Karaoke Forums

Sorry, this really isn't karaoke related, but it is definitely music related.

Last week, I was asked to host a dance for a bunch of kids at the end of this month. So, i'm trying to prepare for it. Here's the story, the dance is a church dance, with kids ages from 14-17. The dance will be held in the church itself, in the cultural hall from about 8-11 at night. I sent a note with my wife asking for suggestions for songs from the kids themselves. Boy! they were no help at all. One said, "country" another one said "no country",, DOH! Another one said " the salsa song",,,what the heck is the salsa song??????huuuhhh??. The note also came back from one of the church leaders who said " NO profanity, no sex, drugs, alchohol, violence related songs",,,,,mmmm...doesn't that just eliminate almost every song in the world??? haha!

Kidding aside, would any of you have any good suggestions for songs to dance to. for these little brats,,,errr I mean darlings? Honestly, they will be a bunch of really good kids, and I want to make a good impression on them, and let them have as much fun as possible. I also don't want a bunch of slow songs, mostly upbeat stuff with basically no bad stuff in the lyrics. I do have some I can come up with, but I will probably need around 60 songs, but will probably only play about 40. The extras will be just in case I have to switch gears.

I have never had to deal with just "kids" before, this will be a first. I do have tons of music, and will be going through the entire list, but if I get enough good suggestions, it will make my life a whole bunch easier.

Thanks everyone in advance.
Scott

Disney

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KingBing Entertainment C'mon Up! I have a song for you!!! [font=MS Sans Serif][/font]

Maybe you could send another note asking each to write down the actual names of a few of their favorite songs and/or bands. That might help you to get a good feel for what they really like. Maybe also ask the leaders of the event what specific bands and songs would be acceptable to them.

Best wishes to you, I hope your event is a success.

miley cyrus
jonas brothers
High school musical 1,2, and 3
cupid shuffle
cha cha slide
aly & aj
rhianna
sean kingston - beautiful girls

start with that, and if you have wi fi there, you should be golden.

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Good music, good friends, howling good times!

It is a bit different at church bat at graduation etc I get a kid to sit down at the computer and generate a play list using the the search function.

Taylor Swift is a must.

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[color=#ffff55]Mickey J.[/color]
Alas for those who never sing, but die with all their music in them.
-- Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr.

if I were to do something like this. I would grab one or two of them, bring them over to my place, and have them help me put a list together. They will absolutely have specific suggestions.

The teens in my church listen to a wide variety of things. Contemporary Christian mixed right in with the normal stuff all teens listen to. When I look over their iPod playlists I'll say "Do your folks know what you've got in here?" They'll say "Shhhh."

If I see a title like "Lollipop" I know what it is. Unlike their parents unless they actually listen to it. They'd probably think it's some cute remake of an oldie firm the 60s. Boy would they be shocked.

You can go into material from the hot artists today if you're careful. Lady GaGa's "Just Dance" is perfectly G rated, but "Poker Face" where she brags about her muffin, probably not.

Depends on what you think her muffin is I guess.

Here is that myth again that teens and young ones are tied in into a certain genre or new music. Music from their parents and grandparents are burned into their mind. Most of my karaoke as a singer or host has been in major college towns CSU and UNC.

They do like high energy poaitive shows but in packed college bars I have been mobbed by singing making beievse or old old country. It takes them back to a certain memory just like it does us olg timers. It is in a church and I havnt heard anything about gospels. The bands in the fifties and sixties always did a gospel or 2.

I am going to come up with a new saying.. Provide The Spsrk And The Crowd Will Come Up With The Fire And An Occasional Spark Will Keep It Going....

At a regular party a good host will provide the essentials get it started then disappear and mingle. However if the party is dying or needs something they take care of it as if they are not there and not with formality or pomp. They are smooth know how to take care of the drunks and trouble makers in a fair fashion and maintains a safe environment. There are ne set patterns or rules Every party will develop and have it'd own personality. Go with the energy and flow Dont try to control it. Let it burn Baby!!
But have fire lanes..

