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Who chooses the songs?
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[Deleted User]
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Sorry, fairly new to the board so this may have been discussed a million times before but who chooses the songs? I only ask because Fiona's rumba song was just such a strange choice and did her no favours at all.
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A tone-deaf hamster with no ears who hates dance.
Unless things have changed, it used to be that the Pros submit a list of song choices for each dance, and then the Producers either agree or change some. So basically a combination of the Pros/Producers and possibly Dave Arch, as he will have to do all the arrangements.
Don't you mean "they choose the one they dislike the least?"
Jeez, what were Anton and Fiona's other two choices for their rumba? :eek: "Firestarter" and "Anarchy in the UK"?
I don't know if that is entirely true because unless the other two choices were absolute nightmares, Pasha has commented that he did not like having to do a paso doble to Hungry Like A Wolf last year. He's made it sound like it wasn't his choice.
I'm sure Anton would go along with this after having to choreograph a rumbamba tonight.
They are constantly chasing a younger audience, they want to take viewers from X-Factor.
That age group, aren't going to appreciate, Rogers and Hammerstein / & Hart, Cole Porter, Irving Berlin, George Gershwin, Hoagy Carmichael, Frank Loesser, Lerner & Loewe, etc., or even Leonard Bernstein or Burt Bacharach.
It's all about ratings and it's ruining Strictly for some.
Yes, the Eagles are what we used to call MOR artists, (Middle Of the Road).
Meaning that they would appeal to a wide age group, as their songs weren't too extreme. I've a couple of their albums, including "Hotel California."
Mind you, I think even this'd make a good Paso.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Q_CKzWqIHQ
TBH I wouldn't mind them being unfamiliar and even dull if they fitted the requirements of the dances. Who thought MC Hammer would be good for a Cha or Spice Girls for Salsa? I have a particular issue with the salsa choices every year. There are so many wonderful salsa tracks (millions probably) and we end up with some Anglo/American pop that is way too slow/ or otherwise inappropriate for the dance.
Schhh Please don't give them ideas.:D
Just picturing a rumba on "Firestarter"
We have now, weekly, silly props all the time with sometimes very little in-hold dances and even old Len who has sold himself to 'MONEY' commented on that fact last night where some couple seemed to be dancing together, in hold for about 10 seconds!
The music chosen for the majority of the dances is so out of character that it completely detracts from the dancing and Rachel's QS outfit was absurd - but she can't dance anyway, so ultimately won't matter (another Kate Garraway).
When the dance order is allocated the couples are then given a list of songs to choose from, which may or may not have included their preferred choice once the rights issues etc. had been sorted (also if another couple had requested the same song there's probably a draw to decide who gets first pick). They then choose their music, and Dave Arch cuts it down to the arrangement to be used, which can be adjusted if necessary.
For theme weeks it's probably a completely different story - you probably get told what you're dancing to and you make the best of it! (A cha cha cha to Ghostbusters? Really?)
Looking it at the perspective from the BBC, they should try to achieve a balance which will include tunes that appeal to the widest audience.
That seems like common sense.
But in reality I don't think that is what's happening.
Progressively over the years, the tunes have included fewer of the well loved ballroom standards of any era.
Personally, I believe they are constantly trying to attract younger viewers away from X-Factor. They ain't gonna do that with Cole Porter or Rogers and Hammerstein.
Dave Arch is on record saying that for particular tunes, he is allowed to augment the band with other instrumentalists, strings or whatever, etc.. so that shouldn't be a problem.
I really don't think there would be any problem getting a licence to play any tune.
The owners of the copyright, that's the writers of the music and lyrics, would get royalties from any subsequent sales of records by any artist who had recorded that song.
With ten million viewers, it's a great showcase for them.
"Even if they're dead" some publishing company will own the rights.