As I posted on another thread asking for help with karaoke, I've got to put together some backing music for a Gang Show, and one of the items that's causing me some difficulty is "Dances through the last 50 years".

This is Warringtons 50th Gang Show and the Director wants a spot to show dances throughout the last 50 years.

So I thought I would ask the fountain of all knowledge DJU for some inspiration.

Tunes like YMCA, Agadoo, 5678, Timewarp are being used for another item in the show, so they're out.

I'm looking for a good tune for a Jive, but ones like Jailhouse Rock have been rejected as they may be doing an Elvis tribute.

Another one is something that typifies 70's disco, but bear in mind that it has to be sung and danced to by a cast of about 50.

Also, don't forget if you can think of anything older too.

So come on guys and gals, get you're thinking caps on and give me some suggestions to cover 50 years of dances.

just done a quick search and on a lot of jive forums "do you love me" seems tobe one of the best jive songs.
for the 70's disco i would go for something from saturday night fever.or you could even do grease megamix

how about the :-

• hucklebuck - coast to coast
• the twist - self explantory
• the charleston - doop
• the quickstep
• the tango
• salsa - a great one to use for this is the peanut vendor by stan kenton
• jive - for a change something by Louis Jordan, Saturday night fish fry, Aint nobody here but us chickens etc
• locomotion
• the conga

70's disco how about We are family, Celebration or Dancing Queen.

Couple more for party dances throughout the last 50 years

Beatles-Twist and Shout

and a classic Motown song like Dancing In The Street


70's disco

Night Fever, Disco Inferno, and Mcfadden and Whitehead-Ain't No Stopping Us Now


80's

Tony Basil-Mickey
Funboy Three- It Ain't What You Do

Some good suggestions already but to add a few more off the top of my head

Party dances Slide, The Sloosh, birdie song . up to date Cha Cha Slide (with 50 doing it would look great if you got the room) or even the Up upside your head (I call it the boat dance)

Gay gordons, Superman Will think of some more for you.

Jive See my baby jive


Disco D.I.S.C.O.

Salsa Hot Hot Hot


Old tyme waltz

Socaily square dancing was common in the 50's/ early 60's as record players where used with a caller along with the barn dances.

40's was the big bands ballroom dancing was common. and then came the latin style rumba cha cha cha etc.

Come back if you want some more ideas as I have the tunes in my head but cant put names to them at present cant think why lol.

Pete

Excuse my curiosity - what is a Gang Show?

LOL

Brian

A Gang Show is a show that is put on by the Scout Association.

It was started by Ralph Reader in 1932 at the Scala Theatre, London and now most major towns and citys have their own version.

Originally, it was all songs, dances & sketches written by Ralph Reader, and the cast consisted entirely of men & boys.

Nowadays, the London shows don't exist any more, and the local shows have a cast consisting of the whole of the Scout association, which includes girls and cubs-(little ones).

It's probably nothing like you would think of by the name. Our shows, http://www.warringtongangshow.co.uk/ ,which are one of the best respected shows among Gang Shows, has a cast of about 150, stage crew of about 30, plus house staff, dressers etc. and we perform full blown musical items covering everything from West End Shows to Abba, Elvis etc. plus sketches.

Originally, we used to have a full orchestra as well, including a brass and woodwind section.

Rehearshals last for 3 months.

If you ever get the chance to go to see a good one, it's well worth it.

Thanks Paul, I now feel educated!

I own these two(/four!) CD's:
Music Factory RnR 1
Music Factory Rnr 2

Have a gander and see if anything stands out. Personally...I got into this music in the 70's, first with Showaddywaddy then Darts, Stray Cats, Matchbox, Rocky Sharpe, Racey and Shaky, so I really like anything along those lines. However, nowadays I like the original stuff too - Little Richard, Jerry Lee Lewis and Chuck Berry. However, for something a little different, that I use often and works very well...listen to Huey "Piano" Smith with Don't You Just Know It - there are two versions with the original being a lot slower. Think of it as a compliment to Berrys' You Never Can Tell.

Thinking at a tangent....could you use songs from a film/theatre production that cover most of the bases/decades..? I'm thinking Blues Brothers, Grease or Pulp Fiction mainly but there must be others too..?

Best of luck mate.

Have to add that a gang show can be be on of the great shows you have ever seen.
These shows are put on by people that only help out at boy's or girls assocations like scouts or girl guides.
there are other assocations as well in other areas . People dont support these ideas as much as we should do, we go on about ther not being much for kids to do etc. but i know there are people that give up alot of time to put things on for kids and dont get any thing in return for it, I could go on all night about this subject, but all I will do is support people like High fidelity for carrying on and doing a great job even thought they themself's wlll not want any pats on the back for it. I fully support these peps they give a greart support to the kids ALL year round and should get more finacial backing but hey ho thats another topic.

keep it going High Fidelity..

Pete

Have you forgotten about shagging Paul ?

Who are you asking this question to Andy?

A shag was a form of dancing in the 60's !!

Aahh, I see.

Certainly not a dance I remember.

yup seem to remember it was a form of sloosh but a bit more smoothcy

Didn't one of the gang shows used to be on T.V.

back in the days of valves and and the BBC presenters wearing dinner jackets and talking like they had a mouth full of marbles.

Not that I can remember that far back