have been asked to do this.

my mate's a doctor. his missus is quite posh. they are having a harp player - you get the picture?

he wants me his best mate to play soul at the do.

soooo....

here's what i've thought of so far...tell me if i've overlooked owt...

throw out 75% of all decent soul tracks cos they talk about lost love, heartbreak and lovers being cheated on. epitome of sound singing 'i wanna cry coz i know you don't love me' ain't gonna go down to well on wedding day methinks.

try and cobble together a set with the remainder.

include a few tamla standards so that i don't get half the congregation going 'wtf is this music?'

have freda payne 'band of gold' on standby because, although it itself is a song of lost love, everyone thinks it's a great wedding song, for some reason.

have i missed anything obvious that might upset their special day?

have been asked to do this.

my mate's a doctor. his missus is quite posh. they are having a harp player - you get the picture?

he wants me his best mate to play soul at the do.

soooo....

here's what i've thought of so far...tell me if i've overlooked owt...

throw out 75% of all decent soul tracks cos they talk about lost love, heartbreak and lovers being cheated on. epitome of sound singing 'i wanna cry coz i know you don't love me' ain't gonna go down to well on wedding day methinks.

try and cobble together a set with the remainder.

include a few tamla standards so that i don't get half the congregation going 'wtf is this music?'

have freda payne 'band of gold' on standby because, although it itself is a song of lost love, everyone thinks it's a great wedding song, for some reason.

have i missed anything obvious that might upset their special day?

Good luck and smile, Tamla is definately your best bet

Im DJing a 40th on saturday but the night is themed around scootering sounds so im ok and they are going to get oldies uptempo oldies for an hour and a half

I was at a Soul Night over here in the US a couple of years ago & my friend Brian Harris had been briefed to play a certain record at a point in the night & the promoter proposed to his girlfriend on the dancefloor on one knee, cant remember the tune he proposed to, but I had to smile at Brians choice of follow up record...........Guitar Ray - Your Gonna Wreck My Life I think that it was lost on most people but I thought it hilarious...............nice one Brian.

Russ

have i missed anything obvious that might upset their special day?

YES, ALTHOUGH THE HAPPY (HOPEFULLY) COUPLE WANT TO HEAR SOUL, THE CHANCES ARE :

1. THE MAJORITY OF THE CROWD WILL WANT KYLIE (WHO WOULDN'T ?), ANASTASTACIA, ROBBIE WILLIAMS, GEORGE MICHAEL, DESTINY'S CHILD, MOUSSE T. HORNY, TOM JONES SEX BOMB......GET THE PICTURE ?

2. THE HAPPY COUPLE WON'T EVEN BE LISTENING TO THE MUSIC BECAUSE THEY'LL BE TOO BUSY TALKING TO RELATIVES THAT THEY THOUGHT WERE DEAD. NOTE THAT THESE CONVERSATIONS WILL BE LENGTHY IF IT IS SUSPECTED THAT SOMETHING OF INTEREST MIGHT STILL BE AVAILABLE IN THEIR WILL.

3. DON'T FORGET THAT THERE'LL BE A WIDE AGE RANGE, SO IT'S UNLIKELY THAT TODAY'S UNDER 10'S WILL BE OVERLY FAMILIAR WITH SOME OF THE RARER NORTHEN COVER UPS FROM THE 60'S.

4. OVERALL THE BEST ADVICE I CAN OFFER YOU IS TO DO EXACTLY THE OPPOSITE TO WHAT THE HAPPY COUPLE ASK YOU, THAT COMES FROM A MOBILE DJ WHO'S DONE QUITE A FEW WEDDINGS OVER THE YEARS. YOU'D BE ABSOLUTELY MAD TO AGREE TO JUST DOING A SOUL WEDDING, AND ALMOST GUARANTEED TO BE THE RECIPIENT OF THREATS OF PHYSICAL VIOLENCE FROM UNIMPRESSED EX TEDS, WHAMMIES, AND DURAN-IES.

GOOD LUCK !

MARTIN SNOW

I am thinking you could get away with the KFC stuff and maybe a few more that have been used in recent ad's.

My wife always says "play some Soul" when we have barbies here in Canada and as we are the only ones into it so I slam in a Philly compilations, O'Jays, Harold Melvin etc etc. and then you have your Motown standards etc.

