# Songs that Kill



## 1PUTTS (Sep 8, 2007)

For you folks who play (or have played) in your typical "cover" band scenario, what's that one song (or a couple songs) that just seems to go over every time?

Bit of background: I play drums for a couple rock bands. One is your corporate type gig - we do company events, a few weddings here and there, some private parties. So it's purely a mainstream crowd. We have 2 guitars, bass, keys and drums so we can cover the gamut. We also have a very good female vocalist who we call upon from time to time when we think the venue warrants that special female touch. So we can do Shania, Aretha, Pat Benatar and even Sinatra (Nancy, that is).

The other band does the bar scene - a bit heavier sound (Led Zeppelin, Jethro Tull, AC/DC, Alice Cooper) but still mostly your basic rock repertoire. 2 guitars, bass, drums and a lead singer who sometimes plays lead cowbell (rather loudly and not always in time).

With the corporate gig, the one song that always seems to go over well is "Twilight Zone" by Golden Earring. I think it's because most people know it but you don't hear too many bands play it. And, as much as I hate to say it, "What I like About You" by The Romantics usually fills the dance floor.

With the bar gig, "TNT" by AC/DC always gets people hopping. And people also seem to like "Gel" by Collective Soul.

Let's hear yours...


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## adamthemute (Jun 18, 2007)

Female vocalist? Cover some _Yeah Yeah Yeahs_!

Maps
Cheated Hearts
Gold Lion


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## Milkman (Feb 2, 2006)

For us the songs that sort of surprise me in terms of response are Billy Joel's "Piano Man", The Beatles "Let it Be", and maybe The Band's "The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down".


People seem to like the change from the somewhat heavier stuff we do such as AC / DC and Deep Purple.


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## Guest (Oct 18, 2007)

1PUTTS said:


> And people also seem to like "Gel" by Collective Soul.


With The Apollo Effect we used to cover "Shine" to end our set and it always killed. Echo & The Bunnymen's "Lips Like Sugar" always worked really. Depeche Mode, "Enjoy The Silence". Muse, "Starlight" (with TAE's singer hurting for those Bellamy high notes ).

I think it really depends on the crowd you're playing to. Milkman's covers wouldn't have cut it for the 20-30 somethings we were pandering to. We were covering Stevie Wonder's "I Wish" for a while there and the older folks in the crowd dug it but the younger folks, not so much.


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## Milkman (Feb 2, 2006)

iaresee said:


> With The Apollo Effect we used to cover "Shine" to end our set and it always killed. Echo & The Bunnymen's "Lips Like Sugar" always worked really. Depeche Mode, "Enjoy The Silence". Muse, "Starlight" (with TAE's singer hurting for those Bellamy high notes ).
> 
> I think it really depends on the crowd you're playing to. Milkman's covers wouldn't have cut it for the 20-30 somethings we were pandering to. We were covering Stevie Wonder's "I Wish" for a while there and the older folks in the crowd dug it but the younger folks, not so much.



Actually you might be surprised. I sure was. The people on the dance floor with arms linked, singing along with Piano Man often include 20 ~ 30 somethings.

It's all a matter of how much heart you put into the song I guess.


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## simescan (May 15, 2007)

Paul said:


> Could you explain to me what the $%&*! is a "real estate novelist"? This might be better suited to the bad lyricist thread, but really, I have never figured out what the heck that job description would look like.
> 
> :smile::smile:


Billy Joel offers an explanation here....

http://www.blender.com/guide/articles.aspx?id=151


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## Milkman (Feb 2, 2006)

Paul said:


> Cool, now I know.
> 
> Thx. for that.


And there you have it.


"and the piano sounds like a carnival, and the microphone smells like a beer
and they sit at the var and put bread in my jar and say man what are you doing here?"


Still a great song after all these years.


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## Milkman (Feb 2, 2006)

jroberts said:


> Not sure about songs that kill, but I know of a joke that kills...
> 
> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dlXV9oYO50k


Now that's funny.:food-smiley-004:


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## Robboman (Oct 14, 2006)

+1 for "What I Like About You". The dance floor packs immediately when you launch into it. It's one of those tunes that no one ever requests, yet everyone knows it instantly when they hear it.

Others...
"Play That Funky Music" - Wild Cherry
"Folsom Prison" J Cash, this one is shocking how big it goes over to a mostly young rock crowd. 

Here's one you might laugh at.. "Sweet Home Alabama". That song was already old and tired 20 years ago and it did NOT go over well late 90's, early 00s, but something happened in the past year. The kids (born just 20 yrs ago or so) go nuts for it now. To them, I guess it's brand new. What happened, was it featured in a new Jackass movie or something?


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## 1PUTTS (Sep 8, 2007)

adamthemute said:


> Female vocalist? Cover some _Yeah Yeah Yeahs_!


As much as I enjoyed watching those vids, I doubt anyone else at these Corporate gigs has heard these songs before. I hadn't either until a few minutes ago. But I did like them.


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## 1PUTTS (Sep 8, 2007)

Milkman said:


> For us the songs that sort of surprise me in terms of response are Billy Joel's "Piano Man", The Beatles "Let it Be", and maybe The Band's "The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down".


I'm going to put Dixie on the possible list. I'd also like to do "The Wait" (not to be confused with "The Weight" by The Tragically Hip, which we do with the heavier outfit).

