Night Work: The Tango Book

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Great American Tangos

Jane Candace Bullard

Tango music is deeply rich and intricate with its rhythms and musical phrases weaving in and out like celtic knotwork. The density of tango music is a special challenge for beginnng tangueros. Learning the dance and the music at the same time can feel overwhelming. A friend had struggled with tango for years until we danced to a Hank Williams song*. "Try a tango to this," I suggested. "No way," he protested. "Just for fun," I nudged. He did, and revelation lit his eyes.

This is my personal, idiosyncratic list of tunes for tango, compiled for fun. Try dancing to your own favorite pop tune and see what happens.

Caveat: Just because one can dance tango to a tune does not mean that one should.

Floor tested by Larry T. Martin, Director, Renaissance del Tango Argentino, Seattle. Additional commentary by Bruce Kirkman, DJ extra-ordinaire, Notable Rhythms, Seattle.

1 "Walkin' After Midnight", Patsy Cline's breakthrough hit (which she recorded twice, once for 4-Star in mono that was the hit version, and again for Decca in stereo, which is actually the one everybody's familiar with now) was written by Don Hecht and Alan Block. BK

2 "Wade In The Water" is a traditional song sometimes given credit to Sam Cooke & J.W. Alexander, but it is an old gospel song. Ramsey Lewis had a huge instrumental hit with it in the 60's, and Judy Henske did a rip-roaring job of it about the same time. The version everybody is panting over now, however, is by Eva Cassidy. BK

3 "Stray Cat Strut", the biggest hit for the Stray Cats (#11 UK, #3 US in 1982), was written by their lead singer/lead guitarist Brian Setzer. BK

4A & 4B "Beat It" and "Billie Jean" both written by Michael Jackson himself. In spite of all the tabloid weirdness The King Of Pop brings on himself, he is very talented. BK

5 Peggy Lee's version of "Fever". Written by J. Davenport & E. Cooley. Red fingernail polish required. I saw Fabian tapping his toes to this one.

6 Almost anything sung by Janis Joplin, Queen of the Urban Blues. Top of the list - "Summertime", D. Heyward & G. Gershwin. Yes, the one from Gershwin's great folk opera Porgy and Bess. The recording that slays me is on Janis Joplin: 18 Essential Songs, from the Cheap Thrills sessions, take #1. Also on the same recording, "Kozmic Blues", J. Joplin & G. Mekler and "Ball and Chain", W. M. Thornton.

7 "Fly Me to The Moon", Frank Sinatra. Michelle Badion and Evan Wallace perform to this song.

8 "Fallin' ", the 2002 Grammy Award winner by Alicia Keys on her debut CD titled Songs in A Minor. This extra-ordinary song can be danced either as a tango or a tango waltz.

9 "Girls Just Want to Have Fun", Cindi Lauper. Totally fun milonga.

10 "Slowboat to China", Frank Loesser, 1910-1969, legendary songwriter with over 60 films and 5 Broadway plays. The best dance version of this classic is sung by Jimmy Buffet as heard in The Muppet Movie.

Other favorites:

Breathless / the Corrs — ok, they're Irish, not American, but boy can they yodel!

Kokomo / the Beach Boys

Who's Your Daddy? / Toby Keith

Man! I Feel Like A Woman / Shania Twain

My Girl / the Tempatations

I Heard It Through the Grapevine / Marvin Gaye

I Will Survive / Gloria Gaynor

Layla / Eric Clapton — the real version, not the acoustic one - be sure not to cut off the birds at the end.

Maui Hawaiian Suppa Man / Israel Kamakawiwo'ole

* Gauchos roamed the wide Argentine pampas from ranch to ranch herding cattle and carrying messages. To amuse themselves, these immigrant cowboys began singing their messages. These tunes eventually became songs which became milongas which became tango. And that's why one can tango to Hank Williams, King of the Cowboy Blues. Try "Weary Blues From Waitin' " as a slow tango waltz or "Take These Chains From My Heart (and Set Me Free)".

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Jane Candace Bullard is a poet and publisher of Night Work Press.