YES, ALTHOUGH THE HAPPY (HOPEFULLY) COUPLE WANT TO HEAR SOUL, THE CHANCES ARE :

1. THE MAJORITY OF THE CROWD WILL WANT KYLIE (WHO WOULDN'T ?), ANASTASTACIA, ROBBIE WILLIAMS, GEORGE MICHAEL, DESTINY'S CHILD, MOUSSE T. HORNY, TOM JONES SEX BOMB......GET THE PICTURE ?

2. THE HAPPY COUPLE WON'T EVEN BE LISTENING TO THE MUSIC BECAUSE THEY'LL BE TOO BUSY TALKING TO RELATIVES THAT THEY THOUGHT WERE DEAD. NOTE THAT THESE CONVERSATIONS WILL BE LENGTHY IF IT IS SUSPECTED THAT SOMETHING OF INTEREST MIGHT STILL BE AVAILABLE IN THEIR WILL.

3. DON'T FORGET THAT THERE'LL BE A WIDE AGE RANGE, SO IT'S UNLIKELY THAT TODAY'S UNDER 10'S WILL BE OVERLY FAMILIAR WITH SOME OF THE RARER NORTHEN COVER UPS FROM THE 60'S.

4. OVERALL THE BEST ADVICE I CAN OFFER YOU IS TO DO EXACTLY THE OPPOSITE TO WHAT THE HAPPY COUPLE ASK YOU, THAT COMES FROM A MOBILE DJ WHO'S DONE QUITE A FEW WEDDINGS OVER THE YEARS. YOU'D BE ABSOLUTELY MAD TO AGREE TO JUST DOING A SOUL WEDDING, AND ALMOST GUARANTEED TO BE THE RECIPIENT OF THREATS OF PHYSICAL VIOLENCE FROM UNIMPRESSED EX TEDS, WHAMMIES, AND DURAN-IES.

GOOD LUCK !

MARTIN SNOW

Cynical but true! Unless it is an "Intellectual" thing - then they will be engaged in conversation and could not give a toss about the DJ anyway

I am thinking you could get away with the KFC stuff

Only if the buffet is crap

See if they have got a sense of humour and play "It Should Have Been Me" and "Shot Gun Wedding"

See if they have got a sense of humour and play "It Should Have Been Me" and "Shot Gun Wedding"

i was just about to post something similiar

plays it should have been me

a la coast to coast......thats my baby marie and you lot over there are a shower of b******s

i was just about to post something similiar

plays it should have been me

a la coast to coast......thats my baby marie and you lot over there are a shower of b******s

What about the "tweet, tweet" song

Dont forget Congratulations Cliff Richard

And that ever popular C&W track "you told me the babies name was Jesus but you sure ain't no virgin"

I have done many of these events over the years...I had a very safe box for these events..

Freda Payne

Sister Sledge

Beginning of the End

Motown

Atlantic

James Brown

Jackson sisters

classic Trojan reggae

then its onto Shabba,ooooooooooops up side your head and the Fugees ..

If its cds then you can get the best of the 60s/70s/80s/90s...Them four would do the whole job ...Thank f"ck i aint doing them no more..

Only if the buffet is crap

LOL... if they're posh as advised above there will be no vol-u-vents or pizza slices or scotch eggs... it'll be salmon and cucumber triangles all the way

I was at a Soul Night over here in the US a couple of years ago & my friend Brian Harris had been briefed to play a certain record at a point in the night & the promoter proposed to his girlfriend on the dancefloor on one knee, cant remember the tune he proposed to, but I had to smile at Brians choice of follow up record...........Guitar Ray - Your Gonna Wreck My Life I think that it was lost on most people but I thought it hilarious...............nice one Brian.

Russ

A girl I used to wok with in london had the first dance at her wedding to

U2 - I still havnt found what I'm looking for.

Apparently it brought the house down, but her mother was furious.

Off Topic:

Sorry but this is a great 'wedding story'.

A mates parents had their wedding vows reaffrimed on their 40th or 50th annivesarry. The vicar said his mum could walk down the aisle to anything she wanted. At that time she really loved the Bryan Adams - Everything I do ...dirge from the Robin of Sherwood movie.

