# What are your ten favorite songs to sing? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 6, 2011, 1:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-ten-favorite-songs-to-sing/580952 "2011-05-06T13:17:06Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![WOOKINPANUB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wookinpanub/32/132_2.png) [@WOOKINPANUB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WOOKINPANUB)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2011, 10:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-ten-favorite-songs-to-sing/580952/21 "2011-05-07T22:43:53Z")
I can sing pretty much any Pretenders song well. Not that I can have a particularly good voice but I spent so much of my teen years singing along with Chrissy Hynde that I end up doing a pretty good imitation of her. Sort of like chicks on American Idol that can rock the Janis Joplin but can’t sing a damned thing else. As for fun, nothing beats singing along with a friend to Queen. It’s not pretty, but it sure is fun to “Freddy it up” ---
**Author:** ![salinqmind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3ec8ea/32.png) [@salinqmind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/salinqmind)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2011, 2:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-ten-favorite-songs-to-sing/580952/22 "2011-05-08T02:45:21Z")
Bohemian Rhapsody - Queen Lady Marmalade - LaBelle Copacabana - Barry Manilow Dancing With Myself - Billy Idol White Wedding - Billy Idol (I Would Walk) 500 Miles - The Replacements(?) One Singular Sensation - from A Chorus Linezz All That Jazz - from Chicago Bad Romance - Lady Gaga I Dreamt I Dwelt In Marble Halls - from The Bohemian Girl (1843) ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2011, 3:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-ten-favorite-songs-to-sing/580952/23 "2011-05-08T03:41:37Z")
I don’t know about a top-10, but my go-to song for singing for the past 20-odd years has been Ode to Joy. In German. ---
**Author:** ![dada2fish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ccd318/32.png) [@dada2fish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dada2fish)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2011, 4:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-ten-favorite-songs-to-sing/580952/24 "2011-05-08T04:33:33Z")
Carly Simon - That’s The Way I’ve Always Heard It Should Be (actually I enjoy singing alot of her songs since we share a contralto vocal range) also: David Bowie - Lady Grinning Soul, The Bewley Brothers & others Roxy Music - Mother of Pearl, Amazona REM - Losing My Religion Dandy Warhols - Bohemian Like You ---
**Author:** ![dangermom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e274bd/32.png) [@dangermom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dangermom)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2011, 5:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-ten-favorite-songs-to-sing/580952/25 "2011-05-08T05:13:37Z")
> [@JohnT](#): > > I don’t know about a top-10, but my go-to song for singing for the past 20-odd years has been Ode to Joy. > > In German. I like to sing the Beatles’ **I wanna hold your hand** in German! 😛 ---
**Author:** ![corkboard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e9bcb4/32.png) [@corkboard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/corkboard)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2011, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-ten-favorite-songs-to-sing/580952/26 "2011-05-09T17:38:34Z")
My “in concert in the car” song is Is She Really Going Out With Him? by Joe Jackson. Nice and simple in an easy key; it’s right in my wheelhouse. There are lots more that aren’t coming to me at the moment, but I can handle the Amy Ray part of the Indigo Girls catalog with style. ---
**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2011, 1:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-ten-favorite-songs-to-sing/580952/27 "2011-05-10T01:44:34Z")
Off the top 'O my head: Sweet Baby James, by James Taylor Sittin’ On the Dock of the Bay, by Otis Redding For What It’s Worth, by Buffalo Springfield Born To Run, by Bruce Springsteen Old Man, by Neil Young Sundown, by Gordon Lightfoot Perfect Day, by Lou Reed Wild Horses, by The Rolling Stones The Abbey Road Medley, by The Beatles Because the Night, by Patti Smith mmm ---
