OUTLAWED Music... What''s on your Do Not Play List

[Gypsy]

One of my friends is making fun of me because mine is SO long (she says I''m being a PITA)... but what''s on yours DO Not Play List:

 

[sumbride]

Ha, ours was pretty long too. And I got teased during the reception by a very drunk friend who was demanding "Sexy Back" from Justin Timberlake and I had SPECIFICALLY put that song on the do not play list BECAUSE I was expecting her to make a scene with the DJ and on the dance floor.

we included the basic "interactive dances" like Macarena, YMCA, Hokey Pokey, Chicken Dance, Electric Slide, Cha Cha Slide, and Cotton Eyed Joe. Then we took out the "objectionable" material like "Another one bites the dust" and "Pour some sugar on me" and then outlawed a few country artists because of their political views (yes, really) and there were a few more we just didn''t want to hear. Our DJ said "But this is what I usually play!" when we handed him the list and we said "yeah, well, that''s why they are on the list! Don''t play them!" He was great though and said "what do I say when they ask?" and I said you say "I''m sorry, I don''t have that with me."

 

[scm1012]

Hmm...

I agree with sumike about the interactive dances. No way to those.

No ''Baby Got Back'' -- I love that song but not around my grandmother. No "Brick House" or "Superfreak."

Nothing with the word "come" in it -- like, "relax, go to it...make you wanna come" lol none of that. Nothing that even remotely mentions sex, making love, coming, whoopee, doing the nasty, none of that.

There''s a good reggae song and I am not sure what it''s called. It goes, "girl I want to make you sweat / sweat til you can''t sweat no more / and when you cry out / i''m gonna push it some more. . ./la la la la blah blah.... this played at my cousin''s wedding recently and while everyone was dancing to it, I couldn''t help but cringe through the entire song. Luckily, I think that none of the older people noticed.

 

[Gypsy]

Okay here''s my list. I''m admitting to it''s length. Um... feel free to add anything I''ve missed.

