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Ballroom Dance Music - John Crossan's Best of the best

Here is a list of the very best ballroom dance music in my collection. I've tried only to include excellent music. Comments, suggestions, and constructive criticisms welcome.

Each piece is listed with its tempo in measures per minute (i.e. @32 MPM mean at 32 Measures Per Minute) when known. The top few pieces for each dance are listed with (highly subjective) ranks (1,2... for best, 2nd best etc.).

Cha Cha, Fox Trot, Hustle, Merengue, Paso Doble, Quickstep, Rumba/Bolero, Salsa/Mambo, Samba, Swing, Tango, Viennese Waltz, Waltz

Cha Cha

USABDA tempo: American Style 28-30 MPM, International Style 32 MPM

  1. I Like It @32 MPM by The Blackout All-stars on I Like It Like That Soundtrack, Volume 1icon
  2. Speak Up Mambo @32 MPM by The Manhattan Transfer on Coming Out icon
  3. Frenesi @29 by Linda Ronstadt on Frenesi icon
  4. Cha-Cha-Cha @32 MPM by The Columbia Ballroom Orchestra on Let's Dance Vol. 2 icon
  5. Mas Alla @32 MPM by Gloria Estefan on Abriendo Puertas icon
  6. Guajira / Oye Como Va @32 MPM by Julio Iglesias on I Like It Like That Soundtrack, Volume 2 icon
  7. Todo, Todo, Todo @33 by Daniela Romo on Mis Mejores Canciones icon
  8. Bonito Y Sabroso @30 MPM by Bene More on Bene More's 15 Greatest Hits icon
  9. Tea for Two @29 MPM by The Mambo All-stars on The Mambo Kings Soundtrack icon

Fox Trot

USABDA tempos: International style: 28 MPM, American Style 30-32 MPM

  1. More @28 MPM by Nat King Cole on Casa Musica Vol. 4
  2. Boy Meets Girl @29 MPM by Ruby Murray on Casa Musica Vol. 8
  3. Change Partners @29 MPM by Vic Damone on Casa Musica Vol. 8
  4. Night Lights @29 MPM by Nat King Cole on Casa Musica Vol. 8
  5. That's You @29 MPM by Nat King Cole on Casa Musica Vol. 8
  6. Love @?? MPM by Nat King Cole on That Old Feeling Soundtrack icon
  7. Fly me to the Moon @28 MPM by Frank Sinatra and Antonio Carlos Jobim on Frank Sinatra duets II (long intro.) icon

Hustle

USABDA tempo: 28-30 MPM

  1. Vogue @29 MPM by Madonna on The Immaculate Collection icon

Merengue

USABDA tempo 29-32mpm. NOTE: there seems to be some confusion as to whether Merengue is in 2/4 or 4/4 time. That's why you sometimes see measure per minute readings which vary wildly. USABDA apparently uses 4/4 time, so a USABDA approved Merengue would have 116-128 beats per minute

  1. Merengue @31 MPM by Michael Lloyd & Le Disc (124 beats per minute) on More Dirty Dancing Soundtrackicon

Paso Doble

USABDA tempo: 62 MPM

  1. Viva! Paso Doble @62 MPM by The Columbia Ballroom Orchestra on Let's Dance Vol. 4 icon

Quickstep

USABDA tempo: 52 MPM

  1. I Won't Dance @51 MPM on the World of Standardtanze
  2. I Walk the Line @52 MPM by Ray Conniff on Casa Musica Volume 6
  3. Every Body Loves a Lover @52 MPM by Doris Day on Casa Musica Volume 6
  4. When You're Smiling @52 MPM by Andy Williams on Casa Musica Volume 6
  5. Twinkle and Shine @52 MPM by Doris Day on Casa Musica Volume 6

Rumba & Bolero

USABDA tempos: International Rumba: 27 MPM, American Rumba: 32 MPM, Bolero: 24 MPM

  1. Beautiful Maria of My Soul (English Version) @25 by Los Lobos on Mambo King's Soundtrack icon
  2. Beautiful Maria of My Soul (Spanish Version) @25 by The Mambo All-stars on Mambo King's Soundtrack icon
  3. We Belong Together @27 MPM by Ambros Seelos on Let's go Dancing icon
  4. Con Los Anos Que Me Quedan @22 MPM by Gloria Estefan on Mi Tierra icon
  5. Mas Alla @23 MPM by Gloria Estefan on Abriendo Puertas icon
  6. You'll See @23 MPM by Madonna on Something to Remember icon
  7. Time and Tide @24 MPM by Basia on Time and Tide icon

Salsa/Mambo

USABDA Mambo tempo: 47 MPM Salsa tends to be a bit slower.

