BATHROOM BLISS

A cure for the morning blues could be as simple as belting out a song in the shower, with a new research poll indicating that singing in the shower has a positive effect on the day ahead. Except on the neighbours.

The poll by Veet In-Shower Hair Removal Cream reveals that 86% of people sing in the shower and almost half (48%) of the people polled said that singing in the shower made them feel happy and look forward to the day ahead. While 20% indulge in some morning warbling because they believe their voice sounds better with the bathroom acoustics. That could explain a lot of the latest X Factor contestants, I suppose!?

Nik and Eva Speakman, stars of ‘A Life Coach Less Ordinary’, are strong advocates of an early morning sing song. They start every morning with a good march to ‘Amarillo’ – which they say kicks off the day in a fantastic way.

Nik says: "‘We sing in the shower because our subconscious mind knows that it will make us feel good, releasing the body’s feel-good chemical, serotonin. Eva adds: "So those who sing in the shower, carry on. Those who don’t – get your lungs into action NOW! As well as a good lung work-out, singing in the shower makes your brain know that you are alive!" - and presumably the rest of the street...

The poll also establishes the UK’s top 40 greatest shower songs of all time with 62% of respondents kick-starting the day with a feel good rock ‘n’ roll classic, indicating the choice of song sung in the shower reflects the mood they are trying to get into for the rest of the day.

Britpop kings Oasis took the number one position with 26% of people voting the classic Wonderwall as their favourite song to sing in the shower. If they are anything like me, it probably sounds more like the Mike Flowers Pops rendition, but as long as it makes you feel good WHO CARES?

Other positive rock ‘n’ roll songs to sing in the shower making the top ten include The Monkees 1966 song I’m a Believer, Katrina and the Waves classic I’m Walking on Sunshine and Wham’s hit Wake Me Up before you go go.

Cool indie singalongs are catered for in the Veet In-Shower Cream poll as - Arctic Monkeys jumped in at number four with their 2006 anthem Bet You Look Good on the Dance Floor and the ubiquitous Lily Allen chartered at number ten with her smash hit, Smile. Interestingly, the Veet In-Shower poll reveals that women more likely to sing in the shower, with almost three quarters of women (74%) admitting to daily capella renditions of their favourite tunes, compared to only 24% of men.

The top 40 songs that people rated as their favourite were:

Oasis – Wonderwall
The Killers – Mr Brightside
The Monkees – I’m a Believer
Arctic Monkeys – Bet You Look Good on the Dance Floor
Wham – Club Tropicana
Frank Sinatra – Fly Me to the Moon
The Weather Girls – It’s Raining Men
Katrina and the Waves – I’m Walking on Sunshine
Wham – Wake Me Up
Lily Allen – Smile
Nelly Furtado – Man Eater
Mamas and Papas – California Dreaming
Carpenters – Top of the World
U2 – Beautiful Day
Flashdance – What a Feeling
The Beatles – Love Me Do
Elvis Presley – Suspicious Minds
Kaiser Chiefs – I Predict a Riot
Take That – Back for Good
Robbie Williams – Angels
Kylie Minogue – Spinning Around
Rod Stewart – Do Ya Think I’m Sexy?
Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons – Can’t Take My Eyes Off You
Dee Lite – Groove Is In the Heart
The Eagles – Hotel California
Guns ‘n’ Roses – Sweet Child of Mine
The Beatles – Here Comes the Sun
Madonna – Like a Virgin
Dire Straits – Money for Nothing
Guns ‘n’ Roses – Paradise City
The Clash – Rock the Casbah
Madonna – Holiday
Celine Dion – All by Myself
Billy Joel – Uptown Girl
Nelly - It’s Getting Hot in Here
The Clash – London Calling
Don McClean – American Pie
Ordinary Boys – Boys will be Boys
Europe – The Final Countdown
Boo Radleys – Wake Up Boo

So.....what's yours? e-mail me at stay_positive@btinternet.com