I Wanna Be a Backup Singer...

Yep, I do. But I bet the reason you're thinking of isn't what I'm thinking of. Some backup singers have the most fun, ever! There have been quite a few songs where I crack up at what the backup singers are singing, "They're really singing that and they're serious!" It sounds so pretty, their voices carrying a tune so beautifully in a soprano while the lead singer belts out the chorus or raps a verse.

Yeah, I said "raps a verse". Since one of my colleagues was talking about a "Holla Back Girl", it made me think of a 2Pac song I'm pretty fond of. It's very catchy, as far as I'm concerned; the beat and the lyrics flow together nicely and just make me want to shake my ass. For a long time I'd sing and rap right along with it, but then one day I realized how goofy it was that the backup singers were singing what they were singing, and it sounded so innocent. For example, in 2Pac's song, "Holla at Me", it begins with this:

(Backup singers)

"Niggas out there jealous cuz we be bailin' with Death Row  
They try to playa hate
but they can't fade us tho'
We be mobbin' through tha neigborhood
Yeah
with that funky sound *so funky*
we be throwin' down"

then later in the song...
"you betta beware where you lay
we betta not find where you stay..."

Yeah, that's right. Those sweet-sounding ladies said the "N" word and "playa hate", and then proceeded to make threats. WTF? But, I swear, it just MAKES the song. It wouldn't be the same without it! I'm sure it would've been a bomb for Tupac Shakur if he didn't hire Kim*, Stacy*, and  Monica* to vocalize the intro and some other key phrases of his rap. Listen to the song here, to see what I mean. What I think is even more amusing is that if a non-English speaking person was listening to this song, they might think the ladies were singing something about flowers and rainbows, instead of Death Row and throwin' down.

Another example of a song with highly entertaining backup vocals (and actually, the whole song is effin priceless) is "Sweet Ballad" by Munchausen Proxy (Zooey Deschanel and Von Iva) from the movie "Yes Man". This song is about being a "Holla Back Girl"...but NO MORE! Von Iva sings backup vocals: "whore whore whore....whore no more". It's hysterical! Listen and watch the video of this jam here.

So all of these lyrical shenanigans have inspired me to write my own mini ditty with backup vocals. I would have someone else be the lead singer, though:

Lead (Backup)

"I want to go to the coffeehouse
(get off our couch, bitch)

I want to get my regular sip o' joe
(don't make me wait, mo' fo')

Will smile and wave at the other customers
(but that doesn't mean you can join our conversation so shut the f**k up)

And enjoy my Sunday afternoon with my BFF's
(if you don't like what we're talkin bout get the f**k out)

I loooooooooove Sundays at the coffeeeeeeeeehouuuuuuuuse!"

I think I have a Top 40 Hit on my hands...

*Names have been changed because I don't really know who the hell the backup singers are.