Singalong! Supermodel (You Better Work) by RuPaul

Who here remembers when RuPaul first came on the scene??? I was nine and had recently discovered that there are (gasp!) radio stations that play secular music. I remember listening to this with my cousin and giggling that, apparently, this song was sung by a (gasp!) boy! (Giggle giggle giggle.)

It's nice to know we've come a long way from those giggles about a boy in a dress. This weekend PRIDE has finally come to Vancouver, so I'm celebrating with Ru!

SUPERMODEL (YOU BETTER WORK)

by RuPaul

Once upon a time, there was a little black girl, in the Brewster Projects of Detroit, Michigan. At fifteen, she was spotted by an Ebony Fashion Fair talent scout and her modeling career took off

You better work.

You better work (Cover girl)

Work it, girl (Give a twirl)

Do your thing on the runway

Work (Supermodel)

You better work it, girl (Of the world)

Wet your lips and make love to the camera

Work

Turn to the left

Work

Now turn to the right

Work

Sashay, shante

It don't matter what you wear

They're checking out your savior faire

And it don't matter what you do

'Cause everything looks good on you

Supermodel

You better work

(Cover girl)

Work it, girl

(Give a twirl)

Do your thing on the runway

Work

(Supermodel)

You better work it, girl

(Of the world)

Wet your lips and make love to the camera

Work

Turn to the left

Work

Now turn to the right

Work

Sashay, shante

I see your picture everywhere

A million dollar derriere

And when you walked in to the room

You had everybody's eyes on you, supermodel

Linda

Work mama

Naomi

She is fierce

Christy

Foxy lady, out of sight

Cindy

I can feel it

Claudia

Sell the garment

Niki

Work the runway, sweetie

I have one thing to say: sashay, shante

Shante, shante, shante

I have one thing to say: sashay shante

Shante, shante, shante

It don't matter what you wear

They're checking out your savior faire

And it don't matter what you do

Cause everything looks good on you

Supermodel

You better work

(Cover girl)

Work it, girl

(Give a twirl)

Do your thing on the runway

Work

Supermodel

You better work it, girl

(Of the world)

Wet your lips and make love to the camera

Work

Turn to the left

Work

Now turn to the right

Work

Sashay, shante

Work

Turn to the left

Work

Now turn to the right

Work

Sashay, shante

You better work

Work

Work

Supermodel

You better work

Work

Work

Work

I have one thing to say:

You better work

Giphy

---

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Singalong! Coward by Holly McNarland

On my recent flight to Montreal, I did something I haven't done for a long time: listened to music instead of a podcast. The first song that came on when I hit shuffle on my "singalongs" playlist (a random assortment of songs that I know the words to that you can find on Spotify if you're so inclined) was this one. The opening chords instantly transported me to a more melodramatic state and it was glorious. It was a bit of a challenge to not actually sing along, and I mayyyyy have lip-synced, just a little.

COWARD

by Holly McNarland

Maybe I'm a coward, I'm only scared of you

Or maybe I'm just tired of living here

I'm alive and I'm aware

Of what's going on around here

'Cause I'm a coward

I'm neurotic

I'm just tired of living in here

I'm depressive I'm obsessive

I'm just tired of living in fear

Maybe my depression

Is all in my head

Maybe it's my obsession

To feel sorry for myself

I'm alive and I'm aware

Of what's going on around here

'Cause I'm a coward

I'm neurotic

I'm just tired of living in here

I'm depressive I'm obsessive

I'm just tired of living in fear

I'm a coward

Maybe I'm a coward, I'm only scared of you

Yes I'm scared of you

'Cause I'm alive and I'm aware

Of what's going on around here

I'm a coward

I'm neurotic

I'm just tired of living in here

I'm depressive

I'm obsessive

I'm just tired of living in fear

Giphy

---

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Singalong! Zombie by The Cranberries

My main memory of this song is that youthful feeling that there was something really deep and meaningful going on here, but that I had no idea what it was.  I was totally drawn to this song and everything that sense of lurking darkness and meaning, but did not yet have any of the tools to understand what it was about.  In the meantime, I also learned that, while it might seem like a fun idea to do this song at karaoke so that you can yelp and yodel the refrain, you will also be stuck on stage for a really really long musical outro that you were not prepared for.  You have been warned.

