What's wrong with "Mustang Sally?"

[lonote]

"You Belong to Me" is a KILLER tune. It gets people up and dancing, and it isn't done to death. My last two bands have done that song, and it's a real fun song to sing and groove on.

Hat's off to you for even knowing that song!

Hats off to YOU! Slim Harpo's "Ti Nah Ne Nah Nu" has the same effect also. Dusting off obscure blues covers and playing the hell out of them can be very rewarding. The tunes I mentioned are all of roughly the same vintage as "Mustang Sally." The boogaloo was a very big deal in the 60's.

 

[Bassic83]

I'm going to have to steal that.

Please do- you'll have a blast with it! Let me know how you like it...

 

[Andrew Heenan]

Really sad to see so many many people saying 'don't do it because people like it'. No wonder live music is dying, if snobbery is the rule. Sure, it's not right for every band at every gig, but if you do that kind of song, then why not?

Even folk saying 'it's the MacDonalds of music' - in case you weren't aware, the objection to Macs is the health issue, not the fact that they're popular. Pure snobbery.

 

[JMacBass65]

Honestly, I really have never liked the song that much. I know it's one of the "standards" for cover bands, but while I understand why many of the are (Brown Eyed Girl, for example), I don't get why this one is.

It's just meh for me.

 

[nashvillebill]

Wow, a 9 year old zombie thread resurrection.

 

[Stinsok]

Yesterday I read another post slamming the song "Mustang Sally." My question is what's wrong with that song? I love it, and think it has a great groove and sound. To me it just seems like a great party song. I am just trying to figure out why so many on this site don't like it.

I've never seen it be a dud. It's been done to death for sure, but people like it. It's 3 minutes out of your set that will please someone. It's a crowd pleaser and a tip getter. Songs like that, Sweet Home Alabama, etc. are just a part of doing business.

I've seen bands on occasion that make a HUGE deal about getting requests for those while on stage. The last one I saw spent more time complaining about and begging for money to do one than the actual song lasts. I have a good friend that does a solo act. She has a sign on her guitar case with a list of requests that require money to do, etc. Honestly, I find it to be off putting.

 

[FrenchBassQC]

great song! but it's been played 100000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000 times

I think you're overreacting just a tad...

 

[RustyAxe]

Yesterday I read another post slamming the song "Mustang Sally." My question is what's wrong with that song? I love it, and think it has a great groove and sound. To me it just seems like a great party song. I am just trying to figure out why so many on this site don't like it.

It's just been overplayed. Every band I've been in has had it in the repertoire. Not a bad song at all, and usually a real crowd pleaser. I can think of other songs I dislike a whole lot more, and yet I play them. I play what they pay me to play. That's just fine with me.

 

[hrodbert696]

Wow, a 9 year old zombie thread resurrection.

Ayuh. Oh well. People still want to have their say on poor Sally.

Personally, I don't love playing it, but I don't mind either. The song can get old. Dancing chicks never do. I mean, they do... but the phenomenon of dancing chicks doesn't.

 

[Lobster11]

Wow, a 9 year old zombie thread resurrection.

Testament to the fact that this is a timeless issue. For however long there are cover bands, there will be people grumbling about having to play it every night.

 

[Munjibunga]

Yesterday I read another post slamming the song "Mustang Sally." My question is what's wrong with that song? I love it, and think it has a great groove and sound. To me it just seems like a great party song. I am just trying to figure out why so many on this site don't like it.

Get back to us after you've played it 50,000 times.

 

[buldog5151bass]

Munj, I've said it before, but tell it to Jagger.

 

[nutdog]

Played it again Saturday night. Wasn't on the setlist but requested in the first set. Crowd loved it. Our sax player kills it. He's bored with it, too, played it way more than me but he's a pro and brings it every time. I've played/sang it many times but only gig 1-2 times/month so it's not that hard to keep it fresh.

 

[pklima]

Move to Europe and the answer will be "too obscure, too unpopular".

 

[MD]

Never played it.
Not sure if I'm feeling lucky, or left out.

 

[dheafey]

In my younger, immature days I swore up and down I wouldn't do "Play That Funky Music" and "Mustang Sally". These days, the former is a permanent fixture in our setlist while the latter is an occasional fill-in. Why? Because they both absolutely PACK a dance floor. At the end of the day, we're paid to do just that, so I say use whatever tool you have in the toolbox.

 

[old spice]

What's wrong with "Mustang Sally?"
Nothing that 100 years in a freezer wouldn't cure.

 

[N. Kentucky Bass]

Wow, a 9 year old zombie thread resurrection.

Obviously, nothing on Talk Bass has changed in nine years. Even the questions are the same. And we're criticizing people who request Mustang Sally?

 

[Gravedigger Dav]

In addition to playing the tune about a 1,000,000,000,000,000,000 times, it get's requested 2,000,000,000,000,000,000 times. Out of the millions of songs ever written, out of the thousands of killer tunes out there, out of the hundreds of tunes that I know, this is the one people ask for time and time again. It sort of depresses me that most people's musical tastes consist of liking Mustang Sally, and nothing beyond that. I can't tell you how many times people have asked us to place this song twice in a night (as well as twice in a set).

It's the McDonalds value meal of music. (Sorry Mack, it's not you, it's them )

So your musical taste is the gold standard and everyone who doesn't share your taste is a lesser person?
I guess you see music as a art to be enjoyed by the enlightened. Music as entertainment for non-musicians is not fit for people with little or no musical knowledge? Interesting elitist concept.

Let me share the concept I learned from my dad who learned it from his dad. You can play two kinds of music. Music musicians really like or music the masses like. You can play music for musicians and starve because musicians don't have that much money and you will play for very small crowds. You can play the music the masses like and do pretty well. They show up, dance to your music, and enjoy themselves.

 

[Pilgrim]

Nothing wrong with Mustang Sally. If the audience likes it and wants it, then it's worth playing.

And it's LEAGUES better than Freebird, which is a crappy song with little merit.

Let me share the concept I learned from my dad who learned it from his dad. You can play two kinds of music. Music musicians really like or music the masses like. You can play music for musicians and starve because musicians don't have that much money and you will play for very small crowds. You can play the music the masses like and do pretty well. They show up, dance to your music, and enjoy themselves.

+1,000,000,000.

I hear some really bad music from musicians who have forgotten that there is an audience.

I heard a group a week ago that pounded the audience relentlessly and screamed through a set. They were even friends of my daughter and her fella. Their comment: "Well, we feel like playing really hard and fast."

The most diplomatic thing I could say was that I thought they could vary the tempo more. In fact, I was looking for a way to escape after 10 minutes of being hammered by their music. I was far from the only person who felt this way.