The “Choose Cheesy” mix is a little over a year old (Thank you to Erin Hatcher for inspiring the mix and then saying, “Yeah you say these songs are cheesy...I don't. I say AMAZING.”) and I have to say, it has only gotten better with time (and it's expanded). It is a uniter, and I have yet to find a song that is more fun to sing loudly (with dramatic hand motions) while driving alone as “The Greatest Love of All” by Whitney “Crack is Whack” Houston. I mean really...it is so much fun it should be banned. I've given out multiple copies of the “Choose Cheesy” mix because it works so well in so many situations. I decided if I ever get married several of the songs from the Choose Cheesy mix will be incorporated into the reception playlist for three reasons:
Sheer Awesomeness.
Getting everyone onto the dance floor to sing them loudly. Like Romano and I will most certainly do our duet version of “Don't Go Breakin' My Heart”, and pretty much everyone I have ever known EVER will be out there to sing “Eternal Flame” and “I Think We're Alone Now” complete with dramatic hand motions, as most Cheesy songs dictate (And “Nothin's Gonna Stop Us Now” will be a solo performance by Liz)
Because when people all end up out on a dance floor, drinking and singing loudly, it breaks down barriers, creates strong memories and unites a group and I want a wedding that is a community event, not little separate groups. Music can be a very powerful tool, even if it is “Glory of Love” that is doing it. And dammit it's my fictional wedding, I plan to lose my voice from singing and pull all sorts of muscles dancing...not that kind of dancing you dirty dirty person.
All that to say: Cheesy songs have a great worth in uniting by agreement; pretty much everyone can say “Karma Chameleon” is cheesy, but that fact makes singing it all the more silly and fun. Actually knowing the words to the song is both an admission and a call to community. See? Now you can say knowing all the words to “Time After Time” has a higher altruistic purpose. Look at you, community builder. Hey, if you fall I will catch you, I will be waiting.
(sidebar: Ever notice that Jennifer Warnes sang both “Up Where We Belong” and “I've Had the Time of My Life”? How did this woman get on two of the most amazing cheesy songs of the 80s? Who is she? Does Jennifer Warnes have a superhero power of “Cheesy Yet Iconic Motion Picture Soundtrack Duets”? I wonder if in the 90s she embarked on a solo career and changed her name to Celine Dion in order to sing “My Heart Will Go On”. Probably.)
