This is a just for fun topic, I hope no one minds.

Personally I think one of the least enjoyable things about wedding Videography is the terrible music.

As a self described audiophile and indie music aficionado having to edit my umpteenth reception dance to the song “Remember When, by Alan Jackson” having to listen to it backwards forwards, frame by frame and over and over again for hours on end to get the video to flow with the music is so irritating. It’s my most hated part of the job by far; it even beats optimising video for the web.

So what are your most hated cliché wedding songs that send shudders up your spine? Or just so terribly awful you couldn’t believe the bride and groom were serious.

My personal most hated by far is, “Remember When” simply because its every other couple’s and their dog's “song” with “From this moment on” by Shania twain a close second; though the fact that I dislike country so might give me some bias.

Though the most absurd “Their song” choice was Usher “Yeah” Now that was just outright ridiculous! Kids these days, huh?

This is funny, b/c 've been on a hunt for something new and fresh. Although I do have to remind myself that what's old to us is new to them. They don't hear this stuff every week like we do. I've gone on bride's forums and searched song titles to see what they are requesting for their weddings... You would cringe. So it was a sort of awakening that made me wonder... why am I troubling myself. They just want the same old thing.

Did one to "Remember When" last year. Thought it was an odd choice for a first dance, but whatever. Worked well on an anniversary video, though.

You listed, "From this Moment" so you beat me to that one. I can't stand the Kelly Clarkson song, "Moment Like This" and was relieved that it didn't take off as I thought it might. Not a big fan of Bon Jovi's "Thank-you for Loving Me." Sounds too desperate. I can't beleive people still request "Going to the Chapel" though my compromise is to use the Elton John version to spice things up.

I'm getting sick of "When You Say Nothing At all." It sooooo long.
Most R&B ballads make me want to stick my finger down my throat. "Though the Years" is getting moldy, but at least "Butterly Kisses" has dried up a bit and flown away.

Then there are the novelty dances like Electric Slide, Macarana, Chicken Dance, which thank goodness haven't been showing up as much. But more than any of them, I HATE the newest one where they do a bunch of different stuff - cha cha, the Charlie Brown... what the heck is that stupid thing called...?

Oh, and I refuse to include Monie Monie! SOMEONE will not be able to control him or herself... if you know what I mean... With all the songs in the world, why does that one need to be played at EVERY wedding??? Oh, and Runaround Sue. What the heck - it's a song about infedelity... at a wedding??

I could go on and on. But you get the idea.

I got married 24 years ago and the song I chose for our wedding was Al Jarreu's "Teach Me Tonight". An incredibly beautiful song with very powerful lyrics.

This was a time when EVERYONE wanted Europa by either Santana or Gato Barbieri.

The Al Jarreau version is amazing and unique in that you never hear it used this way. Try it and you will find that the old is new all over again! Your clients will love it!!!

RB

P.S.

All the copyright gremlins be damned!

ROFLMAO!

damn funny stuff.. i hate cheesy crappy soppy lovey dovey garbage.. its so damn shallow..

persoanlly i like to use music which has a timeless element to it, and not in any of the mainstream charts, as chart music just gets dated so quickly. for me music choice is as important as choosing the right shot.

<<<-- Originally posted by Jennifer Moak : But more than any of them, I HATE the newest one where they do a bunch of different stuff - cha cha, the Charlie Brown... what the heck is that stupid thing called...? -->>>

"Cha-Cha Slide" by Mr. C the Slide Man. It was fun the first time. I'd still rather hear that than "Macarena" anyday.


Peace out!

Peter, what music do you use then?
Again, "All the copyright gremlins be damned!" :)


And again, I just received a song list from a new client "You're Still The One - (Shania Twain)" Is their song.

*Sigh*

I HATE "Amazed" by Lonestar.

I want to barf everytime I hear it. :-)

Terry T.

<<<-- Originally posted by Terry Taravella : I HATE "Amazed" by Lonestar.

I want to barf everytime I hear it. :-)

Terry T. -->>>

Doesn't help that it's one of the most popular first dance songs does it?

Greenday - Time of your Life

No doubt its a good song.... I just hate being asked to use it everytime I show a memories collection.

What about "You can't always get what you want"? That's a classic.

I have to roll my eyes when the father/daughter dance song is Butterfly Kisses. It's like 6 minutes long. One time the DJ royally screwed up and the song skipped, that dance went on for over 9 minutes!