On the day of the vows she walked down to the theme from Robin Hood, but the 50s/60s version.

Robin Hood, Robin hood, riding through the glen.

throw out 75% of all decent soul tracks cos they talk about lost love, heartbreak and lovers being cheated on. epitome of sound singing 'i wanna cry coz i know you don't love me' ain't gonna go down to well on wedding day methinks.

What are the divorcerd aunties going to dance to.

Get your good stuff in early, make sure you have the Scissor Sisters, Shania , and other stand bye's . Play one well known soul followed by a less than well known track. If there is no band playing you'll be carrying the night on your shoulders. You can let teh floor clear ooccasionally as long as you get them back. Get a list off the couple of tunes that they will DANCE to.

Some people who go to any sort of Family function regardless of its purpose want music that would be played ona works night out. They're as selfish about their musical choice as any chinm stroker on here.

BTW have fun

Dont forget Congratulations Cliff Richard

And that ever popular C&W track "you told me the babies name was Jesus but you sure ain't no virgin"

superb

At my brothers wedding there were a lot of non soulies there.

Gert Mark and fiona danced to Peggy Gaines - When the boy that you love is loving you.

Even the non soul crowd seemed to love it.

(My fave 100 club single)

A girl I used to wok with in london had the first dance at her wedding to

U2 - I still havnt found what I'm looking for.

Apparently it brought the house down, but her mother was furious.

I didnt know you worked in a chinese restraunt Mikey

Off Topic:

Sorry but this is a great 'wedding story'.

A mates parents had their wedding vows reaffrimed on their 40th or 50th annivesarry. The vicar said his mum could walk down the aisle to anything she wanted. At that time she really loved the Bryan Adams - Everything I do ...dirge from the Robin of Sherwood movie.

On the day of the vows she walked down to the theme from Robin Hood, but the 50s/60s version.

Robin Hood, Robin hood, riding through the glen.

pmsl i am sitting here trying to imagine the look on everyones faces

At my brothers wedding there were a lot of non soulies there.

Gert Mark and fiona danced to Peggy Gaines - When the boy that you love is loving you.

Even the non soul crowd seemed to love it.

(My fave 100 club single)

What a tune that is too Mikey

i can understand why everyone would be dancing to this at a wedding, it one of them tunes you could play anywhere and get a great reaction

must get myself a copy

Edited April 12, 200718 yr by Bearsy

70s stuff always goes down well at weddings-Detroit Spinners (I'll be around?) , Ojays, Delfonics, Harold Melvin, David Ruffin, Heatwave.....that's my collection down to a tee

At my wedding we had lots of folks come down and play what they wanted (was quite funny seeing my mum approach Tony Jackson and Paul Havakin to ask for some Westlife....) and it was great to be able to have exactly what you wanted played rather than listen to usual wedding poo!

Edited April 12, 200718 yr by Reg

esther phillips's version of 'fever' might prepare le boudoir scene

quite nicely.

M

Edited April 12, 200718 yr by macca

ACTUALLY I MUST CONFESS THE LAST WEDDING I DID I MADE A CLASSIC GENUINE MISTAKE.

WARMED UP NICELY FOR HALF AN HOUR WITH SOME MELLOW CLASSY JAZZFUNK, THEN SOME POP FOOT TAPPERS ALA SPICE GIRLS HOLLER, SWV, ETC, ALL WAS GOING TO PLAN. THE MEAL ENDS AND ITS TIME TO MOVE ON TO THE SERIOUS BUSINESS OF THE HAPPY COUPLES FIRST DANCE, HEATWAVE ALWAYS AND FOREVER.

IM FEELING WELL CONFIDENT ON THE MIC AND THIS IS GOING TO BE ONE PARTY, STARTS MY IMPORT 12" AND PROCEEDS TO SHUFFLE BOXES AROUND WITH MY BACK TO THE CROWD. VOCALS COME IN, THEN EIGHTY PEOPLE ROARING WITH LAUGHTER. I TURN ROUND AND REALISE, SHIT, THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN 33 RPM ! START AGAIN. WAS ACTUALLY ONE OF THE BEST MAINSTREAM PRIVATE FUNCTIONS IVE EVER DONE.

