Singing in Public

I'm one of those people who gets songs stuck in their heads really easily, usually this isn't a problem because it's almost as though my life has a backing track like in the movies.  Sometimes, though, it can be fairly annoying like yesterday when I had "We Are Never Getting Back Together" which although I am ashamed to admit that I even know that it's by Taylor Swift, I am pleased to say I have never, I repeat NEVER EVER EVER EVER, heard all the way through - so why the hell did I have it stuck in my head?

At least it wasn't anything by Justin Bieber

Today I had a similar experience when I suddenly realised that I'd been singing on the bus, not particularly loudly or anything but still.  To make matters worse when I looked up there were a couple of gentlemen in yarmulkes and that was when it struck me that "Springtime for Hitler" is much less funny when it is out of the context of the Mel Brooks musical The Producers. Other songs that aren't so good to sing in public include "Map of Tasmania" by Amanda Palmer, "Everyone's a Little Bit Racist" from Avenue Q, and of course "The Song That Never End" because then everyone else has it in their heads for the rest of the week too.

You're welcome.

Anyway, having suddenly realised I'd been singing the lyrics "Look out, here comes the master race" to a some rather unimpressed Jews I may or may not have started to freak out a little.  Right up until one of them said "Personally I preferred Men in Tights" and we got into a discussion of Mel Brooks films.  The moral of that story is not to judge too early.

The problem I had today was not particularly common, though.  Much more common is that people decide that because I am happy to hum, whistle and (obviously) sing in public, that gives them the right to pass judgement on my taste in music.  I'm happy to discuss comparative taste with you, but not when your entire side of the discussion is that my taste in music is crap, especially if you like anything by Taylor Swift.

Essentially what I'm trying to say is that I'll sing on public transport if I want to and if you don't like it that's fine, but please understand that it's a public space and I am well and truly allowed to sing if I want to.  I don't like it when people talk at the top of their lungs on public transport but I manage to put up with it and not complain.