Songs that you just have to sing


It occurred to me the other day as I was driving to work that I cannot help but to sing certain songs as I hear them on the radio - especially the one word songs like Tequila! You know, hum hum hum hum, hum hum hum hum, Tequila! I just have to sing it, even if I were sitting in church and heard in ever-so-faintly from some teenager's car's radio in the parking lot on a hot summer day. I'd still sing it!

There are others as well - Puff the Magic Dragon, for instance - you can't hear it without joining in verbally.

Of course Springsteen's "Born to Run" - I remember the college parties. Eeven the girls who didn't know the words would mumble inaduibly until the chorus kicked in, and then would loudly scream, "Baby, I was born to run - yes girl, to run!!!" Then they started to mumble again...

Another list. This time, it' sing-along songs.
128x128wmcmanus
"Lively Up Yourself" Bob/Wailers. Not only a must-sing, but a must-dance, too.
"There's a bathroom on the right."

Anytime CCR's "Bad Moon Rising" plays on my car radio while driving, I point out restrooms with my right arm while I sing this botched version of the refrain.
I just thought of another one - "Horse With No Name" by America, and perhaps my imagination is slightly overactive this morning, but I think this would make a great theme song for a sequal to "Castaway" starring Tom Hanks.

Put Mr. Hanks in a desert this time (it could be another FedEx plane crash, but it might be better if it was a UPS misdelivery of a preamp that one of us might be waiting for at this very moment). Anyway, he's seen wandering about, dripping in sweat with severely damaged skin and parched lips, and he stumbles ascoss a construction horse (like the ones you see on I-95 with the blinking yellow lights). Of course, he would call his horse "Acme" (or whatever company name appears next to the 800 number on the face plate where it says "Call this number in case of an emergency!). He could call the number on his cell phone, but that would spoil all of the fun. I'd much prefer to see good ole Tom Hanks doze off for a couple of hours while a sandstorm blew in and completely engulfed his horse named Acme (but wait, then the horse would have a name, wouldn't it?) Anyway, the next scene would would be PRICELESS as he desperately digs through mounds and mounds of sand screaming "ACME!! ACME!! Oh, dear God no, ACME! (Boo hoo)... AC-MEEEEE"

But alas, the sattelite dish shifts and his cell phone call suddenly gets through to Brutus at Acme Construction, and good ole Tom Hanks returns home a as hero. It wouldn't really make sense for him to die, would it? Then there would be no Academy Award because it would be too realistic!

Imagine the advertising dollars this could draw from all of the sunscreen manufacturers?

That being said, I still can't help but to sing "Horse With No Name" every time I hear it...
The Beach Boys - Don't worry baby, Let's go surfin now
Bob Dylan - Tangled up in blue
David Gray - Babylon
I've got a bunch that I sing sometimes with guitar:

Talking Heads "Blind"
Tom Waits "Clap Hands"
10CC "Wall Street Schuffle"
Eric Clapton "Laila"
Queen "We Are The Champions"
David Sylvian "Forbidden Colours"
Laurie Anderson "Down By Mudy River"
?????? "Autumn Leaves"
10CC "Love Of My Life"
Godley and Creme "Heaven"
Chis Rea "You My Love"
Chris Rea "Auberge"
Chris Rea "Road To Hell"
Chris De Bourgh "Lady In Red"
Chris De Bourgh "Men On The Line"
Chris Rea "Looking For The Summer"
Fogerty "Have You Ever Seen The Rain"
John Lurie "I'm a Doggy"
Dire Straits "Private Investigations"
Dire Straits "Money For Nothing"
Dire Straits "Heavy Fuel"
Dire Straits "Sultains Of Swing"
Dire Straits "Diamond Hand"
Sting "Englishman in New York"
Sting "Fragile"
The most recent tune that seemed to stick in my mind was Charles Lloyd's arrangement of "The Water is Wide." No words w/ LLoyd, just a tune, so I just hummed it a lot but I remember nice versions by Roger McGuinn and Pete Seeger too.

I remain,
People Who Died, Died...
odd one eh?
for whatever reason that used to get tons of airplay in Miami.

I'd be triving as a youngster with a bunch of friends in my car. Whenever this came on the radio we'd all belt it out.

Oh yea, same withing with
We had Fun, we had joy, we had seasons in the sun.
(whatever that one's called)

KP
Talking Heads - Burning Down the House
867-5309
Shout!
R-E-S-P-E-C-T
EMF - You're Unbelievable
Two of The Doors songs come to mind, Light My Fire and LA Woman. Love those songs.
Day Is Done - Peter, Paul and Mary (Mary's the one without the beard)

The Boxer - Simon and Garfunkel

Just One Smile - Blood, Sweat and Tears (w/ Al Kooper)

Most of the Beatles songs

Sweet Virginia, The Last Time, Tell Me, Wild Horses, You Can't Always Get What You Want, It's Only Rock and Roll, Sympathy for the Devil, Honky Tonk Women, No Expectations - The Rolling Stones

Oh Yeah, Dance Away, The Main Thing, Avalon, Windswept - Bryan Ferry and Roxy Music

I Still Got The Blues - Gary Moore

Lady Blue, Back To The Island - Leon Russell

Wild World, Moonshadow, Father and Son - Cat Stevens

How Can I Be Sure - The Rascals

Save It For Later - The English Beat

Joey - Concrete Blond

What's Up - Four Non Blondes
Wild Thing
Hang on Sloopy
Louie Louie - if you know what I mean!
Little Red Riding Hood
Wild Thing
Hang on Sloopy
Louie Louie - if you know what I mean!
Little Red Riding Hood

