Members rhat Posted February 15, 2008 Members Share Posted February 15, 2008 In my experience, white trash ladies think it's a funky song they can stripper dance to. So, it's got something for everybody. I sat in with a band once that played it in some weird key like F or Ab. It was like a completely different song. I think the key of C must ruin it. I played it in several bands and that one was the only one that didn't do it in C. I just let the singers and the horn players fight it out lol. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members rvschulz Posted February 15, 2008 Members Share Posted February 15, 2008 this is it ... we play it in set 2, middle of the set. 1st set, we go from more rockin', listening stuff to a little more dance-a-billy. by the time we hit this one, dance floor has 8 couples, by the time we end, it is packed and a sing-a-long. do i like the song ... well, more than Brown Eyed Girl ... which is next. by the end of set 2, crowd is hot and sweaty, beer is flowing like niagara falls, and at least one single cutie missing a tooth or two is asking us for sex. depends on your perspective i guess. VH won't work here. Set 3 gets hard rocking and dancing going ... we slip in a little Cream (I feel Free ...) and ZZ TOP (yep Sharp-Dressed can get there too). anyway, the women want to dance and the men don't mind that one. BTW, after Brown Eyed Girl is I Feel Good (JB) ... and I play all the horns on the guitar ... kinda ... enough to keep them entertained. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members rhat Posted February 15, 2008 Members Share Posted February 15, 2008 I think what you are seeing is demographics at work. There are a ton of 60s rock and roll songs that worked every time ,,, they continue to work. Mustang sally just happens to be one of them. The 60s were a special time to the bulk of the population ,,,, that music gets them going. face it ,, it was good rhythm based music that had is focus on vocals. Its ideal for dance music, As musicians its easy to think rock is about lead guitar ,,,,it might be for musicans ,, but for just regular folks its about the rhythm and the lyrics and the groove. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members cooterbrown Posted February 16, 2008 Members Share Posted February 16, 2008 In my experience, white trash ladies think it's a funky song they can stripper dance to. So, it's got something for everybody. I sat in with a band once that played it in some weird key like F or Ab. It was like a completely different song. I think the key of C must ruin it. I played it in several bands and that one was the only one that didn't do it in C. I've done it in B, and yes...that half-step change gave it a fresh vibe. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members tucktronix Posted February 16, 2008 Members Share Posted February 16, 2008 Ha... Sat in on keys with some friends of mine last night, crankin' out some Mustang Sally:thu: These guys normally play the tune in D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members BlueStrat Posted February 16, 2008 Members Share Posted February 16, 2008 True, but Mustang Sally does it better than the others. Why? It's got the recognition, the groove that anyone can move to, and the singalong factor, all rolled into one song. It's not anymore complicated than that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members tim_7string Posted February 16, 2008 Members Share Posted February 16, 2008 Up until I moved to Grand Forks, I had never performed this song before. I had played another Wilson Pickett song before, though (Land of 1,000 Dances). I believe the appeal is the same for both songs: the crowd sing-a-long factor. People eat that {censored} up! It's also the same reason "Brown Eyed Girl" (another song that I never played until I arrived in GF) is a hit with people: they yell/scream/sorta sing along with the "sha-la-la" parts. We do it in C, but we play it in 7ths (C7, F7, G7) and we funk it up quite a bit. The bassist plays a bassline similar to the one in The Doobie Bros. "Long Train Running." I do a lot of scratchy rhythmic (70s r&b/disco/funk) stuff, popping out occasionally with some droning chorus-drenched arpeggios and do a wah-wah/overdrive solo. It sounds pretty different from how the original song goes and thank God for that. The song still bores me at times, but I know people dig it and I make the best I can out of the situation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Big Al Posted February 16, 2008 Members Share Posted February 16, 2008 HA--Almost wet myself when I saw this thread. My band plays it, and it's always a huge hit. At first I hated the song, but after about 100 times through, you start to get beyond the campyness and actually enjoy how brilliant it is. The best performance we ever did of this song was one time our lead guitar player was so wasted, he couldn't remember the first line. He just kept singing "Mustang Sally." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members corbind Posted February 17, 2008 Members Share Posted February 17, 2008 I will not play it in a bar I will not play it in the car I do not like that silly rhyme I do not like it all the time I will not play it for a crowd I will not play it quiet or loud I do not like this song you see I do not like Mustang Sally Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members SKEETERtunes Posted February 17, 2008 Members Share Posted February 17, 2008 Whether we like it or not, certain songs, such as Mustang Sally, work in a bar/dance club. Others, like Brown Eyed Girl, Old Time Rock and Roll, Sharp Dressed Man, et. al. work too. We all know it and a lot of us hope to try to ignore it. Not to get into a debate over whether to play them vs. playing songs WE like, or even to play covers vs. originals, but WHAT, in musical terms, makes those songs what they are? Is it purely a good beat that even the most unrhythmic person can get? Would a different set of lyrics with the EXACT same beat as Mustang Sally work? Or is is that most of these are songs the crowd can sing along with? Is it just familiarity? Or is it something else?Any ideas? 1) Everybody knows it2) You can dance to it3) it has a bluesy sound and a stompin beat4) it is easy to play, so even the worst bands can sound tight on it I have played bands that would run Mustang Sally and Walkin the Dog together. So, yeah, you can do it with different lyrics. They are so similar it is almost the same as doing that. You can't go wrong with a good stompin' beat in a song. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members SKEETERtunes Posted February 17, 2008 Members Share Posted February 17, 2008 What makes "Mustang Sally" such a bar favorite? I'm pretty sure it's the way I sing it. My vote for best answer. Although I always thought it was because of the way I chop the licks to it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members SKEETERtunes Posted February 17, 2008 Members Share Posted February 17, 2008 You've never heard "Ride, Sally ride" and the accompanying drunken sing-along? I'd guess it's a regional thing, or something. Yeah, it's regional to EARTH. I bet if some unknown tribe was discovered they would say to the ships captain "is the boats name sally?" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members stegre Posted February 17, 2008 Members Share Posted February 17, 2008 I will not play it in a bar I will not play it in the car I do not like that silly rhyme I do not like it all the time I will not play it for a crowd I will not play it quiet or loud I do not like this song you see I do not like Mustang Sally I love it... All the more $$$ for me. The more musicians that hate it, the better, the more work I get. Pay me enough and I'll play that sucker in all 12 keys for 4 hours straight! Stefan www.coverbandbook.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Nobody Told Me Posted February 17, 2008 Members Share Posted February 17, 2008 I love it... All the more $$$ for me. The more musicians that hate it, the better, the more work I get. Pay me enough and I'll play that sucker in all 12 keys for 4 hours straight! Stefan www.coverbandbook.com If anyone knows about making money playing old favorites, it's you my friend. You wrote the book on the subject. Go ahead and play Mustang Sally for 4 hours. That's cool. Our goals are different. I don't want to play corporate gigs or weddings. To do that, I would have to play songs I don't like. I would have to play almost exclusively songs I don't like. Playing in a situation like that would suck the joy of performing right out of me. It would turn something I love into something I dread. I'm fully aware of the fact that I'm missing out on the big corporate bucks by shunning songs like Mustang Sally. Geuss what? I don't care. I'm quite happy to play my bar gigs. The crowds like us, the bar owners like us, and we're having fun! (And getting paid) Wanna know what the most frequent comment I get from audience members is? "You guys are awesome, you don't play the same old tired classic rock songs all the other bands that come through here play." That is all the validation I need. Gary Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Scafeets Posted February 17, 2008 Members Share Posted February 17, 2008 I think it's the fact that a one-legged spastic can dance to it, and everyone likes to sing along on "Ride, Sally, Ride". Absolutely correct on both counts. Similarly, everyone loves to chant "No,no no!" on Rehab. I think it may be a future "Mustang F@#%& Sally." