Rock And Roll Songs

[Superman]

futuresoptions made me do this, with his thread on T Rex.

I'm in a band. I think I am in the wrong band, for various reasons some of which are known here. I am desperately trying to pry this band away from the cutsie, charming, artsy boutique-y "look at me sing this song" songs it seems to prefer. Examples:

Brass In Pocket - Pretenders
Drive My Car - Beatles
Heartache Tonight - Eagles
When Will I Be Loved - Ronstadt
Heartless - Heart
et al......

I have seen, from the stage (n previous bands), an undulating SEA of waving arms, heads thrown back, ear-to-ear smiles, dancing in wild abandon humans, and I am forever addicted. I want this band to play that music. I want this band to play the music that drunken audiences want to hear. We do play a few song that come close, like:

What I Like About You - The Romantics
Bad Case of Loving You - Robert Palmer

I have suggested a number of KILLER songs and the only one that has gotten any traction is Tie Your Mother Down. I want to do an old-time R&R medley that might include Johnny B. Goode, Maybelline, Good Golly Miss Molly/Devil With The Blue Dress On, etc, but this band may never understand that wisdom.

I am wondering if you guys could suggest some (and listen to me carefully here) simple, visceral, dance songs. I AM going to suggest 20th Century Boy. I HAVE suggested Back In Black, Strutter, Hair Of The Dog, Aharp Dressed Man, Off My Cloud and one of my personal favorites (that would appeal to a younger crowd), U2's first hit, "I Will Follow." Suggest me some straightforward, simple, infectious dance tunes.

[mossguy]

I don't have any suggestions at the moment, but I will. If you play what you are talking about, my wife and I will come listen.

[Heel n Toe]

Lodi - J.C. Fogerty - Creedence

Just about a year ago, I set out on the road,
Seekin' my fame and fortune, lookin' for a pot of gold.
Things got bad, and things got worse, I guess you will know the tune.
Oh ! Lord, stuck in Lodi again.

Rode in on the Greyhound, I'll be walkin' out if I go.
I was just passin' through, must be seven months or more.
Ran out of time and money, looks like they took my friends.
Oh ! Lord, I'm stuck in Lodi again.

The man from the magazine said I was on my way.
Somewhere I lost connections, ran out of songs to play.
I came into town, a one night stand, looks like my plans fell through
Oh ! Lord, stuck in Lodi again.

Mmmm...
If I only had a dollar, for ev'ry song I've sung.
And ev'ry time I've had to play while people sat there drunk.
You know, I'd catch the next train back to where I live.
Oh ! Lord, I'm stuck in Lodi again.
Oh ! Lord, I'm stuck in Lodi again.


Midnight Special - H.W. Odum

Well, you wake up in the mornin', you hear the work bell ring
And they march you to the table to see the same old thing
Ain't no food upon the table, and no pork up in the pan
But you better not complain, boy, you get in trouble with the man

[Chorus:]
Let the Midnight Special shine a light on me
Let the Midnight Special shine a light on me
Let the Midnight Special shine a light on me
Let the Midnight Special shine a everlovin' light on me

Yonder come miss Rosie, how in the world did you know?
By the way she wears her apron, and the clothes she wore
Umbrella on her shoulder, piece of paper in her hand
She come to see the gov'nor, she wants to free her man

[Chorus]

If you're ever in Houston, well, you better do the right
You better not gamble, there, you better not fight, at all
Or the sheriff will grab ya and the boys will bring you down
The next thing you know, boy, Oh! You're prison bound

[Chorus]

[Chorus]


Midnight Rambler - Jagger/Richards - The Rolling Stones

Did you hear about the midnight rambler
An everybody got to go
Well I’m a talkin’ bout the midnight gambler
The one you never seen before
I’m sighin’ in the wind so sadly
Listen and you’ll hear me moan
Well I’m a talkin’ bout the midnight rambler
An everybody got to go

Talkin’ bout the midnight gambler
The one you never seen before
I’m talkin’ bout the midnight rambler
Did you see me jump the garden wall
I don’t give you a hoot of a warning
Dressed up in a black cat cloak
I don’t leave the light of this morning’
I split the time the cock’rel crow

I’m talkin’ about the midnight rambler
Well honey it’s no rock’n’roll show
Well I’m a talkin’ bout the midnight gambler
An everybody got to go

Oh don’t do that, oh don’t do that
Oh don’t do that, oh don’t do that
Oh don’t do that, oh don’t do that
Oh don’t do that, oh don’t do that

Well you heard about the Boston…
Honey, it’s not one of those…
Talkin’ bout the midnight… Shh…
Did ya see me jump the bedroom door…
I’m called a hit-n-run raper, in anger…
Or just a knife-sharpened tippie-toe…
Or just a shoot-em-dead, brain-bell jangler
Everybody got to go

