SwingDJs

julius wrote:whoops, it is not used in strangelove. never mind. a cursory IMDB search turns it up in Meet Joe Black though. ew.

Speaking of Dr. Stranglove song, "We'll Meet Again" is what the song is called.

Johnny Cash has a cool version, the last song of the on his final album (or at least the final album released while he was alive, I hear he has dozen's of album's in the can).

Not really a great song for dancing. But, it might work as a decent last song at the right place with the right crowd.

i go for fun hip-hop

"Gin and Juice"

or "No Diggity"

or "Dicks and Noses"

( http://www.hoodios.com/site/main2.html )

nate, i think you should post that one more time

I playing "Version X" by Jackie Wilson as a joke one night and it caught on. But usualy I just pick something fun to end the night on.

Yakov wrote:
nate, i think you should post that one more time

The site must be having some technical difficulties tonight. Hopefully, by the time they read this, most people won't no what we are talking about.

julius wrote:whoops, it is not used in strangelove. never mind. a cursory IMDB search turns it up in Meet Joe Black though. ew.

Yeah it's "We'll Meet Again" that's used. Besides "Strangelove" was shot in 1964 and "What a Wondeful World" wasn't waxed until 1968.

*bump*

JesseMiner wrote:

gatorgal wrote:Also, when I danced at a studio in Jacksonville the owner there used to make his last song Louis Armstrong's "What a Wonderful World". I don't know why he chose this song, but it was always the dancers aural cue that it was time to clean your table, pack up your stuff and leave. It wasn't always played at the same time... but we always knew it was the last song. I don't know... something to think about.

It can be quite effective to pick a signature ending song and stick with it every week (kinda like having a theme song). Spencer ended every Tuesday night at Broadway Studios with Sinatra's "Night and Day". There was no question - you knew that was the final song of the night.

When I started DJing, I vowed to make "Shiney Stockings" my signature opening song and Sinatra's "Last Dance" my signature final song. I did it for perhaps two weeks before realizing how incredibly lame I was being.

How to end often depends--as should everything--on who is there and what they will make of it. I generally end with some Funk or other non-swing music ("There's always time for some funk"), but sometimes a nice, soft slow blues song is the best way to end. Leave them with a hug or leave them with a "bang."

Julius, you were almost right with Dr. Strangelove...it's another Kubrick war movie, Full Metal Jacket. You may think it's laziness, but in my experience Stanley Kubrick was very particular about his choice of muisc in his films. Pretty much anything of his that I look at has musicologically appropriate soundtrack choices, in addition to contributing to the mood he wants to set. I'd say it's anything but laziness...

Back to the subject, I have no real strategy for ending the night...I'll play whatever seems appropriate for the night. More often than not it's something fairly mellow, but I do like to slip on a song that starts mellow and kicks it up a notch. It seems to energize people and end the night on a high note. But it depends on the night, every time is different.

"What a Wonderful World" was also used in Good Morning Vietnam. They even had music video for MTV that intercut Louis Armstrong and movie footage.

There is also a Barbra Morrison version from her "I'm Gettin' 'Long All Right" album from 1997. Her version is more up tempo than most.

Depending on the crowd, I have been known to play "Last Dance" by Donna Summer.

I also, took a cue from Jesse and started playing some old skool hip-hop during the breakdown after the lights come on. Humpty Dance, Funky Cold Medina, etc.

As for the last 'swing' song, it is usually something 110-130 range, like "Until I Met You" Joe Williams

I used to play a slow song to end the night, but for the last couple years I try to end the night with a medium tempo & energy song so people go out with a little spring in their step. I want people to dance the last dance, so I don't pick anything too fast, too slow or too weird. I often pick a well-known song... I know I've played "Hey Diddle" by Dinah Washington (140 BPM) for the last song a lot. By the way, if you don't have that song in your collection, where have you been? I've gotten incredible mileage out of it.

Ron wrote:I've gotten incredible mileage out of it.

You mean you've overplayed it?

Haha. Couldn't resist.

Ron, which CD is that on? I'm having trouble finding it.

Matthew wrote:Ron, which CD is that on? I'm having trouble finding it.

What a great song!

You can only find it here: The Complete Dinah Washington on Mercury, Vol. 4 (1954-1956).

She's also has another studio version with Quincy Jones on Dinah Washington with Quincy Jones and a live version on Queen of the Juke Box: Live 1948-1955, though neither is as great as the above.

Jesse

Cool. Thanks, Jesse.