KNOWING THE GROOM AS I DO, I THINK MIND BLOWING DECISIONS WOULD HAVE BEEN MORE RELEVANT.

Edited April 12, 200718 yr by MARTIN SNOW

Bit of advice number 1 - don't do it!

Bit of advice number 2 - if you are going to do it then beg borrow and/or steal as many compilation CD's of well known pop music you can find which cover at least 4 decades and get some rock & roll for good measure. You ARE the wedding DJ

If you play soul all night then that other wedding tradition - the mass brawl - could well involve you

I did one wedding. The couple specifically wanted all old JA music. So that's what I did. It went very well except that the bride beat me to the floor when I was cueing up a record for the dance with her father...

You can pull off a soul wedding if you:

A. Tell anyone who makes a "request" that the couple wants only soul. Make sure you ask the couple to tell you that too...

B. Bring enough stuff that the average radio listener will know (ie, soul hits)

C. Make sure you and the couple coordinate if there are any songs they want at a particular time

70s stuff always goes down well at weddings-Detroit Spinners (I'll be around?) , Ojays, Delfonics, Harold Melvin, David Ruffin, Heatwave.....that's my collection down to a tee

At my wedding we had lots of folks come down and play what they wanted (was quite funny seeing my mum approach Tony Jackson and Paul Havakin to ask for some Westlife....) and it was great to be able to have exactly what you wanted played rather than listen to usual wedding poo!

I know Tony has a hot box with wedding classics in it ..

Well me and my dad do mobile disco's so should be experts here but safe bet is play a mixture of songs so everyone is happy but soul music, the obvious choices for me would be stuff like Drifters - Kissing in the back row of the movies. Len Boone - Love Won't Be Denied. Chairmen of the Board - Give Me Just a Little More Time, some motown ie Isley Brothers, Supremes, Four Tops. You could play Aretha Franklin - Respect but

I feel there is a trick to be used here which you can do by playing out the odd soul track that not everyone will know but it requires a megamix like when you buy a cd from a DJ shop that has a megamix on it sometimes you get a few tracks that look like this

Northern soul stomper

Frankie Valli - You're Ready Now

Wigans Ovation - Skinging In The Snow

Reflections - Just Like Romeo and Juliet

Curtis Mayfield - Move On Up

Jackie Wilson and Count Basie - Uptight

Dobie Gray - Out On The Floor

Marvin Gaye and Kim Weston - It Takes Two

Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell - Two Can Have a Party

I think you should go with 70s and 80s disco classics

Tavares

Candy Staton

Earth Wind and Fire

The Emotions

Sylvester

Sister Sledge

Fat Larry's Band

Fat Back Band

Pointer Sisters

Ashford and Simpson

etc...

Plus anything on the Philly International or Fantasy labels.

I reckon that's what most mean when they say 'soul'

I'd dance to em...

Edited April 12, 200718 yr by Matt Male

Me and a mate did another mates wedding.. skinhead/scooterist...

we was told to play a mix of scooter stuff... but none of that stuff you play that know one knows...

a friend of the bride bought us a bag of CD's they done.. we looked and thought not playing that shite Robbie, chas and dave .. Kylie etc.. 10 cd's..

last 2 .5 hours cd's come on we was looking for the worse tracks on them, and they loved it.... me and my mate djing was singing chas and dave over the top with the mic... we had the place rocking -- Soul no ... crap yes... never again...

I have been planning the music to mine and Helens wedding..its the only thing i am in charge of! Have gone for a mix of tamla, 70s disco, philly....with a few cheesy tunes on stand by....but a few real quality tunes on standby in case its going really well....I`m also doing a set myself ( much to my future mother-in-laws disgust!).....I just looked at the guest list and only a third of the invitees are "proper" soulies....so better play safe.....

