Rock and Roll Swing Tunes

Which rock and roll tunes from the mid-sixties to present do you like for swing dancing?

Something Good - Herman's Hermits
Same Old Song and Dance - Aerosmith
Crazy Little Thing Called Love - Queen.

These are but a few on my list - I admit I've never actually danced to the first two since I've never heard them played at any dance, but all one has to do is hear a song to know.

Does Motown R&B count? If so, I can add a few tunes to your list. Mostly ECS from the late fifties and early sixties. Then lots of WCS starting in the mid-to-late sixties.

Or do you mean rock and roll, as in "classic rock"?

Please advise.

Jenn

Very little to be honest. A huge amount of the RnR music from any ear doesn't swing at all (musically). Straight beats, little in the way of rhythmic complexity or improvised syncopation (Bill Haley is the example Grover Sales uses).

Jackie Wilson, Chuck Berry, Early Elvis, Gene Vincent are good examples of stuff that works for me.

A lot of that music "IS" tough to dance to . . . you actually have to dance to the rhythm . . . although I will try any song at least once.

Ain't No Sunshine - Bill Withers
But It's Alright - JJ Jackson
In The Midnight Hour - Wilson Pickett

pygmalion said:

Does Motown R&B count? If so, I can add a few tunes to your list. Mostly ECS from the late fifties and early sixties. Then lots of WCS starting in the mid-to-late sixties.

Or do you mean rock and roll, as in "classic rock"?

Please advise.

Jenn

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Yeah, Motown counts. :wink:

d nice said:

Very little to be honest. A huge amount of the RnR music from any ear doesn't swing at all (musically). Straight beats, little in the way of rhythmic complexity or improvised syncopation.

Jackie Wilson, Chuck Berry, Early Elvis, Gene Vincent are good examples of stuff that works for me.

Click to expand...

You're right; most of it doesn't, but there are some that at least to me are very swingable such as the tunes I mentioned.

Needless to say, I've gotta get my two cents in on this one.

1. I always rise to a challenge. Will go off this weekend and listen to my Motown CD's (cool compilation -- "Hitsville" Motown stuff from 1959 to 1971), and come back with some ideas.

2. Most music is danceable, if you're doing the right dance. A lot of the music I remember from early childhood is really not ECS or WCS. It's a sort of hybrid, and that's the dance my (much older) siblings did for years when they held many a rockin house party.

Dance called the bop. Remember it? Hand to hand hold and counterbalanced feeling like WCS. Down on two feeling like ECS. Definitely not a slot dance. More like a rotating around a spot dance. Double swing sort of tempo, but a little bouncier. Touch-step, touch-step, coaster-step was the basic. Way fun! And not just a Philly dance, either. I've met some folks from Kansas City, of all places, who could really bop.

Bop is, pardon the vernacular, one bad-azz dance.

I don't know nearly enough of it.

Vintage still Swings

R&R Lovers'
Ask your D.J. to spin, Bill Haley's, 'Rip it Up' from 'Don't Knock the Rock' and watch the dance floor get over crowded.
If you realy want to get turned on to the great classic dance music, Check the long list on the thread, 'Songs You Have to Dance To'.
Black Sheep, Rock & Roll, Yeah!

Three more that come to mind:

Bad Moon Rising - Creedence Clearwater Revival
Moondance - Van Morrison; one that get's a lot of play at the dances.
Little Girl - Syndicate of Sound; kind of a forgotten tune.

pygmalion said:

1. I always rise to a challenge. Will go off this weekend and listen to my Motown CD's (cool compilation -- "Hitsville" Motown stuff from 1959 to 1971), and come back with some ideas.

Click to expand...

Guys, guys! There is SO much Motown-type music out there that's danceable! I have to admit that there's a lot of stuff out there that's a not-ECS, not-WCS tempo, so it's kinda hard to dance to. But there's a lot of other stuff as well.

I'm still working on this one, and compiling a LONG list.

And I'm having a blast with it too. Pulled out CD's I haven't played in years.

I'll report back in a few days with dates, titles, artists and names of CD's.


In the meanwhile, I'm a car-dancin fool! :lol:

Okay?


Jenn

pygmalion said:

Guys, guys! There is SO much Motown-type music out there that's danceable! I have to admit that there's a lot of stuff out there that's a not-ECS, not-WCS tempo, so it's kinda hard to dance to. But there's a lot of other stuff as well.

Jenn

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That is why there are so many swing dances. Carolina Shag, Hand Dancing, Chicago Steppin' etc.

I love swing dancing to Motown.

One of these days (maybe soon, I'm planning a trip in November) I'm going to come out to wherever you are in Cali, and take a couple lessons from you. My swing is fun, but atrocious. And I would love to learn from one of the best!

Jenn

You come out to Northern Cali and we will definitaley hook up.

One of the best? All things are relative.

Don't give me that modesty thing, guy. I googled you. :shock:

Therefore, I know of which I speak.

Actually, that's one of the nicest things about this board, I think. With the caibre of some of the people involved, I would have expected "attitude" and conceit. Instead, there's much humility, fun, and kindness all around.