Songs I Sing in the Shower

Songs I Sing in the Shower:

1. Ever since I was a little girl, I have always sung "Stop! In the Name of Love" by Diana Ross and the Supremes in the shower. That is *the* song that I sing. There is something about this song that lends itself to shower-sized gestures and dancing. "Think it over ... haven't I been good to you?"

2. When I'm not channeling Diana Ross, I prefer to sing Broadway songs. "All that Jazz" from Chicago is my all-time favorite Broadway song. I even sang it in my high school talent show with back-up singers and everything. "I'm gonna rouge my knees and pull my stockings down!" I also sing this one in the car whenever I'm feeling low. Or high. It's that perfect song for all emotional occasions. I love both the Catherine Zeta-Jones and the Bebe Neuwirth versions. It is perfectly within my range--low and lower notes--an alto's dream, for sure. "Oh, I'm no one's wife, but oh! I love my life, and all-that-ja-aazz!"

3. I'm not one to sing recent or different songs in the shower, so when I say "Defying Gravity" from Wicked is a new favorite, I mean 'new' in the same way that we say this is a new century--you know, it's been around for several years, but when you take into account relativity, it's new. I mainly sing the first several lines and try to figure out how the song goes on from there, then give up and head straight for the bridge, which is the whole point of singing the song anyway. "So if you care to find me, look to the western sky. As someone told me lately, everyone deserves a chance to fly!"

4. "Written in the Stars" from Aida. Again, the appeal is that it is in an alto's range, and when the water pressure is good and there's enough water in my ears, I barely even tell that my voice is weak and shaky compared to Heather Headley's. Okay, compared to anyone's. "Is it written in the stars? Are we paying for some crimes? Is that all that we are good for, just some stretch of mortal time?"

5. "Amazing Grace" is fun simply because I know all the words to, like, the first three verses, and if I start low enough, I can almost reach the high notes.

6. "The Star Spangled Banner." Simply because I know all the words and I know the harmony, which is always fun to sing. Who knew I was so patriotic?