SwingDJs

The young crowd here also likes pop songs for swing, especially fast songs. I've had a hard time finding many modern pop songs that are out of the standard 100-140 BPM range. Could you suggest some? Thanks for any help.

*smirk*
I'd like to see how many people on this board even keep up with pop music anymore. Since I got to college, the number of names I recognize on the Top 40 chart has plumetted. I imagine the phenomenon must be worse among jazz afficionados.

You consider 100-140 to be fast? Is this for west coast dancers?

To clarify, I find 100-140 BPM to be quite slow. This is to be used mostly for ECS and some lindy. I'd like to find some songs from about the 1980s until today, that are popular, mainstream songs, and that are in the 170+ BPM range.

I, too, don't recognize many of the names on the charts, but I know that many young people here probably do recognize them. Actually, I like how the search for faster songs is broadening my knowledge of different genres.

Thanks for any help.

I have not been able to find danceable 80's+ music in that fast of a tempo range. You might have to move back to the 50's to find good popular songs that are 170+. But even then much of it is slower but just feels faster because of its energy. There are some 1990s+ songs that work well for fast tempo if you count the tempo in double time. You can't do that with just any song, but some songs lend themselves to it.

Like, for instance, the following three songs are easy to count in double-time and have been successful for me in limited settings for fast Lindy...

Marc Anthony, "I've Got You" (2002) (104 BPM doubled to 208)
Paulina Rubio, "Don't Say Goodbye" (2001) (124 BPM doubled to 248)
C&C Music Factory, "Gonna Make You Sweat (Everybody Dance Now)" (1991) (116 BPM doubled to 232)

If the crowd likes 50's music, some tunes that I have found to work well in the 170+ range are:

The Everly Brothers, "Wake Up Little Susie" (188)
Jackie Wilson, "Your Love Keeps Lifting Me Higher" (190)
Bobby Day "Rockin' Robin" (170)
Chuck Berry "Johnny B. Goode" (174)
Huey Lewis & The News "Little Bitty Pretty One" (176)

Play the Ramones.

If that doesn't get you moving, you are DEAD.

Here's the few that I play as "Lindy" songs that are fast-ish and go over fairly well.

Apollo Four-Forty - Can't Stop the Rock
Pink - Get the Party Started
Madonna - Music
Offspring - Original Prankster (the tempo drifts a lot in this one).

You might have to play hip-hop, they have some faster songs.

CafeSavoy wrote:You might have to play hip-hop, they have some faster songs.

Since "The Whole World" by Outkast is something I've heard a lot played for swing dancers, maybe you could comb their albums for something faster.

Dave,

I use Madonna's "Music" for West Coast swing. It's 120 BPM. "Get the Party Started" is another good example of high energy, slow tempo. It 130 BPM nobody's breaking a sweat, but if they like the music they're having a good time.

Rayned,

What are some good examples of fast-tempo hip-hop? Most of what I've heard is between 90 and 130.

John, don't really keep track of that, but one that comes to mind is Nelly, Murphy Lee, & P. Diddy - Shake Your Tail Feathers. I think it's about 170.

Hmm, can't find it. Some Club and Techno gets faster than Hip Hop.

Spin Doctor wrote:Dave,

I use Madonna's "Music" for West Coast swing. It's 120 BPM. "Get the Party Started" is another good example of high energy, slow tempo. It 130 BPM nobody's breaking a sweat, but if they like the music they're having a good time.

Yeah, that stuff goes over fairly well. The swing dancers that don't like swing music tend to like that stuff and the ballroom people can usually figure out something to do with it.

I didn't realize those two were that slow. The dancers I spin for that like that stuff seem to think it's fast ... perception is good enough for me. I did clock Original Prankster once to prove to myself the tempo drifted. I think it drifted between about 140 something and 160 something. I guess the lack of swing makes it seem faster.

Spin Doctor wrote:I have not been able to find danceable 80's+ music in that fast of a tempo range.

Made a mix CD once with some of my favorite 80s songs to swing to... because of my pathetic love for most things that came out of that decade. Tempos vary. Some of the songs may be outside of the 80s because I can't remember straight. Hope they help.

Goody Two Shoes - Adam Ant
I've Got My Mind Set On You - George Harrison
Head Over Heels - The Go Gos
Vacation - The Go Gos
Private Eyes - Hall and Oates
I Can't Go For That - Hall and Oates
True Blue - Madonna
Pretty in Pink - Psychedelic Furs
Take Me To The River - Talking Heads
One Thing Leads To Another - The Fixx
And We Danced - The Hooters
Let's Dance - David Bowie
Boys Don't Cry - The Cure
She Bop - Cyndi Lauper
Bad Case of Lovin' You - Robert Palmer
Rock the Casbah - The Clash
Train in Vain - The Clash
Only The Good Die Young - Billy Joel
Big Man on Mulberry Street - Billy Joel

Stop me now before I have some sort of John-Hughes-induced-high-school-flashback...

Tina

julius wrote:Play the Ramones.

If that doesn't get you moving, you are DEAD.

Ditto.

Tina