This is what’s popular in all the gymkhanas all over Mumbai on a musical evening with the so called ‘live’ band playing. It seems to be working. Members get on the dance floor and do not get off. The band is playing medleys of Cha cha’s, Jive, Disco, Waltzes, that each last 25 to 30 minutes long, keeping the dance floor full and rocking.

I’ve seen this happening at every gyms and at every wedding reception. The band just can’t stop after every song. They’re just not allowed so they have to play a medley, which results in the audience/dancers getting any song that fits or doesn’t fit in that particular medley. So the audience may get a Let it Be in a reggae medley or a Tennessee Waltz in a rock and roll medley. The composer or the original singer can roll over in his grave for all we care. We just want to keep on dancing.

The Gym managements are happy that the dance floor is full and the band is popular, but the caterer and the barman knows that those who are dancing are not eating or drinking, so although the gym is full, the expected sale figures are not so great. So on a non-musical night, I would expect the sale figures to be much higher, like on a ‘housie’ night for instance.

I remember the days when I played for a wedding band, the caterer would come and tell us to take a break because he wanted to serve a snack, soup, dinner and so on. We did a count of how many songs we played at a wedding after the bridal couple entered, it was only 16 or 17. We were a hotel band before becoming a wedding band, and so we were used to playing from 9 pm till 1 am, so we would always feel incomplete at the end of a wedding reception. So to compensate for those 16 songs, we played from the moment we set up at 7 30 pm till the bridal couple entered and the people that employed us were very happy and we felt satisfied that we had done our job. I guess bands that play medleys that last 25 or 30 minutes feel the same satisfaction.

But once one of these Gym bands have finished their rock n roll set that lasted 30 minutes and they take a break and when they get back, the crowd still wants more rock n roll, what do they do? (You know that Mumbai dancers will jive to anything even Take Five, it’s really funny when you watch it). That’s when they throw in every song they know, including the kitchen sink in the next rock n roll medley and that’s when you get a Tennessee Waltz in your rock n roll set and you say “Hey, didn’t we just waltz to that ?”

So, getting back to musical medleys, it doesn’t work with me. I play at house parties and I can do a rock and roll set that’s about 15 songs long and those who are dancing are gone by the third song, so I’m back to listening pleasure music again.

But if I work out a medley, I will ensure that every song in that medley is true to that particular genre. I’m not going to throw in a Tennessee Waltz in my rock n roll medley. Why would I? There are so many songs to choose from and I don’t compromise. I would do it My Way as usual.

I don’t think I like being forced into changing my whole style and playing medleys in one particular genre for 30 minutes when there are so many great songs with so many great tempos and styles…………. as I said, I will continue to do it *MY WAY*.

By Ernest Joseph Flanagan

Ernest Flanagan aka Ernie is a professional musician who has been around since 1976, Singer, songwriter, multi instrumentalist and budding poet; he has performed almost all over the world. His vast repertoire of songs in all genres and many original pieces can be found on YouTube.