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members stegre Posted February 17, 2008 Members Share Posted February 17, 2008 If anyone knows about making money playing old favorites, it's you my friend. You wrote the book on the subject. Go ahead and play Mustang Sally for 4 hours. That's cool. Our goals are different. I don't want to play corporate gigs or weddings. To do that, I would have to play songs I don't like. I would have to play almost exclusively songs I don't like. Playing in a situation like that would suck the joy of performing right out of me. It would turn something I love into something I dread. I'm fully aware of the fact that I'm missing out on the big corporate bucks by shunning songs like Mustang Sally. Geuss what? I don't care. I'm quite happy to play my bar gigs. The crowds like us, the bar owners like us, and we're having fun! (And getting paid) Wanna know what the most frequent comment I get from audience members is? "You guys are awesome, you don't play the same old tired classic rock songs all the other bands that come through here play." That is all the validation I need. Gary Gary, Actually I do both. I play for money and have a second band for all the fun music. I used to live in Iowa, there are more gigs in So Cal, and it is warmer Stefan coverbandbook.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members BlueStrat Posted February 18, 2008 Members Share Posted February 18, 2008 Gary, Actually I do both. I play for money and have a second band for all the fun music. I used to live in Iowa, there are more gigs in So Cal, and it is warmer Stefan coverbandbook.com Yup. Why limit yourself to one thing? The market here has really changed, and gig opportunities have thinned out. We've decided to do something about it. I'm in a band of all long time players who are all former full timers. We're doing something that no one else here seems to be doing, which is building several differerent shows. We're building an entire evening of classic rock (we have about 30 tunes right now), an entire evening of blues (about 30 of those, too) and entire evening of acoustic stuff, and the original stuff. We can cross the original stuff over into any of the other three areas. We'll be adding some country later. Fortunately, we all like all kinds of music. It worked for us last night: we did a gig at an Eagles club as part of a blues festival Mardi Gras benefit that takes place in multiple venues around the downtown area. Since a lot of Eagles club members were there when we first started, and few partygoers (we started at 6) we broke out the acoustics and did about 10 songs that way, until they got used to the sound, then we gradually worked in the electic stuff, doing a solid 90 minute blues set, then came back with a mix of blues and classic rock, working originals in throughout the night. The place stayed packed the whole night through. The Eagles want to hire us back. We're booked for some blues festivals doing all blues, and we're booked at a country club doing all classic rock covers. Later this summer we have a wine festival gig on an acoustic stage. As far as playing songs I don't like, we haven't done that yet. So many songs to me are neutral- I don't love them, I don't hate them, but I will play them to the best of my ability. They each offer a unique challenge as a musician. Maybe it's my age, but I'm less emotionally invested in music as my identity. They're pieces to play, and that's the extent of it-it's fun, and I can play with passion on them, but I'm not embarrassed to play certain songs that I would have been years ago. Since I'm not trying to be anything but a good musician, I have been set free from the constraints of peer pressure. I don't know why more bands don't do this, but as long as they aren't, it's more gigs for us. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members KeysBear Posted February 18, 2008 Members Share Posted February 18, 2008 We never kept Mustang Sally on the actual set list but would haul it out for guys wanting to sit in since it's a universal song that most people couldn't destroy and could play even if they were in a coma. Then one day we had some funk-master guitarist sit in and take the song to a totally new level. It showed me that even the tiredest old song could be brought back to life with a little creativity and a lot of funky soul. Keys Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Nobody Told Me Posted February 18, 2008 Members Share Posted February 18, 2008 I used to live in Iowa, there are more gigs in So Cal, and it is warmer Stefan coverbandbook.com I can't argue with you there! 6 more inches of sleet and snow today, on top of what was already here. If you like I can FedEx you some snow, just to give you a taste of what you left behind. Or UPS, whichever will damage it less. (I won't get sued for slander for saying that will I?) