At most events where we spin, there’s guests with musical tastes that are more adventurous, and there's those guests with musical tastes that are more mild. To please both of these groups, you either have to toggle between styles a lot, or you have to find songs that at the same time can excite both groups but also still feel fresh.
An excellent example of a rare song that perfectly does this is actually one that's about 25 years old – the French singer Sylvie Vartan's cover of the Beatles' classic "Twist and Shout." Vartan's version (from the 1964 EP pictured) manages to be both instantly familiar and charmingly different at the same time – an old favorite that you've heard many times, yet also never heard at all.
Vartan, originally from Bulgaria, and who was about nineteen when she recorded the song, was one of the most prominent stars of the female-fronted "ye-ye" scene. This musical trend in early to mid-1960s France consisted of attractive young women dressed in the most stylishly "mod" fashions of the day singing about first loves and first break-ups with an attitude that mingled innocence with an often edgy, up-front sexuality.
“Twiste et Chante” keeps the melody and speed of the iconic Beatles song, but it doesn’t try to match the intensity of the well-known raw guitar and vocal sound. Instead, the pretty French lyrics and Vartan’s playful vocals take the spotlight, with only, it seems, drums and cymbal accompaniment and a few female back-up vocals. The whole effect gives the song a more sly, more jazzy, and more, well, stereotypically French, vibe.
The impressive thing here, though, is that this lighter treatment of the song never feels like fluff. While there may not be any gritty guitar distortion like in the version you're more familiar with, there is some grit to Vartan’s vocals. Her late-teenage voice is unusually deep and mature-sounding, and, possibly from her Bulgarian roots, there’s a husky, slightly guttural accent in her French. Regardless of wherever her vocal performance comes from, it’s what makes the song a success. The rollicking wildness of the original Beatles song is exchanged here for a wily sexiness that's impressively satisfying. The song might even leave you thinking that in those French lyrics, when Vartan sings about Twisting and Shouting, that maybe she’s describing something more provocative than simply shaking it up, baby, and working it out. Ooh la la!
As we’ve said before on this blog, one of the best things about being a DJ in New York City and the surrounding area is that often we spin for clients who, for a number of reasons – cultural or religious background, personal style, their guests’ music tastes, or a combination of these – want a mix of music at their events that’s very unique and personalized to them. Not that this doesn’t happen to DJs in other cities; it’s just that because of the sheer number of people and cultures and attitudes living here, the new and different in New York is a asked for and expected a lot more.
You may think that these fresh and creative approaches would be expected at events we perform at, like fashion shows, cultural events for city agencies, entertainment industry “wrap” parties, and the like. But you may not think they apply to weddings as much. To many, when they think of music at a wedding, they think of the same old stale combination of songs that often boil down to a mixture of overplayed oldies, disco and a steady dose of often vapid current Top 40 hits. But we’ve found that the opposite is mostly true – the couples that we DJ for always come to us with a unique and fresh vision of the music mix they want. And while this often, yes, includes some accessible “crowd pleasers,” the overall feel of the weddings that our clients demand is one that is highly unique. This can be due to a very specific vibe that the music needs to accentuate, or a component of ethnic songs and dances, or the couple’s insistence on a dance set of more obscure, less “wedding-friendly” genres that they know their friends will love, like hardcore punk or moody indie pop.
This more personalized approach to weddings even applies to what is often the most delicate part of a wedding – the ceremony processional. Many times couples who meet with us initially think they have to use classical songs here, as that’s what they’ve seen at weddings both in real life and on TV and in the movies. Classical for the ceremony is the default that most all tend to accept – it’s just a matter of which composer or symphony you want to choose from, right? Well, not quite. Over the years, more and more couples are coming to us – and we’re also suggesting to them – music for processionals that in different ways offer a newer, more adventurous take on this moment in the ceremony. (For more on how to add some freshness to your ceremony music in general, and not just the processional, go to our blog post on that topic here.)
These options usually either are classical versions of pop songs, or a pop or ambient electronic song itself. Now, if you are a couple who this appeals to, be careful – you still have remember that the processional songs or song is indeed a delicate and sensitive moment and the music should feel right. The couples we’ve seen use pop songs don’t just throw in any pop song – yes, they make sure it is one they like, but also that it has the correct atmosphere for the processional. And this atmosphere, regardless of the wedding, tends to generally be, not surprisingly, one of calmness and beauty. That doesn’t necessarily mean the song you choose has to be a meek, quiet song, but let’s just say the feedback and dissonance should be held to a minimum, unless it can somehow sound pretty. (Which is rare, but it can be done – current indie bands like The Raveonettes, and ones before them like My Bloody Valentine, Jesus & Mary Chain and the Velvet Underground all accomplished it.)
