If your wedding is coming up you know that making everything just right is a daunting task. There are countless things to look at, and with so many options out there, it can truly be overwhelming. Hall location, center pieces, floral arrangements, which DJ and catering company to select, entry selections & appetizers; the list goes on and on.
Some nervous grooms and brides alike get sweaty palms at the mere mention of having to step up to the spotlight and face “The Dreaded First Dance.” But if you choose a song that is meaningful to you, and makes you happy, that first dance will set the tone and break the ice for everyone.
If you have no clue what to pick for the first dance, here is a great list to look at at some popular hip songs, as well as some great classics that many couples have used in the Upstate New York area for their first dance.
FIRST DANCE SONGS (Traditional / classics)
First, My Last, My Everything – Barry White
Take My Breath Away – Berlin
The Rose – Bette Midler
Our Love Is Here To Stay – Billie Holiday
Just The Way You Are – Billy Joel
She’s Got A Way – Billy Joel
We’ve Got Tonight – Bob Seger
You Are My Special Angel – Bob- Helms
If – Bread
Everything I Own – Bread
Heaven – Bryan Adams
True Love Ways – Buddy Holly
Tonight And Forever – Carly Simon
You’re The Inspiration – Chicago
Lady In Red – Chris DeBurgh
Longer – Dan Fogelberg
Endless Love – Diana Ross & Lionel Richie
Can You Feel the Love Tonight – Elton John
Friends – Elton John
The One – Elton John
Your Song – Elton John
Can’t Help Falling In Love – Elvis Presley
Always – Erasure
At Last – Etta James
Let It Be Me – Everly Brothers
Songbird – Fleetwood Mac
The Best Is Yet To Come – Frank Sinatra
The Way You Look Tonight – Frank Sinatra
If I Loved You – from Carousel
As Time Goes – – from Casablanca
Some Enchanted Evening – from South Pacific
Somewhere – from West Side Story
Love Theme – Zeffirelli’s Romeo and Juliet
Nothing’s Gonna Change My Love For You – Glenn Medeiros
Here We Are – Gloria Estefan
Beautiful – Gordon Lightfoot
It Had To Be You – Harry Connick, Jr.
So This Is Love – James Ingram
Up Where We Belong – Joe Cocker & Jennifer Warrens
You Are So Beautiful – Joe Cocker
Woman – John Lennon
I Swear – John Michael Montgomery
Chances Are – Johnny Mathis
Beautiful In My Eyes – Joshua Kadison
So In Love – K.D. lang
Don’t Know Much – Linda Ronstadt & Aaron Neville
Amazed – Lonestar
What A Wonderful World – Louis Armstrong
Here And Now – Luther Vandross
Dream A Little Dream – Mamas & the Papas
Hero – Mariah Carey
Grow Old With Me – Mary Chapin Carpenter
Embraceable You – Nat King Cole
Unforgettable – Nat King Cole
When I Fall In Love – Nat King Cole
Marry Me – Train
Marry Me – Neil Diamond & Buffy Lawson
When A Man Loves A Woman – Percy Sledge
After All – Peter Cetera & Cher
Glory Of Love – Peter Cetera
Perhaps Love – Placido Domingo & John Denver
Forever and Ever, Amen – Randy Travis
You Are the Everything – R.E.M.