PS. Watched some of your vids and liked your Supertramp. We sometimes do Bloody Well Right if it's the right crowd.


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## 1PUTTS (Sep 8, 2007)

iaresee said:


> With The Apollo Effect we used to cover "Shine" to end our set and it always killed. Echo & The Bunnymen's "Lips Like Sugar" always worked really. Depeche Mode, "Enjoy The Silence". Muse, "Starlight" (with TAE's singer hurting for those Bellamy high notes ).


Good suggestions. I do like the more semi-obscure tunes that people know but they don't know they know it until they hear it. Then they go, "Oh yeah, I like this tune".

We did try Shine for a while but found Gel went over better in general. But it's still a good pick.


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## 1PUTTS (Sep 8, 2007)

jroberts said:


> Not sure about songs that kill, but I know of a joke that kills...


Funny. How about a look that kills?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bk4ZxBbHb5M


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## Milkman (Feb 2, 2006)

1PUTTS said:


> I'm going to put Dixie on the possible list. I'd also like to do "The Wait" (not to be confused with "The Weight" by The Tragically Hip, which we do with the heavier outfit).
> 
> PS. Watched some of your vids and liked your Supertramp. We sometimes do Bloody Well Right if it's the right crowd.


Why thank you.

Apparently you also have a very good keyboardist.:rockon:


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## 1PUTTS (Sep 8, 2007)

Robboman said:


> Others...
> "Play That Funky Music" - Wild Cherry
> "Folsom Prison" J Cash, this one is shocking how big it goes over to a mostly young rock crowd.
> 
> Here's one you might laugh at.. "Sweet Home Alabama". That song was already old and tired 20 years ago and it did NOT go over well late 90's, early 00s, but something happened in the past year. The kids (born just 20 yrs ago or so) go nuts for it now. To them, I guess it's brand new. What happened, was it featured in a new Jackass movie or something?


We do a PTFMWB/That's The Way (I like it) combo and, believe it or not, Folsom Prison when someone asks for The Man in Black (which happens more often now than it did).

As for Sweet Home, there's a running joke in the band: When the drunk guy staggers up to the stage and says, "Play some Skynyrd" - before he even has a chance to finish his sentence and take another slug of beer, we launch into it a loud as possible, usually causing him to throw up the devil horns and then promptly fall over. It always gets a laugh (well, amongst us anyhow) and the guy always staggers away a happy man. Because that's what counts.


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## 1PUTTS (Sep 8, 2007)

Milkman said:


> Why thank you.
> Apparently you also have a very good keyboardist.:rockon:


You're welcome. Oh, the Pink Floyd was great also. Yeah, our keyboard guy is a good player. Covers piano, organ, sax solos, space age laser blasts - the whole bit.:smile:


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## Milkman (Feb 2, 2006)

1PUTTS said:


> You're welcome. Oh, the Pink Floyd was great also. Yeah, our keyboard guy is a good player. Covers piano, organ, sax solos, space age laser blasts - the whole bit.:smile:


Never leave home without one.


I also play piano on a few tunes but for the really technical stuff I depend on my keyboardist. He also doubles on guitar and can play alto and tenor sax (if he'd ever shake loose the funds to buy either). 


and thanks again,


Mike


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## Milkman (Feb 2, 2006)

*A video of us doing Piano Man*

Sorry for the highjack, but it's sort of on topic.

This is us doing Piano Man this past Saturday. Don't mind the shaky camera work and the drunken dancers. It was an outdoor show and the weather was beautiful (about 10 deg C). It was a very nice evening of music.


This doesn't exactly "kill" but I love playing it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8hGDTSFhPBc


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## Robboman (Oct 14, 2006)

1PUTTS said:


> ...I'd also like to do "The Wait" (not to be confused with "The Weight" by The Tragically Hip, which we do with the heavier outfit).
> QUOTE]
> 
> Who's song is "The Wait" you refer to?
> ...


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## 1PUTTS (Sep 8, 2007)

Robboman said:


> Who's song is "The Wait" you refer to?
> 
> My band does "The Weight" by The Band, and it works well even without the keys. 3 part harmony for "and... and... annnnnnnd.... you put the load right on me". Whole crowd sings along often.


Oops, I meant "The Weight" by The Band. I would think it would go over quite well - we'll have to try it out and see. I'm also thinking about "Have You Ever Seen the Rain" by CCR. Nice easy song and everyone knows it and can sing along.


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## Spikezone (Feb 2, 2006)

Some Canadian tunes: Roxy Roller and Raise A Little Hell...
-Mikey


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## Lee Bob (Mar 2, 2006)

Even though I played in an original band, we would play the odd cover gig for cash and we would also throw some cover songs into our original sets.

Rockin in the Free World was always a good way to end the night. We played it in the key of D (in Drop D tuning) as opposed to E for a heavier feel and to match our 3 voices best. The singer would sing the first verse, me the second and then our bassist the third, and we would all sing the choruses. We always had a huge breakdown going into the third verse and then would erupt to finish the song.

Another one that the ladies always loved was Crazy Bitch by Buckcherry.


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## CobaltBlue72 (Jun 3, 2007)

of you can pull it off, Baba O'Reily by The Who always seems to be a crowd pleaser. hell I remember being at a festival and between bands they had it on the PA and people were pretty excited and singing along.


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