Soul / R&B / Motown / Funk ... get their feet moving and bodies grooving set-list suggestions wanted

close2u

So, I'm learning these songs for a new project that may become a gigging / functions band ... fingers crossed ...

Long Train Running
Superstition
Play That Funky Music
Valerie
We Are Family
You Can't Hurry Love

It looks like the focus is to build a set for functions, parties etc and to get people moving and a-grooving.  At the moment we have guitar, bass, drums, keys, vocals ...

I have played rock / pop / soul covers before from the usual suspects of cover band songs.  I'm hoping to get get a good strong list of suggestions for tried and tested soul / r&B / Motown / funk songs that get the groove started and keep it going.  Not cheesy disco.  Just good stuff that delivers a great gig and is fun to play / listen to / dance to.

 

Thanks in advance.

Bellycaster

The Ides of March - Vehicle

Great track, you may know it. If you have no Horns then the Keys could always provide that.

close2u

Thanks for kicking it off ...

A stonking vibe ... is it well known? I've never heard it before.

Lots of brass and we don't have horns / sax etc but could be done on keyboards.

Chance for a quick ripping guitar lead break.

monquixote

This is the set list for my Funk/Soul band 

All seem to work pretty well. 

Title Artist

Hold on! I’m coming! Sam and Dave

I feel Good James Brown

Superstition Stevie Wonder

Knock on wood Eddie Floyd

Respect Aretha Franklin

Forget you Cee Lo Green

Barefootin’ Robert Parker

Hard to handle Otis Redding

Take me to the river Al Green

Nutbush city Tina Turner

Tainted Love Gloria Jones

Cissy Strut The Meters

Sing It Back Moloko

No Diggity Blackstreet

American Boy Estelle

I Wish Stevie Wonder

Natural Woman Carole King

Forget Me Nots Patrice Rushen

Thinking of You Sister Sledge

Grapevine Gladis Knight

Electric Feel MGMT

Piece of My Heart Beverly Knight

I'm Coming Out Diana Ross/Chic

Mr Big Stuff Jean Knight

Use Me Bill Withers

Lady Marmalade Labelle

Midnight at the Oasis Brand New Heavies

The Chicken Jaco

daveyh

close2u said:

Thanks for kicking it off ...

A stonking vibe ... is it well known? I've never heard it before.

Lots of brass and we don't have horns / sax etc.

Maybe could be done on keybopards.

Chance for a quick ripping guitar lead break.

You really, really don't need brass if you arrange it well for the guitar.

EricTheWeary

Everything off Hot Chocolate's Greatest Hits.

frictionfraction

Move on up - Curtis Mayfield Mercy - Duffy Le freak - chic Get lucky - daft punk ( never hurts to have something current)

Bellycaster

close2u said:

Thanks for kicking it off ...

A stonking vibe ... is it well known? I've never heard it before.

Lots of brass and we don't have horns / sax etc but could be done on keyboards.

Chance for a quick ripping guitar lead break.

@close2u

If you meant me, then YES it is a Stonker, isn't it?

I think it's pretty well known, but even if it wasn't I would not give a shit, That song would be in my set list if I had a Band.

It's the type of song that people would soon get moving to even if they never heard it before.

As for the solo, that was one of my earliest "must learn" solos, it's beautifully effective.

Bang on the Wah for it!

 

Just a little trivia Edit: The song is 1970 and the Singer and Guitarist in the track is Jim Peterik who went on to be Keys player for Survivor.

 

Bellycaster

Some more for you:

AWB   Atlantic Avenue

Archie Bell and the Drells    Soul City Walking

Booker T    Green Onions (You've got Keys/Organ?)

Chic   Good Times

E.W.F Shining Star  (Another great chance for you to Solo)

O Jays   For the Love of Money

Rufus    You Got The Love

You can kinda see where I want to be going with a Band, Can't you?

These tracks should wear the carpet bare!

 

Kebabkid

Here's one of our set lists from last year that needed to be a bit more mixed up to the usual funky/soul stuff, hence, the ABBA and other pop and we'd normally have Cissy Strut, Starsky & Hutch theme (ala JT quartet), more Chic and Sister Sledge, Upside down, Car wash, Superstition, Natural woman etc..

HEAVEN  

MERCY  <?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />

YOU CAN’T HURRY LOVE  

KISS  

GIMME GIMME/HUNG UP

CAN’T GET YOU OUT OF MY HEAD  

DECEMBER '63  

I DON’T FEEL LIKE DANCING  

SIGNED SEALED DELIVERED  

SON OF A PREACHER MAN  

IN THE MIDNIGHT HOUR  

TWIST AND SHOUT  

SUMMER OF ‘69  

I KISSED A GIRL  

LE FREAK

GOOD TIMES

LOST IN MUSIC  

DISCO INFERNO  

UPSIDE DOWN  

WE ARE FAMILY  

DON’T STOP ME NOW  

MUSTANG SALLY

BROWN-EYED GIRL

MAMMA MIA

WATERLOO

AULD LANG SYNE

 

equalsql

frictionfraction;48183" said:
Get lucky - daft punk ( never hurts to have something current)

I 2nd Daft Punk Check out Lose Yourself To Dance.. a real floor stomper.

Sorry can't resist posting this.. someone matched some classic Soul-Train footage of people dancing to Superstition by Steve Wonder to Lose Yourself To Dance... and it's just brilliant 

>:D<

fatherjack

Theme from Shaft

Gotcha! (better known as the theme to Starsky and Hutch)

Kebabkid

"Gotcha!" - that would be the one and it was the end theme from S&H and done in this sort of way

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3YrqaGB0kRk

@monquixote - loved your set Nick!

 

If you're doing The Doobies' "Long train running", then try "Listen to the music" as that also has that upbeat feel. With all this stuff, I hope you have a good singer!

bertie

steady now,  you're standing on mrs berts territory................

RocknRollDave

Damnit there are some fantastic setlists posted in this thread!

birdo

Pretty much anything by Ike and Tina.

close2u

RocknRollDave said:

Damnit there are some fantastic setlists posted in this thread!

You are right there ... been listening to many of these the last few days.

Thank you for all the great suggestions so far.

Do keep them coming.

Just had a message from the drummer suggesting I check this out:

Stretch - Why Did You Do It

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vrzo-W2SPD0

close2u

I'm just compiling a Youtube playlist from some of these - great stuff.

 

close2u

close2u said:

Long Train Running
Superstition
Valerie
We Are Family
You Can't Hurry Love

... the focus is to build a set for functions, parties etc and to get people moving and a-grooving. 

It looks like we have a line-up sorted.   Main vocals and backing / 2nd vocals both female.  I think the songs will now need to really be decided by what they can / want to sing.

We now have added:

Mama Do - Pixie Lott

Never Forget You - The Noisettes

River Deep Mountain High - Tina Turner

Your Love Is Lifting Me Higher - Jackie Wilson

and maybe

My One Temptation - Mica Paris

Wish I Didn't Miss You - Angie Stone

Red Light Spells Danger - Billy Ocean

Reverend

If you are playing to a crowd that knows soul and motown the Frank Wilson - Do I Love You? One of the best souls songs ever. Somewhat obscure because he was a writer ay motown and just recorded it as a demo. He didn't like it so scrapped it. 1 copy remained and was found in a storeroom. It became a floor filler at northern soul clubs though.

monquixote

We are currently working out a Medley version of Crazy in Love and Deja Vous by Beyonce. 

Next up on our list is "Never too much" by Luther and "Sir Duke" by Stevie Wonder (which is amazing, but impossible to play)