Thursday, August 11, 2011

The Salle-de-Bain Cabaret

I'm trying to make this blog a little more personal -- not all news stories and song recommendations -- and the way I plan to do that is to let you in on my uber-fascinating life with information like ::BA BA BA!!!:: I love to sing.  I sang in some choir or another since I was 9 up until I left high school.  Oh yes, I was a Gleek before Gleek was even a word (I haven't watched the show, but Leah Michelle or whatever her name is annoys the hell out of me....almost as much as Kyra Sedgewick).  I even achieved a letter--like for a letterman jacket -- and was awarded Outstanding Alto as well as being chosen to sing in the Regional Choir.  I was hardcore into it -- I did musicals (although I was usually cast for my acting ability rather than my singing -- El Paso had some really fierce singers when I was in high school) and competed in Solo & Ensemble and all that jazz.  For a long time, my life revolved around Theatre and Choir to the point where I spent 12-14 hours out of the day at school--in fact, the only reason I got straight As was so that I could remain eligible (I'm one of those people who had to exert practically no effort to get good grades....I know....don't hate me because I'm smart.)  That's just how I roll.

Anyway, I still sing, although mostly it's in the shower (You know what they say...some people sing in the shower, the rest...take care of business).  Sometimes I sing while I run, but I don't recommend it--Proper breathing to sing conflicts with the need to continue breathing while running.  For Today, I've prepared for you a list of my favorite songs to belt out while I'm sudsing up.  In high school, I was classified as an Alto 1, which is considered Mezzo-soprano in Opera-speak, so the songs will reflect that. 
  • Criminal by Fiona Apple -- Fiona Apple is my go-to songstress whenever I have a life-crisis, which is about every year in October for some reason.  Seriously -- my first year of college, I chopped off my hair to chin-length and made it a point to damp out a match with my tongue like she does at the end of the "Fast as you can" video.  I love her deep voice and I actually sing this song pretty well at kaoroke.

  • Defying Gravity from Wicked - Wicked is one of my favorite musicals and one of the top 5 I would like to star in if I ever had the chance.  I recently saw it in Tucson, but the enjoyment was a little ruined by the news that my congresswoman, Gabrielle Giffords, was shot, along with the 6 other fatalities.  This song is wonderful and another one of those songs that pumps me up and makes me forget how uneventful my life has become.
  • Rhiannon by Fleetwood Mac -- One of my most favorite songs in the world.  Again, I sing this really well at kaoroke.  I love this song so much that I've decided that Rhiannon is a name that I want to name my daughter.  That, and I love the story of the Welsh Goddess who inspired the song.  When my dad saw Fleetwood Mac live in college, he said that Stevie Nicks performance of this song was amazing -- she was up there in her long, dark, swirly get-up, spinning around like a top.  ::sigh:: I really think I was born in the wrong era, sometimes.
  • Home from Beauty and the Beast -- Belle is my favorite Disney heroine because she is the one I most identified with as a child -- she loved to read, she longed for a faraway place, and she wasn't afraid to bitch out a big scary asshole.  That's my kind of girl, one with a bit of moxie.  You're probably not familiar with this song unless you've seen the musical.  It's beautiful, with stunning lyrics, and by far my go-to song when I feel trapped.  
  • Break the Sky by The Hush Sound -- I love a modern band that has a girl with a voice straight out of the Big Band era.  So many of the starlets today sound like whispy auto-tuned robots, so it's always refreshing to hear a robust alto fronting a band.  That's why everyone loves Gwen Stefani -- it's not her quirky personality, although that's a plus -- it was her unique voice that got her to the top of the charts.  Well, that and a surprising amount of business saavy.  The Hush Sound is another band I heard while shopping, which is why I always keep a notepad handy nowadays.
  • Walking After Midnight by Patsy Cline -- What can I say?  I grew up out west and, like everyone else out her, I've fallen under the spell of Patsy Cline.  The songs that she sang were so lovely and melancholic that they touch your soul somewhere.  That's what a good sad country-western song evokes -- soul-searching.

  • Think of Me from Phantom of the Opera -- Another one of my top 5 musicals and also one of my favorite books.  I liked the movie simply because I love cinematically gorgeous movies--the costumes, the sets, the make-up -- everything was fabulous!  Emmy Rossum-- let's be honest -- she's not that great an actor, which is why the last thing I can recall seeing her in was the Dragonball Z movie.  But, boy, that girl can sing.  I spent weeks after seeing that movie just trying to improve my range to sing this song.  Mission accomplished.  My top notes are still a tad weak so I really have to belt them out but it's worth it.
  • Why Don't You Do Right as sung by The Charlotte Swing Band -- My fascination with cabaret and jazz singers can probably be traced back to that iconic scene in "Who Framed Roger Rabbit?" when Jessica Rabbit sang this song.  That's also probably why I think it's one of sexiest songs ever.  I really should stop letting movies screw up my life map.  Regardless, fantastic song and one of the songs I sing best when I'm put on the spot.  If the economy gets any shittier and I'm forced to sing for my food, I will find a sparkly red dress and sing this in a dive bar.
  • Dream A Little Dream as sung by The Beautiful South -- I first heard the melody of this song in "French Kiss", where they use a french version of the song.  I don't think the words are direct translation, now that I listen to it, but it's still lovely.  A few years back, I heard a woman sing the Mama Cass version and I was motivated to look it up and try my hand at it.  That and, well, I love Meg Ryan movies and "French Kiss" is just about my favorite.
  • Summertime by George Gershwin -- In high school, there were auditions to sing this song for a Martin Luther King banquet.  I didn't try out because I didn't think I was good enough but I've always wondered about the "what if I had" point of view.  I like to think I sing this really well.  On rare days, I do have a really thick contralto and my lower range is larger -- my voice has actually gotten higher over the years, probably because I focused more on expanding my higher range.  Anyway, this is my number 1 go-to song when I sing.  No reason why.  I just like it--especially when Ella Fitzgerald is singing.

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