Good Songs For Weddings – End your reception with a bang!
You’ve chosen your all-important First Dance for your Wedding Day, you’ve given your DJ some ideas of your music tastes for the evening…but when it comes to good songs for weddings, have you thought about the very last tune of the day?
It’s not essential to control every aspect of the wedding reception music (that’s why you hire a vastly-experienced DJ like me!), however you might have a finalé song in mind; a lively (but not riotous) singalong track that means something special to you and your guests, and it would be a shame to miss such a golden opportunity to create one final lasting memory of the big day.
Listed below are ten songs that I regularly use at Essex Wedding receptions…some are obvious, others a little quirkier, but all are carefully considered according to the audience in front of me.
Ten Tracks I Think Make Great Wedding Songs
Baby I Love You – The Ramones
Originally released by The Ronettes in the 60s, The Ramones took their version into the UK Top Ten in 1980. It’s the perfect tempo for a ‘send-off’ song, with an undeniably catchy and easy to sing chorus. Legend has it that The Ramones hated their own version as it was forced upon them to record it, but it remains a superb cover nonetheless.
The Best – Tina Turner
Once again, this track is the ideal speed for a singalong. Incredibly commercially successful and definitely one for the aunts and uncles. I usually play the full album version, which has an ideal instrumental break just before the end in which to make my final goodbye announcements, leaving my audience in no doubt that this really is the last song of the night!
I’m In The Mood For Love – Jamiroquai with The Jools Holland Orchestra
A fabulous copy of a copy of a copy of a classic 1935 song! This interpretation is a full orchestral reworking of the ska version, originally by Lord Tanamo in 1965. It’s such a happy and upbeat number, it never fails to bring a smile to faces around the room…Jay Kay’s superb voice over Jools Holland’s wonderful arrangement. A real carnival ending!
American Pie – Don McLean
This song certainly needs little or no introduction! if your audience want to go out singing, this is right up there with all the very good songs for weddings. Not something I play without careful consideration though…not everyone knows all the words, especially for the full 8.36 version! If it’s requested during the night, I’ll usually save it for last.
Don’t Look Back In Anger – Oasis
This is the archetypal British party standard for getting everyone on vocals. Despite the rather inappropriate title (for a wedding!) it remains one of the most requested songs since its release in 1996. I often get asked for Wonderwall but that’s rather drab in comparison to what I think was Oasis’s highpoint.
All Together Now – The Farm
If I’m going to include some personal taste here, it has to be this absolute anthem from the Nineties. I tend to use this as my final song if the bride and groom are a little more mature….i.e. they were ravers in the 90s! I played a few ‘unofficial’ dance events back in the day, and this was my weapon of choice if I was the last DJ of the evening. Even if you weren’t there, it still has a great rising chorus to end upon.
The Wonder Of You – Elvis Presley
Yes, it’s old school for sure, but it is still one of the ultimate singalong songs in the world. The chances are, most will know the words and those that don’t will soon pick them up! It’s actually a cover of a late Fifties minor hit, and Elvis’s version was recorded live in Vegas in 1970….my favourite Elvis era – the jumpsuits, the rhinestones and the big brassy arrangements! I’ve tagged the recent orchestral reworking below, simply because it sounds even better!
Lovin’ Each Day – Ronan Keating
Whaaaa? Ronan Keating?! Has Ian gone mad? Let me explain….firstly, this is another tune with the perfect tempo for creating a send-off circle for the bride & groom. A catchy chorus too, and with appropriate wording that makes it one of the good songs for weddings. The hidden appeal here, however, is aimed squarely at the male contingent in the room. It’s not sexist or misguided to say that fellas are the more difficult (as a whole) to attract to the dancefloor…so why not pick a track they’ll connect with. And Ronan’s Lovin’ Each Day was used by Sky Sports for a few years as the theme tune to their Premier League football coverage. Over the years, Sky have used some brilliant songs as themes, such as Paul Weller’s Out Of The Sinking, Moloko’s The Time Is Now and the current one, Celeste’s Stop This Flame. But this one is the most fitting.
It Must Be Love – Madness
Sometimes you just have to play the most commercially successful songs to get the people up, and this classic Madness song from the early Eighties is not only a guaranteed singalong anthem, the words are also very appropriate. I’ve been known to play the original version by Labi Siffre from time to time, and there’s also a great cover by James Morrison too.
Finally, this song gained fantastic traction when Tom from McFly sang it during his own wedding speech and the video went viral. Unashamedly romantic and irresistibly catchy, this is modern pop music at its best.
It goes without saying that nothing is set in stone, these are just ten good songs for weddings that I’ve played regularly but by no means every time. Currently I’m using a Robbie Williams drum ‘n’ bass ballad remix at some weddings, which is taking the roof off (but it’s not available to share on Spotify!), and I could easily list another twenty anthems…but I hope this has been a helpful guide for that memorable final song of your fantastic wedding day!
Good Songs for Weddings – FAQs
What song is most played at weddings?
Music fashions change, but some tunes just stick around forever! Whitney’s ‘I Wanna Dance With Somebody (Who Loves Me)’ is still requested at 95% of wedding receptions, along with ‘Mr Brightside’ by The Killers.
What’s a song that gets everyone dancing?
See above! Or if we’re really struggling to fill the floor at a wedding, there’s always the ‘ABBA’ button! Tracks with dedicated moves are still popular, so Cameo’s ‘Candy’ is a sure-fire hit if a few know the actions.
What’s a great wedding entrance song?
I normally use a really upbeat tune to introduce the Bride & Groom into the room for the wedding breakfast. Songs such as ‘Marry You’ by Bruno Mars or ‘Love Is In The Air’ by John Paul Young work fantastically well.