DO NOT PLAY (please) LIST:
That’s Amore- by ANYONE
All My Ex''s Live in Texas - George Strait
Always & Forever - Luther Vandross
At the Hop - Danny & the Juniors
Baby Likes to Rock It - The Tractors
Be My Lover - La Bouche
Beautiful In My Eyes - Joshua Kadison
Because You Loved Me - Celine Dion
Boom! Shake the Room! - Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince
Boot Scootin'' Boogie - Brooks & Dunn
Brick House - Commodores
C''mon & Ride It (the train) - Quad City DJs
Can You Feel the Love Tonight - Elton John
Celebration - Kool & the Gang
Chattahoochee - Alan Jackson
The Chicken Dance - Sorta Crackers Band
Conga - Gloria Estefan
Could I Have This Dance - Anne Murray
Da'' Butt - E.U.
December 1963 (what a night) - Four Seasons
Down at the Twist & Shout - Mary-Chapin Carpenter
Electric Boogie (slide) - Marcia Griffiths
Everything I Do, I Do It for You - Bryan Adams
Forever and Ever Amen - Randy Travis
Friends in Low Places - Garth Brooks
Funkytown - Lipps, Inc.
Get Ready for This - (Wrestling) 2unlimited
Gonna Make You Sweat - C+C Music Factory
Grease Megamix - John Travolta & Olivia Newton-John
Hot, Hot, Hot - Buster Poindexter
I Got You (I Feel Good) - James Brown
I Like It, I Love It - Tim McGraw
I Swear - All-4-One
I Will Survive - Gloria Gaynor
I''ll Be There for You - Rembrandts
I''ll Make Love to You - Boys II Men
In the Mood - The Glenn Miller Orchestra
Jock Jam - ESPN Presents
Jump (for My Love) - The Pointer Sisters
Keeper of the Stars - Tracy Byrd
Last Dance - Donna Summer
Le Freak - Chic
Legs - ZZ Top
Let''s Talk About Sex - Salt ''n Pepa
Limbo Rock - Chubby Checker
Loco-Motion - Kylie Minogue (Grand Funk)
Louie, Louie - Kingsmen
Love Shack - B-52''s
Macarena - Los Del Rio
Mmm Bop - Hanson
Mony Mony - Billy Idol
New York, New York - Frank Sinatra
Play that Funky Music - Wild Cherry
Pump Up the Jam – Technotronics
Push it- Salt ''N'' Pepa
Respect - Aretha Franklin
Rhythm Is A Dancer - Snap
Rock Around the Clock - Bill Haley & the Comets
Rock This Town - Stray Cats
Shout - Isley Brothers
Sold (the Grundy County Auction Incident) - John Michael Montgomery
Soul Man - Blues Brothers
Stayin'' Alive - N-Trance
Strike It Up - Black Box
Strokin'' - Clarence Carter
Super Freak - Rick James
Swing the Mood Jive - Bunny & the Mixmasters
T-R-O-U-B-L-E - Travis Tritt
Time of My Life (I''ve Had) - Bill Medley & Jennifer Warnes
Tonight I Celebrate My Love - Peabo Bryson & Roberta Flack
Too Much Fun - Daryle Singletary
Tubthumper - Chumbawamba
Twist & Shout - The Beatles
The Twist - Chubby Checker
U Can''t Touch This - M.C. Hammer
Watermelon Crawl - Tracy Byrd
What I Like About You - Romantics
When a Man Loves a Woman - Michael Bolton
Wild Thing- Tone Loc
Whoomp! (there it is) - Tag Team
YMCA - Village People
You''ll Be Mine (party time) - Gloria Estefan
Girls Just Wanna Have Fun - Cindy Laupe
It''s Raining Men - The Weather Girls
Girls Night Out- The Judds
You Sexy Thing- Hot Chocolate
Macho Man - The Village People
Theme from Jaws
Shameless - Garth Brooks or Billy Joel
You Dropped a Bomb on Me
Mission Impossible Theme- Danny Elfman
I want Candy- Bow Wow Wow
Man, I Feel Like a Woman - Shania Twain
HotLegs- Rod Stewart
Pour Some Sugar on Me - Def Leopard
Beyonce Ft. Slim Thug - Check Up On It
Black Eyed Peas - Don''t Phunk with My Heart
Christina Aguilera - Lady Marmalade
David Rose - The Stripper
Milkshake (Remix) - Kelis Ft. La La
I Know What Boys Like - The Waitress
Who Let The Dogs Out- Baja Boys
Real Slim Shady – Eminem
Thong Song- Sisco
Bye Bye Bye- N Sync
The Bad Touch- Bloodhound Gang
Say My Name- Destiny''s Child
Mambo #5 Lou Bega
This Is How We Do It- Montell Jordan
Clear My Throat- DJ KOOL
1234 & Mo Money- Coolio
Smells Like Teen Spirit- Nirvana
Sexual Healing- Marvin Gaye
My Heart Will Go On Celine Dion
Sexy Back - Justin Timberlake
Cotton Eyed Joe- Rednex (actually any song from them)
Another one bites the dust- Queen

 

[goldenstar]

This is a good thread. I''m writing these down. I haven''t thought about my list but its really hard to mentally go through all the possibilities.

I went to FI''s company holiday party and they had a dj that was fun for all ages and didn''t play anything inappropriate. I got their business card.

 

[mjso]

Oooh! This is a great topic. I''m excited to see everyone''s lists.

I''m a major dork, so I kind of want the "interactive" dances. As of right now there''s nothing specific on my Do Not Play list. I''m kind of worried about our DJ having songs I do want him to play. After a few years in Montana, I''ve gotten to like a lot of country music, but that''s not exactly all the rage in NJ...so who knows if they will have it.

I think I''ll probably tell them not to play too much "new" pop stuff. Like things that came out in the last 4 years. I haven''t kept up with pop, so I wouldn''t know any of those songs. I definitely want to have at least heard a song once before in my life if it is going to be played at my wedding.

FMIL and FFIL are quite big in the dancing scene, as are a few of our friends who Tango. I might specificly say "No music that you have to have dance training to dance to" I don''t want the non-trained dancers to feel like they can''t get out and dance just because some people have more structured and trained dancing styles. Still thinking about it though!

 

[Julianna]

Date: 1/23/2008 6:35:10 PM
Author: Gypsy

Okay here''s my list. I''m admitting to it''s length. Um... feel free to add anything I''ve missed.

