Wedding Playlist

OK, so according to guests of all ages, and musical tastes, the playlist was a success. I consider this to be good news, and it sure seemed like a lot of people were busting moves. I was also asked by a few for the playlist itself, so without further delay:

Gavin & Becky's Wedding Playlist:

Entrance Music:

For the Wedding Party:

Green Onions - Booker T. & the MGs

For the Bride & Groom

Gimme Some Lovin' - The Spencer Davis Group

First Dance:

Into the Mystic - Van Morrison

Father/Daughter Dance:

Watching the River Run - Loggins & Messina

The party: (in order of play)

The Twist - Chubby Checker
Jailhouse Rock - Elvis Presley
In the Mood - Glenn Miller
Cheek to Cheek - Frank Sinatra
I Got a Woman - Ray Charles
At Last - Etta James
(Sittin' On) The Dock of the Bay - Otis Redding
Oh, Pretty Woman - Roy Orbison
Dancing in the Street - Martha and the Vandellas
The Way You do the Things You do - The Temptations
Brown Eyed Girl - Van Morrison
Love Me Do - The Beatles
The Way You Look Tonight - Frank Sinatra
Wonderful Tonight - Eric Clapton
Come Go with Me - The Del Vikings
Doo Wa Diddy Diddy - Manfred Mann
I Saw Her Standing There - The Beatles
You Never Can Tell - Chuck Berry
I Got You (I Feel Good) - James Brown
What a Wonderful World - Louis Armstrong
Unchained Melody - The Righteous Brothers
Devil With the Blue Dress On (Good Golly Miss Molly) - Mitch Ryder & the Detroit Wheels

Bouquet Toss:

Girls Just Wanna Have Fun - Cyndi Lauper
(anything but Beyonce)

Back to Party:
I Second that Emotion - Smokey Robinson & the Miracles
I'm a Believer - The Monkees
Sweet Caroline - Neil Diamond
Sea of Love - The Honeydrippers
Can't Help Falling in Love - Elvis Presley
Dream Lover - Bobby Darin
Save a Horse (Ride a Cowboy) - Big & Rich
It's Your Love - Tim McGraw (w. Faith Hill)
I Can't Help Myself (Sugar Pie Honey Bunch) - The Four Tops
Be My Baby - The Ronettes
Shout - The Isley Brothers
Twistin' the Night Away - Sam Cooke
These Arms of Mine - Otis Redding
Stand by Me - Ben E. King
Can't You Hear my Heartbeat - Herman's Hermits
Good Lovin' - The Young Rascals
Honey Bee - Blake Shelton
Tutti Frutti - Little Richard
Barbara Ann - The Beach Boys
Crazy Love - Van Morrison
When a Man Loves a Woman - Percy Sledge
Dance to the Music - Sly & the Family Stone
Your Mama don't Dance - Loggins & Messina
Saturday Night - Bay City Rollers
Three Little Birds - Bob Marley
Summer in the City - the Lovin' Spoonful
Long Time Running - The Tragically Hip
Long as I Can See the Light - Creedence Clearwater Revival
Ring of Fire - Johnny Cash
Bust a Move - Young MC
ABC - The Jackson 5
Son of a Preacher Man - Dusty Springfield
My Girl - The Temptations
Save the Last Dance for Me - The Drifters
Maggie May - Rod Stewart
Old Time Rock and Roll - Bob Seger (& the Silver Bullet Band)
Proud Mary - Creedence Clearwater Revival
In My Life - The Beatles
A Whiter Shade of Pale - Procol Harum
All Shook Up - Elvis Presley
Louie, Louie - The Kingsmen
Signed, Sealed, Delivered I'm Yours - Stevie Wonder
Lookin' Out My Back Door - Creedence Clearwater Revival
Blister in the Sun - Violent Femmes
Amazed - Lonestar
Something - the Beatles
Pump it Up - Elvis Costello (& the Attractions)
SexyBack - Justin Timberlake
The Loco-Motion - Grand Funk Railroad
Friends in Low Places - Garth Brooks
Lost Together - Blue Rodeo
Drift Away - Dobie Gray
Hey Ya! - Outkast
All Summer Long - Kid Rock
Crazy Little Thing Called Love - Queen
Home for a Rest - Spirit of the West
God Only Knows - The Beach Boys
Let's Stay Together - Al Green
New Orleans is Sinking - The Tragically Hip
You Shook Me All Night Long - AC/DC
Ooh La La - The Faces
Stronger - Kanye West
Truly, Madly, Deeply - Savage Garden
I'm Yours - Jason Mraz
You Can Do It - Ice Cube
Superstition - Stevie Wonder
Sweet Home Alabama - Lynyrd Skynyrd
You've Really Got a Hold on Me - The Miracles
Danny's Song - Loggins & Messina
I Want You to Want Me - Cheap Trick
What I Like About You - The Romantics
I Want to Take You Higher - Ike & Tina Turner
Bless the Broken Road - Rascal Flatts
Shake That - Eminem (w. Nate Dogg)

Last Dance:
Hallelujah - Jeff Buckley

and there you have it.
I'm sure there are songs that some will mock, but it's not about making the coolest list or anything, it was about having people dancing all night having a good time, and getting to hear some favourites and dance with my wife, so the fact that everyone else told me they enjoyed it just made me all the more pleased.

Wedding Music

So, I'm getting married in July, and I think like some little girls, I've been dreaming about it since I was young. However, mine have been different dreams: getting to pick the music I wanted to hear.
I can remember hearing songs and thinking "That would be great for dancing at a wedding". Well now the time is upon me, and joy of joys, Becky left me in charge of the music for the reception...(by in charge I mean she still gets a requisite number of songs she wants included, even if I roll my eyes at them and wait for the taste police to come take me away).

Nearly every wedding I've been to (since I left Queen's that is) has been DJ'd, and in nearly every one of those cases, the bride and groom have been less than impressed with "The Funky Chicken", "Macarena", "YMCA", "Who Let the Dogs Out?", The Black Eyed Peas, Celine Dion, and Eurodance Shit no one outside of the DJ has ever heard or will ever want to again. My best friend Bryan and his wife actually compiled their own CDs of their faves, and just played those for their reception, and I recall it ended up working out quite well. Since then I've been sure that's what I wanted to do, and so we shall. Apparently the idea hadn't appealed to too many of the couples now enjoying wedded bliss, as those I mention the idea to all reply "Oh that's a good idea, I wish we'd done that instead of had that DJ who only played what he liked".

I think of this as the making of a great compilation tape, but on a much bigger scale. It's not for just one person, it's for a bunch, from all kinds of age ranges and tastes. So in that regard, a bigger challenge, but also so much more satisfaction if I can pull it off. I'm looking forward to it, and I want to be able to mix the traditional with the modern in order to keep the people enjoying it, but not skew to one or the other so much to turn of the old folks or anyone younger than me. I'm also amazed how many "suggested wedding songs" have horrible lyrical content about heartbreak, cheating, death, loneliness, and other super happy vibes. I can't recall all the music at all the wedding's I've been to, but I usually remember the First Dance, and assorted other highlights.

I'm enjoying the project, and realizing again, just how much I love music, and getting people to enjoy and hear things they either hadn't heard or hadn't heard in a long time. I obviously want it to reflect what I love in music, and that I think I have at least a modicum of taste, but I don't want people turned off by having to listen to my iPod for 4 hours. I'd also welcome any suggestions that people either think should be included, or should never ever be included.

Until then, I've got 4 months to perfect this massive marital mixtape...So long as it doesn't resemble a Grade 7 dance, and people are smiling like below, then I'll consider it a success.