why does everyone hate "wade in the water?"

Everything about the swinging music we love to DJ

Moderators: Mr Awesomer, JesseMiner, CafeSavoy

Locked
Message
Author
User avatar
Yakov
Posts: 614
Joined: Mon Jul 28, 2003 8:02 pm
Location: Miami
Contact:

why does everyone hate "wade in the water?"

#1 Post by Yakov » Thu Sep 25, 2003 8:27 am

it seems like the one thing we can all agree on is that "wade in the water" sucks -- why is that?

User avatar
Soupbone
Posts: 153
Joined: Mon Nov 25, 2002 2:39 pm
Location: Seattle

#2 Post by Soupbone » Thu Sep 25, 2003 8:34 am

Actually, I don't think it sucks. It's a classic spiritual, and Eva Cassidy's version is quite pleasant.

But, it became the poster child for a) being played out and b) the westie influence on the lindy hop community.

So, it gets a lot of heat for those reasons.
Gary

Image

User avatar
CafeSavoy
Posts: 1138
Joined: Mon Nov 18, 2002 6:25 pm
Location: Mobtown
Contact:

#3 Post by CafeSavoy » Thu Sep 25, 2003 8:52 am

Because we are all sheep.

Nate Dogg
Posts: 886
Joined: Sat Dec 14, 2002 3:29 pm
Location: Austin, TX

#4 Post by Nate Dogg » Thu Sep 25, 2003 9:01 am

I don't hate it. Then again, I don't hate as much music as other DJs do.

I don't play it very often because it is overplayed. If people request it, I usually play it.

Funny thing is that it is not overplayed to the newer dancers who have started dancing within the past year (at least locally). It is a new tune to them.

User avatar
gatorgal
Posts: 538
Joined: Wed Sep 10, 2003 7:45 pm
Location: Austin, Texas
Contact:

#5 Post by gatorgal » Thu Sep 25, 2003 10:05 am

I don't hate it either. Will play it if I feel like it, and will most likely play it if someone requests it. But it is now getting to the point that if you admit that you like a song deemed "overplayed" that you have to join a 12 step group or something.

What I find funny is that everyone I've met always associates "Wade" with the "Westie" scene when I heard it in Lindy circles for a long time before I heard it at a Westie dance. I also associate the song with a particular dancer that I like, so I guess that's another reason why "Wade" doesn't bother me that much.

Tina 8)
"I'm here to kick a little DJ a$$!"
~ Foreman on That 70s Show

User avatar
Swifty
Posts: 448
Joined: Mon Nov 25, 2002 7:53 pm
Location: NY, NY
Contact:

#6 Post by Swifty » Thu Sep 25, 2003 10:35 am

I think my current favorite "Wade in the Water" is the Ramsey Lewis version.

KevinSchaper
Posts: 277
Joined: Wed Nov 20, 2002 4:29 pm
Location: Eugene, OR

#7 Post by KevinSchaper » Thu Sep 25, 2003 10:42 am

it's funny, there's a guy who DJs alternative tango nights, where he plays a mix of classic tango stuff and other, totally non-tango stuff - and it shouldn't have been any surprise to here Wade in the Water when he was DJing - because it has to become overplayed in every possible dance scene.. I dunno how it's gonna make it into salsa, but it will.

User avatar
Jake
Posts: 68
Joined: Wed Nov 20, 2002 2:55 pm
Location: Pittsburgh
Contact:

#8 Post by Jake » Thu Sep 25, 2003 10:52 am

Swifty wrote:I think my current favorite "Wade in the Water" is the Ramsey Lewis version.
If you like that one, check out an album called Live at the Bohemian Caverns 1968 by the Young Holt Trio (Lewis' drummer and bassist). Not a dance album, but very funky. Their version is a.k.a. "Wade In The Money."

My current favorite version is by Mavis Staples. on Sprituals & Gospel: Dedicated to Mahalia Jackson (1996), which also has an amazing version of "He's Got The Whole World In His Hands" and "I'll Fly Away."

User avatar
kbuxton
Posts: 120
Joined: Wed Nov 20, 2002 2:45 pm

#9 Post by kbuxton » Thu Sep 25, 2003 11:58 am

I still like it, and enjoy dancing to it. I'll play it in Portland, but wouldn't play it out of town because I know so many people are sick of it.

User avatar
Mike
Posts: 86
Joined: Thu Nov 21, 2002 7:27 am
Location: Rochester, NY
Contact:

#10 Post by Mike » Thu Sep 25, 2003 12:08 pm

Just wait a couple of years. Then it'll be "old skool" and you'll be cool for playing it.

Seriously, it is a great song and a great version. I don't dislike it, it has just been overplayed. I am unlike most people, I think, in that I don't get sick of songs being played too much. Unless the song is lame, of course.

User avatar
gatorgal
Posts: 538
Joined: Wed Sep 10, 2003 7:45 pm
Location: Austin, Texas
Contact:

#11 Post by gatorgal » Thu Sep 25, 2003 12:29 pm

Mike wrote:Just wait a couple of years. Then it'll be "old skool" and you'll be cool for playing it.
:lol: :lol: :lol:

Tina
"I'm here to kick a little DJ a$$!"
~ Foreman on That 70s Show

User avatar
Swifty
Posts: 448
Joined: Mon Nov 25, 2002 7:53 pm
Location: NY, NY
Contact:

#12 Post by Swifty » Thu Sep 25, 2003 1:00 pm

Jake wrote:If you like that one, check out an album called Live at the Bohemian Caverns 1968 by the Young Holt Trio (Lewis' drummer and bassist). Not a dance album, but very funky. Their version is a.k.a. "Wade In The Money."

My current favorite version is by Mavis Staples. on Sprituals & Gospel: Dedicated to Mahalia Jackson (1996), which also has an amazing version of "He's Got The Whole World In His Hands" and "I'll Fly Away."
Make sure you bring both out next Saturday so I can give them a listen.

Roy
Posts: 410
Joined: Mon Mar 31, 2003 1:23 pm
Location: San Francisco
Contact:

#13 Post by Roy » Thu Sep 25, 2003 2:56 pm

Yep, I hate it. It's overplayed. For ahwhile almost every DJ was playing this song. Hearing this song multiple times at exchanges, and hearing it almost every time I went out swing dancing it became too much, for a song I didn't like that much in the first place.

User avatar
Greg Avakian
Posts: 382
Joined: Mon Nov 25, 2002 10:27 pm
Location: Philadelphia, PA
Contact:

#14 Post by Greg Avakian » Thu Sep 25, 2003 3:34 pm

CafeSavoy wrote:Because we are all sheep.
Man, that woke me up.

It's a great tune, but yes, it's over played. I think it actually has more of a Lindy feel than a westie feel -which might explain why is lasted longer in the Lindy community (the westies liked it for about a year).

My current favorite version is Marcelo's. ;)

User avatar
djstarr
Posts: 1043
Joined: Tue Apr 15, 2003 2:09 pm
Location: Seattle

#15 Post by djstarr » Thu Sep 25, 2003 4:05 pm

I like the version by Charlie Haden and Hank Jones on this album and will play it on occasion - it's a subtle version and it's interesting to see who will ask about it.

The one time I was requested to play it I asked if they wanted to hear a different version or the Eva Cassidy one; they of course wanted Eva - it's a nice tune, I didn't mind playing it.

Locked