So you’re planning your wedding and you’re looking for a cool song for your first dance that hasn’t been played to death. Of course, there are a ton of great classics to choose from, but there’s also a plethora of more under-the-radar tunes that aren’t as mainstream. I’m going to skip any further preamble and cut straight to the chase. Here are our top 5 unique first dance song ideas!
1) “Heartbeats” by Jose Gonzalez
Sure, this is a song about a one-night stand and yeah, it’s a cover of a sort of techno-ish synthpop song, but the soothing sounds of Swedish singer/guitarist, Jose Gonzalez, are a force to be reckoned with. To me, this is one of the most beautiful songs ever recorded.
2) “The Lime Tree” by Trevor Hall
Reggae music artist Trevor Hall comes through the Denver/Boulder area on a regular basis and has been known to grant requests for performances at weddings, proposals, and the like. How cool would it be to have the man himself jam “The Lime Tree” for your first dance?
3) “A Sunday Smile” by Beirut
How about a waltz? Not for everyone, maybe, but I personally think it would be great. And no contemporary musical act utilizes the waltz time signature more gracefully than Beirut does in “A Sunday Smile.”
4) “Into My Arms” by Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds
Nick Cave is the man. ‘Nough said.
5) “I Will Follow You into the Dark” by Death Cab for Cutie
This has been one of my favorite songs since its release in 2005, and when I heard it played for the first dance at a wedding a couple years back, I was so pleasantly surprised, I almost forgot I was supposed to be taking photos! After the dance concluded, I overheard one groomsmen say to another, “That was the most depressing thing I’ve ever heard.” That gave me a good chuckle, and while I can certainly understand that perspective, I personally feel the exact opposite about the song.
Thanks for taking the time to read our post on 5 unique first dance song ideas! If you want any other song recommendations, please don’t hesitate to reach out. We have a bunch more!