Rockabilly First Dance?
September 21, 2010 9:08 AM Subscribe
Rockabilly Romance: what song should we have our rockabilly band play as the first dance at our wedding?
My SO and I are getting married next month and we've booked a rockin' rockabilly band to play at the reception. There'll be a double bass, a guitar and a drumkit, and a girl singer. The guys sing too. Their regular repertoire stretches from Carl Perkins to Elvis to Johnny Cash to Patsy Cline to Ruth Brown. We love this kind of music but we're no experts and we haven't been able to pick out a song that'll fit in the band's style and repertoire but will also be a suitable first dance (slow-ish, romantic, maybe a waltz?). I'd lean on the band for this decision, but I'm pretty sure it's the first wedding they've played - which is what we wanted, as the wedding specialists tend to suck. So, any ideas? The second song, by the way, is all picked out: Jackson, by Johnny Cash and June Carter Cash.
My SO and I are getting married next month and we've booked a rockin' rockabilly band to play at the reception. There'll be a double bass, a guitar and a drumkit, and a girl singer. The guys sing too. Their regular repertoire stretches from Carl Perkins to Elvis to Johnny Cash to Patsy Cline to Ruth Brown. We love this kind of music but we're no experts and we haven't been able to pick out a song that'll fit in the band's style and repertoire but will also be a suitable first dance (slow-ish, romantic, maybe a waltz?). I'd lean on the band for this decision, but I'm pretty sure it's the first wedding they've played - which is what we wanted, as the wedding specialists tend to suck. So, any ideas? The second song, by the way, is all picked out: Jackson, by Johnny Cash and June Carter Cash.
Do you want it to be fast or slow? Slow - Notsnot is correct. Fast - Such A Night, also Elvis.
posted by CheeseLouise at 9:14 AM on September 21, 2010
posted by CheeseLouise at 9:14 AM on September 21, 2010
Darlin' Companion: That's Johnny Cash at San Quentin. Here's a recent cover where you can hear the song a little more clearly. It's originally by the Lovin' Spoonful, but I think the Cash version is great, and has the right kind of sound.
posted by ocherdraco at 9:31 AM on September 21, 2010
posted by ocherdraco at 9:31 AM on September 21, 2010
True Love Ways - Buddy Holly
posted by InfidelZombie at 9:41 AM on September 21, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by InfidelZombie at 9:41 AM on September 21, 2010 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: Liking the recommendations so far! CheeseLouise, we're thinking slow or slow-ish. I agree that Can't Help Falling in Love is beautiful, but maybe a bit obvious?
posted by tiny crocodile at 9:49 AM on September 21, 2010
posted by tiny crocodile at 9:49 AM on September 21, 2010
ooh ooh, how about: "If you're lovin' me like I'm lovin' you, baby we're really in love"? Hank Williams. So swingy and country and romantic.
posted by pipti at 9:53 AM on September 21, 2010
posted by pipti at 9:53 AM on September 21, 2010
Best answer: Kind of a tough one- rockabilly is not the most romantic music genre. Expand a bit into early popular country and you might have more choices (that most of the rockabilly bands I once knew would be happy to play).
Try: Hank Williams' 'Baby We're Really In Love' slowed down a touch.
Don't know what sort of chops the singer has, but Patsy Cline's 'True Love' might be right up your alley.
'Golden Rings' was released in 1976, but it fits the structure of old rockabilly/country tunes.
Wanda Jackson's 'Funnel of Love' is a very rockabilly tune. You might prefer 'Right or Wrong' disclaimer: rockabilly songs don't necessarily support gender equity!
If I think of others, I'll post 'em.
posted by oneirodynia at 9:59 AM on September 21, 2010 [1 favorite]
Try: Hank Williams' 'Baby We're Really In Love' slowed down a touch.
Don't know what sort of chops the singer has, but Patsy Cline's 'True Love' might be right up your alley.
'Golden Rings' was released in 1976, but it fits the structure of old rockabilly/country tunes.
Wanda Jackson's 'Funnel of Love' is a very rockabilly tune. You might prefer 'Right or Wrong' disclaimer: rockabilly songs don't necessarily support gender equity!
If I think of others, I'll post 'em.
posted by oneirodynia at 9:59 AM on September 21, 2010 [1 favorite]
Ah, 'True Love Ways' by Buddy Holly will probably make people cry.
posted by oneirodynia at 10:01 AM on September 21, 2010
posted by oneirodynia at 10:01 AM on September 21, 2010
Oh man, I was coming in to say Sleepwalk and Buffaload beat me to it. Sucha lovely song.
posted by bibliogrrl at 10:01 AM on September 21, 2010
posted by bibliogrrl at 10:01 AM on September 21, 2010
Response by poster: I am loving the Wanda Jackson but I don't think I can get behind those lyrics! If anyone is curious about our band, here they are in action.
posted by tiny crocodile at 10:14 AM on September 21, 2010
posted by tiny crocodile at 10:14 AM on September 21, 2010
Jinx, oneirodynia, but I was thinking sped up a touch! for a little swing dancing.
posted by pipti at 10:37 AM on September 21, 2010
posted by pipti at 10:37 AM on September 21, 2010
Can the band do Cherry Pink and Apple Blossom White?
It's usually done as a mambo, and your band doesn't have a horn (got a harmonica?), but it could be guitarified and rockabillied, something like this. Oh, and lyrics.
posted by bartleby at 11:51 AM on September 21, 2010
It's usually done as a mambo, and your band doesn't have a horn (got a harmonica?), but it could be guitarified and rockabillied, something like this. Oh, and lyrics.
posted by bartleby at 11:51 AM on September 21, 2010
Maybe It Must Be Love by the Blasters. I like Dave Alvin's version on Interstate City.
Not a slow one, but maybe for later on: Queen's Crazy Little Thing Called Love has a pretty nice rockabilly feel to it and seems like it would work as a wedding song.
posted by Killick at 12:09 PM on September 21, 2010
Not a slow one, but maybe for later on: Queen's Crazy Little Thing Called Love has a pretty nice rockabilly feel to it and seems like it would work as a wedding song.
posted by Killick at 12:09 PM on September 21, 2010
If your band that you've booked is good with transcribing songs, then I'd cast my vote for a slow tempo cover of Dolly Parton's If.
The tone is more bluegrass but if the vocalist has good range this could easily be slowed down and made into more rockabilly. Plus the lyrics are so sweet and make me tear up almost every time. Damn you Dolly!
posted by _superconductor at 12:40 PM on September 21, 2010
The tone is more bluegrass but if the vocalist has good range this could easily be slowed down and made into more rockabilly. Plus the lyrics are so sweet and make me tear up almost every time. Damn you Dolly!
posted by _superconductor at 12:40 PM on September 21, 2010
I don't know if a rockabilly band could quite pull this off, but the Magnetic Fields' Book of Love would be a great wedding dance song.
posted by rtimmel at 2:17 PM on September 21, 2010
posted by rtimmel at 2:17 PM on September 21, 2010
Response by poster: Thanks guys! Lots of great suggestions. I won't mark a best answer just yet but I'll come back and let you know what we picked.
posted by tiny crocodile at 8:07 AM on September 22, 2010
posted by tiny crocodile at 8:07 AM on September 22, 2010
This thread is closed to new comments.
(Is there any other answer, really?)
posted by notsnot at 9:10 AM on September 21, 2010 [1 favorite]