**Author:** ![Troutsqueezer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Troutsqueezer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Troutsqueezer)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2011, 4:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-ten-favorite-songs-to-sing/580952/28 "2011-05-10T04:04:35Z")
California - Joni Mitchell All My Ex’s Live in Texas - George Strait In The Arms of the Angel (might not be the title) - Sarah McLachlan In The Shadow of the Clouds - Tiki King Captain of Her Heart - Double Am I In Heaven, Or Am I In Miami? - Martin Mull Miami, My Amy - Keith Whitley - I like songs with “Miami” in them. 🙂 Vincent (Starry Starry Night) - Josh Groban Wildfire - Michael Martin Murphy Marble Halls - Enya ---
**Author:** ![Emily\_Litella](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/emily_litella/32/3370_2.png) [@Emily\_Litella](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Emily_Litella)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2011, 3:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-ten-favorite-songs-to-sing/580952/29 "2011-05-11T03:57:03Z")
“Mercedes Benz” by Janis Joplin “Main Street” by Bob Seeger “It’s a Beautiful Morning” by the Young Rascals “I know This Much is True” by Roxy Music “Special Ed” by Stephen Lynch “Candy Man” by Christina Aguilera “Fields of Gold” by Sting “Sara” by Stevie Nicks “Keep on Growing” by Derek and the Dominos" “Pony Boy” by the Allman Brothers I wish I had a decent singing voice. ---
**Author:** ![Maiira](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f04885/32.png) [@Maiira](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maiira)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2011, 4:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-ten-favorite-songs-to-sing/580952/30 "2011-05-11T04:47:30Z")
_The Highwayman_ by Loreena Mckennitt, because it’s just so…nineteenth century. (Well, okay, technically early 20th, since the original poem was written in 1906, but eh, I think the label still fits.) I just love singing flowery drama. I also like a bunch of Mediaeval Baebes’ stuff, particularly the Middle English phrases. Was it actually pronounced that way? We’ll probably never know. But it’s fun to say stuff like “erthe upon erthe is wonderly wroghte.” ---
**Author:** ![Dung\_Beetle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dung_beetle/32/7945_2.png) [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2011, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-ten-favorite-songs-to-sing/580952/31 "2011-05-12T15:11:36Z")
I like Movin’ Out, Only the Good Die Young, etc. by Billy Joel Blue Bayou by Linda Ronstadt Cool Change by the Little River Band What’s Going On by 4 Non-Blondes Try it! You can not screw this up. 🙂 Come Back and Stay by Paul Young Skid Row, etc. from the musical Little Shop of Horrors Video Killed the Radio Star by the Buggles Money Changes Everything, Girls Just Wanna Have Fun, etc. by Cyndi Lauper Walking in Memphis by Mark Cohn Superstar, etc. by the Carpenters Well, that’s more than ten already. I could think of lots. ---
**Author:** ![Aeris](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a183cd/32.png) [@Aeris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aeris)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2011, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-ten-favorite-songs-to-sing/580952/32 "2011-05-12T16:45:24Z")
> [@Larry\_Mudd](#): > > _Summertime_, from Porgy and Bess. (This serves as the default lullaby for my daughter, so it’s getting a lot of play lately. Last night she heard Ella’s version for the first time and the look on her face when she recognized it was priceless.) My Mom used to sing this to me as a lullaby too! I can barely sing it without crying sometimes. My go to karaoke song is Sweet Child O’Mine by Guns N’ Roses. But there are quite a few muscial theatre songs that are just plain fun to sing. Pretty much anything from Chicago, Les Mizzle, Parade…shows with big ensemble numbers or brassy ladies. ---
**Author:** ![Nathan\_S](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/47e85d/32.png) [@Nathan\_S](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nathan_S)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2011, 10:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-ten-favorite-songs-to-sing/580952/33 "2011-05-13T10:56:55Z")
At the moment, Johnny Cash is my go - to guy for songs to sing. Which is pretty funny, considering that he seemed to me to be the epitome of un - cool when I was a young fella. Now, I totally dig the guy. I can’t come up with ten songs right off the top of my head, but some of my absolute faves are _Delia’s Gone_, _Thirteen_ and _Redemption_. ---
