# What songs do you sing when you're bored? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [December 30, 2000, 8:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-songs-do-you-sing-when-youre-bored/47780 "2000-12-30T08:28:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![SPOOFE](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c5a1d2/32.png) [@SPOOFE](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SPOOFE)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2000, 8:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-songs-do-you-sing-when-youre-bored/47780/1 "2000-12-30T08:28:00Z")
While working, I often find myself singing “Rich Man” from the musical _Fiddler On The Roof_, “Pink Elephants On Parade” from _Dumbo_, and “Chantilly Lace” by J.P. Richardson (The Big Bopper). What about you? What do you sing/hum when you’re bored? ---
**Author:** ![Amazing\_Tiki\_God](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/779978/32.png) [@Amazing\_Tiki\_God](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amazing_Tiki_God)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2000, 8:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-songs-do-you-sing-when-youre-bored/47780/2 "2000-12-30T08:42:56Z")
All because of my girlfriend I start to sing that song from Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory “I’ve got a golden ticket…” uhhhhhhh I hate that song. ---
**Author:** ![Geek\_Mecha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ecae2f/32.png) [@Geek\_Mecha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Geek_Mecha)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2000, 12:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-songs-do-you-sing-when-youre-bored/47780/3 "2000-12-30T12:57:30Z")
“Brian Wilson”, by BNL. It has the line that always pops into my head when I’m bored: “So I’m lying here, just staring at the ceiling ties. And I’m thinking 'bout, oh, what to think about…” …which is usually appropriate for the moment. ---
**Author:** ![Lsura](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7993a0/32.png) [@Lsura](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lsura)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2000, 1:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-songs-do-you-sing-when-youre-bored/47780/4 "2000-12-30T13:35:36Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by The Mighty Tiki God \* > \*\*that song from Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory “I’ve got a golden ticket…” \*\* Gee thanks, now I’m singing that song. But normally, when I’m bored it’s usually _If I only had a brain_ from _The Wizard of Oz_ or(oh, and this is so sad. I can’t believe I’m going to admit to this) _I wish I were an Oscar Mayer wiener_… in **German** It’s a translation that we did in college, I’m sure it’s not quite right, but well, it just pops into my head. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Great\_Philosopher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3ec8ea/32.png) [@The\_Great\_Philosopher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Great_Philosopher)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2000, 1:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-songs-do-you-sing-when-youre-bored/47780/5 "2000-12-30T13:41:54Z")
> [@](#): > > _Originally posted by Lsura \* > [B_I wish I were an Oscar Mayer wiener\*… \*\* Gee, thanks, now I’ve got **that** song in my head. I sing, um, ‘My Generation’ by Limp Bizkit (urrg :D) and other songs that I like a bit but are really catchy. ---
**Author:** ![Arden\_Ranger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b487fb/32.png) [@Arden\_Ranger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arden_Ranger)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2000, 2:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-songs-do-you-sing-when-youre-bored/47780/6 "2000-12-30T14:06:22Z")
When my kids were preschoolers, I got to hear all manner of songs that I’ve never been able to exorcise from my soul and I find myself singing when I’m really bored. Like the one from Lambchop’s Playalong: \*“This is the song that never ends, it just goes on and on my friends. Some people started singing it not knowing what it was, and we’ll continue singing it forever just because this is the song that never ends, it just goes on and on…” \* Well, you get the idea. At least it wasn’t something from Barney! ---
**Author:** ![Mauvaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mauvaise/32/11084_2.png) [@Mauvaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mauvaise)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2000, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-songs-do-you-sing-when-youre-bored/47780/7 "2000-12-30T14:57:58Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by SPOOFE Bo Diddly \* > \*\*What about you? What do you sing/hum when you’re bored? \*\* Lately it’s been “Ride My Monster” by Enter the Haggis, a wonderful little ditty to be caught singing at work, let me tell ya. ---
**Author:** ![Frannie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Frannie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frannie)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2000, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-songs-do-you-sing-when-youre-bored/47780/8 "2000-12-30T15:43:38Z")
American Pie When somebody hears me, they pay me to shut up. Then I go shopping. I love that song. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Broken\_Doll](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bbce88/32.png) [@Broken\_Doll](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broken_Doll)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2000, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-songs-do-you-sing-when-youre-bored/47780/9 "2000-12-30T16:41:35Z")
I sing whatever is on my mind at the time being. At the moment it’s “Anarchy In The UK” by the Sex Pistols. ---
**Author:** ![racinchikki](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/eada6e/32.png) [@racinchikki](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/racinchikki)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2000, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-songs-do-you-sing-when-youre-bored/47780/10 "2000-12-30T18:24:46Z")
I usually sing Dixie Chicks songs. “Goodbye Earl” and such. Or songs they’ve covered, but I’m singing THEIR version, not the original – “Stand By Your Man,” “Can’t Hurry Love.” ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2000, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-songs-do-you-sing-when-youre-bored/47780/11 "2000-12-30T18:40:31Z")
