Songs that you love or hate to play live... What are yours?

[Rain]

Was listening to The Tea Party this week and remembering how much I loved to play their songs live, and this gave me the idea...

Cover songs that were the most and the least fun to play live.

 

Songs I LOVED to play live:

1 - The River, The Tea Party. (Perfect. Nothing comes remotely close).

2 - Killing in the Name, Rage Against the Machine (Energy and crowd reaction).

3 - Epic, Faith No More (The rapping/singing part, that was so out there for me).

4 - Tourettes, Nirvana (Cathartic).

5 - Voodoo Chile (Slight Return), Jimi Hendrix (Quite obvious).

6 - Roadhouse Blues, The Doors (Vocals).

 

Songs I HATED to play live:

1: Highway Star, Deep Purple

2: Going Blind, KISS.

3: Closer to the Heart, Rush.

 

The fun ones not necessarily personal favorites (for exemple, I am not that big a fan of RATM though I can appreciate them) and ironically, those bands on the hate list are among my favorites. I just could not sing/play those songs properly. I chose 9 because it’s my favorite number - and also because my template only takes 9 pics max. 

There’s also a lot of songs that I really like, and which I was glad to see on our setlist, but which weren’t particularly exciting to play - The Wizard by Black Sabbath, Mandatory Suicide by Slayer, and Astronomy Domine by Pink Floyd come to mind. And I am sure I forget many that loved or hated. The only one I am 100% certain about is the top one.

 

What are yours?

Edited June 5, 2022 by Rain

[John Bradley]

I could happily go the rest of my life without hearing or playing Hard To Handle or What I Like About You ever again.

[PhonoBrainer]

Focusing on the hate,

after you play "You May Be Right" by Billie Joel 10,000 times, it gets a little stale after that.

That song invited everybody with an overbite to come dancing. Which, of course, was the entire point, playing casuals in the '90's.

This Boomer is not going to complain.

[SteveStrummerUK]

HATE: Anything I can't play all the way through without making a few mistakes and/or playing a few bum notes

LOVE: 

[craigb]

[Bapu]

LOVE: Nothing Is Easy, Aqualung and Bouree by Tull, Walk Away by The James Gang

HATE: Truckin' by The Grateful Dead

[57Gregy]

Cocaine. Requested often and we always complied. Sometimes 4 or 5 times a night.
Another Brick In The Wall. Same thing. 
Early 80s time period.

[Sheens]

1 minute ago, 57Gregy said:

Cocaine. Requested often and we always complied. Sometimes 4 or 5 times a night.
Another Brick In The Wall. Same thing. 
Early 80s time period.

 

[Sheens]

next US tour few years later

 

Edited June 5, 2022 by Sheens

[57Gregy]

Is that the actual name of the band? ?

[Bapu]

26 minutes ago, 57Gregy said:

Is that the actual name of the band? ?

Might as well be....

[Jesse Screed]

songs I love to perform

song I hate to perform

 

[Rain]

9 hours ago, Sheens said:

 

Cocaine has destroyed many careers, but this is one case where I think it might have helped.

Couldn't have made things worse, at any rate.

[Notes_Norton]

The songs I like to play most are usually the newest ones we've learned. There is still room to explore.

There are no songs I hate to play. There are some songs I wouldn't play unless they were requested, but I can't say I hate or even dislike them.

Playing any songs is better than working at any "day job" that I can think of.

I'm lucky that I get to make a living doing music and nothing but music. What's there to hate about that?

 

Notes ♫

[Bajan Blue]

Ah an easy one for me - as we play mainly our own stuff, there are only two covers we ever play, although I am mucking around with one at the moment - Edwyn Collins - A Girl Like You 

the two we play are

Waiting for my Man - Velvet Underground

Somebody to Love _ Jefferson AIrplane

 

[Bajan Blue]

opps, meant to post this video - great live version

 

 

[Jeremy Oakes]

Enjoy playing live :

Boys are Back in Town, Rosalie, Here I Go Again, etc

Do not enjoy playing live :

Sweet Child of Mine and Knocking on Heavens Door, Roadhouse Blues 

J

[bitflipper]

I think about this every time I see a classic band who've had to play the same songs over and over for 40-50 years. Especially the one-hit wonders. Even though the audience eats those oldies up, it's gotta be a chore. And they're really not allowed to take too many liberties with arrangements, lest the audience turn on them.

My own philosophy is that you're an entertainer, period. Your one job is to entertain. Whatever makes the audience happy should make you happy too. If you don't feel that way, stay in the garage and entertain yourself.

That said, the list of songs I won't play is too long to enumerate here. 

 

[Tim Smith]

I'm not given to like standing in front of lots of people, yet it seems to have happened on a fairly regular basis. Never got into music to 'entertain'.

At this point in my life I have to think about whether to say yes or not when I am asked. Back in the day I jumped at any request.

I like to get into the moment with some music which allows me to forget there is anyone listening. If no one notices you in a group,for me that's a good thing. Sticking out usually isn't good unless you are soloing on a guitar. I would rather make people think and reflect than entertain. 

I know. I'm boring but I'm ok with that. Actually quite content.

[Rain]

17 hours ago, bitflipper said:

I think about this every time I see a classic band who've had to play the same songs over and over for 40-50 years. Especially the one-hit wonders. Even though the audience eats those oldies up, it's gotta be a chore. And they're really not allowed to take too many liberties with arrangements, lest the audience turn on them.

My own philosophy is that you're an entertainer, period. Your one job is to entertain. Whatever makes the audience happy should make you happy too. If you don't feel that way, stay in the garage and entertain yourself.

That said, the list of songs I won't play is too long to enumerate here. 

 

Reminds me of Boris Karloff who used to say that one should consider himself lucky to be typecasted and that it was an honour. Bela Lugosi and many others would have begged to differ, but I find it an interesting (and rather healthier) perspective.

Back in the 90's, I used to wonder how sick and tired Metallica must have been of playing Seek and Destroy at practically every show since their early days, and stretching it to 10 minutes, with the middle section where they get the audience to sing along. That was 30 some years ago...

I am wondering if you reach a point where it's actually fun to play again.