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

USA Dance tempo: American Style 30 MPM, International Style 30-32 MPM

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

Fox Trot

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

  1. listen More @28 MPM by Nat King Cole on Love Songs
  2. Boy Meets Girl @29 MPM by Ruby Murray on Anthology
  3. Change Partners @29 MPM by Vic Damone on Little Girl: The Very Best Of
  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
  7. listen Fly me to the Moon @28 MPM by Frank Sinatra and Antonio Carlos Jobim on Frank Sinatra duets II (long intro.)

Hustle

USA Dance tempo: 28-30 MPM

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

Merengue

USA Dance 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. USA Dance apparently uses 4/4 time, so a USA Dance approved Merengue would have 116-128 beats per minute

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

Paso Doble

USABDA tempos: International Style: 60-62 MPM, American Style: 58-60 MPM

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

Quickstep

USA Dance tempo: International Style: 50-52 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

USA Dance tempos: International Rumba: 25-27 MPM, American Rumba: 32-36 MPM, Bolero: 24-26 MPM

  1. listen Beautiful Maria of My Soul (English Version) @25 by Los Lobos on Mambo King's Soundtrack
  2. listen Beautiful Maria of My Soul (Spanish Version) @25 by The Mambo All-stars on Mambo King's Soundtrack
  3. listen We Belong Together @27 MPM by Ambros Seelos on Let's go Dancing
  4. listen Con Los Anos Que Me Quedan @22 MPM by Gloria Estefan on Mi Tierra
  5. listen Mas Alla @32 MPM by Gloria Estefan on Abriendo Puertas
  6. listen You'll See @23 MPM by Madonna on Something to Remember
  7. listen Time and Tide @24 MPM by Basia on Time and Tide

Salsa/Mambo

USA Dance tempo: American Style Mambo: 47-51 MPM Salsa tends to be a bit slower.

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

Samba

USA Dance tempos: International Style 50-52 MPM, American Style 52 MPM.

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

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

USA Dance Tempos: East Coast Swing:34-36, West Coast Swing: 28-32, Jive: 42-44 MPM

  1. listen Rock Around the Clock @28 MPM by Bill Haley on 20th Century Masters: The Best Of Bill Haley & His Comets
  2. listen Straighten Up and Fly Right @39 MPM by Linda Ronstadt & The Nelson Riddle Orchestra on For Sentimental Reasons
  3. listen In the Mood @41 MPM by The Glen Miller Orchestra on In the Digital Mood
  4. listen Fever @?? MPM by Peggy Lee on All-Time Greatest Hits Vol. 1
  5. listen True Love @24 MPM by Pat Benatar on True Love
  6. listen Ability to Swing @31 MPM by Patti Austin on The Best of Ballroom Swing, Lindy, Jitterbug and Jive
  7. listen Hit the Road Jack @45 MPM by Ray Charles on Anthology
  8. listen Mr. Pinstripe Suit @?? MPM by Big Bad Voodoo Daddy on Big Bad Voodoo Daddy
  9. listen Stray Cat Strut @33 MPM by The Stray Cats on The Stray Cats Greatest Hits
  10. listen Rock This Town @33 MPM by The Stray Cats on The Stray Cats Greatest Hits
  11. listen Bei Mir Bist Du Schon @?? by The Andrews Sisters on 20th Century Masters: The Best of the Andrews

Tango

USA Dance Tempos: American Style: 30-32 MPM, International Style: 31-33 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. listen Midnight Tango @?? by Arthur Murray Orchestra on The Fabulous Ballroom Collection
  5. listen Red Petticoats @?? by Arthur Murray Orchestra on The Fabulous Ballroom Collection
  6. listen Ole Guapa @?? by Arthur Murray Orchestra on The Fabulous Ballroom Collection
  7. listen Tango for Two @?? by Ray Anthony on Dance Party
  8. listen Two Guitars @33 by The Columbia Ballroom Orchestra on Let's Dance Vol. 1

Viennese Waltz

USA Dance Tempos: American Style 54-56 MPM, International Style 58-60 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. listen Once Upon a December @44 MPM by Deana Carter on Anastasia Soundtrack
  6. listen Les Bicyclettes De Belsize @?? MPM by Engelbert Humperdinck on The Best of Ballroom Foxtrots and Waltzes (slow Viennese)

Waltz

USA Dance tempos: American Style 28-30 MPM, International Style 28-30 MPM

  1. Fascination @28 MPM by Nat King Cole on Casa Musica Volume 4
  2. listen The Last Waltz @?? MPM by Engelbert Humperdinck on The Dance Album
  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. listen A Time for Us @30 MPM by The Columbia Ballroom Orchestra on Let's Dance Vol. 1
  7. listen Always @?? by Arthur Murray Orchestra on More Fabulous Ballroom
  8. listen Tenderly @?? by Arthur Murray Orchestra on More Fabulous Ballroom
  9. listen Anniversary Song @?? by Arthur Murray Orchestra on More Fabulous Ballroom
  10. listen Could I have this dance @29 MPM by Anne Murray on The Best...So Far
  11. listen Serenade to Spring @29 by Rolf Lovland on Songs from a Secret Garden
  12. listen Nocturne @27 by Rolf Lovland on Songs from a Secret Garden
  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 mailto:ke6cdh@verizon.net