Categories: Weddings

Top 10 Wedding Slow Dance Songs

Announcement: I’m planning to get married in 2011, and one of the tasks I’ve been assigned is to decide on most of the music. Luckily, this is my specialty, and for any other couples tying the knot, I’m giving some wedding soundtrack hints!

Nearly every wedding has its slow dances, and whether you’re hiring a band or a DJ, it’s best to keep this in mind. Therefore, the wedding songs on this list are designated specifically for slow dancing and/or ballroom dancing moves.

NOTE: As always, nobody necessarily agrees on which songs are the “Top 10,” so if there’s an “essential” missing from this list, feel free to add your suggestions in the comments. Also, as I usually note, these aren’t in quality order; they’re listed as they came to mind.

10. Come Away with Me written and performed by Norah Jones – Norah Jones, contemporary pop/jazz great that she is, has created amazing versions of some of the standards, as well as introduced listeners to a few originals. “Come Away with Me,” from her debut album of the same name, is a wonderful slow dance tune, not only because of its beat and gentle melody, but because of its lyrics:

Come away with me in the night
Come away with me
And I will write you a song

Come away with me on a bus
Come away where they can’t tempt us
With their lies

As a matter of fact, this song would even be great for the bride and groom’s first dance. Your thoughts?

9. Let’s Fall in Love written by Harold Arlen; performed by Frank Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald, Diana Krall, etc. – As you can see, this is a jazz standard, and a variety of producers and singers have arranged and performed wonderful versions over the years.

In the version performed by Diana Krall on her Live in Paris album and DVD, she is backed by gorgeous orchestral accompaniment and an amazing band. If you want your wedding to have a slightly more contemporary feel, use this version.

Ella Fitzgerald, of course, is always a great option as well. The lyrics she sings vary slightly from Krall’s version, but the feel of the song is nearly the same. Nat King Cole, too, performs an amazing version of the tune. So really, it all depends on your tastes.

8. The Nearness of You written by Hoagy Carmichael; performed by Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong, Sarah Vaughn, Norah Jones, etc. – Again, this song is a jazz standard, and for good reason; it’s highly romantic and sweet (WARNING: you are going to hear this description repeatedly throughout this piece).

Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong, that fantastic duo, recorded a wonderfully soothing version that should hopefully get lots of couples out on the dance floor at your wedding.

Norah Jones, too, has a breathtaking version on Come Away with Me, consisting of nothing more than piano and vocals.

There are many more great versions out there; do your research, and you’ll find them!

7. Have I Told You Lately written by Van Morrison; also performed by Rod Stewart, Kenny Rogers, Michael Ball, etc. – The first deviation from the “traditional jazz” above, this song, nonetheless, still retains the same romance and lovely instrumentation (in many versions) that capture the essential wedding song.

6. You Would Be My Baby performed by Vanessa Williams – This song can easily be found on the soundtrack to The Mask, or on iTunes, Amazon.com, and other song-purchasing sites. A jazzy/pop-sounding melody, combining Williams’ sultry vocals with a lilting piano, it complements any wedding dance floor perfectly. This, too, just might make a great “bride and groom first dance” tune as well.

5. All the Things You Are written by Oscar Hammerstein and Jerome Kern; performed by Ella Fitzgerald, Charlie Parker, Masato Honda, etc. – Being yet another beautiful standard, one of the definitive versions of “All the Things You Are” was recorded by none other than Ella Fitzgerald. This song, somehow, would be wonderful for the “anniversary dance” where couples that have been married 20+ years, 30+ years, etc. come to the dance floor.

Two great instrumental versions you may want to check out are performed by Charlie “Bird” Parker on saxophone, and a more modern version by Masato Honda. Those who’ve never heard Honda’s name before may want to listen to the soundtrack for Cowboy Bebop, the largely jazz-themed anime series. Honda plays a number of sax solos on various songs throughout the soundtrack. His version of “Things” is a slow, soulful creation that also blends nicely with a wedding celebration.

4. At Last written by Mack Gordon and Harry Warren; performed by Glenn Miller, Etta James, Doris Day, Miles Davis, Stevie Nicks, Christina Aguilera, Norah Jones, etc. – One of the most famous and popular standards of all time, this song has already been played at many a wedding. So what’s it doing on this list? Well, there’s a reason it’s been so enduring! Undoubtedly, one of the most famous versions known today is that sung by Etta James; it’s still heard not only on record, but in commercials and movies.

A more recent version, that you may know if you’ve watched NBC’s America’s Got Talent, is that sung by Terry Fator, ventriloquist/vocalist/impressionist extraordinaire. Is it available on MP3? Yes, on Amazon, as a matter of fact. And probably on LimeWire (but you didn’t hear it from me).

3. The Look of Love written by Burt Bacharach and Hal David; performed by Dusty Springfield, Nina Simone, Sergio Mendes, Diana Krall, etc. – Some might say Bacharach and David are “Kings of the Standards,” considering how many great jazz and pop singers have covered their songs over the years.

Dusty Springfield’s classic version is sweet and soothing, perfect for either slow dancing or cocktail hour at your wedding. Diana Krall’s contemporary version, however, particularly the one from her Live in Paris album, is highly romantic and beautifully rendered as well.

2. My Funny Valentine written by Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart; performed by Frank Sinatra, Chet Baker and Gerry Mulligan, Ella Fitzgerald, Miles Davis, etc. – Arguably another of the greatest standards, “My Funny Valentine” was originally written by Rodgers and Hart for the musical Babes in Arms, which opened on Broadway in 1937.

Now, the lyrics may seem a bit “funny,” as in:

Your looks are laughable
Unphotographable
Yet you’re my favorite work of art

…but the point of the song, apparently, is that no matter what flaws the subject (in the musical, the character Valentine LaMar) seems to have, the narrator (Billie Smith) loves him just the way he is. This, overall, seems such a great wedding theme, that no matter which version you choose, the song is an unforgettable one.

1. Lover Man (Oh Where Can You Be?) written by Jimmy Davis, Roger “Ram” Ramirez, and James Sherman; performed by Billie Holiday, Sarah Vaughn, Ella Fitzgerald, Patti LaBelle, Norah Jones, etc. – As difficult as it is to choose a #1 for any song list…well, this is one of such beauty and grace that it has to be here.

Its slow tempo, appropriate 4/4 time signature, and wide array of female vocalists that have made it their own help it remain a standard as the years go by. Surely, this is a wonderfully romantic bride and groom dance song…particularly the Norah Jones version, with her delicious voice enveloping the notes.

Of course, all this is up to you…but give the suggestions a listen!

And Before Your Big Day…

So many people call your wedding day the “best day of your life,” but try not to think of it that way. Use these songs as a reminder of what your marriage really means to you, and why you’re making the commitment in the first place. Your bride or groom (and hopefully guests) will surely appreciate it.