Below are three examples of songs that can freshen up the processional but still keep it friendly and even make things surprisingly pleasant for those like the grandparents who might not appreciate such non-classical sounds. The first tune, “You Are Beautiful and Amazing,” is by a new-ish group from Austin, TX called The Candlepark Stars. From their second album Shimmer and Gold, this instrumental is comprised of not much more than piano and a shimmering, U2-ish sounding guitar playing a simple melody line and some slight variations on it. But the melody line is a such a gorgeous one that it quickly draws you into its calm, reflective mood. The repetition of the basic melody also lends itself perfectly to the rhythm of a processional. We’ve got a bride-to-be using this song as her processional for her bridal party and for herself in July, and, like me, both she and her sister were quite moved by the song. The mood of “You Are Beautiful and Amazing” elicits so much more than the sum of its parts – the song sounds dreamy, cinematic, lush, tender, and, most impressively, slightly melancholic but always uplifting.
An example of a more mainstream vocal pop song that we’ve used before for the processional moment and has felt very natural is Bjork’s “All is Full of Love.” This song begins quiet and ethereally, and then gradually and beautifully builds to a more orchestral, sweeping middle and finish, and the calm but intense repetition of the song’s title is ideal for creating a mood of dreaminess and drama that both young and older guests can appreciate.
Finally, if you want a classical feel to your processional but are in search of an original take on it, a group out of L.A. called the Vitamin String Quartet is a perfect fit for you. This group creates classical arrangements to famous pop songs, old and new. One example we especially like and have used at processionals before is their “classicalized” version of Coldplay’s “The Scientist” from their second album of tribute to the band. In addition to being a great choice for a classical arrangement since “The Scientist” has both a reflective atmosphere and an orchestral feel at its core, the great thing about this version is that for the first several seconds, before the melody comes in, guests think it’s just a pretty classical song. Then, when they recognize it, they’re pleasantly surprised that they know it as a pop song, and you can feel them wondering where in the world the couple were able to find it.
The Candlepark Stars – You Are Beautiful and Amazing
Along with champagne, the countdown, and kisses at midnight, a staple of New Year’s Eve celebration is hearing or singing the song “Auld Lang Syne.” Over the years many singers, bands, and probably many a bad cover band playing a New Year’s Eve gig have tried to update the sound of the song by grafting onto it a modern style like jazz, rock, hip-hop, and many more.
But in the past several years, two artists put a really unique and striking twist on this old holiday staple, and they did it by being old school about the style – really old school, in that they recorded the song much like it was performed when it was written in the late eighteenth century by Scottish poet Robert Burns.
Each of these recent versions have kept the original melody (the poem was originally set to one), most of the original lyrics, and have given the song minimal instrumentation. Both arrangements are quite elegant and beautiful, and each brings out the melancholy of the poem more than typical more modern renditions of “Auld Lang Syne.” But also, because of the unusual sounds of the old English words and the near-acapella of the vocals in these two versions, there’s a cozy, storytelling-around-a-campfire quality to them that’s hard to not to like – whether you’re at a small dinner party or at a huge New Year’s Eve bash and decide to suddenly cut the high-energy party anthems for a moment at midnight and play one of these songs.
The first version, by Mairi Cambpell and David Francis (together calling themselves The Cast), from their album The Winnowing, was originally recorded in 1993 and in 2008 gained some popularity by being featured in the movie version of Sex and the City. This version features the more authentic and imtimate feel, from using only a simple acoustic guitar over Campbell’s vocals to not altering any of the words for modern ears.
The second version, by popular (but sadly rather unheard of in the U.S.) Scottish singer Eddi Reader, and is from her 2004 album Eddi Reader Sings the Songs of Robert Burns. This version is a bit more user-friendly in that it alters a few words of the poem for easier understanding, and also gives the tune a more sweeping, cinematic touch, due to Reader’s lush voice and to the violins that build throughout.
Have a listen to both below, and, because this song often confuses the heck out of people, here’s the rough modern English translation (the chorus is sung after each verse, and the title basically means “for old time‘s sake”):
Should old acquaintance be forgot, and never brought to mind ? Should old acquaintance be forgot, and old lang syne?
CHORUS: For auld lang syne, my dear, for auld lang syne, we’ll take a cup of kindness yet, for auld lang syne.
And surely you’ll buy your pint cup and surely I’ll buy mine And we’ll take a cup o’ kindness yet, for auld lang syne.
