The CALLERLAB Music Producers’ Committee has updated their website, musicforcallers.com, and made it awesome! You can click on the name/logo of one of the record labels on the front page to go to that label’s website, or you can click on “Search for Songs” to search the combined database of multiple producers. Well done, guys!
Category Archives: Music
Tuba Square Dance by Vince Fiorino
“Tuba Square Dance”, another bit of silly hokum presented by Vince Fiorino, and vocalized by “Arki, The Arkansas Woodchoper” (with assistance by his girlfriend “Sal” – “Get off my toe, Ark!”)
Recorded in New York, released March, 1953.
Spade Cooley Square Dance Music
Spade Cooley was a famous musician and actor in the 1940s to 1950s. His career was prematurely ended when he was convicted for the murder of his wife in 1961. He died while on a 72-hour furlough from prison in 1969.
This is a little box set of Spade Cooley 45 RPM square dance records without calls. The records were in great shape. Strange green color translucent vinyl. Tunes included Ida Red, To The Barn, Flop Eared Mule, Waggoner, Wake Up Suzie and Eighth of January. If you don’t know Spade Cooley you could sum up his music by saying he’s the Spike Jones of Western Swing music.
Listen to the album on Soundcloud:
Square Dance Song by Anna Jois
Square Dance Song
Square Dance Song
Performed as a singing call (Plus)
Buy the Music
MODERN Square Dance Music Recommendations for 2015
Music with a dance beat that can be used in square dances. Some of the songs may need to be sped up, slowed down, or otherwise edited to make them work with your dancers. The list is in alphabetical order by song title. Happy dancing!
- Domino by Jessie J (NEW!)
- Et Alors! by Shy’m (NEW!)
- I Got a Feeling by Black Eyed Peas
- Prayer in C by Lilly Wood & The Prick and Robin Schulz (NEW!)
- Rather Be by Clean Bandit
- Really Don’t Care by Demi Lovato
- Sugar by Maroon 5
- Travel to Romantis by Ace of Base
- Ugly Heart by G.R.L.
See also: MODERN Square Dance Music Recommendations for 2014
Don’t forget that there are LOTS OF SQUARE DANCE MUSIC PRODUCERS who are also making some great music.
Free (and Awesome) Square Dance Song to Download
Download a free (and awesome) square dance patter tune by Aarun & Jonathan.
If you like what you hear, you can download other songs or get the whole album here.
Deep End Sessions, Vol. 1
by Aarun Carter and Jonathan Trawick
MODERN Square Dance Music Recommendations for 2014
Music with a dance beat that can be used in square dances. Some of the songs may need to be sped up or slowed down to make them work with your dancers. The list is in alphabetical order by song title. Happy dancing!
- Adelante by Sash! (recommended by Shaney)
- Around the World by ATC (recommended by Shaney)
- Axel F by Dream Chaser (recommended by Stephen)
- Blue by Eiffel 65 (recommended by Shaney)
- Bom Bom by Sam and the Womp (recommended by Shaney)
- California Dreamin’ by Gilles David Orchestra (recommended by Shaney)
- Can the Frog Tap Dance by Electromuppets (recommended by Johnny)
- Christmas Dance by Gus Caveda (recommended by Shaney)
- Cotton Eyed Joe by Rednex (recommended by Shaney)
- Crazy All My Life by Daniel Powter (recommended by Shaney)
- Domino by Jessie J (recommended by Shaney)
- Do You Love Me by 2NE1 (recommended by Shaney)
- Electric Daisy Violin by Lindsey Stirling (recommended by Shaney)
- Fade into Darkness by Avicii (recommended by Shaney)
- Genie by Girl’s Generation (recommended by Shaney)
- Gentleman by Psy (recommended by Shaney)
- Get Ready by 2 Unlimited (recommended by Shaney)
- Hey Brother by Avicii (recommended by Shaney)
- Holiday by Green Day (recommended by Shaney)
- I Kissed a Girl by Katy Perry (recommended by Shaney)
- I Want You to Want Me by Two in One (recommended by Stephen)
- Keep Hope Alive by Crystal Method (recommended by Shaney)
- La La La by Shakira (recommended by Shaney)
- Last Night by Chris Anderson (recommended by Shaney)
- Little L by Jamiroquai (recommended by Shaney)
- Only Girl by Rihanna (recommended by Shaney)
- Sunchyme by Dario (recommended by Shaney)
- The Walker by Fitz and the Tantrums (recommended by Shaney)
- Uprising by Muse (recommended by Shaney)
- Waka Waka by Shakira (recommended by Shaney)
- Wake Me Up by Avicii (recommended by Shaney)
- What is Love? by Hardaway (recommended by Shaney)
- What Makes You Beautiful by One Direction (recommended by Shaney)
Don’t forget that there are LOTS OF SQUARE DANCE MUSIC PRODUCERS who are also making some great music.
Music Suggestion: The Flying Tent by Perpetual e-Motion
Perpetual e-Motion creates music that fuses traditional with electronic sounds. It makes for a very rich backdrop for square dancing and contra dancing.
Here is a documentary about Perpetual e-Motion.
Description from YouTube:
This Maine based duo presents an innovative and captivating take on traditional inspired dance music, integrating multilayered electric fiddle with acoustic-electric synth guitar, foot percussion, didgeridoo and vocals to create a surreal, hypnotic and invigorating tapestry of grooves and soundscapes. No gimmicks here, just an innovative and impassioned take on music that makes you want to move.