Back in the Army, there were four songs I would always sing whenever I was doing guard duty: _Space Cowboy_, by Steve Miller - the fun part is singing the bass line and pronouncing those ridiculous lyrics. _All Along the Watchtower_, by Bob Dylan - for obvious reasons. The Jimi Hendrix version, of course, air-guitaring with my M-16. _The River_, by Bruce Springsteen - you have to really pile on the pathos for this one. Immitating the Boss’s accent and elucidation is crucial, too. _Happiness is a Warm Gun_, by the Beatles - it’s not their best song, but it’s the most fun to sing (_I am the Walrus_ is a close second). Just try singing this line, very fast and without stopping for breath: _She well acquainted with the touch of the velvet hand like a lizard on a windowsill…_ Pure ecstasy. ---
**Author:** ![Knowledge\_Brings\_Fear](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/5daacb/32.png) [@Knowledge\_Brings\_Fear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knowledge_Brings_Fear)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2000, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-songs-do-you-sing-when-youre-bored/47780/12 "2000-12-30T18:54:10Z")
Sweet Caroline always makes me feel good. ---
**Author:** ![BornDodgy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e19b73/32.png) [@BornDodgy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BornDodgy)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2000, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-songs-do-you-sing-when-youre-bored/47780/13 "2000-12-30T19:00:25Z")
**Rich Man** too, **Singing in the Rain** (only when walking home through the rain of course), and that **Come Josephine** one… dont know what it is called… it is a ridiculous really old song… they also sang a line or two in the Titanic movie… Not to forget the theme song of the **M.A.S.H.** movie… Through early morning fog I see visions of the things to be… dodgy who cant sing ---
**Author:** ![hypergirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/49beb7/32.png) [@hypergirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hypergirl)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2000, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-songs-do-you-sing-when-youre-bored/47780/14 "2000-12-30T19:49:36Z")
Dink dinks to the tune of the song from Bridge on the River Kwai (like the little midgety dudes sang in Spaceballs). ---
**Author:** ![Persephone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ecc23a/32.png) [@Persephone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Persephone)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2000, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-songs-do-you-sing-when-youre-bored/47780/15 "2000-12-30T20:28:14Z")
> [@](#): > > American Pie > > When somebody hears me, they pay me to shut up. Frannie, me too! “American Pie” happens to be my favorite song in the whole wide world. However, they don’t usually pay me to shut up. They usually just throw pots & pans until I’m knocked unconscious. I also sing a little ditty called “Take the First Step,” from _Elmo’s Adventures In Grouchland._ I know all the words because I’ve heard it approximately 187,000 times. Got two Elmophiles in the house. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![ryan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a8b319/32.png) [@ryan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ryan)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2000, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-songs-do-you-sing-when-youre-bored/47780/16 "2000-12-30T21:29:04Z")
I tend to sing old irish folk songs that my grandfather used to sing to me when I was a child. Songs like “The Minstrel Boy” and Molly Mallone". ---
**Author:** ![Tie-Dye](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8c91f0/32.png) [@Tie-Dye](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tie-Dye)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2000, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-songs-do-you-sing-when-youre-bored/47780/17 "2000-12-30T21:46:13Z")
I usually end up singing the few lines I can remember from “so whatcha want” by the beastie boys. I only know about 2 though so it gets annoying for others real fast, but usually everyone starts singing along. Either that or anything from Paul Simon’s Graceland Album. ---
**Author:** ![Kallessa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/7993a0/32.png) [@Kallessa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kallessa)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2000, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-songs-do-you-sing-when-youre-bored/47780/18 "2000-12-30T21:52:58Z")
“Seven Deadly Virtues” from Camelot is always a favorite, along with “House at Pooh Corner”. Or whatever commercial jingle I’ve gotten stuck on–now that’s devil’s music, why don’t the fundamentalist ever go after those tunes? ---
**Author:** ![DynoSaur](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DynoSaur](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DynoSaur)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2000, 10:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-songs-do-you-sing-when-youre-bored/47780/19 "2000-12-30T22:13:05Z")
Any song I know the tune and some of the words to is fair game. It’s like the mental playlist from hell, because it’s slanted towards top-40 pop crap, usually. In fact, I’m pretty sure that when I wind up in hell, it’s going to be Backstreet Boy, Nsync, Christina Aguilera, and Britney Spears songs for all eternity. However, the songs I don’t -mind- having run through my head: Out to Get You, Say Something, and Born of Frustration, all by James. Glory Days, by Bruce Springsteen Life in a Nutshell, What a Good Boy, and Jane, by the Barenaked Ladies… there are others, but this is the main list… ---
**Author:** ![Conti](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c67d28/32.png) [@Conti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Conti)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2000, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-songs-do-you-sing-when-youre-bored/47780/20 "2000-12-30T22:25:35Z")
“Barbara Ann” by the Beach Boys is just a fun song to start singing. Also, “It Wasn’t Me” by Shaggy will just pop in my mind a lot. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-songs-do-you-sing-when-youre-bored/47780.md?page=2)