SwingDJs

I was just messing around with iTunes and ordered my whole collection by the number of times a track has been played (overall, not just at swing events).

I was surprised to find out my #1 is Li'l Dog, by Buddy Johnson & His Orchestra (1947). It's a nice slow and easy beginner track, which is why I must play it so often. This got me curious about what you other Swing-DJ-types have as their most played.

(It's okay, there's not shame if it's Poker Face*)


*but seriously, WTF

I'm always annoyed by iTunes play count, because:
a) it never synchs right with my phone (if I play a track on my phone, it tries to bump the count on the desktop--but if I play the track on both the phone and the desktop before synching, it doesn't get bumped twice)
b) it doesn't synch with the laptop I use for DJing (can't really blame iTunes for this one--it's because of the way I transfer the library)

That said, here're my top-5 most-played, with, I'm afraid, only two jazz recordings, though you can get away with playing two more at a soul-ish event:

1. "Blues over Bodega", Lu Watters' Yerba Buena Jazz Band, 1964
2. "Me and Bobby McGee", Janis Joplin, 1970
3. "Son of a Preacher Man", Dusty Springfield, 1969
4. "Working on the Building", Elvis Presley, 1960
5. "Comes Love", Meschiya Lake and the Little Big Horns, 2010

I'm kinda surprised by number 5. I like it, but I haven't had it that long. I think I must have left it on one-track-repeat once. Anyway. No Lady Gaga. Also, surprisingly, no Bechet, or Ella, or Beatles. I don't know what's up with that.

The most played track for my own listening over the past couple years, according to iTunes, is: Swanee River Boogie, by Albert Ammons & his Rhythm Kings (1946). If I had to make a list of my top 10 favorite tracks to DJ, this tune would most likely be there. BTW, according to Wikipedia, that record sold a million copies.

I need to check on my DJ-ing laptop for the tracks I DJ the most.

Lorenzo

Gong-Oh wrote:The most played track for my own listening over the past couple years, according to iTunes, is: Swanee River Boogie, by Albert Ammons & his Rhythm Kings (1946). If I had to make a list of my top 10 favorite tracks to DJ, this tune would most likely be there. BTW, according to Wikipedia, that record sold a million copies.

Funnily enough, I heard this track for the first time last week!

trev wrote: Funnily enough, I heard this track for the first time last week!

Just give it a couple of years and it'll beat Li'l Dog on your iTunes.

I actually DJ Albert Ammons a lot. He is among my top 'automatic pilot' artists/bands. In other words, if I need to chose a song during one of my sets, without thinking too much, I'd often pick a tune by Ammons (or by The Benny Goodman Sextet, or by Wingy Manone ...).

Lorenzo

Gong-Oh wrote:I actually DJ Albert Ammons a lot. He is among my top 'automatic pilot' artists/bands. In other words, if I need to chose a song during one of my sets, without thinking too much, I'd often pick a tune by Ammons...

That's interesting (and partly why I wanted to do this topic); I occasionally DJ "The Breaks" when I'm feeling evil, but otherwise Ammons doens't really get on my playlist. Variety is the spice of life!

And lipi, re: unexpected results - Agreed that it's not really an accurate assessment of taste!

"Stuffy" as recorded by Jonathan Stout is my runaway #1, which with absolute certainty is due to the fact that I use it all the time while teaching Balboa Swing, especially beginner classes, since it's played in a nice and slow tempo and has a very clear beat and excellent sound quality while retaining the magic Swing Era feel that Stout and his guys are so good at bringing.

trev wrote:That's interesting (and partly why I wanted to do this topic); I occasionally DJ "The Breaks" when I'm feeling evil, but otherwise Ammons doens't really get on my playlist. Variety is the spice of life!

I played "The Breaks" only once, just because I had forgotten my headphones and that it has so many breaks. Why don't his other recordings get to your playlists? I'm just curious. At a quick glance, some Albert Ammons & his Rhythm Kings would fit nicely in your sets.

Coherently with my predilection for Ammons, I also play a lot of Carl Sonny Leyland, who has Ammons among his major influences (e.g. listen to his CD "A Chicago Session").

Lorenzo

You know what my most-played track is. Even though I've only played it once this year.

dogpossum wrote:You know what my most-played track is. Even though I've only played it once this year.

Yes, but what track ranks after "Don't Cha"?

trev wrote:

dogpossum wrote:You know what my most-played track is. Even though I've only played it once this year.

Yes, but what track ranks after "Don't Cha"?

i had to put that in the googles and then I was all like you know it!!!1!!! and then i was

After filtering out all the teaching/performing songs, my most played track is: Ain't Nobody Nowhere Nothin' Without God - Duke Ellington

Next up... Enter Sandman.