ZOMBIE

by The Cranberries

Another head hangs lowly

Child is slowly taken

And the violence caused such silence

Who are we mistaken

But you see it's not me

It's not my family

In your head, in your

Head they are fighting

With their tanks and their bombs

And their bombs and their guns

In your head,

In your head they are cryin'

In your head, in your head

Zombie, zombie, zombie

Hey, hey

What's in your head, in your head

Zombie, zombie, zombie

Hey, hey, hey, oh

Dou, dou, dou, dou

Dou, dou, dou, dou

Dou, dou, dou, dou

Dou, dou, dou, dou

Another mother's breakin'

Heart is taking over

When the violence causes silence

We must be mistaken

It's the same old theme since nineteen-sixteen

In your head,

In your head they're still fightin'

With their tanks and their bombs

And their bombs and their guns

In your head, in your head they are dyin'

In your head, in your head

Zombie, zombie, zombie

Hey, hey

What's in your head, in your head

Zombie, zombie, zombie

Hey, hey, hey

Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh

Hey, oh, ya, ya-a

Singalong! Here Comes the Sun by The Beatles

I LOVE THIS SONG!!! Sorry, am I yelling? I'm yelling. I can't help it! I love this song so much! It's just beautiful and calming and hopeful and wonderful. It's got the same message as "Tomorrow" from Annie, but it's a nice song to listen to. Also, sorry that the video is this weird garage band thing - it is surprisingly hard to find Beatles songs on Youtube that aren't sung by other people.  (Or George Harrison - sorry George, you're great and all, but I just need Paul McCartney's voice on this one.)

HERE COMES THE SUN

by The Beatles

Here comes the sun, here comes the sun

And I say it's all right

Little darling, it's been a long cold lonely winter

Little darling, it feels like years since it's been here

Here comes the sun, here comes the sun

And I say it's all right

Little darling, the smiles returning to the faces

Little darling, it seems like years since it's been here

Here comes the sun, here comes the sun

And I say it's all right

Sun, sun, sun, here it comes

Sun, sun, sun, here it comes

Sun, sun, sun, here it comes

Sun, sun, sun, here it comes

Sun, sun, sun, here it comes

Little darling, I feel that ice is slowly melting

Little darling, it seems like years since it's been clear

Here comes the sun, here comes the sun

And I say it's all right

Here comes the sun, here comes the sun

It's all right, it's all right

Photo by Scanpix. Creative Commons.

Singalong! Waterfalls by TLC

This song falls under the umbrella of songs that are actually really sad but that sound so light-hearted and got so much radio play that pre-teens would be singing along blissfully unaware that they were singing about gang violence and AIDS.

WATERFALLS

by TLC

A lonely mother gazing out of her window

Staring at a son that she just can't touch

If at any time he's in a jam she'll be by his side

But he doesn't realize he hurts her so much

But all the praying just ain't helping at all

'Cause he can't seem to keep his self out of trouble

So he goes out and he makes his money the best way he knows how

Another body laying cold in the gutter

Listen to me

[Chorus:]

Don't go chasing waterfalls

Please stick to the rivers and the lakes that you're used to

I know that you're gonna have it your way or nothing at all

But I think you're moving too fast

Little precious has a natural obsession

For temptation but he just can't see

She gives him loving that his body can't handle

But all he can say is "Baby, it's good to me."

One day he goes and takes a glimpse in the mirror

But he doesn't recognize his own face

His health is fading and he doesn't know why

Three letters took him to his final resting place

Y'all don't hear me

[Chorus (2x)]

Come on

I seen a rainbow yesterday

But too many storms have come and gone

Leavin' a trace of not one God-given ray

Is it because my life is ten shades of gray

I pray all ten fade away

Seldom praise Him for the sunny days

And like His promise is true

Only my faith can undo

The many chances I blew

To bring my life to anew

Clear blue and unconditional skies

Have dried the tears from my eyes

No more lonely cries

My only bleedin' hope

Is for the folk who can't cope

With such an endurin' pain

That it keeps 'em in the pourin' rain

Who's to blame

For tootin' 'caine into your own vein

What a shame

You shoot and aim for someone else's brain

You claim the insane

And name this day in time

For fallin' prey to crime

I say the system got you victim to your own mind

Dreams are hopeless aspirations

In hopes of comin' true

Believe in yourself

The rest is up to me and you

[Chorus]

Singalong! Stay by Lisa Loeb

Oh my goodness, I used to love Lisa Loeb so much.  Specifically, I owned her Firecracker album (and would sing along with the title track using all the feelings I had in my little melodramatic heart, not quite understanding the connection between tying shoelaces and lighting firecrackers, but thinking it must be really deep), but, like so many of us 90's kids, I always had a special place in my heart for Stay.  I remember once watching the music video on TV with some friends and commenting on how the emotional content was reflected in her actions when it gets all slow and sincere and she kneels down.  One of my friends said "Wow, you should be a music video director!", and I thought, yes.  That sounds about right.

