The Best Alternative First Dance Songs (That Aren't Ed Sheeran)
Poor Ed Sheeran.
He's become the musical equivalent of magnolia paint. Perfectly nice. Goes with everything. You can understand why people choose it. But after you've heard Thinking Out Loud for the 847th first dance, you start wondering if there might be another colour.
This isn't an anti-Ed article (It is). I’m sure he's written some brilliant songs (he hasn’t). It's just that there are approximately 120 million other songs in existence, and at least a few of them deserve a slow dance too.
If you're the sort of couple who met at an indie night, bonded over arguing about whether The Strokes peaked with Is This It, or simply don't fancy swaying awkwardly to the same song as every wedding you've ever been to, here's a few alternatives.
If you met in a pub rather than on Hinge
There Is A Light That Never Goes Out – The Smiths
Technically, it's about wanting to die next to someone. Which sounds bleak until you remember Morrissey wrote it, so that's practically upbeat.
Perhaps don't dwell on the lyrics.
Friday I'm In Love – The Cure
Possibly the happiest song Robert Smith has ever accidentally written.
You Do Something To Me – Paul Weller
Warm, understated and very British. Like saying "I love you" by making someone a cup of tea.
If your relationship is built on indie discos
First Day of My Life – Bright Eyes
Quiet. Honest. Properly emotional. You put this on a mixtape for someone, didn’t you?
Cornerstone – Arctic Monkeys
Tender, understated and deeply personal, Also mentions sniffing a seatbelt which is just lovely.
Maps – Yeah Yeah Yeahs
Enough said.
If dancing slowly sounds like your idea of hell
There is no law that says your first dance has to be slow.
Honestly, after DJing weddings for years, some of the best first dances I've seen have lasted about twenty seconds before everyone piled onto the dancefloor.
Consider:
This Must Be The Place – Talking Heads
Dreaming of You – The Coral
You Make My Dreams – Hall & Oates
Everywhere – Fleetwood Mac
Life's too short to spend four minutes gently rotating in a circle while your aunt films you vertically.
If you want everyone crying
Into My Arms – Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
One of the most beautiful love songs ever written.
Northern Sky – Nick Drake
Almost impossibly lovely.
God Only Knows – The Beach Boys
Brian Wilson’s magnum opus.
If you're determined to avoid clichés
Good.
Just don't replace one cliché with another.
Choosing an obscure Icelandic post-rock B-side because nobody else has heard it isn't automatically more interesting than choosing Ed Sheeran. It just makes it harder for your nan to know when to clap.
Pick something that means something to you.
Maybe it's the song that was playing on your first date. Maybe it's what was on in the car during your first holiday together. Maybe it's the track that always gets you both singing far too loudly in the kitchen.
Those are the songs people remember. Not because they're unique but because they're yours.
One final thing
As your DJ, I'm never going to tell you what your first dance should be.
If you've always dreamed of dancing to Ed Sheeran, brilliant. We'll make it special.
If you'd rather start married life with Talking Heads, The National, Arctic Monkeys or LCD Soundsystem, I'm probably just a little bit more excited.
Either way, the aim is the same - get everyone onto the dancefloor as quickly as possible.