DO NOT PLAY (please) LIST:

OH MY GOODNESS your list rules. You are not messing around!

My DJ is going to be an iPod and speakers, there will be none of this requesting.

 

[Gypsy]

Date: 1/23/2008 6:36:51 PM
Author: goldenstar
This is a good thread. I''m writing these down. I haven''t thought about my list but its really hard to mentally go through all the possibilities.

I went to FI''s company holiday party and they had a dj that was fun for all ages and didn''t play anything inappropriate. I got their business card.

If we have different dates would you mind sharing the information with me? I would appreciate it.

 

[sumbride]

Now THAT is a comprehensive list. May I suggest that you make a "Play List"? It might be shorter and easier! That''s what we kind of ended up doing. After seeing our do not play list, our Dj sent us his entire catalog and said "so what do you WANT to hear?" We gave him a long list of songs he COULD play and that made it more positive and helped him help us. You''ll need to work with your DJ on the spirit and mood you''re going for and why you don''t want to play certain songs. A lot of what is on your list should be there because it might get played, but there are others that I wouldn''t have even thought about. But you did leave off the Hokey Pokey! Do you secretly want to put your right foot in? (They played it at my brother''s wedding!)

 

[Gypsy]

Date: 1/23/2008 6:38:02 PM
Author: mjso
Oooh! This is a great topic. I''m excited to see everyone''s lists.

I''m a major dork, so I kind of want the ''interactive'' dances.

I totally get that, and can say I''ve had fun at weddings where some of these are played!

Just personally I don''t like it when Break up songs are played, or songs about exes or cheating. Like "These Boots" or "I Will Survive" or "Say my name". And I''m also in the no sexual songs camp. Push it, I want to sex you up, etc have their place, but I just don''t think it''s at a wedding. So even if I liked the interactives, those would be on my list.

 

[zoebartlett]

Gypsy, your list is great! The only ones I can think of on ours so far are:

Baby Got Back
Pour Some Sugar on Me
The Chicken Dance
YMCA (and really, anything by the Village People)
the Macarena
Brick House (what's the appeal to this song at weddings? I HATE IT.)
Hot Hot Hot
Super Freak

ETA: Any heavy metal. This shouldn't have to be said, in my opinion, but my FI's friends are still metal heads. Ugh.

My mom "needs" to dance to the Electric Slide so we'll let that one in. Sigh. I refuse to do it though.

Tiny threadjack: I'm actually really struggling with the whole play list for our wedding. Our wedding's at 11:00 on a Saturday morning. It feels strange to have dance music (typical party music) at an early afternoon reception. It seems more like a night time thing to me. I don't want our guests to be bored but I can't picture many of them gettin' down to the music, especially at that time of the day.

 

[Gypsy]

Date: 1/23/2008 7:17:40 PM
Author: sumbride
Now THAT is a comprehensive list. May I suggest that you make a ''Play List''? It might be shorter and easier! That''s what we kind of ended up doing. After seeing our do not play list, our Dj sent us his entire catalog and said ''so what do you WANT to hear?'' We gave him a long list of songs he COULD play and that made it more positive and helped him help us. You''ll need to work with your DJ on the spirit and mood you''re going for and why you don''t want to play certain songs. A lot of what is on your list should be there because it might get played, but there are others that I wouldn''t have even thought about. But you did leave off the Hokey Pokey! Do you secretly want to put your right foot in? (They played it at my brother''s wedding!)

Note to self, add Hokey Pokey to the list (although I DO like it... lol).

I''m also doing a ''play'' list. I''m figure I''ll do both. That way if the play list isn''t long enough or whatever and the DJ needs to go off of it, he''ll know what NOT to play. LOL. But I do have to find the right DJ and chemistry. Especially as ours is a day wedding and I don''t want a "Personality" I just want someone to announce a few things (like us), and play and manage music.

Here''s my playlist so far, it''s got a few question marks on it. It''s no where near complete, it''s just want I could think of today.