If ya ever see the midnight rambler
An he’s standing down your marble hall
An he’s pouncing like a proud black panther
You should say that I told you so
If you ever saw the midnight rambler
Play it easy, easy as you go
I’m gon’ smash down all your plate glass windows
Put my fist through you steel-plated doors

Well I’m a talkin’ bout the midnight rambler
The one you never seen before
Well I’m a talkin’ bout the midnight rambler
Did you see me jump you garden wall
And If you ever catch the midnight rambler
Steal your mistress from under your nose
Go easy with your cold-fanged anger
I’ll stick my knife right down your throat, baby and it hurts

[genrex]

I am wondering if you guys could suggest some (and listen to me carefully here) simple, visceral, dance songs.

THE YARDBIRDS 'Stroll on' - YouTube

Something like that? except with dancing...

_

[Oh Haha]

Mony Mony.That way the crowd can sing back "Hey, get----, get -----!".


I guaranteee they will be dancing.












I freakin' hate that song . I played it so many times in the bars.

[Groesbeck Hurricane]

How about a medley of Taxi followed by Sequel???? That will get them drunks dancing, some good Chapin!!! Or just try some Chopin????

[Taz's Master]

Ballroom Blitz by Sweet (Not the greatest song, and I'm not in a band, but every part of it sounds like it would be fun to perfrom)

Long Cool Woman by the Hollies

Ah! Leah! by Donnie Iris

Rock This Town by the Stray Cats

[IROC]

Originally Posted by Superman

I have suggested a number of KILLER songs and the only one that has gotten any traction is Tie Your Mother Down.

One of my favorite songs to play on guitar!!

Another fun one from the same era is "I Like to Rock" by April Wine. The Donnie Iris suggestion was killer, too. "Ah! Leah!" is one of my favorite songs. I seem to tend towards the oscure, but what about some old Cheap Trick like "Big Eyes" or "Hello There" off of In Color? "A Passage to Bangkok" by Rush (another fun one to play)?

Not the same era, but "Nearly Lost You" by the Screaming Trees is huge fun to play.

[targa911S]

[targa911S]

[GH85Carrera]

Walk this way by Aerosmith.

[targa911S]

You ain't nuthin but fine fine fine.....

[ramonesfreak]

i have a million suggestions but by the song list you gave, it sounds like your band is way too lame to even know them. dump these fools and find some guys with better taste

I can not stand seeing cover bands that play a selection from various genres in order to appease a large demographic of people who probably dont give a crap about your band or music anyway

i love a cover band that sticks to either a single band and does that band well, or sticks to a specific genre, like punk or blues, and does that well

otherwise its nothing more than a lame wedding cover band and you will never be happy

why not come up with a set list of what you think are the best tunes to play and put a CL add out there along with the proposed set list and see what happens

[targa911S]

[Jim Richards]

Originally Posted by genrex

I am wondering if you guys could suggest some (and listen to me carefully here) simple, visceral, dance songs.

THE YARDBIRDS 'Stroll on' - YouTube

Something like that? except with dancing...

_

Ohhh yeahhh, Yarbirds.

[targa911S]

[scottmandue]

You need to get into another band...

Artistic differences suck and you can't change people.

I put together a band for Y2K.

Me and the guitar play threw together a song list with the only criteria being fun easy songs (we only had six months to put together a set).

We thew together some Stones, Tull, Steely Dan, and some other krap I can't remember (hey, it has been twelve years!)

Anywho... we had a great time... the people at the party had a great time.

We had so much fun we decided to stay together and throw a couple more parties.

Then the other members of the band wanted to start adding songs they picked.

It went down hill fast.

[craigster59]

Mustang Sally
All Down The Line
Shout
Thank You (Sam & Dave)
Gimme Some Lovin'
Suzy Q
That'll Be The Day
I Hear You Knockin' (Dave Edmunds)

[Superman]

I can see by the suggestions that you guys "get it."

I suggested Mony Mony months ago and it got instantly shot down in flames. Same with stuff like Mustang Sally, Louie Louie, etc. I don't disagree really. Those songs have been played to death and there are hundreds or thousands of others from which to choose.

I love I Knew The Bride.

Rock This Town is an excellent suggestion.

Walk This Way

All the suggestions made so far are excellent. Thanks, guys. And ladies.

[Superman]

Originally Posted by targa911S

You ain't nuthin but fine fine fine.....

Perfect.

I've always dreamed of doing a 1-4-5 medley thing that could include this song, Johnny B. Goode, Maybelline, etc., etc. Like about 15-20 minutes of high-energy, simple visceral, straightforward dance rock. THEN play them a sit-down song while they get a drink and recover. Then repeat.

When people talk about our performances, I want them to say "I danced my ass off."