Oooo ... the "elitist" card. I suppose it was inevitable that someone would play it eventually. For the record, I play Mustang Sally whenever I have to, but always wait 'til later to bitch about it.
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What's wrong with "Mustang Sally?"
- Thread starter billjr
- Start date
I actually like Mustang Sally, we play a Buddy Guy version and the bass line is quite fun, slightly funky. My band mates really don't want to play it though, but it is always a crowd pleaser, gets people up on the dance floor singing along every time.
I figure the cool thing about a done-to-death funky crowdpleaser like Mustang Sally (or Play That Funky Music) is that you can do what you want with it, by way of arrangement or bass line in particular, and it'll still light the crowd up. If the groove is tight and there's a sing-along in the chorus, they love it.
I always look forward to the tunes (even if I've played them 50K times) because I made up a slap riff for the Mustang groove, and we put a breakdown in Funky for the band intros--so I get to go slap happy there. Keeps an old tune fresh for me. No need to play it like anybody's recording.
I always look forward to the tunes (even if I've played them 50K times) because I made up a slap riff for the Mustang groove, and we put a breakdown in Funky for the band intros--so I get to go slap happy there. Keeps an old tune fresh for me. No need to play it like anybody's recording.
jive1
Commercial User
Never responded to something I wrote 9 years ago, but there's always a first....
If my opinions are somehow a 'gold standard' or 'elitist' then the bar must be pretty low. I play ALOT of popular music, and enjoy doing so. I actually listen to alot of popular music as well, moreso than I do Jazz Fusion, Classical, Prog Metal, etc. I play alot of 3-4 chord songs, and have fun doing it. And I've probably played Mustang Sally a hundred times since I last wrote what you quoted.
If me wishing that folks would request a song among the the 1000s of fun pop tunes out there over the 3 songs that are requested time and time again since I started playing out more than 20 years ago makes me elitist, so be it. I've never been elite before, and would relish the opportunity.
Didn't know it was that long ago. My response was based on this:
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).
Yes, we all have those tunes. I can remember when, in the 52 years I have been playing out, it was Proud Mary, Knock Three Times, etc, but musical taste is a subjective thing. Yes, your's and mine are more educated because we have been doing music forever. But to disparage the taste of those not schooled in music is where I get the elitist part. Even if it is thier favorite tune, so what? They came to party and listen to music. How long would any of us have gigs if we refused to play the songs people like because they don't meet our musical standards? Isn't it nice that you can be there to get requests from people who would like to hear a specific tune?
I really don't think you meant it quite the way it came out. I defnintely understand your point.
First off, the song is half a century old ("bought you a brand new Mustang, a 1965") (I guess 1964 1/2, though accurate, didn't fit the rhythm) nothing wrong with that in and of itself, but you do get sick of hearing anything over that span, then there's the fact that it was a P bass that recorded the part, not a Mustang Bass (truth in advertising, anyone?) Now you get to the real problem with this song. Every drunk, overweight, bleach haired loser chooses it to embarrass themselves in public to. It's like the Pied Piper's pipe gone horribly wrong.
Mustang Sally has been our "You ain't gotta go home but you can't stay here!" last song of the night on many dive bar gigs. It invariably sends the 20-somethings out the door. The remaining drunk chicks dance.
We've come to loathe that song.
And yet, we played it just this past Friday night.
We've come to loathe that song.
And yet, we played it just this past Friday night.
Mustang Sally is one of those songs that can only go two ways. It'll either gel nicely and fill a dance floor right now, or it will leave a four minute long skid mark as it circles the drain. There is no in between, and the only difference between the two extremes is groove. Strong, unflinching groove with tight accents: win. Even one person playing with too stiff of a rhythm: soul-sucking.
That said, it generally bores me less than Johnny B. Goode.
That said, it generally bores me less than Johnny B. Goode.
If it's working for the crowd then I enjoy playing it. Sometimes people really get into that song, it's crazy. Even younger people who have never heard it before will get up and dance. That's good for me.
I despise playing it to an empty dance floor (which I have done on several occasions) . Must be my codependency.
I despise playing it to an empty dance floor (which I have done on several occasions) . Must be my codependency.
jive1
Commercial User
I don't disparage people's tastes because they aren't schooled in music, like simple songs, like popular music, etc. I disparage them because it is limited to such a small sample of 3 songs that get requested over and over again. And the funny thing is that I often ask what people's favorite songs are, and in decades NOT A SINGLE ONE has ever said Mustang Sally, Sweet Home Alabama, or Brown Eyed Girl. I do wedding gigs where the client pays thousands of dollars to hear their favorite songs and not one of them has requested one of those. I would love to play their favorite song, but often people don't ask for it. Sometimes I feel like people request these songs out of habit, or because most bands know it, not because it's one of their favorite songs.
I come to party and play music too, and like I said before, my musical standards are really not that high at all. But, that doesn't mean that I'm not disappointed when the same 3 songs get requested again and again when there's so much other fun music out there. I don't think there's anything elitist in that. If anything, if one's taste is limited to 3 tunes, it sure can't hurt to broaden it.
I agree. Thanks for expanding on your original post. This is just another example of how the printed word can be so misunderstood. I like the part about never listing them as favorite songs, but requesting them at gigs. Maybe the brains have entered the Party Zone when that happens.
But, be patient, it will pass. Times change. It has been years since anyone has requested Proud Mary or Tie a Yellow Ribbon.
I call those my Listerine songs. I hate them, but I do them twice a day.
I have to do Mustang Sally because the drummer's wife likes it. It is a much better song than Tie a Yellow Ribbon, believe me.
I enjoy playing it even if it is overplayed. It is requested all the time by the people who pay to see us so we play it period.
Exactly. Just like Johnny B Good, its a song EVERYONE covers and NOBODY plays right. Also, spare me the "we put our own spin on it" nonsense when the reality is that your band is either too lazy or too unskilled to do it (the WP version is what they want) right. Yet, the people still dance to it no matter how viciously it's butchered.
