IDEA LIST and SONG SURVEY
AUDIO SAMPLES for SONGS: Use ANY website anywhere to sample songs and compile your top 10-20 "must play" list.
The song list at the bottom of this page has artist names with song titles that you can copy and paste to the browser
windows found at Youtube or www.grooveshark.com
PLEASE COPY THE TEXT BELOW and add your questions and comments and bring to our personal planning
sessions or simply paste to the body of an email to paul@djpaulyoung.com. I look forward to sharing more
ideas with you and discussing songs not listed here. Call 952.239.4115 for immediate assistance
IDEAS for wedding receptions: Social hour music is usually Sinatra-style jazz standards and big band to establish
a classy, upbeat mood, however you can customize the play list however you like. If social hour is not in the same room
as dinner, I could move a small sound system into the area for music.
Grand March / Welcome Speech: Most events begin with background music playing in the main room where dinner
will be served and the dance will be held. As soon as all guests are inside, I usually do a "Grand March Introduction"
I'll need to practice pronouncing the names and have a list in order. Would you like any special background song(s)?
Following the Grand March, I usually introduce someone who does a welcome or prayer- what would you like to do?
Dinner Music is usually upbeat solo piano to make eating and talking more pleasant. You can customize this.
Clinking Glasses:: Usually the glasses will begin clinking to get you to kiss right away- either you or I could then
announce your special procedure as an alternative to clinking, such as getting tables of guests to stand and sing a bit of
a song with the word "love" in it, or asking a couple to come up in front of the head table to do a demonstration of how to
kiss (where you imitate their every move). Would you like a highly interactive routine tied to the kissing? There is a
game where you don't kiss unless some guests play a scavenger hunt, minute to win it, or inter-table "find the matching
item" activity.
Cake Cutting: Would you like me to draw attention to it and play a song such as "How Sweet it is to be Loved by You"
(James Taylor) "Sugar Sugar" (Archies) “The Sweetest Thing” (U2) or "Pour Some Sugar On Me?"
Toasts: I'll be ready to turn down the background music and introduce the guests using the microphone.
Slide shows are usually worked into the time between toasts and the first dance. Are you doing any video presentation?
The "Shoe Game" is also often done just before the first dance. Will you be having me do this?
Games may also be worked into the dance, usually following slow songs, such as the Blindfolded Bride guesses the
Groom, Blindfolded Groom guesses the bride, Trivia questions about the bride and groom, and Scavenger hunts.
First Spotlight Dance: This is usually for the bride and groom.
How should I word the first dance announcement? Example:
"Let's welcome_________________________to the dance floor for their first dance as husband and wife"
Let me know the song title, artist and version of the song(s) you'd like for your first dance.
(Sometimes there are 3 spotlight dances: Bride and Groom, Father/Daughter, Mother/Son)
Let me know if you have a special song picked out for the Father/Daughter and Mother/Son dances.
Would you like to do your first dance following the Grand March before dinner?
Would you like to save the Father/Daughter, Mother/Son dances until 40 minutes into the dance?
There is a routine where I ask all married couples to dance-and gradually eliminate them until the couple that has been
married the longest remains on the floor. "Through the Years" by Kenny Rogers is the main song for this.
Would you like to do this?
MIXERS: Would you like to follow the spotlight dances with any traditional "mixers"- such as "snowball" or assembling a
circle of ladies on the dance floor surrounded by a circle of guys where they move in opposite directions and dance with
whomever they are paired with whenever the music changes?
Special events during the dance: I usually wait about 10 songs into the dance before doing these:
____Bouquet Toss (usually preceded by "Put a Ring on It")
____Garter Toss (usually the groom removes the garter while I play an instrumental song called "The Stripper"
____Dollar Dance (usually I play 20-30 minutes of medium/slow songs with appropriate lyrics while the best man and
maid of honor usher guests onto the floor for 20-30 seconds to dance with the bride or groom) Here is a list of songs
with lyrics that support the dollar dance theme: "My Wish" by Rascal Flatts, "I Hope You Dance" by LeeAnn Womack,
"The Way You Look Tonight" by Frank Sinatra, "Something About the Way You Look Tonight" by Elton John, "Love Is All
Around" by Wet Wet Wet, "Unforgettable" by Nat and Natalie Cole, "I Believe In You" by Don Williams, "Memories" by
Elvis Presley, "May Each Day" by Andy Williams "Somewhere Over the Rainbow/Wonderful World" by Izi (ukelele),
"Days Like This, by Van Morrison...these are all slow songs but not "too slow"
Should I have the catchers of the garter and bouquet do something special, such as leading a conga line around the
room? Should they be required to dance a slow song together?
