| Some of those over played wedding songs that you | | | | Virginian dance craze which quickly infected the rest |
| love to hate, do have some trivial back stories that | | | | of the country. |
| may interest you. They may or may not change | | | | Strangely enough, despite it's enormous international |
| your mind to add them to your wedding song list: | | | | popularity, the song never cracked the Top 40 |
| The Chicken Dance: | | | | charts. Steps to the dance can be found here. |
| This unique Polka is often considered an Oktoberfest | | | | Da Butt: |
| standard. Stories claim that the song was written in | | | | Sung and performed by E.U (Experience Unlimited) |
| the 50's by Swiss Accordion player Werner Thomas | | | | from the 1988 Spike Lee movie "School Daze". The |
| in Davos, Switzerland while tending a flock of Ducks | | | | song has it's own dance, which involves simply |
| and Geese. Originally entitled "Der Ententanz" (The | | | | shaking your butt when instructed by the lyrics. Spike |
| Duck Dance), the tune crossed the Atlantic via | | | | Lee directed the video for this, and even appeared in |
| traveling Polka bands and became "The Chicken | | | | it, shaking his butt. |
| Dance". | | | | This is one of the biggest hits with the "go-go" sound |
| The dance was popularized in the United States in | | | | - a fun mixture of dance, rap, and funk. "Go-go" has |
| 1981 during the Tulsa, Oklahoma, Oktoberfest by the | | | | been popular in the Washington, DC area since the |
| Heilbronn Band from Germany. They wanted to | | | | '70's. |
| demonstrate the dance in costume but there were | | | | The Achy Breaky Heart: |
| no duck costumes available anywhere near Tulsa. At | | | | Sung by Billy Ray Cyrus from Flatwoods, Ky, who |
| a local television station, however, a chicken costume | | | | bought a guitar at age 20, then played in local bands |
| was available which was donated for use at the | | | | named Sly Dog and the Breeze. He spent 1984 to |
| festival. And that is how the "Chicken Dance" got its | | | | 1986 in Los Angeles, looking for a recording contract |
| name. | | | | and supporting himself by selling cars. Next he lived in |
| There are many versions of the poultry theme song | | | | Huntington, W.Va., and traveled regularly to Nashville |
| also known as "Vogeltanz" (Dance Little Bird), "Dance | | | | in search of the elusive recording deal. Finally, Cyrus |
| de Canards" and "The Bird's Dance". Steps to the | | | | was signed to Mercury Records in 1990 |
| dance can be found here. | | | | Although the song has an amusing title and upscale |
| The Hokey Pokey: | | | | rhythm, it tells a sad story: a couple are breaking up, |
| The song is said to have originated in England as "the | | | | and Cyrus asks that his heart be spared the pain |
| Okey Cokey" and popularized by G.I's in England | | | | because his heart `might blow up and kill this man.' |
| during World War 2. Bob Degen of Lexington, KY | | | | This was a remake of a 1991 song by the Country |
| owns a 1944 copyright of the song "The | | | | act The Marcy Brothers, titled "Don't Tell My Heart." |
| Hokey-Pokey Dance" but Larry LaPrise, legend has it, | | | | In 1992 the "Achy Breaky Heart" spawned dance |
| "invented" the song for ski crowd at a Sun Valley, | | | | contests held in dance clubs across the country.Steps |
| Idaho resort in the 1940's and recorded it in 1949 | | | | to the dance can be found here. |
| with the Ram Trio. The rights were bought by Ray | | | | The Macarena: |
| Anthony who recorded it as the 'B' side to "The | | | | "Macarena" is a song by Los del Rio (Rafael Ruiz and |
| Bunny Hop" in 1953. Larry LaPrise, died April 13, 1996 | | | | Romero Monge) about a woman of the same name. |
| in Boise, Idaho, at the age of 83. Steps to the dance | | | | Diana Patricia, the Venezuelan flamenco dancer |
| can be found here. | | | | inspired the song. It was originally released in 1993, as |
| The Time Warp: | | | | a new flamenco rumba pop fusion theme with |
| "The Time Warp" is without a doubt the most | | | | Spanish lyrics, with a significant success in Spain. "La |
| popular song from The Rocky Horror Picture Show | | | | Macarena" is one of 8 sections (known as "quarters") |
| movie released in 1975 and starring Tim Curry & | | | | of Seville, Spain. That's where they got the name. |
| Susan Sarandon. The original 1973 London Theater | | | | The song originally had no dance. |
| Company production written by Richard O'Brien was | | | | After being remixed by the Bayside Boys and having |