I Can’t Fight This Feeling Anymore – R.E.O. Speedwagon
Unchained Melody – Righteous Brothers
Tonight I Celebrate My Love For You – Roberta Flack & Peabo Bryson
Kiss From A Rose – Seal
Dreaming Of You – Selena
From This Moment – Shania Twain & Brian White
You’re Still The One – Shania Twain
If I Never Knew You – Shanice Wilson & John Secada
You Are The Sunshine Of My Life – Stevie Wonder
I Believe – When I Fall in Love – Stevie Wonder
Ma Cherie Amour – Stevie Wonder
Give a Little Bit – Supertramp
Eternal Flame – The Bangles
I Will – The Beatles
In My Life – The Beatles
Something – The Beatles
We’ve Only Just Begun – The Carpenters
In The Still of the Night – The Five Satins
I Only Have Eyes For You – The Flamingos
A Groovy Kind Of Love – The Mindbenders
Oh, How The Years Go – – Vanessa Williams
Will You Marry Me? – Vonda Shepard
FIRST DANCE SONGS –
NEW/ALTERNATIVE LIST
Adele – Make you feel my Love
Alanis Morissette – Head Over Feet
Alicia Keys – Fallin’
Alicia Keys – If I Ain’t Got You
All 4 One – I Swear
Ashlee Simpson – Pieces Of Me
Avril Lavigne – I’m With You
Ben Folds – The Luckiest
Barenaked Ladies – It’s All Been Done
Beyoncé – At Last (Remake of Etta James)
Brad Paisley – Then
Bright Eyes – First Day of My Life
Bruno Mars – Just The Way You Are
Bruno Mars – Marry You
Carrie Underwood – Look At Me
Charlotte Church – Crazy Chick
Christina Aguilera – Beautiful
Christina Aguilera – I Turn To You
Creed – With Arms Wide Open
Colbie Caillat – Bubbly
Colbie Caillat – I Do
Coldplay – Green Eyes
Coldplay – In My Place
Corrs – All The Love In The World
Counting Crows – Accidentally In Love
Dave Matthews Band – You and Me
Delta Goodrem – Out Of The Blue
Dido – Thank You
Dixie Chicks – Cowboy Take Me Away
Edwin McCain – I’ll Be, I could not ask for more
Ed Sheeran – A-team
Enrique Iglesias – Hero
Frankie J with Baby Bash – Obsession (No Es Amor)
Frankie J – More Than Words
Foo Fighters – Everlong
Ginuwine – Differences
Goo Goo Dolls – Iris
Guy Sebastian – Angles Brought Me Here
Howie Day – Collide
IZ Isreal Kamakawiwoʻole – Somewhere over The Rainbow
Jack Johnson -Banana Pancakes
Jack Johnson – Better Together
James Blunt – You’re Beautiful
Jason Derulo – Watcha Say
Jason Mraz and Colbie Callait Lucky
Jason Mraz – I’m Yours
Jennifer Lopez – Baby I Love You
John Michael Montgomery – I Swear
Josh Groban – You Raise Me Up
Katy Perry – Thinking Of You
K-Ci & JoJo – All My Life
K-Ci & JoJo – Crazy
Kelly Clarkson – A Moment Like This
Kelly Clarkson – Before Your Love
Kelly Clarkson – Thankful
Leane Womack – I Hope You Dance
Lonestar – Amazed
Lumineers – Ho Hey
Maroon 5 – She Will Be Loved
Marc Broussard – Lucky
Michelle Branch – Game Of Love
Michael Buble – Everything
Mika – Love Today Miley Cyrus – The Climb
Monica and Usher – Slow Jam
Newton Faulkner – Dream Catch Me
Norah Jones- Those Sweet Words
Ne-Yo – Sexy Love
O-Town – Always
OneRepublic – Apologize
OneRepublic – Stop and Stare
Owl City – If My Heart Was A House
Plain White T’s – 1 2 3 4
Plain White T’s – Rhythm of Love
Paulini – Angel Eyes
Rascal Flats – My Wish
Ray LaMontagne – Hold You In My Arms
Ricki Lee – Love Is All Around
Rihanna – Umbrella
Rob Thomas – Little Wonders
Runner Runner – Can’t Hardly Wait
Santana & Chad Croeger – Into The Night
Sara Evans – I could not ask for more
Sarah McLachlan – I Will Remember You
Secondhand Serenade – Fall For You
Shakira – Underneath Your Clothes
Shania Twain – Always and Forever
Sixpence None The Richer – Kiss Me
Smashing Pumpkins – Today
Snow Patrol – Chasing Cars
Stickwitu – Pussycat Dolls
Taylor Swift – Today Was a Fairytale
Train – Marry Me
The Cure – Just Like Heaven
Toploader – Dancing in the Moonlight
Uncle Kracker – Smile
Usher – U Got It Bad
U2 – Beautiful Day
Vanessa Amorosi – Perfect
Van Morrison – Days like This
Van Morrison – Faith in Me
Vanassa Carlton – A Thousand Miles
Westlife – Swear It Again
Over the past weekend, I did a really fun 80’s theme wedding where the guests actually dressed up to go along with the décor. It was really a blast! People dressed punky as early Madonna, sunglassed and pantless as Tom Cruise in Risky Business, and even as the zombie Michael Jackson!
Having a theme-based wedding reception, or get together can really make things more fun for your next big party or event, too. This campy decade saw the rise of Madonna, Cyndi Lauper, Duran Duran, and the King of Pop Michael Jackson thanks to the early music video-playing channel, MTV. If you choose to go this route, remember to word your invitations in exactly the same way, and tell everyone to come dressed as their favorite 80’s star. The pictures will be priceless!
