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July 13, 2010 7:17 AM Subscribe
If "Hey Jude" is the canonical example (along with maybe U2's "40"), and OK GO's "This Too Shall Pass" the latest, what are other tunes best known for massive audience sing alongs?
The best one I can think of is at Ben Folds concerts when he splits the audience down the middle for two specific songs: "Army" (they sing the horn section) and "Not the Same."
I know that at Barenaked Ladies concerts, people smuggle in macaroni to throw when they mention Kraft Dinner in "If I Had $1,000,000."
posted by Madamina at 7:23 AM on July 13, 2010 [1 favorite]
I know that at Barenaked Ladies concerts, people smuggle in macaroni to throw when they mention Kraft Dinner in "If I Had $1,000,000."
posted by Madamina at 7:23 AM on July 13, 2010 [1 favorite]
Sweet Caroline by Neil Diamond, specifically at Red Sox games.
posted by banannafish at 7:23 AM on July 13, 2010
posted by banannafish at 7:23 AM on July 13, 2010
Actually, Ben Folds pretty much does the whole concert like that now that he just does shows with a piano and no band or backup singers.
posted by smackfu at 7:28 AM on July 13, 2010
posted by smackfu at 7:28 AM on July 13, 2010
Most early songs by Oasis, notably "Wonderwall" and "Don't Look Back in Anger".
posted by MuffinMan at 7:30 AM on July 13, 2010
posted by MuffinMan at 7:30 AM on July 13, 2010
Also "We Will Rock You," by Queen. And apparently Freddy tended to mostly-silently conduct the audience while they sang "Love of my Life."
posted by galadriel at 7:30 AM on July 13, 2010
posted by galadriel at 7:30 AM on July 13, 2010
Personal Jesus by Depeche Mode
Actually, in my experience, "Everything Counts" is the quintessential singalong song at Depeche Mode concerts. Sometimes it just goes on for EVER.
posted by padraigin at 7:34 AM on July 13, 2010
Actually, in my experience, "Everything Counts" is the quintessential singalong song at Depeche Mode concerts. Sometimes it just goes on for EVER.
posted by padraigin at 7:34 AM on July 13, 2010
"Why Don't We Get Drunk and Screw?" - Jimmy Buffet
"Fear of the Dark" - Iron Maiden
"YMCA" - The Village People
"Sister Christian" - Night Ranger: I wouldn't have believed it if I hadn't seen it with my own eyes at a NR show I attended recently...for a friend.
posted by total warfare frown at 7:43 AM on July 13, 2010
"Fear of the Dark" - Iron Maiden
"YMCA" - The Village People
"Sister Christian" - Night Ranger: I wouldn't have believed it if I hadn't seen it with my own eyes at a NR show I attended recently...for a friend.
posted by total warfare frown at 7:43 AM on July 13, 2010
"American Pie" - Don McLean.
posted by epj at 7:47 AM on July 13, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by epj at 7:47 AM on July 13, 2010 [1 favorite]
Any football song. Three lions, wave your flag, etc etc. Expressly designed for stadium sing-alongs.
posted by emilyw at 7:51 AM on July 13, 2010
posted by emilyw at 7:51 AM on July 13, 2010
Elbow's "One Day Like This" (Glastonbury, 2008; @ 5:40).
posted by MonkeyToes at 7:51 AM on July 13, 2010
posted by MonkeyToes at 7:51 AM on July 13, 2010
Grateful Dead, Throwing Stones
Ashes ashes all fall down.
posted by JohnnyGunn at 7:57 AM on July 13, 2010
Ashes ashes all fall down.
posted by JohnnyGunn at 7:57 AM on July 13, 2010
Another Glastonbury example would be Karma Police this year.
posted by ninebelow at 7:58 AM on July 13, 2010
posted by ninebelow at 7:58 AM on July 13, 2010
The call and response sections of Minnie the Moocher are a classic example of this.
posted by burnmp3s at 8:02 AM on July 13, 2010
posted by burnmp3s at 8:02 AM on July 13, 2010
She Don't Use Jelly by The Flaming Lips
posted by macadamiaranch at 8:03 AM on July 13, 2010
posted by macadamiaranch at 8:03 AM on July 13, 2010
She Don't Use Jelly by The Flaming Lips
I saw them play about 2 years ago, and the Yeah Yeah Yeah song was their singalong song.
