Alternative First Dance Songs
First Dances are tricky enough without having to shuffle to a song that doesn't get you in the mood to party. Not everybody loves Ed Sheeran! I’ve nothing against him he seems like a lovely fella in all his interviews, but his tunes aren’t exactly bangin! Dee and myself are hugely into our music. He spent years running gigs at Queens SU and now the Oh Yeah Music Centre. I started out as a music photographer and have the tinnitus to prove it. But as we discovered pretty quickly when trying to pick a first dance, all our favourite songs were about breakups, or drugs, or both!
So to save you many hours trawling your record collection here are the cut of songs which we whittled it down to including our final choice. We had a new years eve party so I think most of these songs got played at some pioint during the night anyway and even if you’re not planning a first dance this is a great playlist to enjoy anyway…
Teenage Wedding by Chuck Berry -
This is what we actually went for. No we did not look this cool, but we had a blast and even better - you can kick off the fancy shoes and do it barefoot! And you don’t even need to be able to dance, just pout and twist!!
Everywhere by Fleetwod Mac
From an era when Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham could actually stand within 20 feet of each-other not throwing evils across the stage, this was what we finished out party on. It is a glorious song with a little twinkly intro to let you sturt to the dancefloor slowly and then give it stacks!
Crazy In Love by Beyonce
Once upon a time when I was still an art student I worked selling records in Virgin Megastores and it was a fairly regular scene on a sunday when filling out the next weeks chart to see a bunch of hungover staff dancing around the store to this track. Nobody can resist dancing to this song - start off on your own then get the entire room on the dancefloor.
Baby I Love you by the Ramones
Who says punk rock can’t be romantic! The Ramones hit all the right notes with this one for a little bit of punk rock and a lot of love song.
I Love you honeybear - Father John Misty
This is one of my favourite songs it is a stunning ballad about love and all its gritty wonder. The video is worth a watch in itself but be warned you probably don’t want aunty mildred figuring out the real lyrics.
She Keeps Me Warm by Mary Lambert
If you can listen to this song without welling up you are a tougher cookie than me! It is beauty defined in it’s simplicity and purity.
Grow Old With Me - Sunny Sweeney
Love a bit of country? Don’t want to leave a dry eye in the house. I’ve seen this one in action as a first dance and even I had a wee sob behind the camera!!
Walking On A String by Matt Berninger & Phoebe Bridgers
Keeping it slow for a bit this is a song that makes me emotional even listening to it on youtube. Written for Zach Galifianakis film Between Two Ferns, this unlikely duo have created something magical.
Tonight Tonight by The Smashing Pumpkins
I was OBSESSED with the smashing pumpkins when I was a teeanger. I knew every word to every song on every album, b side and ep! I listened to them to an extent it became tragic. Somebody broke into my car when I was 20 and nicked my carefully curated mixtapes and I am still not over it. While Disarm will forever be my favourite (and I fully admit to weeping to it once at a teeny gig I managed to get into I was so overwhelmed with joy at hearing it live)Tonight Tonight is the best video they ever made and an anthem of my youth! This is a first dance winner - the impossible is possible tonight!!
Make It Wit Chu - QOTSA
Keeping on a more rock theme i can not ever get bored of this song. ITs funky, its got epic choruses, it’s too high for anyone to sing along at points but thats ok because its brilliant!
One Day Like This - Elbow
Its looking like a beautiful day (insert soaring violins and fight the urge to sway but give in and lose yourself in this song)
Baby I’m Yours by Arctic Monkeys
This wonderful cover of the Barbara Lewis original is a touch of class with an alternative twist.
Together in Electric Dreams by Human League
My Dad’s favourite song so I may be biased but nobody can resist the urge to sing along to this one and what a glroious tune to start your married adventures on. When I still had weekends off I used to dance to this at an amazing night called Pallokaville in Belfast and it never failed to end the night on a high so why not start your night with it.