"Dancing Queen" - Abba
"Joy to the World" - Three Dog Night
"Stairway to Heaven" - Led Zeppelin
"Margaritaville" - Jimmy Buffett
"Knockin' on Heaven's Door" - Bob Dylan
"Wild Horses", "Angie" - Rolling Stones
"Proud Mary", "I Heard It Through the Grapevine" - CCR
"Hound Dog" - Elvis Presley
"Gimme Three Steps" - Lynyrd Skynyrd
"Rock Lobster" - B-52s
"Space Oddity" - David Bowie

And, heaven save us, "Desperado," - Eagles

Some of these songs I do not even particularly care for, yet when they come on, whatever the circumstances, I am compelled to sing as if by hypnosis.

"It was a Rock Lobster!"

"Time in a Bottle" by Jim Croce

"Satisfaction" by the Rolling Stones

"Blowin' In the Wind" by Bod Dylan (I'm told that this song has been translated into something like 17 languages, but that may be an Urban Legend. I've never seen or heard any but the English version).

"Blinded By the Light" by Bruce Springsteen (made popular by Manford Mann). "Madman, drummers, bummers, and Indians in the summer with a teenage diplomat. In the dumps with the mumps an adolescent pumps his way into his hat. With a boulder on my shoulder, feeling kind of older, I tripped the merry-go-round. With this very unpleasing, sneezing and wheezing, the kylidopy crashed to the gound..."
Nessun dorma (complete to mopping your face with a gigantic handkerchief at the end)

Una voce poco fa (in the shower, in your best screechy falsetto)

The Lamb by John Tavener (Try to get all those chromatics right without peeking at the score...just try!)

Anything by Gilbert and Sullivan

You Were Always on My Mind (in the style of Willie, of course)

will
American Pie.........wait.... oh no....
here it goes in my head now.... and it's

"bye bye, miss american pie, drove my chevy to the levy, but the levy was dry, and good ole boys were drinkin' whiskey and rye........"
"Ghost Riders in the Sky". Now only if my voice was a manly as Miss Peggy Lee's.
I was driving to dinner tonight and thought of American Pie - Angela beat me to the punch - definitely the longest sing-along I can think of.

Freebird

C'mon Baby Light My Fire.

and how about Alice's Restaurant and wait.... how about
Stairway to Heaven? When I lived in New York ('88-'93), one of the radio stations went down to Grand Central Station one morning and played Stairway to Heaven. The whole place was singing at the top of their lungs! It was very cool. nice memories....
I really get into Motown and soul songs. Back in the 60's growing up when my buddies and I were together we would always sing those songs in harmony (or at least we tried!). Ones that really stand out and I sing along with every time I hear

Ain't to Proud to Beg, My Girl- Temptations
Tracks of my tears, More Love - Smokey Robinson
Heard it through the Grapevine - Marvin Gaye
Me and Mrs. Jones - Billy Paul
If you don't know me by now - Harold Melvin & Bluenotes
Anything by the Delphonics
Ask the Lonely, Reach Out - Four Tops
Shaft - Issac Hayes


This guys in love with you- Herb Albert (special memory)
Bang on the Drum- Todd Rundgren (just to raucus to pass)
I'm not in love - 10cc
One bourbon, one scotch, one beer - John Lee Hooker ( I play that one just TO sing along)
Anything by Peter Paul and Mary, Beachboys, Stones.

"Danny Boy" is a special favorite that I can never pass up on. This list could go on forever.

Bishopwill - I've tried Nessun Dorma with Pavarotti and a host of others, the spirit is willing but the pipes are weak. I now sing along in my head.
Tubegroover: Don't be daunted in the least. There's nothing like hammering that very last "Vincerò!" and bowing, exhausted and fulfilled, to your audience, even when the audience is nothing more than the shampoo bottles in your own steamy shower.

C'mon guys, surely SOME of you besides Tubegroover and I sing classical music.

will
Anything from Oklahoma (movie better than Broadway)
Jackie Wilson Said and Wild Night, Van Morrison
Gimme Back my Bullets and I Aint the One, Lynyrd Skynyrd
Let's Stay Together, Al Green
Rock & Roll Woman, Buffalo Springfield
Rose of Cimmaron, Poco
Got to Give it Up, Marvin Gaye
And of course The Star Spangled Banner

Strangely, my daughter's first complete sentence was' "Daddy, stop singing!"
Thanks Tubegroover, I almost forgot some of my favorite oldies.

You've Lost That Loving Feeling - The Rightous Brothers

Since I Lost My Baby, The Way You Do The Things You Do, Ain't to Proud to Beg, My Girl - The Temptations

Going Out Of My Head - Little Anthony and the Imperials

Duke of Earl - Gene Chandler

Bye Bye Love, Wake Up Little Suzie - Everly Brothers

Silhouettes - The Rays

I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry - Thomas, B.J.

The Wanderer, I Wonder Why - Dion

You Belong to Me - Duprees

Baby I Need Your Loving, I Can't Help Myself - Four Tops

Dancing in the Street - Martha & The Vandellas

I Heard It Through the Grapevine, What's Goin' On - Marvin Gaye
Ramblin' Man
Heard It In A Love Song
Take It Easy
Help Me Rhonda
I Get Around
The chorus of Garden Party