Party Songs

Miles Long

Dunno If anything like this has been posted here before but here goes. I play guitar. I go to house parties. On many occasions I do both at some wee hour of the morning at just the right time (timing is everything). This brings me to the main point of this thread. Are you a guitar player/ Musician. Have you even been at a party and some one says "Play a song man" and the following happens.

1. You draw a blank
2. You don't wanna play what you always play
3. Everyone around you likes what you don't consider to be good guitar playing music (or even something that you like.)
4. You end up playing good songs that have been ruined by this ordeal in the past
5. Somebody requests a song you don't know and then you look like a tit despite the fact that you know you know 1000 song just not "that one"


My proposal,

Musician and non-musicians alike post the names of song that you play or would like to hear that one could pull of with just an acoustic (or two). Things that don't fall into this catagory are; really complicated song to sing or play (i.e. Bohemian Rhapsody etc. or a song that is mainly a bass and drums with very little guitar). Popular song that everyone likes that have been tried and tested in the party environment. Song with f***ing Choruses. Fake plastic Tree's is a great song but it has it's place and it not next to some girl saying do you know Breakfast at Tiffeny's!

I'll start,

Dedicated Follower of Fashion - The Kinks
She's Electric - Oasis
July - Mundy
The Boxer - Simon and Garfunkel
Video Killed the Radiostar - The Buggles (oh yes it's works)

... you see another thing is that you don't remember what it is you like to play cause you're drunk. I can't remember what I play at the moment (case and point) but I'm not drunk.

Angel of Harlem - U2

... that trouble is that you can't just play what you like, you know like playing track 7 off the experimental 1st album that took 50million listens to get your ear around.

Rory!

American Pie - Don Mclean (all the lyrics too)

Sofaspud

Bohemian rhapsody done acoustically actually works great, gets a great laugh when you continue playing the rhythm, but get everyone to sing the solo. (dododo-dooooooo, do dooooooooooooo)

Other than that, everyone knows bits of "More than words" by Extreme, "Wonderful tonight" by Eric Clapton, "Johnny B. Goode" by Chuck Berry (great crowd pleaser).
The there's the more obvious ones, like Wonderwall, Whiskey in the jar (another crowd pleaser), Angels (Robbie williams) and anything basic and popular.

Failing that, play some Allan Holdsworth and tell them to bugger off.

Frankiestylee

Wow,good thread, good thread.

Sweet Home Alabama
Yellow Submarine
Wild Thing
Hotel Yorba
Good Riddance (Time of Your Life)

Can't think of any more at the moment, but those tend to be the songs I remember when drunk.

Miles Long

So I got a few more that are really good for the party...

They're all one specific type ala the ones on "Even Better Than The Real Thing"

Justin Timberlake - Like I love you/ Cry me a river
These Words - Whatshername Beddingfield
etc.
Any covered by Me First and the Gimme Gimmes usually makes good too...

Or real songs...

Hallelujah - Jeff Buckley (I'm aware of Leonard Cohen, I feel the lyrics flow better in the JB Version, but that's OT)
The Bends - Radiohead
Space Oddity - Bowie
Run & Chocolate - Snow Patrol

Keep 'em coming

steveland?

If I hear "Hotel California" one more time at a party I'm going to kill someone...

Sofaspud

Miles Long wrote:

"Even Better Than The Real Thing"

Best album ever for party songs

"Oops I did it again" works great acoustically, as does "I believe in a thing called love" (a favourite at parties), "can't get you out of my head" by kylie and "Sweet dreams my LA - ex" by Rachel Stevens. I only have the first album, but it's great for that type of thing.

When playing on an acoustic without a cutaway, any song with a solo that's played high up on the fretboard always gets a good laugh after failed attempts to play it, I.E. Sultans of swing, which is another party favourite.

Miles Long

Sofaspud wrote:

I.E. Sultans of swing, which is another party favourite.

Ha. Good stuff.

Live Forever - Oasis
I think We're Alone Now - Tiffany (to which my good frien Conor will dance)

1979 - Pumpkins works very well with the right crowd.
Dirty old town - The Pouges!

eoin5

GnR - Patience, so easy and so good!

eddyc

Say it aint so by Weezer always goes down great as long as the crowd yr playin too knows it of course,
Another great one is Sympathy for the Devil by the stones great buzz when ya get everyone doin the 'woo, woo' part, happy days

Miles Long

Bohemian Like you - Tha dandy warhols

Woo Ooo Oooooo

Sofaspud

How could I forget to mention Tenacious D?
Everyone loves Tribute, Wonderboy, and of course, (ahem) "Love" her gently.

And lately I've taken to playing this as my party piece, always goes down well.

Gaspode

Great thread Man, I've been there so many times!
Thousands of songs in this baldy head, but come the night of the big party, nothing, Nada, Zip.
Have taken on occassion to sitcking a list of songs on the back of the guitar to jog the memory. (Just like the leaving cert then eh?!:cool: )

Anyway,crowd pleasers:
500 miles, the proclaimers, and while youre at it King of the Road - not their song but they covered it.
Weather with you, Dont dream its over - Crowded house
Bananarama usually gets a laugh - Venus, or the Nananana,Nananana,Hey Hey, goodbye one.
fishermans blues, bang on the ear, whole of the moon - Waterboys
Stuck in the middle with you - stealers wheel
Come up an see me make me smile -Steve Harley- goes down a bomb if you can do the solo!
Redemption song - bob Marley
So lonely by the police and run it straight into No woman no cry by Bob Marley. cool.
Police songs are good but simplify the chords if you want to concentrate on a bit of singing as well as playing!

