I Got Volunteered, Now I Need Desperate Help

[slamjet]

For some reason there are some in my ward who thought I used to DJ for a living.  I did it twice for church functions and I swore I'd never do it again because I utterly FAILED at it.

 

Well, it took three people to get me to volunteer to DJ the Halloween dance on the 30th.  Somewhere along the line of my repentance and rehabilitation I lost the ability to say "NO!" and stick to it.  So now I need help in a desperate way, especially since my kids are not being very forthcoming...

 

Can someone please give me a list of songs that people/kids/zombies (I mean teens) dance to these days?!?!?

 

It it's not Styx, ZZ Top, Molly Hatchet or the Ohio Players, I'm lost so I need to be brought up to speed, please help, I'm lost.

[Guest]

Katy Perry, Miley Cyrus, Justin Bieber, Taylor Swift to name a few.

 

Check out Billboard.

 

That should give you an idea of who's popular today.  But I wouldn't be afraid to mix in a little of the old stuff.  Yes, I said "old".  My era of music was the 60s to the 80s.  So, Styx, ZZ Top, etc are right up my alley.

 

Maybe songs from that era are unfamiliar.  But music is music.  If you can dance to it, you can dance to it.  Think "Wake me up before you go" by Wham!

 

Some classics are still familiar: Against All Odds.  Faithfully.  Twist & Shout as well as "Shout" by the Isley Brothers.  Some Madonna songs light "Starlight".

 

But it can't be a majority of old songs.  The kids want to hear familiar songs too.  But for YOUR sake, it may be easier to mix in some of the old stuff.

Edited October 19, 2015 by Guest

[Guest]

Since it's a Halloween dance, "Monster Mash" is a must. I wonder if there are other such Halloween-themed songs you could throw in here and there. 

 

The trick is going to be finding songs the kids like that are also appropriate. I'm probably a few years behind, but Pharrel's "Happy" would fit the bill. Sara Bareilles's "King of Anything" and "Love Song" aren't super current, but recognizable and clean with a good dance beat. 

 

Boy, I feel like a fuddy duddy.

[beefche]

Do you have a teen at church you can trust and ask?  Seriously, we are all fuddy duddies on this site and knowing what is popular with the teens (if that is your goal) isn't going to be gained here.  

 

If you have a mixed group, then mix it up. Play some 70's, 80's, 90's and current.  And I agree to get some Halloween songs--Monster Mash, Nightmare on my Street, Down at Wooley's Swamp (old country song), Thriller, any song by Miley Cyrus counts as a scary song.

 

Otherwise, I vote that you totally bomb this so you don't get asked again.  LOL!

[RMGuy]

Eminem and you'll never DJ again :)

[Guest]

Halllween Dance?  How about the Best of Halloween music set... I think it's 2 CDs for $10.  It's a rock-and-rolling music CD reminiscent of the 50's era.  My boys love it!  But then, they're not Church Dance age yet...

 

If not this one, then maybe check out the various artists type Halloween Dance CDs available on big box stores?

[Guest]

For the future, arm yourself with a phrase people can't argue against. "That won't work for me, but I'm flattered that my name came up.". Or more to the point, "No, thanks." .

[cdowis]

 any song by Miley Cyrus counts as a scary song.

 

 

Be sure to dress the part. After all, it is Halloween.

 

https://instagram.com/p/6a7IrgQzGc/?taken-by=mileycyrus

 

(WARNING: this is what she looks like without makeup)

Edited October 20, 2015 by cdowis

[priesthoodpower]

Im with Beefche, be your authentic self forget what others think and play what your inner DJ tells you.

It will bomb and they wont ask you again. :)

 

or you can just do open requests the whole night and tell the kids to bring their phones, plug it in and play their playlists.

[Ironhold]

Cast In Bronze tends to be suitably gothic.

For those who've never heard of them -

The centerpiece of the act is a pair of travelling carillons, an instrument made entirely of large brass bells that dates back to the Middle Ages. They've got the only two such traveling rigs in the United States, and travel around putting on shows.

Four of their albums are up on iTunes, and so you've got plenty to work with.

