hill's "Ernie - The Fastest Milkman In the West" for a friend's birthday nearly ten years ago, and it's easily our most requested song. We usually use it as an encore now, and folk go mad for it. Who'd'a thought it? Not us - but we'll take it!

 

[Pings Bass]

I played "achy breaky heart" with a tejano band at a wedding in the 90s and the dance floor filled up instantly and everybody knew the moves. I'm still kind of floored by the cross-cultural reach of line dance songs.

 

[KevInDaBassment]

Halloween Theme by John Carpenter, but that one was usually in rotation around....certain times of the year lol

We were an alternative rock/metal band, so it fit in pretty well. Guitarist and I would swap back and forth on who played the lead riff.

 

[Ostie]

My variety trio covers a lot of ground & I feel my ear is pretty good for a song crowds will enjoy.
That said there have been some that bandmates ' suggest I predict will be colossal fails but they turn out to be huge hits, tip jar fillers etc..

This year it has been the Yacht Rock chestnut, " I'd really like to see you Tonight." A cheesy dirge from 1976...
But my goodness - It's musical catnip & the reception is incredible for it!

Anyone else have an unlikely hit on their song list?...

We do that song in the trio I’m in. I play congas on it. I was very skeptical at first, but the arrangement fell into place and it’s fun to play.

 

[Wyrdlow]

Thinking about it, I was very skeptical when my bandmates suggested "Rasputin" by Boney M, especially considering our fiddle/acoustic guitar/bass line up - but I was very happy to be proved wrong! Great fun to play and the audience love it. We do a mean "Blank Space" too!