Dream On: Aerosmith
Aint’ No Sunshine: Bill Withers (ask John)?
Amir Diab: Habibi
Breathless: The Corrs
Bruce Springsteen: Dancing in the Dark
Time After Time: Cindy Lauper
Crazy for You: Madonna
This Thing Called Love: Queen
Two Step: DMB
Fever: Peggy Lee
For my Wedding: Don Henley ?
Gharibeh Ashena—Googoosh
I’ve got you under my skin: Frank Sinatra
Steppin Out with My Baby: Fred Astaire / Tony Bennet
Walk the Line: Johnny Cash
Kiss the Girl: Little Mermaid
Leather and Lace- Stevie Nicks
I hope you dance — Lee Ann Womack
Melt with You- Modern English
Brown Eyed Girl- Van Morrison
Mysterious Ways— U2
Never Tear Us Apart: Inxs
Nothing Else Matters: Metallica
So Alive- Love and Rockers
Somebody Told Me – The Killers
Con te Partiro- Andrea Bocelli (last song played)?
Vivo Per Lei – Andrea Bocelli
Sweet Dream: Eurythmics
Taking you Home: Don Henley (last song played) ?
These are the Days: Ten Thousand Maniacs
The Best is yet to Come- Nancy Wilson
Dolphin’s Cry: Live (acoustic)
Every Little Thing She Does is Magic –Police
Just to Hear You Love Me : Faith Hill & Tim McCraw
Time of Your Life: Green Day
Whenever, Wherever: Shakira
Can''t Help Falling in Love - Elvis Presley
Crazy - Patsy Cline
Copacabana- Barry Manilow (Lyrics say “don’t fall in love” but this song has so many good memories attached to it). ?

 

[Gypsy]

Date: 1/23/2008 7:21:08 PM
Author: ZoeBartlett


Tiny threadjack: I''m actually really struggling with the whole play list for our wedding. Our wedding''s at 11:00 on a Saturday morning. It feels strange to have dance music (typical party music) at an early afternoon reception. It seems more like a night time thing to me. I don''t want our guests to be bored but I can''t picture many of them gettin'' down to the music, especially at that time of the day.

I was struggling to, but John and everyone have said THERE WILL BE DANCING, so I''m putting a list together. I am staying away from hard core evening get down music and keeping away from club music as much as I can.

 

[enbcfsobe]

Gypsy -- can i suggest that you add the ChaCha Slide to the DNP list? Maybe it''s an east coast/midwest thing, but it is awful. really really awful. it''s like square dance calls to a cha-cha song and lots of mechanical clapping sounds.
Also, to avoid confusion for your DJ, I would double check the songs you have listed for Coolio. I''m pretty sure Coolio doesn''t do Mo Money -- that''s Biggie (The Notorious B.I.G.) featuring Ma$e and P-Diddy (he was Puff Daddy at the time). The "1-2-3-4" song by Coolio is called Fantastic Voyage.
I think it''s good that you are clearly communicating with the DJ what you want & don''t want. And I am totally with you on the breakup/cheating songs. In looking for a wedding song, it is amazing how many songs with good music have lyrics about leaving, cheating, etc. I guess it tells you something about what inspires folks to write songs.

Perhaps the funniest choice that I know will be at the TOP of our no-play list is "One is the Lonliest Number." Not only is it a terrible song to play at a wedding generally, but it drive''s FFIL CRAZY. I mean, he REALLY REALLY hates this song. In an intense and passionate and disturbing way. It is kindof amusing, but not something to mess with.

I am hoping that for our evening party we can have a few "sets" and wait until late in the party to play some of the songs that FI and I might really want to hear but might appeal to a narrower audience. I think we are also going to insist on a no request rule, or only alllowing requests that are already on our playlist.

 

[diamondringlover]

I would like to suggest a song to all you people getting married, it is Lost in the Moment by Big & Rich, it is a very beautiful song and most apporiate for a wedding, give it a listen, I think some of you might like it

 

[Gypsy]

CHa Cha slide and Hokey Pokey are now Outlawed.

And guess what?

WE FINALLY PICKED OUR FIRST DANCE SONG!!! We''ve (thoughout all the years) never been able to find the perfect First Dance song, and we JUST DID.

AT LAST by Etta James. It''s PERFECT.