Chris

As a DJ who worked every Friday night in a mainstream over 30's club from 2000 - 2003, with an average attendance of 600, heres some of the most crowd responsive tracks from "a standstill." If you're having trouble getting people up, then these are some of my automatic top pics. If people dont fill the floor to these then take it from me, you're in for a long depressing night :

PATRICE RUSHEN - FORGET ME NOTS

MANTRONIX OR LIBERTY X - GOT TO HAVE YOUR LOVE

DANIEL BEDDINGFIELD - GOT TO GET THROUGH THIS

B15 PROJECT - GIRLS LIKE US

GEORGE MICHAEL - OUTSIDE

KYLIE - SPINNING AROUND

FIVE - LETS DANCE

ANASTACIA - IM OUT OF LOVE

MARY MARY - SHACKLES

Well me and my dad do mobile disco's so should be experts here but safe bet is play a mixture of songs so everyone is happy but soul music, the obvious choices for me would be stuff like Drifters - Kissing in the back row of the movies. Len Boone - Love Won't Be Denied. Chairmen of the Board - Give Me Just a Little More Time, some motown ie Isley Brothers, Supremes, Four Tops. You could play Aretha Franklin - Respect but

I feel there is a trick to be used here which you can do by playing out the odd soul track that not everyone will know but it requires a megamix like when you buy a cd from a DJ shop that has a megamix on it sometimes you get a few tracks that look like this

Northern soul stomper

Frankie Valli - You're Ready Now

Wigans Ovation - Skinging In The Snow

Reflections - Just Like Romeo and Juliet

Curtis Mayfield - Move On Up

Jackie Wilson and Count Basie - Uptight

Dobie Gray - Out On The Floor

Marvin Gaye and Kim Weston - It Takes Two

Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell - Two Can Have a Party

dont forget the snake

I did a wedding once and played "i got a stomach ache - junior wells" when the buffet was in full swing

I did a wedding once and played "i got a stomach ache - junior wells" when the buffet was in full swing

I know this is off subject but the above quote reminded me that coming back from Brighton recently with my dad in his car with the cassette player on, we just got to Gatwick and the track Heathrow by Level 42 came on !

dont forget the snake

When I used to do Normans gigs in the long distant past , I always found these chestnuts help break the ice in getting the people on the floor .....

The Elgins " Heaven Must Have Sent You "

THe Isley Brothers " This Old Heart Of Mine "

The Four Tops " I Can't Help Myself "

The problem I used to find in doing a non - scene gig , was that I always kept including ' real ' tunes to help relieve the boredom for me ......

As the night goes on , and the crowd get more and more wazzed , they never used to know the difference .....

I once finished a rather upmarket bash with Esther Phillips " Just Say Goodbye " ......

The couples on the dance floor shuffled around and smooched to it .

Malc Burton

Edited April 15, 200718 yr by Malc Burton

A girl I used to wok with in london had the first dance at her wedding to

U2 - I still havnt found what I'm looking for.

Apparently it brought the house down, but her mother was furious.

Hilarious story I read 3 or 4 years ago.

Bride & Groom have selected a particular track which they would like played as the bride approaches the alter, in place of the standard..... der de der deeerrrrr

Track in question is on a compilation CD of the "NOW THAT'S WHAT I CALL...." variety. On the big day, the best man is given the job of pressing the PLAY button on a signal from the groom and she makes the grand entrance to their fave tune of the time.

However. Bride arses around and is VERY late arriving. Best Man has sneaked out of a side door for a smoke. Bride arrives and Groom is desperately trying to attract Best Mans attention. Best Man realises the Bride has arrived and lunges at the CD player, scrabbles witht he buttons and eventually presses PLAY.

Picture the scene as she striders gracefully towards her beau to the strains of....... Mr Boombastic by Shaggy!

Priceless!

More serious note. Are both the groom, and his bride to be, Soul fans? Cos if there is any disparity they could save a lot of time and effort by him just buying her a house and then getting on with his life and the scene as a single bloke. Been there, done that. I failed, singularly, to spot in time that soul, to my ex-wife, was the bottom bit of the next pair of shoes she was going to wipe on me and my love of Soul..... Me and thousands of others I suppose.

Neil

Picture the scene as she striders gracefully towards her beau to the strains of....... Mr Boombastic by Shaggy!

Priceless!