[Bini]

I love the Monster Mash themed music idea... Not particularly 'cool' but I think it's a soundtrack almost anyone can get into and enjoy during the Halloween festivities!

[pam]

Im with Beefche, be your authentic self forget what others think and play what your inner DJ tells you.

It will bomb and they wont ask you again. :)

 

or you can just do open requests the whole night and tell the kids to bring their phones, plug it in and play their playlists.

 

I think that would be a pretty dangerous thing to do to have the kids plug their phones in and play from their playlists.  The music needs to be previewed first to make sure it is appropriate for a youth dance.

 

I know when my kids were younger they played a couple of songs and I was appalled at the lyrics. They told me that had never really listened to the words. They just liked the beat.

[cdowis]

del

Edited October 20, 2015 by cdowis

[Blackmarch]

For some reason there are some in my ward who thought I used to DJ for a living.  I did it twice for church functions and I swore I'd never do it again because I utterly FAILED at it.

 

Well, it took three people to get me to volunteer to DJ the Halloween dance on the 30th.  Somewhere along the line of my repentance and rehabilitation I lost the ability to say "NO!" and stick to it.  So now I need help in a desperate way, especially since my kids are not being very forthcoming...

 

Can someone please give me a list of songs that people/kids/zombies (I mean teens) dance to these days?!?!?

 

It it's not Styx, ZZ Top, Molly Hatchet or the Ohio Players, I'm lost so I need to be brought up to speed, please help, I'm lost.

don't have experience as a dj. but;

well... on one hand, I'd choose whatever the heck I liked that was halloweenish for me and play that, and if any one afterwards didn't like it and says anything of the sort I'd tell them it was the idea of whoever stuck me in that position.

if they liked it they'll call me back.

now if youre wanting some suggestions;

ghostbusters theme,

tubular bells (exorcist theme),

attack of the killer tomatoes,

manheim steamroller halloween albums (those are really good),

The Tristram theme (Diablo),

Monster mash,

Purple people eater,

Alan Parson's edgar alan poe albums (i think they use a couple of his titles as part of their title, i just can't remember which stories at the moment),

Moody Blues War of the Worlds album,

The Witch Queen of New Orleans,

Momma's Soup surprise,

The Highway man (Loreena mckennit i think)

The Adams family theme

The devil went down to georgia (non profane version)

centuries (fallout boy)

Lament of the Highborn (world of warcraft)

YA cast in bronze would be pretty good too

i'd suggest doing a youtube search for nonlyrical halloween music

Edited October 20, 2015 by Blackmarch

[pam]

don't have experience as a dj. but;

well... on one hand, I'd choose whatever the heck I liked that was halloweenish for me and play that, and if any one afterwards didn't like it and says anything of the sort I'd tell them it was the idea of whoever stuck me in that position.

if they liked it they'll call me back.

now if youre wanting some suggestions;

ghostbusters theme,

tubular bells (exorcist theme),

attack of the killer tomatoes,

manheim steamroller halloween albums (those are really good),

The Tristram theme (Diablo),

Monster mash,

Purple people eater,

Alan Parson's edgar alan poe albums (i think they use a couple of his titles as part of their title, i just can't remember which stories at the moment),

Moody Blues War of the Worlds album,

The Witch Queen of New Orleans,

Momma's Soup surprise,

The Highway man (Loreena mckennit i think)

The Adams family theme

The devil went down to georgia (non profane version)

centuries (fallout boy)

Lament of the Highborn (world of warcraft)

YA cast in bronze would be pretty good too

i'd suggest doing a youtube search for nonlyrical halloween music

 

A lot of these would be undanceable.  :)

[Guest]

A lot of these would be undanceable.   :)

Yeah.  How do you dance to "The Highway Man"?  Or the Addams Family (yes that's how you spell it) Theme with your feet instead of your fingers?

 

Sorry, Blackmarch.  But Pam's got a point.

[Guest]

Munsters Theme is really cool, which I know because of "Uma Therman", which is a musically cool and very dance-able song with filthy lyrics that samples from the Munsters theme. 