Thats my early morning thoughts poppping into mind ideas.

Oooh tough job. It's hard to know all the words to every song and there references to make sure nothing inappropriate is sung. It's to bad we don't have a BLEEP button with a 10 second delay. The ones I would have suggestd have already been said, but
I definately would do the cha cha slide. Good luck !

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[shadow=pink][glow=deepskyblue]. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
[updown]~*~ MONKEY BUSINESS KARAOKE~*~ [/shadow][/updown][/glow]

Up to this point in time, I can com up with about 30 good songs without any problems, but am looking for more. Some of the ones that have been suggested already are some of those that are among the 30 so far. Like, Cha Cha Slide, a couple of Sean Kingstons,,,Miley Cyrus and Jonas Brothers songs I have tons, but am not familiar with what is actually popular with the kids. Lady Ga Ga is definitely "OUT", even the song "Just Dance", the entire song is about drinking, so it's on the no-play list.

These kids aren't backwards or anything, quite the contrary. They should be up to speed on all the latest hits. Because of what I play at my clubs, I am familiar with the good dance tunes of today, but most are not suitable for play in this type of setting. That's where I am in need of suggestions. Disney songs I believe are too "lame" for these kids Line dances would be great, like Cha Cha Slide, Macarena, Electric Slide, but Boot Scootin' Boogie is out, because it has references to drinking.

My hopes here, are to get some perspective on what might go over with this age group without being lame. So far the suggestions have been pretty good, so keep going ya'll.

Thanks again,
Scott

Oh, by the way, the suggestion of finding 2 or 3 of the kids themselvs and having them come over to go through songs is a terrific idea. I will definitely do just that. I even have a couple of them in mind. Thanks

I always tell the parents that I don't know every word & theme of every song I own, but will do my best if it's obvious.

Besides...if a kid requests some tune I am not familiar with and it has vulgar/inappropriate lyrics, somebody needs to be talking to the kid...not me!

In fact if the elders don't want certain songs sung, they should make it a point to tell the kids this before you start and not hold your feet to the fire as the song police after.

Barry,,

This is not going to be a karaoke show, just a dance for 14-17 year olds. Karaoke isn't even an option here.

My suggestion is to avoid Disney songs. The HSM type of songs are for tweeners, from 9-12 range. I found out myself that high school students are way too cool for the Disney stuff.

I am sure it differs from region to region but I found that high school kids, surprising, know a lot of classic rock, R & B, and blues songs. I am not saying don't play modern stuff but older classics from 70s-90s work well around here. Even disco is accepted, if it's well known and kids may have heard.

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Seize the day and SING!!!

hence DISNEY! Of course the young 'ens are into some classic rock and other type of musice we don't find typical. But will it get you in trouble with the church? I did a high school event a few weeks ago, the fact that I had Hannah Montana and Taylor Swift in my library made things easier to watch for the no no words.

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KingBing Entertainment C'mon Up! I have a song for you!!! [font=MS Sans Serif][/font]

I just googled "Clean Music List" which took me to a website which gave me this 38 page list entitled "Clean Dance" and I saved it for future reference.

http://www.cleandance.com/theList/cleandancelist.pdf

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EveningStar Entertainment & Events
JR & Michele LaPorte
Peoria, AZ

+1
on Miley and the Jonas Brothers

Wow, JR, you sure are good at saving people a lot of work.

If you can't even play boot scoot boogie, check your sean kingston selection. "Beautiful Girls"??? Regularly says "got me suicidal". Oh and sings about "doing first crime".

jr,

Great hook up on the clean dance song web site!. That's a great help! Thanks a whole bunch.

Scott

Are you on a laptop, and have wi fi? If the answer is yes, then you're good to go. You'll be able to download music by request... and it will be exactly what they want. Song lists are great, but no list will get you the songs that are going to be requested.

I spend about $20 a month on music downloads, which ain't bad, and people think I've got a large music library. I use Napster because they download in MP3 format.

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Good music, good friends, howling good times!