 

[iheartscience]

Hahaha-Gypsy, you are NOT messing around! I have to ask, though-have you actually gone to a wedding where "Smells Like Teen Spirt" by Nirvana was played?! I just can't even imagine a DJ playing that at a wedding! And I am a big Nirvana fan from my middle school and high school days!

I will definitely make a Do Not Play list, but it will probably be less comprehensive than yours! I don't want any overtly sexually suggestive songs or songs that are hard to dance to. My brother told me he went to his friend's wedding in L.A. a few years ago and the DJ played the nastiest R&B and rap songs he had ever heard! He said luckily a lot of the older guests spoke English as a second language, so hopefully they didn't pick up on all the gross stuff!

I do however, LOVE the Chicken Dance, and I want it played at least two times! I am serious. It's a silly family tradition and my mom seriously loves it, too! What can I say-I love cheesy wedding songs! (Except for the ChaCha Slide and the Macarena, so those will go on The List!)

ETA that I am not a big country fan, so I will most likely do a blanket ban on pop country music.

 

[Gypsy]

No I have not personally heard "smells like teen spirit" but I certainly did NOT want to OURS to be the first I heard it at.

And no, LOL. I''m not playing around. I understand about loving songs that have memories attached and wanting them played.

Copacabana is on our play list even though it voids one of my rules. But it''s a song with a TON of fun memories for us... so it''s on there.

Oh. I also added LAYLA to the do not play list.

 

[VRBeauty]

Gypsy: Maybe it's because I do a lot of singing, but I have a hard time decoupling the music from the lyrics. For me, "it's got a beat and you can dance to it" definately isn't good enough for weddings. So

for taking steps to make sure that the music played at your reception reflects your taste and sensibilities!

The only thing I'd suggest is to consider adding a few more songs for the baby boomers among your guests on the "OK to play" list. Some Beatles/British Invasion, Beach Boys, CSNY, or even bubble gum pop might help get the parents' friends on the dance floor.

 

[goldenstar]

Date: 1/23/2008 7:03:55 PM
Author: Gypsy

Date: 1/23/2008 6:36:51 PM

Author: goldenstar

This is a good thread. I''m writing these down. I haven''t thought about my list but its really hard to mentally go through all the possibilities.


I went to FI''s company holiday party and they had a dj that was fun for all ages and didn''t play anything inappropriate. I got their business card.

If we have different dates would you mind sharing the information with me? I would appreciate it.

We absolutely have different dates. The website is www.spintronix.com. Part of why I liked them is because they match our musical taste. I think you should try to see a sample playlist or a hear a demo to see if they appeal to you. The DJ seemed to show good judgment. They knew how to respond to the crowd and didn’t play inappropriate lyrics.

 

[somethingshiny]

We outlawed break-up songs and Shania Twain. When the DJ did play Shania Twain, my maid of honor read him the riot act.

 

[DMBFiredancer]

i''m easy....there are so many songs that i NEED to hear at my wedding that there wont be any room for requests

i''ve been dreaming of the playlist for my wedding the way that girls dream of what kind of dress they will wear...or what flowers they will have....lol

 

[goldenstar]

As an aside: Our wedding website will have a place where guests can enter reception music requests. This will give me an idea of what will get them dancing. I can also veto songs and they won''t know. Hopefully all the requests will be made in advance instead of at the reception.

 

[bee*]

The main ones that I don''t want are ones that have choreographed dances to them like the YMCA and songs like that. Not too keen on cheesy romantic songs either. Haven''t done up my list yet so can''t think of anything specifically.

 

[sumbride]

Gypsy - I agree that At Last is PERFECT for you guys! I love that song. Oddly enough, that was one of the FIRST songs that DH put on the Do Not Play list.... he said he''s heard it at every single wedding and he didn''t want to hear it at ours! It made me a little sad, but I got my "revenge" by handing the DJ "Forever and Ever Amen", the ONLY country song I really love, and DH had to dance it with me! It still makes me smile!

DMBFireDancer-- My DH did what you''ve been doing... he talked about the music for our wedding about 2 years before he even proposed! He worked on the lists for a LONNNNNNNGGGGG time. And in the end, it was perfect. Yours will be too!