Sing-along machismo (Shallow Thoughts)

Sing-along machismo

Wired last week reported on a British study on songs people are most likely to sing along to in pubs.

The study concluded that the most popular songs were the ones with "a male vocalist with a loud, clear high-chest voice, without many vocal embellishments."

As to why that was, the lead researcher

suggested that singing along to these songs promotes a kind of "neotribal bonding" among participants. As for why female vocalists' songs weren't popular, Pawley speculated that, whereas women will happily sing along to men, men may feel that voicing a woman's words threatens their masculinity.

So what was the number one singable tune found in this study?

...

Queen's "We are the Champions".

I wish Freddie Mercury, that rugged bastion of straight he-man masculinity, was still around to read that. Bet he would have died laughing.

Now excuse me while I go belt out some "Bohemian Rhapsody" while no one's listening.