MY 80’s TOP 10 LIST TO PLAY AT YOUR WEDDING
Out of the countless weddings I have been the DJ for, I have found that these 10 80s songs seem to get the best response from the guests:
Matthew Wilder, Super Mario Body Double
1. Journey – Don’t Stop Believing
2. Michael Jackson – Billie Jean
3. Rick Springfield – Jessie’s Girl
4. Outfield – Your Love
5. Matthew Wilder – Break My Stride
6. The Police – Roxanne
7. Prince – Kiss
8. Technotronic – Pump Up The Jam
9. Salt N Peppa – Push It
10. Run DMC – It’s Tricky
Music Videos and television shows lead to the fashion industry, pushing black and white lace for the girls, a la The Material Girl, or pastel colored jackets with T-shirts or skinny ties, with the sleeves rolled up to the elbow for the guys like the guys from Duran Duran and Miami Vice.
Make sure to have plenty of jelly bracelets, fishnet gloves and punk wigs for those guests who will not be dressed appropriately. Quite often people will not want to dress up and look “silly,” but then wish they did after they see all the fun the other guests are having, once they get there.
80’s TOP 100 MUSIC LIST
According to VH1, a station that still plays some actual music videos (albeit early in the morning0, these are the top 100 80’s songs that you just, like totally have to play!
1. Bon Jovi / “Livin’ on a Prayer” (1986)
2. Def Leppard / “Pour Some Sugar On Me” (1987)
3. Duran Duran / “Hungry Like the Wolf” (1982)
4. Michael Jackson / “Billie Jean” (1982)
5. Prince / “When Doves Cry” (1984)
6. Hall & Oates / “I Can’t Go For That (No Can Do)” (1981)
7. Guns N’ Roses / Sweet Child O’ Mine (1987)
8. Madonna / “Like a Virgin” (1984)
9. Run-D.M.C. / “Walk This Way” (1986)
10. AC/DC / “You Shook Me All Night Long” (1980)
11. Journey / Don’t Stop Believing (1981)
12. Whitney Houston / “How Will I Know” (1985)
13. U2 / “With Or Without You” (1987)
14. The Bangles / “Walk Like an Egyptian” (1986)
15. Van Halen / “Jump” (1984)
16. INXS / “Need You Tonight” (1987)
17. Whitesnake / “Here I Go Again” (1982)
18. Dexy’s Midnight Runners / “Come On Eileen” (1982)
19. Cyndi Lauper / “Time After Time” (1984) 20. Rick Springfield / “Jessie’s Girl” (1981)
21. Michael Jackson / “Beat It” (1982)
22. The Cure / “Just Like Heaven” (1987)
23. Cyndi Lauper / “Girls Just Want to Have Fun” (1984)
24. A-Ha / “Take On Me” (1985)
25. Go-Go’s / “Our Lips Are Sealed” (1981)
26. Guns N’ Roses / “Welcome to the Jungle” (1987)
27. Kajagoogoo / “Too Shy” (1984)
28. Wham! / “Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go” (1984)
29. Talking Heads / “Burning Down the House” (1983)
30. Pat Benatar / “Love is a Battlefield” (1983)
31. Queen and David Bowie / “Under Pressure” (1981)
32. Night Ranger / “Sister Christian” (1983)
33. Soft Cell / “Tainted Love” (1981)
34. Poison / “Every Rose Has It’s Thorn” (1988)
35. Phil Collins / “In the Air Tonight” (1981)
36. Tommy Tutone / “867-5309/Jenny” (1981)
37. Aerosmith / “Janie’s Got a Gun” (1989)
38. U2 / “Pride (In the Name of Love)” (1984)
39. Modern English / “I Melt With You” (1982) 40. The B-52’s / “Love Shack” (1989)
41. Mötley Crüe / “Dr. Feelgood” (1989)
42. The Clash / “London Calling” (1982)
43. ABC / “Look of Love” (1982)
44. Bananarama / “Cruel Summer” (1984)
45. Janet Jackson / “Nasty” (1986)
46. The Police / “Every Breath You Take” (1983)
47. Twisted Sister / “We’re Not Gonna Take It” (1984)
48. Bruce Springsteen / “Born in the U.S.A.” (1984)
49. Beastie Boys / “Fight For Your Right” (1986)
50. Eurythmics / “Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)” (1983)
51. Ratt / “Round and Round” (1984)
52. Dead or Alive / “You Spin Me Round (Like A Record)” (1985)
53. Billy Idol / “White Wedding” (1988)
54. Salt-N-Pepa / “Push It” (1986)