posted by Lemurrhea at 8:09 AM on July 13, 2010
I saw them play about 2 years ago, and the Yeah Yeah Yeah song was their singalong song.
posted by Lemurrhea at 8:09 AM on July 13, 2010
4am - Our Lady Peace. The last show I was at they let the audience sing the whole song with minimal music. I've read they do this at many shows.
posted by ish__ at 8:10 AM on July 13, 2010
posted by ish__ at 8:10 AM on July 13, 2010
I guarantee if you go to a bar in Tennessee and put on Hank Williams Jr's 'Family Tradition' you'll have the entire place singing along in no time. It's a spectacle I've been forced to witness countless times while simply trying to play a game of pool.
everyone: [hollerin at full volume] "TELL ME HANK WHY DO YA DRINK?
WHY DO YOU ROLL SMOKE?
WHY ARE YOU LIVIN OUT THEM SONGS THAT YA WROTE?"
komara: *shoots self in head*
posted by komara at 8:12 AM on July 13, 2010
everyone: [hollerin at full volume] "TELL ME HANK WHY DO YA DRINK?
WHY DO YOU ROLL SMOKE?
WHY ARE YOU LIVIN OUT THEM SONGS THAT YA WROTE?"
komara: *shoots self in head*
posted by komara at 8:12 AM on July 13, 2010
Hank Williams Jr's 'Family Tradition'
Yes, I second this. Great camping anthem.
posted by kingbenny at 8:20 AM on July 13, 2010
Yes, I second this. Great camping anthem.
posted by kingbenny at 8:20 AM on July 13, 2010
"Born to Run"--so much so that they even turn the house lights on for it.
posted by equalpants at 8:20 AM on July 13, 2010
posted by equalpants at 8:20 AM on July 13, 2010
I don't think Bruce Springsteen has sung the opening verse of "Hungry Heart" in twenty-five years. The audience sing-along is part of every show.
posted by Etrigan at 8:21 AM on July 13, 2010
posted by Etrigan at 8:21 AM on July 13, 2010
I saw them play about 2 years ago, and the Yeah Yeah Yeah song was their singalong song.
Last year it was 'Yoshimi...'.
James: Sit Down (there's a live version [Youtube, but no video, taken from the 7" single] where the crowd sing it for a couple of minutes after the band stop).
Wilco try to get the crowd to sing Jesus Etc, usually without Jeff singing.
posted by Infinite Jest at 8:22 AM on July 13, 2010
Last year it was 'Yoshimi...'.
James: Sit Down (there's a live version [Youtube, but no video, taken from the 7" single] where the crowd sing it for a couple of minutes after the band stop).
Wilco try to get the crowd to sing Jesus Etc, usually without Jeff singing.
posted by Infinite Jest at 8:22 AM on July 13, 2010
I'm taking this to mean songs that, if played in a bar or public place, are likely to induce mass singing, since the Beatles no longer perform. That said, I've never heard this happen with any U2, Oasis, Our Lady Peace, or Yeah Yeah Yeahs songs. if I did, I'd leave wherever I was and never come back. I can vouch for most of the other examples.
Any well known Journey song, unfortunately.
Any number of Johnny Cash songs, but especially Fulsom Prison Blues.
Also any number of Sublime songs. Most of them, really now that I think of it.
Redemption Song if you're where you're supposed to be.
Bonus: Dance-along. The god damn Chicken Dance
What have I done wrong to have so much experience around spontaneous bar sing-alongs?
posted by cmoj at 8:23 AM on July 13, 2010
Any well known Journey song, unfortunately.
Any number of Johnny Cash songs, but especially Fulsom Prison Blues.
Also any number of Sublime songs. Most of them, really now that I think of it.
Redemption Song if you're where you're supposed to be.
Bonus: Dance-along. The god damn Chicken Dance
What have I done wrong to have so much experience around spontaneous bar sing-alongs?
posted by cmoj at 8:23 AM on July 13, 2010
Whoops, I think I interpreted your question wrong--you want songs that people sing along to in places other than concerts?
If you play Sublime's "Santeria" in a room full of people the right age, everyone will sing the line "believe me when I say that I got something for his punk ass", even if they don't know the rest of the lyrics.
posted by equalpants at 8:25 AM on July 13, 2010
If you play Sublime's "Santeria" in a room full of people the right age, everyone will sing the line "believe me when I say that I got something for his punk ass", even if they don't know the rest of the lyrics.
posted by equalpants at 8:25 AM on July 13, 2010
At The Mountain Goats shows "The Best Ever Death Metal Band in Denton" and "No Children" get some massive singalonging (and it's wonderful!)
