Not long ago, I mentioned to a friend that I had started taking dance lessons. Trust me, there's a long way to go before I take my newfound skills public.
My friend commented that the only dance she could do was slow dance, because you didn't have to actually move your feet. This led to a discussion of what the best slow dance music was. I thought the top song would be "Unchained Melody" by the Righteous Brothers.
There are a lot of ways to skin that cat. Nothing as easy as Googling "best slow dances" or "slow dance music". First, it depends on your generation what you consider good music. There were lists on which I didn't recognize any of the artists. Lists for those with country music tastes. Lists for top requested wedding songs, though that wasn't quite what I had in mind. A lot of the websites for slow dance music are wedding planner sites, or party DJ sites.
Here's one list from Music by Mark - Professional DJ Service:
1) What a Wonderful World by Louis Armstrong
2) Through the Years by Kenny Rodgers
3) Close to You by The Carpenters
4) Wonderful Tonight by Eric Clapton
5) Unchained Melody by The Righteous Brothers
6) Unforgettable by Nat King Cole
7) Tonight I Celebrate My Love by Peabo Bryson and Roberta Flack
8) Three Times a Lady by The Commodores
9) Sea of Love by the Honeydrippers
10) Only You by The Platters
The list goes on and on. Some Country, some Sinatra, more Righteous Brothers, and Elvis. I like "What a Wonderful World", but I don't think it's in my top ten. I don't like Kenny Rogers, so that's out. No Celine Dion, either. I was never crazy about The Carpenters, and can never hear their music without thinking of Karen dying from anorexia. I'll leave "Wonderful Tonight" on my top ten list.It's a great song. I saw one list that included "Tears in Heaven", but that song was Clapton's tribute to his dead son...not good slow dance music to my mind. Toni Braxton's "Unchain My Heart" shows up later on the list. I like that one.
Here's an alphabetical list from Frugal Bride.com. Another list, (long one) from DJ Madman Mike. Here's another from Pop Culture Madness.
My list (as of this moment):
1) Unchained Melody The Righteous Brothers
2) Wonderful Tonight by Eric Clapton
3) Sea of Love by The Honeydrippers
4) Killing Me Softly by Roberta Flack
5) Unchain My Heart by Toni Braxton
6) I'm Sorry by Brenda Lee
7) Fever by Peggy Lee
8) Love Hurts by Roy Orbison
9) Since I Fell for You by Lenny Welch
10) Always on My Mind by Willy Nelson
This is a work in progress. As soon as I post this, two or three great songs will pop unbidden into my head. And the ones I left off but could easily bump some on the list:
Chances Are by Johnny Mathis
Only the Lonely or Running Scared by Roy Orbison
Crazy by Patsy Cline
The Rose by Bette Midler
The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face by Roberta Flack
Never My Love or Cherish by The Association
Smoke Gets In Your Eyes by The Platters
We've Got Tonight by Bob Seeger
I'm Sorry by Brenda Lee
Nothing Compares 2 U by Sinead O'Connor
Fever by Peggy Lee
There seems to be many wonderful slow dance songs.
Posted by: keewee | August 29, 2006 at 10:51 AM