I Wanna Dance With Somebody

A wise man (AKA Dave Barry, newspaper columnist) once said, "Nobody cares if you can't dance well.  Just get up and dance."  I love that quote.  I want each & every guest to know that this what I hope that they would know about the evening.  Maybe I should put that on a sign.  (Seriously.  That is such a good idea.  Note to self: add this to "to do" list).

So besides The Chicken Dance, The Bunny Hop, The Congo Line or Cotton Eyed Joe, what could have guests shaking their tail feather all night long?  


Obviously it's the music.  


When people hear a song that they just love they get up & dance.  Trust me.  I've seen it happen when I requested (the Great) Whitney Houston's "How Will I Know" at a local bar that had an empty dance floor.


I know that the musical goddess trinity of Rhianna, Gaga & Britney are known to get everyone dancing... but I'm kinda leaning towards that being a generational thing & can't really picture FMIL Sweet Cream getting down to "S&M." (She definitely could, I just don't know if she would!).


I do know that it is the year 2011.  But I do also know my guest list.  We have such a diverse group of ages, backgrounds & music tastes. I would just like to put all of them in a big pot and let them simmer until they are perfectly blended, like the flavors of a really, really good chili.

Danger Mouse created "The Grey Album," by mixing Jay Z's "Black Album"

with the Beatles "White Album" & came up with something that I think is amazing.

So while FSIL Sweet Cream only loves any song that has a "Hey y'all & Ye 'haw!" in it, Papa Sweets has a passion for 70s rock.  Think Led Zeppelin.  Jimi Hendrix.  The Doors.  

FSIL2 Sweet Cream likes hip hop & Gmom Sweets shakes her 90-year-old hips to the Supremes.  

And me? I love it ALL.

So I want everyone to be happy.  And dancing.  But I already mentioned the dancing part, didn't I?

To make everyone happy dancing people, I picture a musical duel between Diana Ross & the late Hendrix that would challenge that of Aerosmith & Run DMC!

I love this mash-up & wish we could mash more up for our guests...

I must say that "Mash Up" was one amazing Glee episode!

I do find it so fascinating that many modern faves are pulled from a time when only vinyl existed (& Gmom Sweets hips were a lot younger!)...

The Girl Can't Help It / Little Richard vs. Clumsy / Fergie

I've Got A Woman / Ray Charles vs. Golddigger / Kanye West & Jamie Foxx

Sugar, Sugar / The Archies vs. Nasty Girl / Nitty

So we've been keeping a list on the fridge and scratching down the title everytime we hear something that we know everyone will like --or at least shake their booty to --whether it has a sweet country twang, a nice beat or an amazing guitar solo.  

We have an uhh-mazing list (that I can't wait to share -- posts about playlists are always my favorite!) that is continuing to grow and includes tunes that scale the later half of the twentieth century...from Billy Holiday, Shirlee & Lee, The Supremes and Lynrd Skynrd to The Ramones, MC Hammer and the Black Eyed Peas.  And whenever there is a time where I'm feeling blue I just YouTube one of the songs on the list & I get all siked up for the wedding!  Frown immediately turned upside-down.

How are you balancing the wide variety of musical choices (and generations) of your guests? 

Do you have a favorite song that borrows it beats from a decades ago, ala Fergie's Clumsy -- or even a perfect mash-up? What is your favorite oldie but goodie that you know that people just can't resist?  What about something new that even more seasoned guests love?  What should we add to the list??