Have you heard that peppy little pop song Call Me Maybe? With 350 million downloads on YouTube, there's a chance that you've heard it somewhere. But did you know that you can dance the Argentine Tango to this recording?
Likewise, you can tango to Adele's Someone Like You and Katy Perry's Firework, two huge recent hits (Adele won a couple of Grammy Awards). You can dance milonga to Lady Gaga's Pokerface if you're in an adventurous mood.
But let me pose a rhetorical question. Have you heard any of these songs played at an alternative music milonga? Think about that for a moment as we explore some more music.
1980's
If you're more of an 80's person - you know who you are - here are some songs that will work well with the Argentine Tango. These were selected from many, many excellent recordings. The music of the 80's is particularly tango-friendly.
Sweet Child O' Mine - Guns 'n' Roses
Sweet Dreams Are Made Of This - Eurythmics
Mad About You - Belinda Carlisle
You Shook Me All Night Long - AC/DC
Wrapped Around Your Finger - The Police
Some devoted 80's fans have even suggested dancing to Bon Jovi's Living On A Prayer. Just be aware that this could be frowned upon outside of New Jersey.
1970's
If you're a 70's fan, how about dancing a tango to Just The Way You Are by Billy Joel, Keep On Rockin' Me by the Steve Miller Band, the eponymously named Bad Company, or if you're in a seriously adventurous mood, Josie from Steely Dan's Aja album?
You can dance an awesome tango nuevo to Elton' John's Benny And The Jets - provided of course that you can dance an awesome tango nuevo in the first place.
1960's
How about some soulful Motown Tango? Reach Out I'll Be There by The Four Tops would be a good choice. Tears Of A Clown by Smokey Robinson and the Miracles has a peppy, tango-friendly beat.
You can dance milonga traspie to Midnight Train To Georgia by Gladys Knight and the Pips. If you want a mind-blowing psychedelic experience, try the same to Come Together by The Beatles. Far out, man!
Expanding The Repertoire
There's a whole world of tango-friendly music from a wide variety of artist, eras, and genres. This music won't appeal to every dancer. Some will always prefer traditional music. This should never be an issue, because traditional music is played everywhere.
But for those of us who would like to explore music and dance without limitations, a vast musical repertoire is waiting to be discovered. If only we could convince the DJs to play some of it.
True Confessions
In the interest of furthering a discussion on alternative music for Argentine tango, I'll share some candid opinions on music.
Confession Number 1 - I envy West Coast Swing dancers
West Coast Swing dancers get to dance to some of the most emotionally satisfying music ever recorded. Even if you aren't very good at West Coast Swing, you can still have a great time at a WC Swing event. The music has such an intoxicating vibe that it pulls you into the groove.
Confession Number 2 - I have a longstanding love/hate relationship with traditional tango music
Traditional Argentine Tango music is inspired, brilliant, wonderful. The compositions are heavenly, the arrangements complex and textured. Virtuosic musicianship is required for a convincing performance.
This music reaches across time with a mournful passion and a lustful energy that transcends every other feeling in our bodies at the moment.
What could possibly be lacking? Nothing. But variety exists in the musical world, and we might profit from sampling that variety.
Traditional tango music embodies a sound and a style from a particular era. Other styles and eras are compatible with the tango. We can enjoy these 'alternative' musical styles while remaining true to the essence of the dance.
Confession Number 3 - Alternative music milongas are typically rather disappointing
Disappointing and frustrating.
I've walked into many alternative music milongas with high hopes, but they rarely live up to expectations. The music just doesn't have the kind of smooth, effortless groovability that our colleagues on the West Coast Swing circuit have come to expect. Sometimes the songs don't even have an appropriate tempo for tango dancing.
My aim is not to make harsh comments about alternative music DJ's - it won't accomplish anything - but why is the music that they play typically so lackluster?
Alternative music doesn't have to be obscure or edgy, but it DOES have to have feeling, emotional intensity, and it must communicate clearly with our physiology.
Maybe Tango DJ's should hang out at West Coast Swing events occasionally. Take note of what makes that musical tradition so exciting and emotive, and bring some of that vibe back to the milongas.
Tempo is critical, of course. If a song is too fast or too slow, we can't dance to it, at least not comfortably. I listen for alternative songs that match the tempo of my favorite classic tango and milonga recordings. I don't want to have to re-invent my dancing just to enjoy a new musical experience.
Music selection is a straightforward process - find emotionally moving music at the right tempo, ensure that there's enough rhythmic and thematic variety to keep things fresh and interesting, and let the dancers do what they love to do.
What does the future hold for alternative tango music? Will DJ's replace some of the techno and new age music that they play today with more emotionally fulfilling compositions? The dancers will determine the future. If they won't dance to a particular type of music, it won't last long at the milongas.
If I walk into your milonga and hear Someone Like You or Call Me Maybe on the sound system, you will have gotten my attention and I'll be expecting an evening of seriously adventurous tandas with like minded dancers.
¡Buena suerte amigos, y muchas gracias!
Daniel
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