Of course, I am not a music video director, but feel free to pay special attention to that moment and reflect on how brilliant I am.

STAY

by Lisa Loeb

you say I only hear what I want to.

you say I talk so all the time so.

and I thought what I felt was simple,

and I thought that I don't belong,

and now that I am leaving,

now I know that I did something wrong 'cause I missed you.

yeah, I missed you.

and you say I only hear what I want to:

I don't listen hard,

I don't pay attention to the distance that you're running

or to anyone, anywhere,

I don't understand if you really care,

I'm only hearing negative: no, no, no.

so I turned the radio on, I turned the radio up,

and this woman was singing my song:

the lover's in love, and the other's run away,

the lover is crying 'cause the other won't stay.

some of us hover when we weep for the other who was

dying since the day they were born.

well, this is not that:

I think that I'm throwing, but I'm thrown.

and I thought I'd live forever, but now I'm not so sure.

you try to tell me that I'm clever,

but that won't take me anyhow, or anywhere with you.

you said that I was naive,

and I thought that I was strong.

I thought, "hey, I can leave, I can leave."

but now I know that I was wrong, 'cause I missed you.

you said, "You caught me 'cause you want me and one day you'll let me go."

"you try to give away a keeper, or keep me 'cause you know you're just so scared to lose.

and you say, "stay."

you say I only hear what I want to.

Singalong! House of the Rising Sun by The Animals

The House of the Rising Sun is an old folk song, so its actual origins are pretty much unknown, but the most popular version of this was put together by the Animals. So moody, so dark, so good for singing your heart out to. It's got all the wonderful gritty darkness of an emotional gutwrencher, but because it's a cautionary tale about the dangers of drinking and gambling in New Orleans most of us can throw our hearts into it without feeling too close to home and actually breaking down into sobbing fits. Win-win!

It's also really fun to watch the music video and see how stiff and unemotional the Animals are while they perform this super-from-the-depths-of-your-darkest-breath song.

HOUSE OF THE RISING SUN

Animals

There is a house in New Orleans

They call the Rising Sun

And it's been the ruin of many a poor boy

And God I know I'm one

My mother was a tailor

She sewed my new bluejeans

My father was a gamblin' man

Down in New Orleans

Now the only thing a gambler needs

Is a suitcase and trunk

And the only time he's satisfied

Is when he's on a drunk

Oh mother tell your children

Not to do what I have done

Spend your lives in sin and misery

In the House of the Rising Sun

Well, I got one foot on the platform

The other foot on the train

I'm goin' back to New Orleans

To wear that ball and chain

Well, there is a house in New Orleans

They call the Rising Sun

And it's been the ruin of many a poor boy

And God I know I'm one

Singalong! Everybody Wants to Rule the World by Tears for Fears

I've featured Tears for Fears before - there is something about them, don't you think? The epitome of 80's synth and deceptively frivolous, but their lyrics are sort of epic in the scope of their meaning. What more could you want?

EVERYBODY WANTS TO RULE THE WORLD

by Tears for Fears

Welcome to your life

There's no turning back

Even while we sleep

We will find you

Acting on your best behaviour

Turn your back on mother nature

Everybody wants to rule the world

It's my own design

It's my own remorse

Help me to decide

Help me make the most

Of freedom and of pleasure

Nothing ever lasts forever

Everybody wants to rule the world

There's a room where the light won't find you

Holding hands while the walls come tumbling down

When they do I'll be right behind you

So glad we've almost made it

So sad they had to fade it

Everybody wants to rule the world

I can't stand this indecision

Married with a lack of vision

Everybody wants to rule the world

Say that you'll never never never never need it

One headline why believe it ?

Everybody wants to rule the world

All for freedom and for pleasure

Nothing ever lasts forever

Everybody wants to rule the world

singalong! it's all coming back to me now by celine dion

In honour of the fact that I am currently IN VEGAS IN ORDER TO SEE CELINE DION AND WILL BE SEEING HER TONIGHT AND SHE WILL BE SINGING THIS SONG!!!  This weekend's singalong is my all-time favourite Celine song.  I already loved her when this album came out - her song Mislead was my introduction to her and to secular pop radio - but this just nailed her into my heart.  It adds melodrama and meaning to everything you do, whether it's driving to Costco (fun fact: the length of this song was the exact amount of time it took to drive to Costco from the house I grew up in) or washing dishes.

Enjoy. Is there any other option?