"Peter, what music do you use then?"

i like trance, trip hop, ambient and afew other tracks

some commercial tracks have been revamped into dance versions, but for girls prep, a good one is Christina Aquilera, "hes loving me for me, " or something like that. J Los waiting for tonight is overused. and this is is a perfect in a subtle sense. For the grooms, it really depends but ZZTop is always a good group with some nice material... umm..
Darren Haynes Insatiable, and Falling at Your Feet are awesome for this kind of thing and have some really nice pacings to help with the edit.
for mini Movies, i like to keep them fast pced and action oriented so anything by Juno Reactor is pretty much incredible...

one thing i do is watch alot of movie, i at least try to wach 2 movies a week and from that, i listen to the music that they use. i write down a looooooong list of tunes and try to find those tracks to keep within my database.
I can be lazy sometimes ;) but doing this gives me an idea as to what the music would sounc like with certain themes and styles of footage.

ROFLMAO.. sorry cant stop laughing.. just had a bride and groom who are martial artists, and they wanted to do a preshoot simialr to the shoot in animatrix Last Flight of the Osiris.. now i was thinking.. yeah that would work.. BUT.. i dont want it to be a typical remake of it.. was gonna use Juno Reactors original track.. then i just mentioned to them.. how bout Prodigy Smack my Bitch up.. and they gave me this look...
then i told them the twist..
She kicks his butt.. LOL so i think thats gonna be a fun one to cut.. LOL

music.. oh... crap i hate soppy music.. did i mention that?

I had a funny one on my last wedding shoot, The Bride loved the song "Baby got back" by Sir Mixalot and used it for the opening reception song. Got to tell you all the women were pretty animated and it was actually a pretty fun one to edit. It broke the mold a bit, but oh well....it's thier memories right.

Do you guys use a rights publisher and if so does an inexpensive option exist to get needle drop rights for one off sync to video jobs like a wedding reel?

I would likely recognoze each of the tunes you have mentioned above, but none exist on my computer and I have yet had the need to insert any licensed work in any of the 15 or 20 weddings that I have shot, editted and authored.

I suppose Peter is sort of exempt from this query as my question applies to the Americas.

It is illegal to use the song in anything you make money off of or distribute openly.

Edit: /without full permission ect of the copyright holder.

Alot of people do it... but every once in a while through strange events the RIAA decides to sue a videographer ect who used a song illegally.


There is a lot of this in the Legal Board - check there.

Be careful with what you state. You might be incorrect. If they have gotten a master license and a sync license, it is legal inside the terms of their licensing agreements.

wre nto exempt.. were still liable for use of copywritten material..

here in Aus, we get APRA/ABIA licenses based on number of copies, and sync. Basically its less than a hundred dollars for 5 copies.. but u have to state what music ur using before u use it

Excellent! To what org or body does one inquire to in the Americas to get such license?

Thanks Peter.

no idea mate..
best thing to do is to contact the publisher and as them what you need to do to to license their music for a special event.

no idea mate..
best thing to do is to contact the publisher and as them what you need to do to to license their music for a special event.

} ... one of the least enjoyable things about wedding Videography is the terrible music

Must .... resist ... pet .. peeve .... GAAaahh! Alright, one little reply can't hurt. Much.

What always made me laugh inside was watching those DJs haul in LPs and CDs by the crateful, then without fail manage to program the whole night with the same sixty songs every other wedding party hears.

I calculated an 18% chance that all receptions are "kicked off" (yaawwwwnn) with Bob Seger's "Old Time Rock and Roll". 79% of all conga lines must use David Johansen's knockoff of "Hot Hot Hot", a development that The Buster rues to this day. When the MC notices that nobody over 55 is dancing, there is an 88% probability that some version of "Take the A-Train" will be next.

As so many Baby Boomers were getting hitched when I worked these gigs, I became painfully familiar with "Brown Eyed Girl", "Mustang Sally", "Superfreak", and "Wonderful Tonight". Good, bad, or indifferent, my patience for these numbers is utterly exhausted.

Let us not fail to include those groan-inducing Special Requests. Preteen girls will demand a "Chicken Dance", and all but the loopy guests oblige grudgingly. Worse yet is when Father O'Toole wants the band to play "Danny Boy" so he can murder it on the open mike AND/OR the bride's father gets up and sloshes through a barely recognizable "Mack the Knife".

And will we ever get enough of these certain four letters? "YYYYY-M-C-A!"

And then .... then .... Oh, no, the memory is starting to ache. Guess I'd better dismount the rant cannon.

well.. i have to disagree on one thing and I'll explain..
YMCA ROCKS ........

Reason being is that most bridesmaids these days where strapless tops/dresses... its a sight to behold and my ears are a worthwhile sacrifice to envision that sight alone..