Should I play any special songs for anyone celebrating their own special occasion such as a birthday or anniversary?
Will there be a special last song, such as a "Piano Man Group Hug" or a "New York, New York Chorus Line"?
Should I play "Happy Trails" or "Closing Time" or perhaps repeat the first dance with everyone dancing this time?
Other "Last Song" ideas include "I Hope you had the Time of your Life" by Green Day
SONG SURVEY: Are you open to any remixes, mash-ups or special versions of songs?
Please indicate how much you like each of these-
Use NNN for "do not play even if requested" -use NN for "do not play unless I change my mind at the time it is
requested" -use N for "do not play unless requested by a guest"
Use Y for "play if the mood is right" use YY for "must play" - use YYY for "Must play within 1st hour of the dance"
SUGGESTED CLASSIC SLOW DANCES:
___Etta James: At Last ___Allison Krauss: When You Say Nothing at All ____Nat King Cole/Natalie: Unforgettable
___Righteous Brothers: Unchained Melody ___Louis Armstrong: What A Wonderful World
___Elvis Presley: I Can't Help Falling in Love with You ____Adele: To Make You Feel My Love
___Van Morrison: ___Someone Like You ____Tupelo Honey ___Crazy Love___ Into the Mystic
Rascal Flatts: ___Bless The Broken Road ___My Wish ___Eric Clapton: Wonderful Tonight
___Joe Cocker: You Are So Beautiful ____Marc Cohn: True Companion
CLASSIC WEDDING RECEPTION UPBEAT PARTNER DANCING:
___Glenn Miller: In the Mood
Frank Sinatra: ___New York New York ___The Way You Look Tonight ___Cheek to Cheek
Michael Buble: ___Save The Last Dance For Me ___Sway ___Everything
___Natalie Cole: (This Will Be An) Everlasting Love ___Nat "King" Cole: L.O.V.E.
___Al Green: Let's Stay Together ___Temptations: My Girl
Waltzes: ___Frank Yankovich: Blue Skirt Waltz ___Edwin McCain: I'll Be ___Dean Martin: That's Amore
Polkas: ___Beer Barrel Polka ___In Heaven There is No Beer ___Happy Wanderer ____EI EI EI O
KDWB music: (For complete list of recent popdance hits, go to www.kdwb.com under "music" and click on "play list")
LMFAO: ___Sorry For Party Rocking (idea: line up a few volunteers to demonstrate "Shuffling")
__Party Rock Anthem ___Shots (explicit or clean) ___Sexy and I Know It (make two rows of dancers?)
Pitbull: ____International Love ___ Give Me Everything Tonight ___Calle Ocho ____Hotel Room Service
____Nicki Minaj: Super Bass ___Maroon 5: Moves Like Jagger ____Dev w/Flo Rida: In the Dark
Britney: ____ I Wanna Go __Till the World Ends __Baby One More Time ___Oops I Did It Again
Chris Brown: ___ Beautiful People ____ Yeah 3X ____Forever ___Look At Me Now
___Far East Movement: Like a G6 ___Trey Songz: Bottoms Up ___Lil Wayne: Hit The Lights
Black-Eyed Peas: ____"The Time" (Dirty Bit)___Boom Boom Pow ___I Gotta Feeling __Don't Stop the Party!
___will.i.am. Mick Jagger and J-Lo: "T.H.E." (you can go hard or you can go home)
Ke$ha: ____Tik Tok ____Your Love is My Drug ___Take it Off ___We R Who We R ___Blow
Taio Cruz: ____Dynamite ___Break Your Heart
Lady Ga Ga: ___Just Dance ___Poker Face ___Bad Romance __Judas ___Born This Way ___Edge of Glory
____Marry the Night ___Telephone ____LoveGame ___Alejandro
Usher: ___OMG ___Yeah ___DJ Got Us Falling In Love ____More (Red remix) ____Without You (David Guetta)
Flo Rida: ___Good Feeling ___ Low ___You Spin Me Round (Right Round) ___ Club Can't Handle Me
Rihanna: ___What's My Name ___S & M ___Cheers ___We Found Love
Enrique Iglesias and Pitbull: ____I Like It ___Tonight
___P!nk: Raise Your Glass Adele:____ Rolling in the Deep ____Dance Mix of Someone Like You
Katy Perry: ____the One that Got Away __Hot and Cold ___Firework ____Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F.)