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Lee Flier Posted February 18, 2008 Members Share Posted February 18, 2008 I think it's the only one that casual blues listeners remember the name of. I think there's more truth to this than you might think. When I played in cover bands, I noticed that certain songs seemed to get requested a lot because it seemed people had sent a memo around that all cover bands knew this song, therefore, if you requested it, they'd play it. And there are a lot of lonely people who hang around in bars just because they like the personal attention of being able to request a song and have it get played. I actually never played "Mustang Sally" out enough to get as sick of it as everyone else seems to be... well, apart from the fact that if I like a song, I usually don't ever get sick of it. I didn't mind doing it, but just as often we'd do something else in a similar vein like "In the Midnight Hour" or "Knock On Wood", and those seemed to go over just as well. And then people would really think they were cool because they knew of three really groovin R&B songs they could request. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members LiveMusic Posted February 18, 2008 Members Share Posted February 18, 2008 Here's what makes it such a bar favorite, not a doubt in my mind... because it is one of the best dance songs of all time. It's just a sensational song. Fabulous groove, great sing along hook. I admit, I so admire this song but understand musicians getting sick of it. I'll bet Wilson Pickett made a zillion off that song. Although, he lived awfully hard. Trivia: Mr. Pickett was born in Prattville, Ala., on March 18, 1941. The youngest of 11 children, he grew up in a stern home with a mother he called "the baddest woman in my book." "She used to hit me with anything, skillets, stove wood," he told Gerri Hirshey in "Nowhere to Run: The Story of Soul Music." Maybe that's why he was so violent. (He liked to fight.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members rhat Posted February 18, 2008 Members Share Posted February 18, 2008 I didn't mind doing it, but just as often we'd do something else in a similar vein like "In the Midnight Hour" or "Knock On Wood", and those seemed to go over just as well. And then people would really think they were cool because they knew of three really groovin R&B songs they could request. I think it comes down to that all of those songs came from an era when music was very rhythm and vocal based. The 60s was full of that kind of stuff. We used to do midnight hour and knock on wood back in the day...... they still work today. great dance music.. good lyrics ,, and not alot of screaming guitars. I honestly think people are tired of lead guitar based music. thats why those old songs keep working so well, but you do have to have great vocals... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members cephus Posted February 18, 2008 Members Share Posted February 18, 2008 I think there's more truth to this than you might think. When I played in cover bands, I noticed that certain songs seemed to get requested a lot because it seemed people had sent a memo around that all cover bands knew this song, therefore, if you requested it, they'd play it. Pink cadillac was another one like that for like ten years after it came out. And fricking everyone played peter gunn in the sax solo part. I will take mustang sally over pink cadillac any day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members BluesBenderNC Posted February 18, 2008 Members Share Posted February 18, 2008 My 3 piece blues/rock band played a gig on a Fri night. The 1st set was some originals & a few covers. The 2nd set was well known covers that went over well. Last Fri when my 4 piece beach/rock band played, the owner told me we lost customers in the 1st set of the 3 piece casue people didn't know the songs. They were complimentary of our sound, but they couldn't connect to the songs. We should have played the 2nd set first.The 4 piece band knocked 'em dead with covers including Mustang, Old Time R&R, Soul Man, Brown Eyed, Domino, Oye Como, .... they loved it.You CAN'T play unknown stuff to people that want to drink & party. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members stegre Posted February 19, 2008 Members Share Posted February 19, 2008 I can't argue with you there! 6 more inches of sleet and snow today, on top of what was already here. If you like I can FedEx you some snow, just to give you a taste of what you left behind. Or UPS, whichever will damage it less. (I won't get sued for slander for saying that will I?) Don't miss snow at all but if I do...I'll just jump in my airplane and take a half hour flight to the top of Big Bear mountain and land at the airport there..... lots easier. Stefan www.coverbandbook.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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