SwingDJs

Christmas is too commercial to stomach. Also, I'm not DJ'ing this week, but I *am* DJ'ing on the 31st.

Gimme some New Year's Eve songs, people! If you don't, I'll play all terrible music and tell everyone that you let me down.

I have:
"Auld Lang Syne", Jim Cullum Jazz Band, 1993 -- musically excellent, but unfortunately, it has a terrible voice-over
"Auld Lang Syne", Duke Ellington, 1962 -- foxtrot-y
"Auld Lang Syne", Ted Heath, 1947 -- schmaltzy beyond belief
"Auld Lang Syne", Hot Club of San Francisco, 2009 -- it's, like, a year long, and too fast for a non-bal crowd (well, after the first minute (I mean, first month) intro, which is super-slow). Oh, and it quotes Christmas songs. Grr. Otherwise, perfect.

Other versions of "Auld Lang Syne"? Something about fireworks or balls dropping? Versions of "Baby, It's Cold Outside" that are pleasant to dance to?

Auld Lang Syne by the Kings of Dixieland is tolerable.
Happy New Year Baby by Lem Tally & Cathy Cooper is a Rhythm & Blues number that works.

That's about all I've got.

The Kings of Dixieland "Auld Lang Syne" is indeed best described as "tolerable".
I quite like that "Happy New Year, Baby" by Johnny Otis/Lem Tally/Cathy Cooper. Thank you for suggesting that, trev!

For general winterness there's Fats Waller's "Winter Weather" from 1941 (about 110 bpm) (there's also a broadcast from Chicago in February 1942, but it's poor quality).
The Peggy Lee/Benny Goodman version from 1941 is O.K., too (and pleasantly peppier at 155 bpm).
Apologies once again to those of you on the funny hemisphere (how does stuff not fall off?!), since these won't work for you for New Year's (maybe you can play them at some sort of Herräng tribute dance?).

In other news, I am now no longer DJ'ing on the 31st (ridiculous scheduling fail on my own part--I hope the organizer doesn't hate me too much), which is quite the relief. Phew! Still, I want suggestions for the future. Gimme, gimme!