| only meant to run for 6 weeks. | | | | English lyrics added, it became a worldwide summer |
| The movie musical was a flop but went onto cult | | | | hit in 1996. The single spent 14 weeks at number 1 |
| status when on April 1st, 1976, it was played at the | | | | on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 singles chart. |
| Waverly theatre at midnight. It was a success, and | | | | In the original version, Macarena (which means |
| rapidly developed a large following. The regulars | | | | "Mother of God.") is upset because her boyfriend, |
| started dressing up as characters from the movie | | | | Vitorino, has joined the army. She retaliates by going |
| and even started yelling things back at the screen. | | | | out on the town and carousing with other men. In |
| This escalated to the audience participation we have | | | | the Bayside Boys mix, Macarena gets mad at her |
| today. | | | | boyfriend and goes out to shake it while he's out of |
| The song is played on the radio, at clubs, at school | | | | town. |
| dances, and even by marching bands. People who | | | | During its heyday, it was played incessantly at |
| have never seen the movie often know how to do | | | | professional athletic games, rallies, the United States |
| The Time Warp. Steps to the dance can be found | | | | Democratic Party's National Convention, and other |
| here. | | | | places. The Israeli national radio station "Galatz", |
| The YMCA: | | | | chose "The Macarena" as the worst song of the |
| The Village People was created in 1977 by French | | | | 1990s. As for the dance credit can be assigned to |
| record producer and composer, Jacques Morali. The | | | | Mia Frye, the choreographer of "The Macarena" |
| group was named after New Yorks gay district in | | | | video. Steps to the dance can be found here: |
| Greenwich Village. It is believed that the group was | | | | The Cha Cha Slide: |
| designed to attract gay audiences while parodying | | | | DJ Casper - Cha Cha Slide sometimes called "The |
| some of the stereotypes found in the gay | | | | Casper Slide" The Cha Cha Slide is a dance created |
| community. As everyone knows by now, the group | | | | by Chicago's Willie Perry (DJ Casper, aka Mr. C). It is |
| was made up of "macho men," including a cop, a | | | | an update of the Electric Slide, and includes DJ |
| construction worker, a cowboy, a biker, a Native | | | | Casper's called-out instructions. The rhythm of the |
| American and a soldier. | | | | Cha-Cha Slide is based on an obscure 1993 dance |
| The Song "YMCA" was released in 1978 and reached | | | | club song "Plastic Dreams" by Jaydee (aka Robin |
| number 2 on the Billboard Top 40 Charts. Y.M.C.A. | | | | Albers). |
| stands for "Young Men's Christian Association," which | | | | DJ Casper developed the Cha Cha Slide in 1996 for |
| is commonly associated with the gyms that often | | | | Bally Total Fitness; it became a hit with gym |
| provide temporary housing to men. | | | | members, and the dance's popularity prompted |
| Originally considered an anthem for the gay | | | | Chicago's WGCI radio station to approach Mr. C to |
| community, the song has long been popular with | | | | record a song to showcase the dance The Cha-Cha |
| people from all walks of life. Its become the most | | | | Slide in 2000. The following year, the song and dance |
| frequently performed song at sporting events in the | | | | caught on around the USA. Steps to the dance can |
| U.S. with everyone singing and dancing using the | | | | be found here. |
| well-known arm movements that spell out the letters | | | | If you don't like these selections please advise your |
| Y-M-C-A. | | | | DJ entertainer to remove them from your event |
| The Electric Slide: | | | | playlist. If you like these songs and would like to learn |
| The Electric Boogie was recorded by Marcia Griffiths | | | | these dances, please feel free to contact you DJ |
| and produced by Bunny Wailer in 1982. Griffiths was | | | | entertainer for step-by-step instructions at your next |
| one of Bob Marleys backup singers, the iThree's, for | | | | event. |
| nearly a decade, and Bunny Wailer was a Wailer. | | | | Rob has been a professional mobile DJ since 1983, |
| In 1989, the song exploded into popularity. Numerous | | | | performing at hundreds of events each year including |
| re-recordings and re-packagings ensued and The | | | | weddings, corporate events and school functions. |
| Electric Slide emerged as a Washington, D.C. and | | | | |