Jason Anderson evolves many to most of his songs so there's a singalong part for the live versions, if you love singalongs, seek him out definitely (easily my favorite live performer).
posted by haveanicesummer at 8:28 AM on July 13, 2010
Jason Anderson evolves many to most of his songs so there's a singalong part for the live versions, if you love singalongs, seek him out definitely (easily my favorite live performer).
posted by haveanicesummer at 8:28 AM on July 13, 2010
When I read "massive audience singalongs," I'm not interpreting that as "the drunken yokels at Joe's Bar crowded around the jukebox." I'm interpreting that as audience at a concert. But I'm sure the OP will correct me if I'm wrong.
posted by entropicamericana at 8:29 AM on July 13, 2010
posted by entropicamericana at 8:29 AM on July 13, 2010
At Rush concerts the singalong song is "Closer to the Heart". (This is the concerts I've been to in the US - on their Rush in Rio live album, you can hear the audience singing along to "YYZ", which is really weird.)
posted by Daily Alice at 8:34 AM on July 13, 2010
posted by Daily Alice at 8:34 AM on July 13, 2010
Response by poster: Yeah, I meant audiences at a concert. Sorry for the confusion about the Hey Jude reference-- McCartney still does massive sing alongs with it.
posted by gwint at 8:34 AM on July 13, 2010
posted by gwint at 8:34 AM on July 13, 2010
Take Me Out to the Ballgame
Not a concert, but a massive audience sing-a-long. Considering that baseball teams regularly draw 1-3 million visitors a year, for 81 home games per team, I believe that, other than "Happy Birthday," this is the largest sing-a-long example in the U.S.
posted by Cool Papa Bell at 8:40 AM on July 13, 2010
Not a concert, but a massive audience sing-a-long. Considering that baseball teams regularly draw 1-3 million visitors a year, for 81 home games per team, I believe that, other than "Happy Birthday," this is the largest sing-a-long example in the U.S.
posted by Cool Papa Bell at 8:40 AM on July 13, 2010
The biggest singalong songs at any Indigo Girls concert (which is itself pretty much one gigantic singalong) are Closer to Fine and Galileo.
posted by somanyamys at 8:41 AM on July 13, 2010
posted by somanyamys at 8:41 AM on July 13, 2010
I'm going to apologize for misunderstanding the question, retract my statement about drunken idiots in a bar singing along to Hank Williams Jr and instead posit that those who willingly attend Hank Williams Jr concerts probably yell "TELL ME HANK WHY DO YA DRINK? WHY DO YOU ROLL SMOKE?" hard enough to give themselves aneurysms.
posted by komara at 8:49 AM on July 13, 2010
posted by komara at 8:49 AM on July 13, 2010
Feel Like I'm Fixin' To Die Rag, by Country Joe and the Fish. "Well, it's one, two, three, what are we fightin' for? Don't ask me, I don't give a damn, next stop is Vietnam..."
posted by musofire at 8:51 AM on July 13, 2010
posted by musofire at 8:51 AM on July 13, 2010
Metallica's "Creeping Death", maybe? The "DIE! DIE!" bit. More of a shoutalong, but hey.
posted by Schlimmbesserung at 9:35 AM on July 13, 2010
posted by Schlimmbesserung at 9:35 AM on July 13, 2010
Lesser know artist Casey Dienel's La La Song ends in the whole audience singing La la la...
posted by jander03 at 9:36 AM on July 13, 2010
posted by jander03 at 9:36 AM on July 13, 2010
Sweet Home Alabama
We Are the Champions
New York New York
American Pie
I think if you went into any bar anywhere in the US, most of the patrons would know and sing along to these songs.
posted by widdershins at 9:39 AM on July 13, 2010
We Are the Champions
New York New York
American Pie
I think if you went into any bar anywhere in the US, most of the patrons would know and sing along to these songs.
posted by widdershins at 9:39 AM on July 13, 2010
"I'm Yours" - Jason Mraz.
posted by makethemost at 9:44 AM on July 13, 2010
posted by makethemost at 9:44 AM on July 13, 2010
Closer to Fine, Galileo, and Least Complicated by the Indigo Girls.
