Overplayed songs

[CountBasi]

When I was starting out, particularly as the scene here was pretty much brand new, whenever I came across a reference to an 'overplayed' track that I didn't have or know, I would make it a priority to get hold of it, reasoning that to be overplayed, it had to have been worth playing in the first place.

That was how I started as well.

And that is what I implied (in my thread starter) is my attitude to 'overplayed' tracks as well. Good to know I'm not a lone voice in the wilderness.

[Haydn]

How about some more examples? Working down a list of songs I have, I think the following might be included on a list of 'overplayed' songs in 2008 -

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All That Meat And No Potatoes / Fats Waller
All The Cats Join In / Benny Goodman
Alright, Okay, You Win / Peggy Lee
And Her Tears Flowed Like Wine / Anita O'Day
Apollo Jump / Lucky Millinder

Be Careful (If You Can't Be Good) / Buddy Johnson And His Orchestra
Blues My Naughty Sweetie Gives To Me / Sidney Bechet
C Jam Blues / Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra
Easy Does It / The Big Eighteen
Flat Foot Floogee / Slim & Slam

Flying Home / Lionel Hampton & His Orchestra
The Frim Fram Sauce / Louis Armstrong
The Gal From Joe's / Duke Ellington
I's A Muggin' / Django Reinhardt
Is You Is Or Is You Ain't My Baby / Louis Jordan

Joshua Fit De Battle Of Jericho / Sidney Bechet
Jump Session / Slim Gaillard & Slam Stewart
Lavender Coffin / Lionel Hampton
Loose Wig / Lionel Hampton
One O'Clock Jump / Count Basie

Shout, Sister, Shout / Lucky Millinder & His Orchestra
Tippin' In / Erskine Hawkins
We Cats Will Swing For You / The Cats & The Fiddle
Whatcha Know, Joe? / Tommy Dorsey
Yacht Club Swing / Fats Waller

Yes Indeed / Tommy Dorsey
720 In The Books / Charlie Barnet

[Mr Awesomer]

I think the following might be included on a list of 'overplayed' songs in 2008

Really? Sounds like a night at the original Memories, circa 1999.

[dogpossum]

How about some more examples? Working down a list of songs I have, I think the following might be included on a list of 'overplayed' songs in 2008 -

*******************************************************

All That Meat And No Potatoes / Fats Waller

....

Do you feel these are overplayed in London specifically, or more generally? My first thought would have been that each scene's overplayed list is different because there are local musical cultures/patterns of taste. But I've been noticing how important YouTube/online clips are in shaping local musical tastes: a song that Skye and Frida use for a routine at Showdown will be super popular for a few months after the event. Additionally, traveling teachers seem to shape local scenes with the music they use in classes - teachers selling burnt CDs with a collection of songs have had long lasting influences in Australian cities, as have teachers/travellers swapping music files with locals.

I'm not entirely sure dancing in a smaller scene directly affects the type/variety of music you hear - in Australia there are some really large scenes where the music is quite ordinary and drawn from a very small pool. But there are also smaller scenes with quite good, wider pools of music. I think the type, quality and variety of music DJed within a scene has more to do with the local scene culture than the size of the scene. Things like:
- how well established the scene is (have there been dancers there for years or months? Was the scene started by dancers migrating to a new city? If so, where did they come from? Is there generational change - do new dancers stick around and revitalise the dancing/music?);
- the goals of teachers in a scene (making money? historical recreationism? connecting with young people?);
- whether dancers travel frequently (interstate or overseas);
- whether teachers use a range of music in their classes and emphasis the importance of musical structures to movements (what is this thing called swing? why bother with triple steps? why does charleston rock?);
- if live bands are patronised locally by dancers (and if so, what types);
- the use dancers make of online resources (do they know about SwingDJs? Who do they search for on YouTube? Do they listen to Hey Mr Jesse? Have they discovered references like redhotjazz.com?);
- local DJing culture (are DJs are valued? Is there some sort of DJ mentoring tradition? Do DJs actively seeking out new music (and buy it!) and want to talk about it and play it for dancers? Are DJs paid? Are there DJs at all, or are there mix CDs or an emphasis on live music?);
- and the outwards-looking emphasis of local schools, studios, teachers (are high profile/influential dancers encouraging students to look further afield for influences?)...


... but reading through that list of songs one of my initial reactions was 'there are some great songs there' - reason enough for them to be played a whole bunch? Is it better to hear a really good song every week than to hear only a collection of unfamiliar crappy songs? Sometimes that one version of CJam Blues is like a light at the end of a tunnel - it's all that keeps you dancing.


I also reckon different DJs have different songs they 'overplay' - unless they're sharing their collections with a group of people. The former I don't mind so much - means you hear a wider range of 'overplayed' songs. And most collectors are soon distracted by their latest 'discovery', moving on to new things. The latter sucks - same mediocre songs played with indifferent care over and over and over and over and over again. And when a new song hits a scene everyone is playing it - not just one DJ.

[fredo]

Is it better to hear a really good song every week than to hear only a collection of unfamiliar crappy songs?

false dichotomy: what about really good unfamiliar songs?

I'm sure I've heard this from others before, but I agree with it: there are songs most know by name, songs known by sound (but not yet by name), and songs that are unfamiliar in both regards -- a mix of all of these seems ideal.

I feel like songs DJed over time (or not DJed over time, as the case sometimes may be) can move between these three categories -- especially as a scene turns over new people, dancers/djs move away, teacher changes, songs used in performances/contests, etc...

[Toon Town Dave]

I concur. I work really hard at not falling into the trap of overplaying certain recordings. Right now, I'm DJ'ing a summer outdoor gig and my goal is to 1) ensure the dancers enjoy dancing to the music, 2) entertain the non-dancer spectators and 3) never repeat a recording. The last point is a challenge to myself to better leverage my music collection.

