7 Songs Every Girl Has Scream-Sung With Her Girlfriends

Even before Glee popularized this Journey tune it was a staple of my bar experiences in my early 20’s.

Updated 8 months ago, May 7, 2024

There are certain songs that just throw you into a memory, obviously like STYX, some happy, some sad. But let’s not get into the sad song memories just yet. Let’s instead focus on the songs that make you instantly remember scream-singing in a bar or at karaoke with your girlfriends. (Girlfriends is not a term I typically use but it applies here.)

1. “Total Eclipse of the Heart”

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lcOxhH8N3Bo%5DFirst of all PLEASE watch this video because it’s amazing. And also imagine having too many underage amaretto sours and scream-singing to this at a bar inhabited by Live Schrieber. If your friend also screamed out, “HEY COTTON WEARY!” to make him come talk to you, then you might have gone to college with me. Bonus points if you guys can coordinate someone else singing “turn around bright eyes.”

2. “Party in the USA”

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M11SvDtPBhA%5DIf you haven’t heard this come on in a bar and “whoooo’d” loudly then well, you haven’t truly lived. Idk. This song is also perfect for the scream-singing on a road trip that I (and I therefore assume) and most girls love to do. Bonus points if you’re leaving on a trip to Los Angeles or Nashville while singing. I personally sang and danced to this with my cousins from Nashville at my wedding. Bonus points if you’re wearing kicks instead of stilletos.

3. “Don’t Stop Believing”

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VcjzHMhBtf0%5DEven before Glee popularized this Journey tune it was a staple of my bar experiences in my early 20’s. Anytime it came on (and then sometimes, yes, we’d request it or play it on a juke box) my friends and I would go nuts and act out the lyrics and get VERY dramatic. (We’re a delight, obviously.) It’s perfect to scream-sing too and that’s why it’s perfect to sing with your girlfriends. Bonus points if someone in your group can hit all the high notes.

4. “Come Sail Away”

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e5MAg_yWsq8%5DClassic. It’s great because this song is slow and goes nuts. It’s also featured in two school dance scenes (maybe more) that I adore. Once in the pilot of Freaks and Geeks and once in The Virgin Suicides. Both of these things are very important to my life and thus, this song is extremely important to my life. Bonus points if you go through the emotional rollercoaster Sam Weir does when he thinks it’s gonna stay a slow song.

5. “Come On Eileen”

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m-mnuNiXZ-0%5DSomething about songs that start with the word “come,” I guess…“Come On Eileen” I think has the added benefit of being a staple on Pop-Up Video. But any time that intro comes on, you better believe every girl is gonna go nuts. (And prolly some guys too, it’s a catchy song.) Bonus points if you’re wearing overalls (shirtless or not) while singing.

6. “Wannabe”

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gJLIiF15wjQ%5DThe best thing about “Wannabe” is that it’s got the lyric “if you wannabe my lover, you’ve gotta get with my friends” which is an excellent time to hug your friends and have someone else take a cool pic of you guys jamming with your eyes closed. Bonus points to whoever takes over Scary Spice’s rap (it’s always me).

7. “Girls Just Want to Have Fun”

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PIb6AZdTr-A%5DYou are required by law as a female to SCREAM when you hear this song and hold your friends close. Don’t forget to sing right into each other’s faces with your eyes closed! Bonus points if you actually know Cyndi Lauper sings this song.