posted by elisenavidad at 10:26 AM on July 13, 2010
posted by elisenavidad at 10:26 AM on July 13, 2010
"Wake Up" by Arcade Fire. Bonus: the singalong chorus doesn't have any words, so it's really easy.
posted by AkzidenzGrotesk at 10:33 AM on July 13, 2010
posted by AkzidenzGrotesk at 10:33 AM on July 13, 2010
Sarah McLachlan's Ice Cream
posted by bessel functions seem unnecessarily complicated at 10:59 AM on July 13, 2010
posted by bessel functions seem unnecessarily complicated at 10:59 AM on July 13, 2010
Songs I have personally experienced as massive sing a longs at concerts:
Little Bones and 50 Mission Cap- The Tragically Hip
4am- Our Lady Peace
Devil in Jersey City and Welcome Home- Coheed and Cambria
Existentialisim on Prom Night- Straylight Run
The entire concert- Dashboard Confessional circa 2005
El Scorcho- Weezer
Friends in Low Places- Garth Brooks
posted by ridiculous at 11:39 AM on July 13, 2010
Little Bones and 50 Mission Cap- The Tragically Hip
4am- Our Lady Peace
Devil in Jersey City and Welcome Home- Coheed and Cambria
Existentialisim on Prom Night- Straylight Run
The entire concert- Dashboard Confessional circa 2005
El Scorcho- Weezer
Friends in Low Places- Garth Brooks
posted by ridiculous at 11:39 AM on July 13, 2010
Proclaimers"500 miles". T in the park festival was last weekend and the rain soaked singalong was awesome
posted by stuartmm at 11:52 AM on July 13, 2010
posted by stuartmm at 11:52 AM on July 13, 2010
The entire concert- Dashboard Confessional circa 2005
Yeah, if you can find the MTV Unplugged 2.0 he did, it's a singalong for the whole thing. For instance.
posted by smackfu at 1:19 PM on July 13, 2010
Yeah, if you can find the MTV Unplugged 2.0 he did, it's a singalong for the whole thing. For instance.
posted by smackfu at 1:19 PM on July 13, 2010
"Pour Some Sugar On Me" - Def Leppard
posted by SisterHavana at 10:05 PM on July 13, 2010
posted by SisterHavana at 10:05 PM on July 13, 2010
Any of the major Peter Paul & Mary songs; heck, half their concerts were singalongs.
This Land Is Your Land, Puff the Magic Dragon, Blowin' In The Wind, Where Have All the Flowers Gone, etc...
posted by IndigoRain at 11:41 PM on July 13, 2010
This Land Is Your Land, Puff the Magic Dragon, Blowin' In The Wind, Where Have All the Flowers Gone, etc...
posted by IndigoRain at 11:41 PM on July 13, 2010
Oddly, at Queensryche shows in the US, it's "Take Hold of the Flame."
posted by fairytale of los angeles at 12:16 AM on July 14, 2010
posted by fairytale of los angeles at 12:16 AM on July 14, 2010
Angels - Robbie Williams. Also incredibly popular at funerals!
posted by mippy at 6:41 AM on July 14, 2010
posted by mippy at 6:41 AM on July 14, 2010
REM's "Losing My Religion" was like that for a long time, but thankfully I think they've retired it from rotation. It's OK though, we still have "Fall on Me" and "Man on the Moon".
And I saw Tom Petty a few years back at a big ampitheater in the East Bay (SF)... there were a *lot* of frat-boy types, and apparently, if there's one thing that frat-boy types like to do at Tom Petty concerts, it's holler along to "Free Fallin'"!
posted by KatlaDragon at 1:23 PM on July 14, 2010
And I saw Tom Petty a few years back at a big ampitheater in the East Bay (SF)... there were a *lot* of frat-boy types, and apparently, if there's one thing that frat-boy types like to do at Tom Petty concerts, it's holler along to "Free Fallin'"!
posted by KatlaDragon at 1:23 PM on July 14, 2010
came in to say "No Children" but nadawi and haveanicesummer beat me to it.
posted by Joad at 8:16 PM on July 15, 2010
posted by Joad at 8:16 PM on July 15, 2010
Ah crap I'm the one who misinterpreted. I might have to post my version of the question now.
posted by cmoj at 9:49 PM on July 15, 2010
posted by cmoj at 9:49 PM on July 15, 2010
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by activitystory at 7:22 AM on July 13, 2010