The Age Old Question: A Podcast for Music Fans · Rich Price and Clint Bierman

What Is The Best Sing Along Song of All-Time?

July 6, 2023·59 min

Hosts Rich Price and Clint Beerman, lifelong music fans and debaters, tackle a listener-submitted question about the ultimate sing-along song. They establish that a great sing-along must work with one acoustic guitar and unite a crowd. The episode draws on personal stories, like Clint's experience where "Take Me Home, Country Roads" prompted a sing-along in Amman, Jordan, and listener suggestions from friends like songwriter Stephen Kellogg. They analyze John Denver's "Take Me Home, Country Roads," noting its universal theme of homecoming and its simple, open-chord progression (G, D, Em, C). The song's co-writers, Bill Danoff and Taffy Nivert, originally considered selling it to Johnny Cash before Denver claimed it. Neil Diamond's "Sweet Caroline" is highlighted for its iconic "call and response" structure and its adoption at venues like Boston's Fenway Park since 1997. Billy Joel's "Piano Man," inspired by his time playing LA lounges, is recognized as his signature song despite Joel himself calling its melody repetitive. A surprising scientific insight explains the pleasing nature of the common I-V-vi-IV chord progression, linking it to how sound waves align. The rules for a top-tier sing-along include easy-to-remember lyrics, a vocal key accessible to all, and the ability to transcend generations and cultures. Memorable moments include Jeff Simons' passionate defense of Pearl Jam's "Jeremy" as a personal car-singalong and Josh Panda's voicemail nominating Bill Withers' "Lean On Me" as a potential national anthem. The hosts debate disqualifying Journey's "Don't Stop Believin'" for its high vocal range and bar chords, despite its massive crowd appeal. They note how TV shows like *Family Guy* and *Wayne's World* can resurrect songs like "Don't Stop Believin'" and "Bohemian Rhapsody" for new sing-along waves. The conversation also touches on modern contenders like The Killers' "Mr. Brightside" and the phenomenon of the "millennial whoop" in recent pop songs. The tone is highly conversational, humorous, and deeply nostalgic, filled with friendly banter and musical camaraderie. It's educational in its breakdown of songwriting mechanics but feels like a lively chat between two knowledgeable friends. This episode is perfect for music nerds, amateur guitarists, and anyone who loves debating pop culture minutiae or has ever led a campfire sing-along. Listeners seeking a highly structured, formal musicology lecture or those uninterested in classic rock staples might want to skip it.

As heard by us

A genial chorus debate built from real rooms, real memories, and songs people cannot stop singing.

Rich Price and Clint Beerman treat sing-along songs as a real question, and the episode stays strongest when it keeps that question close to family memory, a show in Amman, Jordan, and listener voicemails.

Read the full review in PlayNext →

Why you'd press play

You want the song that turns strangers into a chorus.

Read the full recommendation in PlayNext →

Listen to the show on

Apple Podcasts Spotify