  1. Johnny's Mambo @49 by Michael Lloyd & Le Disc on More Dirty Dancing Soundtrack icon
  2. De Todo Un Poco @44 by Michael Lloyd & Le Disc on More Dirty Dancing Soundtrack icon
  3. No Vale La Pena @?? by Johnny Rivera & Ray Sepulveda on Salsa Mix icon
  4. Quitate La Mascara @47 by Hansel Martinez Y La Oqrquesta Calle Ocho on Salsa Fresca! icon
  5. Reugio De Amor @?? by Vanissa Williams & Chayanne on The Dance with me Soundtrack icon

Samba

USABDA tempos: International Style 50 MPM, American Style 54-56 MPM.

  1. Tico-Tico @54 MPM by The Columbia Ballroom Orchestra on Let's Dance vol. 4 icon

Swings (East and West Coast + Lindy Hop and Jive)

USABDA Tempos: Swing:34-38, West Coast Swing: 28-32

  1. Rock Around the Clock @28 MPM by Bill Haley on From the Original Master Tapes icon
  2. Straighten Up and Fly Right @39 MPM by Linda Ronstadt & The Nelson Riddle Orchestra on For Sentimental Reasons icon
  3. In the Mood @41 MPM by The Glen Miller Orchestra on In the Digital Mood icon
  4. Fever @?? MPM by Peggy Lee on All-Time Greatest Hits Vol. 1 icon
  5. True Love @24 MPM by Pat Benatar on True Love icon
  6. Ability to Swing @31 MPM by Patti Austin on The Best of Ballroom Swing, Lindy, Jitterbug and Jive icon
  7. Hit the Road Jack @45 MPM by Ray Charles on Anthology icon
  8. Mr. Pinstripe Suit @?? MPM by Big Bad Voodoo Daddy on Big Bad Voodoo Daddy icon
  9. Stray Cat Strut @33 MPM by The Stray Cats on The Stray Cats Greatest Hitsicon
  10. Rock This Town @33 MPM by The Stray Cats on The Stray Cats Greatest Hitsicon
  11. Bei Mir Bist Du Schon @?? by The Andrews Sisters on The Andrews Sisters icon

Tango

USABDA Tempos: American Style: 30-32 MPM, International Style: 33 MPM.

  1. Please Mr. Brown @32 by Alma Cogan on Casa Musica Volume 4
  2. Jealousy @32 by Ross Mitchell on Gold Standard
  3. Sombras @32 by Percy Faith on Casa Musica Volume 6
  4. Midnight Tango @?? by Arthur Murray Orchestra on The Fabulous Ballroom Collection icon
  5. Red Petticoats @?? by Arthur Murray Orchestra on The Fabulous Ballroom Collection icon
  6. Ole Guapa @?? by Arthur Murray Orchestra on The Fabulous Ballroom Collection icon
  7. Tango for Two @?? by Ray Anthony on Dance Party icon
  8. Two Guitars @33 by The Columbia Ballroom Orchestra on Let's Dance Vol. 1 icon

Viennese Waltz

USABDA Tempos: American Style 54-56 MPM, International Style 60 MPM

  1. Chim Chim Cher-ee @60 MPM by Klaus Hallen on Standard
  2. My Favorite Things @60 Andy Williams on Casa Musica Vol. 10
  3. Under Paris Skies @60 Ray Conniff on Casa Musica Vol. 6 (Great song, but there must be a better version)
  4. Chim Chim Cher-ee @60 MPM by Ray Conniff on Casa Musica Vol. 10
  5. Once Upon a December @44 MPM by Deana Carter on Anastasia Soundtrack icon
  6. Les Bicyclettes De Belsize @?? MPM by Engelbert Humperdinck on The Best of Ballroom Foxtrots and Waltzes (slow Viennese) icon

Waltz

USABDA tempos: American Style 28-30 MPM, International Style 30 MPM

  1. Fascination @28 MPM by Nat King Cole on Casa Musica Volume 4
  2. The Last Waltz @?? MPM by Engelbert Humperdinck on The Dance Albumicon
  3. Candle On the Water @29 MPM by Klaus Hallen on Standard
  4. See the Day @30 MPM by Magic Melody Orchestra on the World of Standardtanze
  5. Dancing Like Lovers @30 MPM by Ross Mitchell on Gold Standard
  6. A Time for Us @30 MPM by The Columbia Ballroom Orchestra on Let's Dance Vol. 1 icon
  7. Always @?? by Arthur Murray Orchestra on More Fabulous Ballroom icon
  8. Tenderly @?? by Arthur Murray Orchestra on More Fabulous Ballroom icon
  9. Anniversary Song @?? by Arthur Murray Orchestra on More Fabulous Ballroom icon
  10. Could I have this dance @29 MPM by Anne Murray on The Best...So Faricon
  11. Serenade to Spring @29 by Rolf Lovland on Songs from a Secret Garden icon
  12. Nocturne @27 by Rolf Lovland on Songs from a Secret Garden icon
  13. I Really Don't Want to Know @29 by Andy Williams on Casa Musica Volume 6
  14. You Light Up My Life @30 on the World of Standardtanze

Maintained by John Crossan (ke6cdh@jboxford.com)

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Last updated January 5th , 2000 by John J. R. Crossan