I had all on to talk my wife out of having Baby Got Back by Sir Mixalot as the walk down the isle song. You know the one... I like big butts and I can not lie.You other brothers can't deny, That when a girl walks in with an itty bitty waist and a round thing in your face you get sprung

Seriously. Sometimes she scares me

have been asked to do this.

my mate's a doctor. his missus is quite posh. they are having a harp player - you get the picture?

he wants me his best mate to play soul at the do.

soooo....

here's what i've thought of so far...tell me if i've overlooked owt...

throw out 75% of all decent soul tracks cos they talk about lost love, heartbreak and lovers being cheated on. epitome of sound singing 'i wanna cry coz i know you don't love me' ain't gonna go down to well on wedding day methinks.

try and cobble together a set with the remainder.

include a few tamla standards so that i don't get half the congregation going 'wtf is this music?'

have freda payne 'band of gold' on standby because, although it itself is a song of lost love, everyone thinks it's a great wedding song, for some reason.

have i missed anything obvious that might upset their special day?

You could play a special request from his new wife........"I don't need no doctor/Ray Charles? That's if he's got a sense of humour!

have been asked to do this.

my mate's a doctor. his missus is quite posh. they are having a harp player - you get the picture?

he wants me his best mate to play soul at the do.

soooo....

here's what i've thought of so far...tell me if i've overlooked owt...

throw out 75% of all decent soul tracks cos they talk about lost love, heartbreak and lovers being cheated on. epitome of sound singing 'i wanna cry coz i know you don't love me' ain't gonna go down to well on wedding day methinks.

try and cobble together a set with the remainder.

include a few tamla standards so that i don't get half the congregation going 'wtf is this music?'

have freda payne 'band of gold' on standby because, although it itself is a song of lost love, everyone thinks it's a great wedding song, for some reason.

have i missed anything obvious that might upset their special day?

Obvious misses ( The Brides side Martha Reeves **"3rd Finger Left Hand")

best mans side (James Brown ** Its A mans mans World( hard speech)

grooms side (Don Thomas** Come on Train)

Guests side ( Rambling Syd Rumpo **"Song of the Bogle Clencher " or "Green grow my Nadgers Oh")

just a hint

dont let him get married

put him on the JB "Night Train"

Once got invited to a friends wedding at work, he was into jungle music in a big way. So that's what was played at the Hotel venue reception all night - only exception being their first dance, some trash pop record. The groom and his mates were never off the dance floor. Had to laugh when all the dodgy old relations hit the dance floor....they were well up for it! I didnt stay too long, music did my head in, but food was fabulous as i recall.

Bit of advice number 1 - don't do it!

Bit of advice number 2 - if you are going to do it then beg borrow and/or steal as many compilation CD's of well known pop music you can find which cover at least 4 decades and get some rock & roll for good measure. You ARE the wedding DJ

If you play soul all night then that other wedding tradition - the mass brawl - could well involve you

Ahem, Mr PTP, remember THAT wedding do we/ I did in Roehampton where the bride and groom danced to 'Long After Tonight is All Over'? Where the groom assured me 'Jo, just play Northern all night'....I'd been doing this sort of caper long enough to know that I ignore his request and go armed with the usual tracks...My Boy Lollipop, a bit of jazz, Sinatra, 6Ts soul classics and a smattering of Jazz Funk classics....The look on your face when I played Lonnie Liston Smith's 'Expansions' and the place went mental oh...and when you said to the bride's father 'STAND AWAY FROM THE DECKS'....Oh, and the 50th Jamaican birthday party....Now that was a night to remember Jo

I know Tony has a hot box with wedding classics in it ..

I have a record box which is known as 'The Party in a Box'....never fails Jo

When I used to do Normans gigs in the long distant past , I always found these chestnuts help break the ice in getting the people on the floor .....

The Elgins " Heaven Must Have Sent You "

THe Isley Brothers " This Old Heart Of Mine "

The Four Tops " I Can't Help Myself "

The problem I used to find in doing a non - scene gig , was that I always kept including ' real ' tunes to help relieve the boredom for me ......

As the night goes on , and the crowd get more and more wazzed , they never used to know the difference .....

I once finished a rather upmarket bash with Esther Phillips " Just Say Goodbye " ......

The couples on the dance floor shuffled around and smooched to it .

Malc Burton

Not forgetting 'My Baby Just Cares for Me', 'Sweetest Feeling', 'Ain't no Mountain', 'Reet Petit'....and 'Hit the Road Jack' - they always work for me Jo

Edited April 16, 200718 yr by vinylvixen