That'll do for the minute.

Miles Long

deswalsh wrote:

So lonely by the police and run it straight into No woman no cry by Bob Marley. cool.

Yeah, I'm forever looking for song that run into each other even just choruses that can be pasted into other songs..:

e.g. uh

Playing Sunshine of Your Love - Cream
and going into
Funky town - Lipps Inc.

Any song that's a 1st 5th 4th 5th i.e. (Star Star - The Frames)
Slap into that one...
Get down on it - Kool and the gang.

(How you gonna know it if you really don't wanna dance if your standing on the wall) in your best Damien Rice impression, really slowly if required. Hailling the response "Get your back up, Get your back up off the wall!"

Good call on the Steelers Wheel front. It's a staple in the setlist if I remember it that is...

Other ones I remember...

Dancing in the Moonlight - Thin Lizzy
You Will You Won't - The Zutons
Butterfly - Weezer (tends to crap out infavor of a more upbeat tune )

Aside: I love when the chorus of 'Angels' comes up, I nearly vomit everytime someone fails to hit that note!!!!!!

Gaspode

Miles Long wrote:

Aside: I love when the chorus of 'Angels' comes up, I nearly vomit everytime someone fails to hit that note!!!!!!

LOL - and of course EVERYONE fails to hit that note!
Never been quite drunk enough to try that one in public - even in the comfort of my own home I'd be reluctant to try singing it out loud.

Irish stuff -
Fake - the Frames.
Dancing in the moonlight - Thin Lizzy (Whiskey in the Jar if you're pushed but only if pushed.)
Celebrate by an emotional fish is good send off song.
Brewing up a storm - The stunning
Philby - Rory Gallagher (if you can remember the words)
I useta lover or N17 - Sawdoctors
Linger - Cranberries

and so on. If only I could remember them like this when I need to.............

Miles Long

Des wrote:

If only I could remember them like this when I need to.............

Hence the thread. Man I don't like playing the Saw Doctors.
Ho could I forget...

Blister in the Sun - The Violent Femmes
Boys Don't Cry - The Cure
Hey Ya - Outcast
Suspicious Minds - Elvis

Vaultman

Excellent thread!

Jack & Diane
Wish You were Here
50 ways to leave your lover
Message in a bottle
The River
Proud Mary

Miles Long

The Beta Band - Dry The Rain
The Futureheads - Hounds of Love
Flame - Bell X1
Summer In Dublin - Bagatelle
Ride On - Christy Moore (though it pains me to play it)
One Tin Soldier - Me First and the Gimme Gimmes (Coven)
Two Little Boys - The Hawkins Bros. (?)

Keep em coming and the party song block will be no more!!!!!!

Bateman

Good thread this

Lucky Man - The Verve
Today - Smashing Pumpkins
Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head - Burt B

Miles Long

Black Star - Radiohead (whom I'll be at in little over a day!)
Sloop John B - The Beach Boys
Imagine - John Lennon
Helter Skelter - The Beatles
Drug Don't Work - The Verve
Mrs. Robinson - Simon and Garfunkel
Tears in Heaven - Eric Clapton
Mr.Jones - Counting Crows

Songs on Short Music for Short People

Doin' Laundry - Nerf Herder (those who know... know )
The Ballad of Wilhelm Fink - Green Day
Chandeliers & Souvenirs - Diesel Boy

More to Come!!! (if I can remember!)

Miles Long

Holy Arse, how could I forget

What's up - 4 Non-Blondes What a chorus!

Proceed

gustavo

Summer of 69
Last Nite -Strokes
Wonderwall
How you remind me
Come as you are
Sweet Caroline
Ring of Fire

Gaspode

Pretty much any Johnny Cash gets a good reception these days.
Folsom prison blues, I walk the line, solitary man, etc.
how about Chocolate eyes/open your borders - Jack Lukeman? (for the Laaaaydies)

I once sang Hold me close by David Essex at a work do - went down well, but the shame of it prevents me doing it again.(and I'm pretty much a slut when it comes to songs, I'll chance just about anything :rolleyes: )

Ballads though, of the up the RA, brits out type I dont do. Man has to have some standards.

Neil young songs, oh course how could I forget!
Needle and the damage done
Heart of Gold
Four strong winds
long may you run
Harvest
Harvest moon
Hey Hey My My and its evil twin My My hey Hey
Helpless
Thrasher ( very late when theres only the die hards left, and they dont care that you've dropped 3 verses)
like a hurricane

Enough already!

icon

Weather with you - Crowded House
No Woman no cry - Bob Marley
Wonderwall - Oasis
You shook me all night long - AC/DC
Highway to Hell - AC/DC both work great on acoustic total Hayseed Dixie vibe

Oakburner

you're making me post so eh..

half the world away - oasis ( and watch the royle family while youre at it)

The universal / coffee and tv / most everything by Blur

afternoon delight - Ron Burgundy always a tune and a half

california dreamin - mommas and the papas

girl from mars - ash (if anyone knows all the words)