Our Favourite Square Dance Music in 2014 – Results
Here are the results of the “My Favourite Square Dance Music in 2014” survey.
Our Favourite Patter Music
- Blurred Lines by Robin Thicke (2 votes)
- Bones
Has a good beat and feels good. Dancers love it too - Busy Buzzy (EGO 903)
It’s fast but still smooth and somewhat Jazzy.” - Chaka Chaka
Like the energetic rhythm and the voices Dancers start moving before you even start calling patter. - Cocoon
- Electric Daisy Violin by Lindsey Sterling.
A fellow caller and friend from Maryland recently used a piece of patter music called Electric Daisy Violin by Lindsey Sterling. I like this because it is a good tune, and Lindsey Sterling recently performed on Americas Got Talent, the show on which she was a contestant at one point in time. This piece of music has a very 2014 and modern sound that people of today will relate to. - Fuji Mountain Breakdown (RIV 295).
I am a new caller (less than one year of experience) and I find that the song Fuji Mountain Breakdown is really easy to call to. As a dancer, I love the beat. It makes me want to get up and dance. - Fur Elise
- Happy
- I Don’t Feel Like Dancing by Scissor Sisters
Has a beat and nobody seems to notice it’s about not wanting to dance. - Let’s Get Loud
Just a great, popular piece of music. - Mana Malohi by Te Vaka
- Maybe It’s a Hoedown – RR
Love the beat and also the original song. - Moves like Jagger
- Music Box Dancer
- Pumped up Kicks
- Rain Dance
It’s over 16 minutes long so you don’t need to restart it, has a upbeat sound - Ruby
It is traditional country music. - Sizzlin (ESP)
lively and fast. - Somebody That I Used to Know
Because it’s modern!! And has a good beat! - Swamp Thing
Makes you want to move! - What Does the Fox Say by Ylvis
Our Favourite Singing Music
- Back in the Saddle Again
Nice flowing tune - Beautiful Noise
- Call Me Maybe
- Can’t Take My Eyes Off of You
Bringing back the wonderful days of 60’s pop, but with some impact… produced with some flavor of the original. - Crawdad Song (RIV 240)
I like The Crawdad Song. Oh, I just realized these are both Riverboat songs! This song is in a good range for my voice — which is not true of most songs as I am a female caller. This version is sung by Wade Driver and Dee Dee Dougherty and I love how their voices sound together. - Don’t Worry About Me
It is traditional country music - Downtown Train
- Edge of Glory by Lady Gaga
It is modern and has some rock!!! - Heavens Promenade
Every year a club suffers the passing of a fellow dancer, leaving behind a husband, wife, brother, sister, etc. This song is a great way to say good by and bring comfort and hope to those left behind. - Home (EGO 106)
Great music! Modern and well done, shows off my voice 🙂 - I Can’t Get No Satisfaction (Fine Tune)
2014 release, Hugely recognizable from 30 down (was also used in some movie) and like a few of the labels you mentioned, NOT the tired boom/chuck of 2 labels that were mentioned, and the other ones since time began - Just the Way You Are
- Long Live Rock and Roll by Gold Rush Records
The caller on the record is Shawn Brown. I like this singing call because it is modern and a lot of younger people will identify with it because it was a popular new song by the artist Daughtry from his new album Baptized. - Mercy (NB 306)
Kind of bluesy - Need You Now (Rhythm Records)
- Nothing But a Good Time by Ted Lizotte (ECO)
- Rock Me, Baby
Great sing along song! And I love country music. - Rocky Top
Because it’s upbeat, fast and a good pump song! - Seven Little Girls
A dancer’s and caller favourite alike. - Shortnin Bread (Red Boot)
Gets everyone moving. - Theme from Monday Night Football
- Wagon Wheel – RR
A song my dancers love so much.
Other Stuff We Want to Say
- Square Dance record producers such as Royal Records, Ego Recordings, Crest Recordings, Gold Rush Records, and Rhythm Records, etc. are releasing music that sounds truer and truer to the original song. They are also releasing a wide variety of modern music as well as music that younger people love and can relate to. This is a fantastic opportunity for dancers around the country to market this activity to the public, by capitalizing on this music, modernizing the dress code, and showing the public that we have younger people so that they will be more inclined to join. Image and the amount of time it takes to learn are our two biggest obstacles.
- I heart square dancing.
- Traditional country music is where it is at.
- Thanks for doing this. Can’t wait for the results.
- We like your energy and want you to continue!!!
- Also like, Parov Stelar – Jimmy’s Gang as Patter Music
- I really lean to more updated music.
- I have gotten great heart felt comments from those who have lost a loved one after doing a memorial tip at their clubs dance. Weeks after one such dance a woman told me she listens to the song every day in remembrance of her sister. It has bend a blessing to her soul.
- My own music that I recorded. AEGO-101 Hip To Be Square, AEGO-102 The Way, http://www.ArtCalls.us
- Thanks for trying to expose square dancing to an even larger audience… (<:
- Love, love, love Square Dancing!
- Perhaps adding a region place to this survey, as I travel a lot, I see that an particular area (2-3 states are most of the respondents 🙂
- Let’s make square dancing cool again
- Keep the music country, not the modern crap.
- We need to start aggressively promoting this activity so it doesn’t die off.
Music Suggestion: Crazy All My Life by Daniel Powter