Why You Might Want to Think Twice Before Choosing This Folksy Jam for Your First Dance
By Aaron Wulff
Have you ever heard an interview with Ray LaMontagne? Me neither.
Which is why it took me weeks to research and write this song profile.
Ray LaMontagne is a recluse, and his aversion to fame makes him that much cooler.
You know him for his soulful, raspy voice and his woodsy mix of folk, rock, and blues. But this is a man who avoids the spotlight and shuns publicity, preferring to let his music speak for himself.
“You Are the Best Thing” does exactly that. Not to mention being featured in two of my favorite pop culture pleasures- “One Tree Hill” and the film “I Love You, Man.”
Unlike Ray’s normally woebegone tunes, YATBT offers a more upbeat tempo and catchy melody, making it a good choice for your first dance. You’ll get a lively, soulful sound that features just the right amount of horns mixed with a driving rhythm section.
The lyrics are simple and direct. “You are the best thing, baby.” Need I say more?
Ok then, I will. They’re joyful. They’re optimistic. They convey love and appreciation. And they’re easy to sing along to.
According to Ray, he was in the creative zone when he wrote the song.
If that’s not impressive enough, there are two more big reasons people like it for their wedding song:
1. YATBT is rumored to be a tribute to his wife, though I couldn’t verify this. Awwwwwww!
2. It’s been said it was the opening song at their wedding ceremony, but I couldn’t confirm this. [mic drop].
But not so fast. When it comes to sentimentality, this little diddy has a lot going for it. But is it actually danceable?
The instrumental arrangement is solid and consistent, so you’ll have no problem hearing the beat.
The problem is the primary beat is too fast. At 170 beats per minute, your dance step options are limited. A dance instructor that wants to keep your business will probably try to help you count it at half time, which I think is an awkward feel for the song. The pace says go, but that counting says slow. So you’ll have to decide if it feels right. Your best bet in that case is probably a Nightclub Two-Step. Rumba’s just too slow for me here.
I’m not here to talk you out of dancing to this (or any) song. It has a reliable, consistent beat that’s easy to hear, and we already made the case for it having great elements for a wedding tune. But if you’re going to try to do a ballroom dance to this song it’s going to feel awkward.
If you’re sticking with it, cut the length down and stay on the slower side.
But because of the tempo, I can’t strongly recommend it as a top pick for danceability.
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