55. A Flock of Seagulls / “I Ran (So Far Away)” (1982)
56. Bonnie Tyler / “Total Eclipse of the Heart” (1983)
57. Toni Basil / “Mickey” (1981)
58. Culture Club / “Do You Really Want to Hurt Me” (1982)
59. John Mellencamp / “Jack & Diane” (1982) 60. Young M.C. / “Bust a Move” (1989)
61. Styx / “Mr. Roboto” (1983)
62. Berlin / “Take My Breath Away” (1986)
63. Devo / “Whip It” (1980)
64. Paula Abdul / “Straight Up” (1988)
65. Foreigner / “I Want to Know What Love Is” (1984)
66. Depeche Mode / “Just Can’t Get Enough” (1981)
67. REO Speedwagon / “Keep On Loving You” (1980)
68. Public Enemy / “Fight the Power” (1988)
69. R.E.M. / “It’s the End of the World as We Know It (And I Feel Fine)” (1980)
70. Joan Jett & The Blackhearts / “I Love Rock N’ Roll” (1981) 71. Rick James / “Super Freak” (1981) 72. The Fixx / “One Thing Leads to Another” (1983) 73. Nena / “99 Luftballons” (1983)
74. George Michael / “Faith” (1987)
75. Prince / “Little Red Corvette” (1983)
76. Thomas Dolby / “She Blinded Me With Science” (1982)
77. New Edition / “Candy Girl” (1983)
78. Blondie / “Call Me” (1980)
79. Human League / “Don’t You Want Me?” (1981) 80. Rob Base & DJ E-Z Rock / “It Takes Two” (1988)
81. Cameo / “Word Up!” (1986)
82. Squeeze / “Tempted” (1981)
83. Prince / “Kiss” (1986)
84. Lionel Richie / “All Night Long (All Night)” (1983)
85. Robert Palmer / “Addicted to Love” (1985)
86. Bow Wow Wow / “I Want Candy” (1982)
87. Falco / “Rock Me Amadeus” (1986)
88. Chaka Khan / “Ain’t Nobody” (1989)
89. The Pretenders / “Brass in Pocket” (1980)
90. Tone-Loc / “Wild Thing” (1989)
91. Katrina and The Waves / “Walking On Sunshine” (1983)
92. New Kids on the Block / “You Got It (The Right Stuff)” (1988)
93. Gary Numan / “Cars” (1980)
94. Rolling Stones / “Start Me Up” (1981)
95. Debbie Gibson / “Only in My Dreams” (1987)
96. Men at Work / “Down Under” (1982)
97. The Romantics / “What I Like About You” (1980)
98. Bobby Brown / “My Perogative” (1988)
99. Wang Chung / “Everybody Have Fun Tonight” (1986)
100. Loverboy / “Working for the Weekend” (1981)
MORE 80s THEME IDEAS
For more 80’s party and wedding theme ideas, go to our blog by clicking HERE – 80s wedding theme ideas.
This past weekend I had a couple of Christmas parties. Yes, it is that time of year again. No weddings this weekend for a change. It was pretty fun.
The first one that I DJ’ed for The NYS Parole Christmas / Holiday Party. This fun little group of great people met up at the Appletini’s Banquet Room in Albany, NY, off of Central Avenue.
We started off with a mixture of lounge music and Christmas music while the guests ate, then gave away a number of door prizes.
Office Parties are Better With Door Prizes
DOOR PRIZES – Giving away door prizes is one of my most favorite activities as a DeeJay. I love to interact with the guests and this is a great way for me to hit people with some ridiculous jokes – which is one of my specialties. Seeing how this party was full of state workers, it was an easy topic for me to hit upon, with jokes about unions and taking too many breaks – etc… People love to laugh at themselves.
The party organizer, Maria, did a great job and had a lot of cool prizes. Like some of the union parties I do, she had taken extra collected money and bought up a bunch of small gift certificates (like $5 – $20) from Target, Home Depot, Panera and Dunkin’ Donuts.
NAME THAT TUNE WITH THE DJ – At one point we turned it into a Name That Tune – Music Trivia contest, where I played TV Theme songs and the first person to stand and give our judge the correct answer would win. This was super fun. Some of the songs included St. Elsewhere, Wonderwoman, Dynasty, The Greatest American Hero, and The A-Team.