We two have run about the slopes, and picked the daisies fine But we’ve wandered many a weary foot, since auld lang syne. We two have paddled in the stream, from morning sun till dine But seas between us broad have roared since auld lang syne.
And there’s a hand my trusty friend And give us a hand o’ thine And we’ll take a right good-will draught, for auld lang syne.
Because we’ve DJ-ed at many Jewish – and/or partly Jewish – weddings over the years, we’ve become quite familiar with the importance of the Hora – the spirited traditional circle dance that usually results in the bride and groom being lifted on chairs into the air during the reception. But often, it’s not just making sure the dance is included that’s important – also of concern to the couple is where to place the dance during the reception, or how long it should last, or if it should take a less or more traditional style. And sometimes, there are couples who wonder if they should even have a Hora at all.
Basically, clients have different expectations when it comes to the Hora, and they often turn to us for advice since we have much experience orchestrating many styles and lengths of Hora dances. Here are a few tips to consider that we think will make you come to a more definite decision on what kind of Hora is right for you – from a 20 minute klezmer blowout dance marathon to, perhaps, no Hora at all but instead simply a few old and new Jewish tunes sprinkled throughout the wedding.
1) Don’t Underestimate the Old Favorites – Some couples, when first thinking about the Hora, wearily roll their eyes and tell us they probably have to “throw it in” to satisfy the parents or to give their wedding a respectful nod to tradition. These couples often feel the typical songs in the Hora, usually performed with the klezmer, like “Hava Nagila,” “Siman Tov,” and “Ose Shalom,” just to name a few, are either too square, or the couple is sick of hearing them at events over the years and want to steer clear of what they think will be a stale moment. And while we’re always sensitive to the overplayed – or simply to a couples specific tastes – we often gently tell clients skeptical or pessimistic about the traditional Hora (which, on average, lasts about 10 minutes with medium-sized crowds) to imagine the mood that will be present during the reception – the guests in an exuberant (and often somewhat liquored-up) mood, the lights low, the music pumping. In this festive environment, a well-timed, traditional Hora usually raises the energy. Keep in mind, the Hora is about your guests wanting to celebrate you, so this might be a time to go “big” and familiar so they all can be included.
2) Look Beyond the Klezmer – Some couples, after considering the first point, still feel they want a less traditional Hora. They want to have the circle dance and to be lifted up in chairs, but they want a more original soundtrack – using songs the crowd will know, but that are performed in an unexpected way. In this case, we tell these clients that there are plenty of killer cover versions of many of the well-known Jewish songs listed above. Probably the most famous, “Hava Nagila,” has many great cover versions out there, from futuristic-sounding electronic house remixes, to hip-hop renditions, to jazzy lounge remakes. A recent popular cover of the song was done by a young British R & B singer, Lauren Rose, and was a huge hit in England a couple winters ago. A version of “Hava Nagila” recorded much earlier but that still sounds quite badass and hip is Dick Dale’s surf guitar instrumental version. Stringing together a few old favorites covered in unique ways – or simply repeating one of these songs twice or three times if you want a shorter Hora – offer a way to be more offbeat but also not baffle the crowd with your Hora music.
3) Use A Dash of Jewish Music, Even if You’re Not Having a Hora – There are still those couples – often who aren’t very religious or who are only having partially Jewish weddings – who don’t want a Hora at all, but do want a bit of Jewish music of some sort played at their reception or cocktail hour. For these couples, we recommend playing some of the aforementioned cover versions of well-known songs in a style or styles that they enjoy, or playing a few klezmer songs here and there throughout the night to offer a nice reminder of heritage but not so much as to get people up and dancing, or still yet to explore new Jewish music in a variety of genres that may nod to tradition a bit in sound and/or lyrics. A great example of this last category is Matisyahu, an orthodox Jewish singer who has gained worldwide notoriety for his fusion of a sunny reggae dancehall sound with lyrics about his devotion and faith.
Below are some examples of songs mentioned here – first, covers of “Hava Nagila” by Lauren Rose and then by Dick Dale – and last a great tune from Matisyahu, “Jerusalem (Out of Darkness Comes Light).”
Lauren Rose – Hava Nagila (Baby Let’s Dance)
Dick Dale – Hava Nagila
Matisyahu – Jerusalem (Out of Darkness Comes Light)
At most events where we spin, there’s guests with musical tastes that are more adventurous, and there's those guests with musical tastes that are more mild. To please both of these groups, you either have to toggle between styles a lot, or you have to find songs that at the same time can excite both groups but also still feel fresh. 
July 9, 2010
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