IT'S ALL COMING BACK TO ME NOW

Celine Dion

There were nights when the wind was so cold

That my body froze in bed

If I just listened to it

Right outside the window

There were days when the sun was so cruel

That all the tears turned to dust

And I just knew my eyes were

Drying up forever

I finished crying in the instant that you left

And I can't remember where or when or how

And I banished every memory you and I had ever made

But when you touch me like this

And you hold me like that

I just have to admit

That it's all coming back to me

When I touch you like this

And I hold you like that

It's so hard to believe but

It's all coming back to me

(It's all coming back, it's all coming back to me now)

There were moments of gold

And there were flashes of light

There were things I'd never do again

But then they'd always seemed right

There were nights of endless pleasure

It was more than any laws allow

Baby Baby

If I kiss you like this

And if you whisper like that

It was lost long ago

But it's all coming back to me

If you want me like this

And if you need me like that

It was dead long ago

But it's all coming back to me

It's so hard to resist

And it's all coming back to me

I can barely recall

But it's all coming back to me now

But it's all coming back

There were those empty threats and hollow lies

And whenever you tried to hurt me

I just hurt you even worse

And so much deeper

There were hours that just went on for days

When alone at last we'd count up all the chances

That were lost to us forever

But you were history with the slamming of the door

And I made myself so strong again somehow

And I never wasted any of my time on you since then

But if I touch you like this

And if you kiss me like that

It was so long ago

But it's all coming back to me

If you touch me like this

And if I kiss you like that

It was gone with the wind

But it's all coming back to me

(It's all coming back, it's all coming back to me now)

There were moments of gold

And there were flashes of light

There were things we'd never do again

But then they'd always seemed right

There were nights of endless pleasure

It was more than all your laws allow

Baby, Baby, Baby

When you touch me like this

And when you hold me like that

It was gone with the wind

But it's all coming back to me

When you see me like this

And when I see you like that

Then we see what we want to see

All coming back to me

The flesh and the fantasies

All coming back to me

I can barely recall

But it's all coming back to me now

If you forgive me all this

If I forgive you all that

We forgive and forget

And it's all coming back to me

When you see me like this

And when I see you like that

We see just what we want to see

All coming back to me

The flesh and the fantasies

All coming back to me

I can barely recall but it's all coming back to me now

(It's all coming back to me now)

And when you kiss me like this

(It's all coming back to me now)

And when I touch you like that

(It's all coming back to me now)

If you do it like this

(It's all coming back to me now)

And if we...

singalong! so what cha want by the beastie boys

The Beastie Boys!  They are great, but very difficult to sing along to.  So it's time to practice so you can blow all your friends away with your mad rappin' the next time you do karaoke.

"So What'cha Want"

THE BEASTIE BOYS

Just plug me in just like I was eddie harris

You're eating crazy cheese like you'd think I'm from paris

You know I get fly you think I get high

You know that I'm gone and I'm a tell you all why

So tell me who are you dissing maybe I'm missing

The reason that you're smiling or wilding

So listen in my head I just want to take 'em down

Imagination set loose and I'm gonna shake 'em down

Let it flow like a mud slide

When I get on I like to ride and glide

I've got depth of perception in my text y'all

I get props at my mention 'cause I vex y'all

So what'cha what'cha what'cha want what'cha want

I get so funny with the money that you flaunt

I said where'd you get your information from huh?

You think that you can front when revelation comes

Yeah, you can't front on that

Well they call me mike d the ever loving man

I'm like spoonie gee well I'm the metropolitician

You scream and you holler about my chevy impala

But the sweat is getting wet around the ring around your collar

But like a dream I'm flowing without no stopping

Sweeter than a cherry pie with ready whip topping

Goin' from mic to mic kickin' it wall to wall

Well I'll be calling out you people like a casting call

Well it's wack when you're jacked in the back of a ride

With your know with your flow when you're out getting by

Believe me what you see is what you get

And you see me I'm coming off as you can bet

Well I think I'm losing my mind this time

This time I'm losing my mind

That's right, said I think I'm losing my mind this time

This time I'm losing my mind

Yeah, you can't front on that

But little do you know about something that I talk about

I'm tired of driving it's due time that I walk about

But in the meantime, I'm wise to the demise

I've got eyes in the back of my head so I realize

Well I'm dr. spock I'm here to rock y'all

I want you off the wall if you're playing the wall

I said what'cha what'cha what'cha want what'cha want

I said what'cha what'cha what'cha want what'cha want

Y'all suckers write me checks and then they bounce

So I reach into my pocket for the fresh amount

See I'm the long leaner vincent the cleaner

I'm the illest motherfucker from here to gardena

Well I'm as cool as a cucumber in a bowl of hot sauce

You've got the rhyme and reason but no cause

Well if you're hot to trot you think you're slicker than grease

I've got news for you crews you'll be sucking like a leech

You can't front on that

So what'cha what'cha what'cha want what'cha want

So what'cha what'cha what'cha want what'cha want

I said what'cha what'cha what'cha want what'cha want

I said what'cha what'cha what'cha want what'cha want

So what'cha want

singalong! boys of summer

This is one of my favourite karaoke tunes. It's just got so many feelings and so much 80's awesomeness. I don't know anything else Don Henley has done, and I honestly don't really care because this is all I need to know of him.

