By Isabelle Ruff | Intern
Since the 1950s, Baylor students have choreographed dances, chosen popular songs, changed lyrics to fit a theme and then put it all together into a cohesive act for All-University Sing. Looking back on the many years of Sing, here is a playlist of some of the best songs.
1. “Come on Eileen” by Dexys Midnight Runners
The winners of Sing 2023 — Chi Omega and Alpha Tau Omega — used “Come on Eileen” by Dexys Midnight Runners and Kevin Rowland, but they changed the lyric to “come on 18.” Their theme being “A Day at the Derby,” 18 was the number of the jockey they cheered for in the act. This song was the peak of the performance, everything before having built up to the actual derby. This song stood out with all the performers chanting “come on 18” before the music of the song started, until everyone was singing the lyrics and the jockey won the race.
2. “Man or Muppet” by Jason Segel
Also during Sing 2023, Beta Theta Pi performed the iconic song “Man or Muppet” by Jason Segel from “The Muppets,” but they changed the lyric from “muppet” to “mathlete” for their act, titled “Man or Mathlete.” This song not only got a few laughs and cheers from the audience but was also a dramatic ballad — a duet between a man and a mathlete.
3. “Material Girl” by Madonna
Another act from Sing 2023 that moved on to Pigskin Revue was Pi Beta Phi’s “Be My Girl,” in which a little girl chose between two dolls in a toy store. One section of dolls sang Madonna’s “Material Girl” in a minor key, and the other sang Adele’s “Someone Like You.” But what really stood out was the mash-up of the two that followed. Together, the songs captured the essence of the theme while showcasing the talent of Pi Beta Phi’s Sing chairs, who put together the set list.
4. “Magic” by B.o.B.
Going beyond last year’s acts, Alpha Phi’s 2022 act “Magic in Phi” made it to Pigskin after using B.o.B’s song “Magic.” Uniquely, the soloists not only sang parts of this song, but one also rapped. Finishing the act with this song and every performer on stage, Alpha Phi had the audience clapping along with its catchy finale.
5. “I Will Survive” by Gloria Gaynor
Chi Omega also had a perfectly on-theme song in 2022 when Medusa’s victims in their “Taken for Granite” act sang “I Will Survive” by Gloria Gaynor. After a dramatic solo by Medusa herself and a costume change from the other performers, this song brought the act home, with the majority of dancers moving all around the stage to the peppy victory song.
6. “Beyond the Sea” by Bobby Darin
Although there was no Sing in spring 2021 because of COVID-19, there was still Pigskin in the fall. Kappa Kappa Gamma paired with Kappa Sigma and performed “Ship of Dreams.” One of their first songs was an oldie, “Beyond the Sea” by Bobby Darin. This set the stage for the lighthearted fun of being on the ship of dreams. The pair ultimately won with this act.
7. “Livin’ On a Prayer” by Bon Jovi
During Sing 2012, Alpha Chi Omega performed “Livin’ On a Prayer” by Bon Jovi for its theme, “Juke Box Heroes.” Uniquely, there was a section of the stage dedicated to a “band” that was performing all of the classic rock songs. On the other side were all the dancers who were performing as passionately as the song encouraged.
8. “Singin’ in the Rain” by Gene Kelly
At Sing 1990, Pi Beta Phi performed “Singin’ in the Rain” from the 1952 musical in their act, “I Ought to be in the Pictures.” A fan-favorite now and a fan-favorite then, “Singin’ in the Rain” captured the attention of the audience as all the performers spun umbrellas and tap danced across the stage.
9. “The Time of My Life” by Bill Medley and Jennifer Warnes
During Sing 1988, Zeta Tau Alpha performed “The Time of My Life” by Bill Medley and Jennifer Warnes in their act, “Back to Paradise.” This song had just become popular after its debut in “Dirty Dancing” in 1987, making it a modern hit during Sing 1988. Zeta placed this song after a slower one, using it to build the performance back up until the finale.
10. “Hey Jude” by The Beatles
In Sing 1973, Kappa Omega Tau sang “Hey Jude” by The Beatles in its act, “Lonely Hearts Club.” All the lights on the stage went out except for a spotlight on four performers, who mimicked The Beatles and sang it like a dramatic ballad before building their performance back up with catchy music. The song created a heart-to-heart moment with the audience beyond the other catchy songs and dances.
