After the nation’s most infamous guilty pleasure has once again come and graced our screens (yes I’m talking Eurovision), it had suddenly dawned on me just how many guilty musical pleasures
After the nation’s most infamous guilty pleasure has once again come and graced our screens (yes I’m talking Eurovision), it had suddenly dawned on me just how many guilty musical pleasures I have/ we all have and how often we indulge in them secretly when we’re alone.
Further developments in technology have made it easier to listen to our favourite guilty pleasures. Mp3’s, IPods, Spotify and iTunes playlists have lead to not only one secret pleasure but an entire guilty playlist we can listen to without anyone knowing or hearing.
The Cheesy Song
From Chesney Hawk to Carly Rae Jepsen, Eiffel 65 to Bloodhound Gang and the list goes on—we all have at least one song that leaves us fist pumping into the air whilst miming along waiting for our favourite air guitar solo. What is it that makes these musical pleasures so guilty. What will it take for us to revel in our guilt and celebrate our love for all things musically cheesy?
Are cheesy songs the heart of what makes a song a guilty pleasure? I mean, we’ve all got up and sang to The Monkees – Daydream Believer mouthing word for word at the top of our lungs and you’d be pushed to find a track as cheesy as that. In fact I’d challenge you to find one.
So, what makes a song cheesy? Surely a song isn’t made to be cheesy, who decides what makes a song cheesy are there necessary ingredients to the recipe of a successful guilty pleasure. Perhaps overplaying a song makes it cheesy, it’s those songs you here all the time at family functions like Daydream Believer and anything Britney that when you’re with people they’re socially acceptable to belt aloud.
But when you’re alone they instantly become guilty numbers reserved for the shower or the comfort of your own home.
You’re not alone
Perhaps if like me, your list contains certain songs that just transform you into a diva and you forget just how tone deaf you actually are whilst trying to belt out J-huds and I am telling you with a bottle of herbal essence in one hand and a luffa in the other.
I confess I do not have the vocal range for my list heck, I don’t even have the vocals so sometimes a powerful lip-sync/ mime is sufficient enough to give the best performance.
Here’s some vital information for the next time you’re feeling guilty about crying out Shaggy’s It Wasn’t Me, don’t. Feeling guilty has been scientifically proven to be a good thing. In fact, feeling guilty about something can actually heighten your level of enjoyment.
So the next time you go and secretly indulge in whatever may be your guilty pleasure you can take comfort in knowing, you aren’t harming any one person.
Don’t be afraid to share your guilty pleasures with us, after all we’re all guilty of having them. We no longer need to listen alone.
Comment your guilty pleasure below. This is a judgement-free space, you’re safe here.
Image: Entertainment International / Wikimedia Commons