Hot Chelle Rae: ___Tonight Tonight ___I Like It Like That ___Outasight: Tonight Is The Night
___Cobra Starship: You Make Me Feel ____Breathe Caroline: Blackout
___Alexandra Stan: Mr Saxobeat ___Jessie J: Domino
COUNTRY ____Toby Keith: Red Solo Cup ____Brad Paisley: Camouflage
___Nitty Gritty Dirt Band: Fishing In The Dark
___Luke Bryan: Country Girl Shake It For Me ___Randy Travis: Forever and Ever Amen
Sugarland: ____Stuck Like Glue ___All I Wanna Do ___It Happens ___Already Gone
Zac Brown Band ___Toes ___Free ___Chicken Fried
___Big N' Rich: Save a Horse, Ride a Cowboy
___Garth Brooks: Friends in Low Places
Johnny Cash: ___Get Rhythm __Ring of Fire ___Folsom Prison Blues ____I Walk the Line
MISC:
____ Edwin Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros: Home ____Florence and the Machine: Dog Days Are Over
____Avett Brothers: Kick Drum Heart ____Bob Marley: One Love ____Martin Solvieg: Hello
___Tim Toupet: Fliegerlied Der Party Anthem ___Hermes House Band: Country Roads Dance Mix
RAP / HIP HOP
___Regulators (Warren G and Nate Dogg) ___ California Love (2 Pac) ___Hypnotize (B.I.G.)
___ Mo Money Mo Problems (B.I.G.) ___Juicy (B.I.G.) ___2 of America's Most Wanted- Nothin but a gangsta party
___ In Da Club (50 Cent) ___Get Low (lil Jon- explicit) ___Brass Monkey (Beastie Boys) __Let Me Clear My Throat
(DJ Kool) ___It's Tricky (Run DMC) ___It Takes Two (Rob Base) ___Joy and Pain (Rob Base)
___Jump Around (House of Pain) ____Baby Got Back (Sir Mix-a-lot) ___Ice Ice Baby (Vanilla Ice) _
___Shoop (Salt N Pepa) ___Bust A Move (Young MC ) ___Miami (Will Smith) ___OPP (Naughty By Nature)
Sugarhill Gang: ___Rapper's Delight ___Jump On It ___Ditty (Paperboy)
Ludacris: How Low ____Ester Dean: Drop it Low Gurrl ___Savage: Hips Swing
Wiz Kahlifa: Black and Yellow (Wisconsin guests might request "Green and Yellow" Superbowl Party Mix)
TECHNO: ___DJ Sammy: Heaven ___Darude: Sandstorm ___Benny Benassi: Satisfaction ___DeadMau5: Ghosts
and Stuff Daft Punk: ___Around the World ___One More Time
80's Pop with the New Jack Swing feel: ___My Prerogative ___Motown Philly ____Poison ____Opposites Attract
___Johnny Kemp: Just Got Paid _____Keith Sweat: I Want Her
INTERNATIONAL or REGIONAL MUSIC (Many party songs celebrate specific cities, states or other parts of the world
where guests may be coming from).
THE USUAL MOST-REQUESTED CLASSICS:
Bon Jovi: Living on a Prayer
Michael Jackson: ___Billie Jean ___Thriller ___Don't Stop till You Get Enough
___The Way You Make Me Feel __Black or White ___PYT ___Rock With You
___ABC ___Shake your Body ___You Rock My World
Journey: Don't Stop Believing
Otis Day and the Knights (Animal House) Shout!
