It happens in the movies a lot, but what about real life? How many times have you ever been caught up in a spontaneous group sing-along of a popular tune? Not something like “Happy Birthday,” mind you, but a real song the breadth of which extends out past little pocketed islands of individualism and cliques. Queen’s “Bohemian Rhapsody” is the King of spontaneous sing-along rock songs, but these particular choices are also classic rock songs that join members of a generation together and have even proved capable joining one generation to another.
“Joy to the World”
There was a time in America when the greater majority of people who heard the title “Joy to the World” didn’t think of a wine-loving bullfrog named Jeremiah, but rather a little Christmas ditty. Get a group of people who were anywhere from a pre-teen to thirtysomething when the 70s gave a goodbye kiss to the 60s and turn up this song from Three Dog Night. Guaranteed: you will see a spontaneous group sing-along as well as pure, apt joy on the faces of many of the participants. Once you learn the lyrics to “Joy to the World” you almost can’t stop yourself from singing along no matter where you are hearing the record.
“Black Water”
“Black Water” by the Doobie Brothers presents an alternative kind of experience for the spontaneous sing-along. It is only when the song reaches a certain point that it becomes a popular sing-along rock song. The key to you need to listen out for are the lyrics “I’d like to hear some funky Dixieland.” By the word “Dixieland” the spontaneous group sing-along should have gone from zero to the entire room. Heck, even the black ghetto residents on “What’s Happening!” were fans of the band with one character famously asking “Which Doobie you be?”
“Hey Jude”
The biggest selling hit ever by the Beatles is another curious case among spontaneous sing-along songs. The great thing about “Hey Jude” is that even someone who’s never heard it before can easily join in on the sing-along at the point that “Hey Jude” becomes that very thing. Listen out for the “Better, BETter, BetTER, BETTER, yowwww” part and then get ready for four minutes of pure unadulterated shared love. And all that is required of you is the ability to sing “Na-na-na, hey Jude” in the appropriate numerical combination.
For more articles by Timothy Sexton that you can sing along to if you want, check out:
Gang of Four and Pop Music as Marxist Critical Theory
Madonna: Leftist Rebel or Poster Girl for Capitalism
Madonna: Postmodernism and Capitalism, Part II