**Author:** ![Headrush042](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a5b964/32.png) [@Headrush042](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Headrush042)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2011, 2:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-ten-favorite-songs-to-sing/580952/34 "2011-05-13T14:13:24Z")
If they’re available in the playlist, these are my favorite songs to do at karaoke: 1. Alice in Chains - [Man in the Box](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TAqZb52sgpU) 2. Dead or Alive - [You Spin Me Round (Like a Record)](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZUatnbaNfEo) 3. Aha - [Take on Me](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=djV11Xbc914) 4. Roy Orbison - [In Dreams](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zbxsmcT7GOk) 5. Stray Cats - [Stray Cat Strut](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vEtbfzMLVWU) When I’m singing for a band, these are my favorite covers (along with #1 and #5 above): 1. Toad the Wet Sprocket - [Crowing](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b5IIgxfX9cQ) 2. Red Hot Chili Peppers - [Under the Bridge](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GLvohMXgcBo) 3. Simon & Garfunkel - [Homeward Bound](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JwQYH-6quEE) 4. If there’s a female in the band who can do a passable job, B52s [Rock Lobster](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tDZy6-fMCw4) or [Love Shack](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=leohcvmf8kM) When I’m in the car: 1. Apocalyptica - [Not Strong Enough](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e5O90uzvUA4) (actual performance of this kills my voice, which is why it’s relegated to car status) I can go on and on, but I wont! ETA: PS - if there are any singers here who can tell me how to scream and be scratchy without killing my voice, I’m all ears! (Oddly, I do fine with Alice in Chains, but not other stuff – haven’t figured out what the difference is) ---
**Author:** ![Dung\_Beetle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dung_beetle/32/7945_2.png) [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2011, 2:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-ten-favorite-songs-to-sing/580952/35 "2011-05-13T14:25:26Z")
> [@Troutsqueezer](#): > > Wildfire - Michael Martin Murphy Ooh, that’s a hard one. I can sing it…sometimes. ---
**Author:** ![Small\_Clanger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9fc348/32.png) [@Small\_Clanger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Small_Clanger)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2011, 2:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-ten-favorite-songs-to-sing/580952/36 "2011-05-13T14:36:08Z")
All together now… There’s antimony, arsenic, aloo-minum, selenium… The next two or three would be Doll by Doll songs which won’t mean anything to anyone else (Palace of Love, Perfect Romance, Bright Green Field) I can’t sing them well at all but it’s fun trying to emulate Jackie\* Wrote a list then noticed all the rest are a bit girly, oh well, it probably would make people laugh but there’s no way I’m going to be performing them. The Motels: Total Control Kate Bush: The Big Sky Holly Beth Vincent: Honalu Fill up the rest with Stevie Nicks stuff \*He may have a girly name but this Jackie is a bloke ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2011, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-ten-favorite-songs-to-sing/580952/37 "2011-05-13T19:38:54Z")
In no particular order and if I’d responded and hour ago or an hour from now 8 would probably be different: _Eleanor Rigby_ _[Smile](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I85ApzR43jU&feature=related)_ _You Can’t Hurry Love_ _[Ain’t That a Kick in the Head](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=huKSm0tAvhs)_ _[Everyone’s a Little Bit Racist](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tbud8rLejLM)_ (Avenue Q song) _Lorena_ (for somber moods- slow Civil War song- [very bad video](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gYNJqhasmmk)of me singing it) _I Wanna Hold Your Hand_ _Colors of the Wind_ (in the style of Harvey Fierstein) _God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen_ (love Christmas carols year round) For the past couple of days [Hasa Diga Eebowai (So Not Work Safe)](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-IjBi1eEaAA) from Book of Mormon:the Musical [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-ten-favorite-songs-to-sing/580952.md?page=1)