Kenny Loggins: Footloose
Sister Sledge: We Are Family
Madonna: ___Holiday ___Like a Prayer ___Material Girl ___Vogue ___Express Yourself
AC/DC: ___You Shook Me All Night Long ___Back in Black ___T.N.T. ___Thunderstruck
Bee Gees: ___Stayin' Alive
Billy Joel: Piano Man
Commodores: Brick House
Beyonce: Put a Ring On It (Single Ladies)
Earth Wind and Fire: __September ___Groove Tonight ___Boogie Wonderland
Kool and the Gang: ___Celebration ___Get Down On It ___Jungle Boogie
Cyndi Lauper: Girls Just Wanna Have Fun
Buster Poindexter: Hot Hot Hot conga line
Jr. Walker and the All-Stars: Shotgun (digital remix)
Neil Diamond: ___Sweet Caroline ___September Morn ___Forever in Blue Jeans
Foundations: Build Me Up Buttercup
Bob Seger: Old Time Rock & Roll
Nelly: Ignition (Remix)
Hollies: Long Cool Woman in a Black Dress
Gloria Gaynor: I Will Survive
Marvin Gaye: ___Let's Get It On ___Sexual Healing
Aretha Franklin: ___ Respect ___Think!
Ike and Tina Turner: Proud Mary
Prince: ___Kiss ___DMSR ___ E City ____P Control___Purple Rain
Montell Jordan: This Is How We Do It
B-52’s: Love Shack
Beatles: ___Twist and Shout ___I Saw Her Standing There
Village People: ___Y.M.C.A.
Chubby Checker Let's Twist Again
Def Leppard: Pour Some Sugar on Me
Abba: ___Dancing Queen ___Take a Chance on Me
Donna Summer: ___Hot Stuff ___Last Dance
Justin Timberlake: ___Rock Your Body ___Sexy Back
Weather Girls: It's Raining Men
KC & the Sunshine Band: ____ Boogie Shoes ___Get Down Tonight
Commitments: Mustang Sally
Sublime: Santeria
Dexy's Midnight Runners: Come On Eileen
Proclaimers: I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles)
Ting Tings: That's Not My Name
Kid Rock: All Summer Long
SALSA: ____ La Vida Es un Carnival (Celia Cruz)
Stevie Wonder: ____ I Wish ___Superstition
Doobie Brothers: China Grove
Simon and Garfunkel: Cecelia
Meatloaf: Paradise by the Dashboard Light
Flogging Molly: Devil's Dance Floor
Reel Big Fish: Take On Me (power-ska)
___Circle Around Bride:
Nick Lowe: I Knew the Bride When She Used to Rock and Roll (Is it OK to ask guests to form a circle around the bride
and take turns jumping in to swing her around?)
___Raise the Bride and Groom on Chairs (Hora Dance, Hava Nagila)
GROUP DANCES are for guests want to dance but do not have partners. It's their chance to say that they danced at
your wedding. Even if you do not want any choreographed group dances, guests without partners may still have fun
dancing in circles (usually during "We Are Family" and Billie Jean") These can be made more interesting if you'd like to
me to call out variations on the dance moves.
___Cupid Shuffle ___Casper Cha Cha Slide ___Electric Slide ___Birdie Dance ___Hokey Pokey____Macarena
__Conga Line ___Polka ____Stroll _____Hand Jive ___Bunny Hop ____Schottische ____Butterfly Polka
_The Wop ___The Dougie ____The Jerk ___Movin Like Bernie ____ Hair Whip ___The Wobble ____The John
Wall ____Stanky Leg ____Cat Daddy ___Pop Lock and Drop It ____Jump On It (Search Youtube for Fresh Prince
of Bel Aire routine) ____Tootsie Roll ____2 Step ___Crank That Soulja Boy
____Walk it Out
___Cotton Eyed Joe ___YMCA ___Stayin Alive _____Twist ____Thriller
Should I ask any children making requests to go through a certain adult, such as a wedding party member or their
parents for approval on their requests?
END OF NIGHT: What time is written in your agreement with the venue as the time music must stop? When the crowd
chants "one more song" and the catering manager tells me to stop, it is good to have a plan. Will I be announcing a
location where the party will move to?
Extras (see "pricing page")
Will you be adding my "growing up slide show" production and/or projection services?
Will you be adding my ceremony sound system and/or DJ services?
If Karaoke is being added, please call to plan the rotation rules and timing plan
Thank You! Paul Young: 952.239.4115