 

Purple People Eater is fun, too.

[Blackmarch]

One, I don't dance much and, and two what is going to be dance-y is going to depend on what types of dancing you're gonna do. Those wre just some pieces i know of that are more halloweenish than not.

Edited October 21, 2015 by Blackmarch

[slamjet]

Ok, I'm back and reading through all the post's and continuing my search for music.  However, I became quite depressed when I thought "wait, golden oldies for the more mature members" only to find out that when I search for oldies but goodies, it's all music from my teen years.  I swear, I'm sensing a major fail is going to rear it's ugly head.

 

But I'm now set on the Halloween music, 50's through 00's and am now having to gather and listen to the past 5 years.  I'm not going to complain about the lyrics but oh my word, the musical landscape has really, really changed.  In other words, I'm way too old and out of touch for this, so I'm going to play Eminem and hope they never ask me again.

[Guest]

...  I swear, I'm sensing a major fail is going to rear it's ugly head...

 

You say that as if it were a bad thing.

[slamjet]

Today is a day where I say to myself "The church is true but the members leave a lot to be desired."

 

This past week I began to notice that there are three people talking to me, but not talking to each other.  So when I met up with my EQ Pres for dinner (he was batching it so we did a Tommy's run), I vented to him.  Then he said the magic phrase "My wife already hired a DJ last week." 

 

SO...

 

Today I hunted down the person whom he told me was in charge and talked to her.  Yes, there was a DJ hired for a week already.  There are times where I just don't want to show up anymore because of this type of garbage.  But then, religion isn't suppose to be all tingly and exciting for 24/7, and this is a church full of imperfect souls, so I trudge on, dealing with people, heaven help me I hate it so.

[Iggy]

Let's hope the hired DJ plays Church approved music- 

 

When I lived in AZ, the one and only Stake youth dance that I went to [was the YW Secretary and was told it was mandatory that I attend] the Stake President went to the DJ table and removed nearly all of the music, was not church approved. He also removed the YW leaders from one of the other wards, they were not dancing - they were doing the bump/grind mating dance [ho boy did I ever clean THAT one up] - so not church approved. 

 

I have been around the block more than once myself- been inactive for 30 years, did THAT bump & grind myself, but NEVER in public, only for the man I was married to at the time - and THEY embarrassed me! 

[Guest]

I hate to think of how many times I've dropped the ball and inconvenienced someone like that. I'm sure I've been on the receiving end, too. It stinks either way. Sorry you've put so much stress and effort into it! 

[mordorbund]

Today is a day where I say to myself "The church is true but the members leave a lot to be desired."

 

This past week I began to notice that there are three people talking to me, but not talking to each other.  So when I met up with my EQ Pres for dinner (he was batching it so we did a Tommy's run), I vented to him.  Then he said the magic phrase "My wife already hired a DJ last week." 

 

SO...

 

Today I hunted down the person whom he told me was in charge and talked to her.  Yes, there was a DJ hired for a week already.  There are times where I just don't want to show up anymore because of this type of garbage.  But then, religion isn't suppose to be all tingly and exciting for 24/7, and this is a church full of imperfect souls, so I trudge on, dealing with people, heaven help me I hate it so.

 

"Sorry you weren't told earlier. Yeah, we hired this guy online. Goes by the handle Slamjet. So we won't be needing your help tonight. Thanks though. Enjoy the night off."

[Blackmarch]

Today is a day where I say to myself "The church is true but the members leave a lot to be desired."

This past week I began to notice that there are three people talking to me, but not talking to each other. So when I met up with my EQ Pres for dinner (he was batching it so we did a Tommy's run), I vented to him. Then he said the magic phrase "My wife already hired a DJ last week."

SO...

Today I hunted down the person whom he told me was in charge and talked to her. Yes, there was a DJ hired for a week already. There are times where I just don't want to show up anymore because of this type of garbage. But then, religion isn't suppose to be all tingly and exciting for 24/7, and this is a church full of imperfect souls, so I trudge on, dealing with people, heaven help me I hate it so.

Sounds like abprayer was answered.