Start Your Dance With a Passionate
Power Ballad for the End of the World
By Aaron Wulff
I can’t tell if Steven Tyler is the quintessential tough guy or the ultimate male who’s in touch with his feminine side. He can power through badass anthems like “Walk This Way,” and “Sweet Emotion,” then hit you with a sentimental, cinematic ballad like “I Don’t Want to Miss a Thing.”
Not to mention his scarf collection makes Johnny Depp jealous.
“I Don’t Want to Miss a Thing” is a hugely popular, intergenerational first wedding dance song. It’s got a rich melody and a solid lyric. It’s got a swelling orchestral arrangement that makes you think you’re in the movies. And to top it off, it’s got Steven Tyler’s gravity-defying screeches of passion. So if wailing into a mic about how much you love someone before the world ends doesn’t light your fire, I don’t know what will.
The story behind IDWTMAT goes like this. In 1997, Barbara Walters sat down with Barbara Streisand and her fiance, Thanos’s Dad, James Brolin, to talk about their relationship. It was the kind of cuddly, uber-romantic stuff that makes us normal people jealous of smitten celebrities. At one point Brolin talked about not wanting to fall asleep because he’d miss Babs, and women everywhere fainted. Except for one.
Somewhere, epic songwriter Diane Warren had the tenacity to grab a pen and jot down the title of her next blockbuster hit- “I Don’t Wanna Miss a Thing.” Thanks to her, Aerosmith have their only No. 1 hit and keep their popularity chugging through the end of the 90s.
Warren had actually intended to write the song for someone like Celine Dion, but thankfully it wound up on the formidable lips of Steven Tyler. Otherwise, this would be a much shorter article, and I’d be struggling to come up with jokes about French Canadians and boats hitting icebergs. (Just kidding, Celine’s “The Power of Love” is my jam).
So then. You want to use this supremely cheesy song written for the annihilation of the human race for your wedding? Awesome. Let’s do this.
Your first order of business will be to decide how to cut the song down. This Armageddon theme tune comes in at about five minutes, which is going to feel almost as long as the actual movie. You’ll want to make sure you talk to your DJ about fades or cuts to the song so they don’t make any hasty artistic choices during your dance. You don’t wanna miss a…er,…never mind.
The song begins with a lengthy string orchestra intro, which isn’t very danceable. Because it’s a quintessential part of the song, you’ll be reluctant to cut it, so consider using it as part of the first dance announcement and/or your entrance.
The vocals kick in at 30 seconds with piano, strings, and bass, and it’s tough to catch the beat until the percussion starts a few bars later. Focus on the bass and the piano to get the tempo for this stretch. Once all of the instruments are cranking the rest is smooth sailing and keeping the tempo won’t be an issue. Sit back and enjoy the ride.
The song is a comfortable 121 beats per minute, making it great for box steps or a nightclub 2 step.
The major challenge will be keeping the song short. Don’t let this end-of-the-world-anthem force your guests to wish for the real apocalypse by dancing to the whole five minutes. Even if you’re doing compelling choreography you’ll want an escape plan around the four-minute mark. Since this song is hard to cut, you can consider fading out during the long instrumental stretch around 4:15, if not sooner. Tyler will be done caterwauling, and the song is winding down anyway.
IDWTMAT is a solid rock tune that’s aged well, and it makes for a memorable first dance experience.
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