THE BOYS OF SUMMER

Don Henley

Nobody on the road

Nobody on the beach

I feel it in the air

The summer's out of reach

Empty lake, empty streets

The sun goes down alone

I'm driving by your house

Though I know you're not home

But I can see you-

Your brown skin shinin' in the sun

You got your hair combed back and your sunglasses on, baby

And I can tell you my love for you will still be strong

After the boys of summer have gone

I never will forget those nights

I wonder if it was a dream

Remember how you made me crazy?

Remember how I made you scream

Now I don't understand what happened to our love

But babe, I'm gonna get you back

I'm gonna show you what I'm made of

I can see you-

Your brown skin shinin' in the sun

I see you walking real slow and you're smilin' at everyone

I can tell you my love for you will still be strong

After the boys of summer have gone

Out on the road today, I saw a DEADHEAD sticker on a Cadillac

A little voice inside my head said, "Don't look back. You can never look back"

I thought I knew what love was

What did I know?

Those days are gone forever

I should just let them go but-

I can see you-

Your brown skin shinin' in the sun

You got that top pulled down and that radio on, baby

And I can tell you my love for you will still be strong

After the boys of summer have gone

I can see you-

Your brown skin shinin' in the sun

You got that hair slicked back and those Wayfarers on, baby

I can tell you my love for you will still be strong

After the boys of summer have gone

singalong! total eclipse of the heart

Here's my favourite karaoke song of all time. The most non-sensical, melodramatic tale of heartbreak (love?) of all time!

Turn around, every now and then

I get a little bit lonely and you're never coming round

Turn around, every now and then

I get a little bit tired of listening to the sound of my tears

Turn around, every now and then

I get a little bit nervous that the best of all the years have gone by

Turn around, every now and then

I get a little bit terrified and then I see the look in your eyes

Turn around, bright eyes

Every now and then I fall apart

Turn around, bright eyes

Every now and then I fall apart

Turnaround, every now and then

I get a little bit restless and I dream of something wild

Turnaround, every now and then

I get a little bit helpless and I'm lying like a child in your arms

Turnaround, every now and then

I get a little bit angry and I know I've got to get out and cry

Turnaround, every now and then

I get a little bit terrified but then I see the look in your eyes

Turnaround bright eyes

Every now and then I fall apart

Turnaround bright eyes

Every now and then I fall apart

And I need you now tonight

And I need you more than ever

And if you only hold me tight

We'll be holding on forever

And we'll only be making it right

'Cause we'll never be wrong

Together we can take it to the end of the line

Your love is like a shadow on me all of the time

I don't know what to do and I'm always in the dark

We're living in a powder keg and giving off sparks

I really need you tonight

Forever's gonna to start tonight

Forever's gonna to start tonight

Once upon a time I was falling in love

Now I'm only falling apart

There's nothing I can do

A total eclipse of the heart

Once upon a time there was light in my life

But now there's only love in the dark

Nothing I can say

A total eclipse of the heart

Turnaround, bright eyes

Turnaround, bright eyes

Turnaround, every now and then

I know you'll never be the boy you always wanted to be

Turnaround, every now and then

I know you'll always be the only boy who wanted me the way that I am

Turnaround, every now and then

I know there's no one in the universe as magical and wondrous as you

Turnaround, every now and then

I know there's nothing any better, there's nothing that I just wouldn't do

Turnaround bright eyes

Every now and then I fall apart

Turnaround bright eyes

Every now and then I fall apart

And I need you now tonight

And I need you more than ever

And if you'll only hold me tight

We'll be holding on forever

And we'll only be making it right

'Cause we'll never be wrong

Together we can take it to the end of the line

Your love is like a shadow on me all of the time

I don't know what to do, I'm always in the dark

We're living in a powder keg and giving off sparks

I really need you tonight

Forever's gonna start tonight

Forever's gonna start tonight

Once upon a time I was falling in love

Now I'm only falling apart

nothing I can do

A total eclipse of the heart

Once upon a time there was light in my life

now there's only love in the dark

Nothing I can say

A total eclipse of the heart

A total eclipse of the heart

A total eclipse of the heart

Turn around, bright eyes

Turn around, bright eyes

Turn around