15 slam-dunk first dance songs

15 slam-dunk first dance songs

What did (or would) you choose as a first dance song? At our wedding six years ago, Alex and I danced to I’ll Be Your Mirror by The Velvet Underground, which we both loved. We had taken dance classes for a few months with grand visions (twirls! footwork! dips!), but at the last minute we wussed out and just danced like little kids with our arms around each other’s necks. I love the song’s lyrics about how you’ll always show the other person how great they are, even if they aren’t feeling it. Here are 9 more first-dance song ideas, and I want to hear yours…

You Are the Sunshine of My Life by Stevie Wonder. I love singing the really low parts. I sound horrible, but I sing it to the kids before bed. It’s kind of become a family song. — Kristen

Let’s Stay Together by Al Green, which is kind of a terrible wedding song. “We oughta stay together”?! Not the most promising of messages. We were babies and had no idea what we were doing! But we do get excited when we hear it now and laugh about how clueless we were back then. — Liz

Roni and I actually met while waiting in line to pick up packages at the post office, so of course we had to play Stevie Wonder’s Signed, Sealed, Delivered I’m Yours. — Nicki

Ours was Lay Lady Lay by Bob Dylan, which still makes me all sorts of tear-eyed. My husband has been calling me “Lady” since we were first together. It’s a surprisingly good song to slow dance to. — Rony

There are many things I regret about my wedding (the ridiculous crown I wore and all the red roses), but our first song isn’t one of them. We did The Nearness of You by Norah Jones. I liked that the lyrics aren’t overly sentimental. It doesn’t even mention the word love, but make no mistake: This is a love song. Even after being married for 13 years, the lyrics still ring true. — Sharon

Time Of The Season by the Zombies because I put it on the first mix I made for Philippe and it has such a sexy feel. — Piera

Sam Cooke’s You Send Me. Oh, man, I love it. Every once in a while a busker will be playing in a subway station, and it takes me right back to that day. — Claire

Otis Redding’s That’s How Strong My Love Is. It’s beautiful and suuuuper short, clocking in at just over two minutes. It still felt like an eternity up there, swaying back and forth like seventh graders. But before the song could completely fade out, our DJ cranked the volume for Twist and Shout (The Beatles, obvs) and everyone jumped on the dance floor. Looking back, I think I felt pressure to stick with traditional elements (like an excruciatingly slow first dance). If I planned it again, I’d skip the formality and just twist and shout from the start. — Megan

Ours was Till There Was You by The Beatles. It’s sweet and lighthearted without being cloying. — Diana (pictured at top)

A few others I like:
This Will Be Our Year by the Zombies
There’s a Kind of Hush by Herman’s Hermits
My Baby Just Cares For Me by Nina Simone
When I’m 64 by The Beatles
I’ll Take You There by the Staple Singers

15 slam-dunk first dance songs

Was did (or would) you choose as your first dance song? I want to hear…

P.S. 15 wedding dos and don’ts, and 10 unforgettable wedding moments.

(Top photo of Miss Moss at her wedding. Bottom photo by Amanda Kopp, via this post.)