So far, it's been a successful formula. We've been getting a larger crowd each week and more dancers have been staying later each week. What that says to me is that it's not really important weather a specific recording is "familar" (whatever that means). The recipe for success at is to simply play good music and be willing to take a chance now with something new and constantly look for those forgotten gems.

I believe the concepts of "familiar" and "overplayed" are both bred into a scene by DJs who are either unable, unwilling or not confident enough to venture into the realm of unfamiliar but good recordings.

[Haydn]

Do you feel these are overplayed in London specifically, or more generally?

In London (but I wouldn't be surprised if the same songs were overplayed elsewhere too).

... but reading through that list of songs one of my initial reactions was 'there are some great songs there' - reason enough for them to be played a whole bunch?

I agree that there are some great songs there, which is probably why they are (over)played a lot. Looking down the list, most of the songs are also mid-tempo (130-170 BPM), good for an average dance crowd. I suppose the DJ's skill is trying to work out whether one of these great mid-tempo songs will be a hit or a miss at a particular time by judging the crowd and the mood.

Incidentally, does anyone else play the 'Music Quiz' game on the iPod? It plays a clip from a song on your iPod, and you have to guess the song from a list of five. It's a lot of fun, and helps me get to know different songs. I've noticed how much harder it is to recognise a well-known song when you start somewhere in the middle (somehow, it feels quite different).

[straycat]

... but reading through that list of songs one of my initial reactions was 'there are some great songs there' - reason enough for them to be played a whole bunch? Is it better to hear a really good song every week than to hear only a collection of unfamiliar crappy songs? Sometimes that one version of CJam Blues is like a light at the end of a tunnel - it's all that keeps you dancing.

Have to agree with you there - while there's some tracks in the list that I think I hear a bit too much of, those same tracks will still fill a dancefloor where less known tracks fail. BMNS is a great example - it was the first track I sought out for its 'overplayed' status, and I've come across DJs who use it in every. single. set. I've. ever. heard. them. play - all of which can conspire to make me feel almost embarrassed to play it - but it still has the power to pack out a previously empty floor, so play it I do (albeit sparingly)

[Eyeball]

Q - is there something inherently bad in an 'over-played' song? If the people like it and they are dancing, what is wrong?

From the dancers end?

From your end?

Wromgness?

[fredo]

my opinion: an overplayed song can loose it's luster because in the end, it's just a recording -- the song will always be the same. Part of the reason live music is exciting for people is because the songs/solos are always different; sometimes playing with the familiar and other times just spontaneous creativity.

I can listen to certain recordings over and over again at home and love them every time, but if a song get's played every night at dances it can become old hat.

[trev]

Yes, as both a dancer and a DJ, it's akin to eating your favourite meal for every meal: Eventually it loses it's appeal (and you may not be getting all your vital nutrients! ).

[Eyeball]

Sure - but there is much in many songs that we really never listen to closely or appreciate. We hear the most identifiable elements of the song (live or recorded) and most people hang with that.

[Haydn]

John really appreciated the band that appeared to serenade him on his street one morning, singing:

"All that meat, and no potatoes
Just ain't right, like green tomatoes
Yeah, I'm waiting
Palpatatin'
But all that meat, and no potatoes"


He heard the same song the next day:

"All that meat, and no potatoes
Just ain't right, like green tomatoes
Yeah, I'm waiting
Palpatatin'
But all that meat, and no potatoes"


And the next:

"All that meat, and no potatoes
Just ain't right, like green tomatoes
Yeah, I'm waiting
Palpatatin'
But all that meat, and no potatoes"


There was much to enjoy in the music - the steady catchy rhythm, the ensemble playing of the band, the playful vocal delivery of the rotund leader. Hearing the song set John up just right for the day ahead, and he felt a spring in his step as he passed the band every morning.


The weeks went on:

"All that meat, and no potatoes
Just ain't right, like green tomatoes
Yeah, I'm waiting
Palpatatin'
But all that meat, and no potatoes"


And on:

"All that meat, and no potatoes
Just ain't right, like green tomatoes
Yeah, I'm waiting
Palpatatin'
But all that meat, and no potatoes"


And on:

"All that meat, and no potatoes
Just ain't right, like green tomatoes
Yeah, I'm waiting
Palpatatin'
But all that meat, and no potatoes"


And still the band continued every day:

"All that meat, and no potatoes
Just ain't right, like green tomatoes
Yeah, I'm waiting
Palpatatin'
But all that meat, and no potatoes"


It was beautiful music. Indeed, it was so good, that it was only some months later, when the street became deserted after his neighbours started taking alternative routes to and from their houses, that he began to notice something curious - the band appeared to be playing exactly the same tune every day. But surely, he must be imagining it? Didn't they know any other tunes? ...

... The very next morning, as if by magic, his wish came true. As we walked down the street, there was not only a new song to greet him, but a new ensemble to play it too (this time lead by two smartly-dressed men):

"The Flat Foot Floogee with the floy floy,
The Flat Foot Floogee with the floy floy,
The Flat Foot Floogee with the floy floy,
floy doy, floy doy, floy doy, floy doy"

[Eyeball]

Haha - but are the words to a song what you hear the most? Or what the dancers dance to?

And you picked a silly, crap tune to begin with.

And it's a bogus premise because you have only chosen one bad tune instead of a couple dozen 'over-played' tunes that one might hear at a dance or in the street.

Nice try, though!

[Surreal]

Flat foot floogie, flat floot floogie, flat foot foogie, fat foot floogie... argh!