In every episode of RuPaul’s Drag Race, the two contestants with the worst scores are made to compete against each other in what RuPaul likes to call “Lip Synch For Your Life.” Recently, these little contests have been fascinating microcosms of drag desperation.
I’ve always admired the queens who sing for themselves. It seems more honest to me. But lip lynching (done well) does require its own set of skills. It got me thinking: If I were made to lip synch for my life, what song would I wish for?
So, in the spirit of Facebook’s recent “25 Things” phenomenon, I present to you:
25 Songs to “Lip Synch For Your Life” To
1. “More Where That Came From,” Dolly Parton
2. “Love Is a Battlefield,” Pat Benatar
3. “Fist City,” Loretta Lynn
4. “Kiss Me Deadly,” Lita Ford
5. “Alone,” Heart
6. “Money Changes Everything,” Cyndi Lauper
7. “Sooner or Later,” Madonna
8. “I’m the Greatest Star,” Barbra Streisand
9. “It’s Today,” Angela Lansbury
10. “Anything Goes,” as sung by Patti Lupone
11. “Fancy,” Reba McEntire
12. “Chain of Fools,” Aretha Franklin
13. “Diamonds are Forever,” Shirley Bassey
14. “Twist of Fate,” Olivia Newton-John
15. “Karma Charmeleon,” Culture Club
16. “Is You Is or Is you Ain’t My Baby,” Dinah Washington
17. “You Don’t Have to Say You Love Me,” Dusty Springfield
18. “Murder on the Dance Floor,” Sophie Ellis Bextor
19. “Love Letters,” as sung by Alison Moyet
20. “Vibeology,” Paula Abdul
21. “I’ll Be Your Shelter,” Taylor Dayne
22. “No One Is Watching You Now,” ‘Til Tuesday
23. “Steel Claw,” Tina Turner
24. “You’re Making Me High,” Toni Braxton
25. “So Emotional,” Whitney Houston
Some of these are obvious (e.g., “Fancy”); some of these I just think would be fun (“Steel Claw”), either because it’s very fast or very slow, or it’s a real rocker or it’s very quiet, or because it’s sexy or it’s just silly, or because the original performer has a signature style or because you could make it totally your own, or because there are a lot of words or because there’s a long time between verses (what are you gonna do with your hands and feet and face when you’re not singing?).
In my research, I came across this special treat. It’s not a lip synch, but it’ll do.
What would be your 25?
... but enough about me 