Bathroom singing, also known as singing in the bathroom, singing in the bath, or singing in the shower is a widespread phenomenon.

Many people sing in the bathroom because it acts as an echo chamber, especially with tiles installed. The multiple reflections from walls enriches the sound of one's voice, and "bathroom singers" enjoy themselves. Small dimensions and hard surfaces of a typical bathroom produce various kinds of standing waves, reverberation and echos, giving the voice a "studio quality".^[1] This article is about the technological device. ... A standing wave, also known as a stationary wave, is a wave that remains in a constant position. ... When sound is produced in a space, multiple reflections may build up and blend together, creating reverberation, or reverb. ... Look up echo in Wiktionary, the free dictionary Echo may refer to: ECHO RULEZ THE KNOWN CB WORLD.. Echo (mythology), a nymph from Greek mythology. ...

This habit was reported (with an attempt of explanations) centuries ago. For example, Ibn Khaldun in Chapter 1 of his Muqaddimah writes:^[2] Ibn Khaldun Ibn Khaldūn (full name ) (ابو زيد عبد الرحمن بن محمد بن خلدون الحضرمي ), (May 27, 1332/732AH to March 19, 1406/808AH) was a famous Arab historiographer and historian born in present-day Tunisia, and is sometimes viewed as one of the forerunners of modern historiography, sociology and economics. ... The Muqaddimah, or the Muqaddimah of Ibn Khaldun (Arabic: مقدّمة ابن خلدون), records an early Muslim view of universal history. Many modern thinkers view it as one of the first works of sociology. ...

"Likewise, when those who enjoy a hot bath inhale the air of the bath, so that the heat of the air enters their spirits and makes them hot, they are found to experience joy. It often happens that they start singing, as singing has its origin in gladness."

The bathroom singer is an ironical reference to mediocre or amateur singers.

Some celebrities admitted this habit (e.g., Chico Slimani), for some others this singing was even a trigger to their career (e.g., Kishore Kumar). A habit is the usual condition or state of a person or thing, either natural or acquired, regarded as something had, possessed, and firmly retained. ... Yousseph Chico Slimani (born April 2, 1971) is a British pop singer of Moroccan descent who rose to prominence in the United Kingdom after reaching the semi-finals of the 2005 series of the talent show The X Factor. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ...

Jon Anderson had tiles installed in the studio, to simulate the echo effect of one's vocals in a bathroom. Yes co-founder Jon Anderson Jon Anderson (born October 25, 1944) is a British musician, best known as the lead singer of the progressive rock band Yes. ...

This effect was not used only by singers. Paul Simon ^[3]: Publicity still for Youre the One, released in 2000 Paul Frederic Simon (born October 13, 1941) is an American singer-songwriter of Hungarian descent who received Kennedy Center Honors in 2002. ...

"The main thing about playing the guitar, though, was that I was able to sit by myself and play and dream. And I was always happy doing that. I used to get off in the bathroom, because the bathroom had tiles, so it was a slight echo chamber. I'd turn on the faucet so that water would run - I like that sound, it's very soothing to me - and I'd play. In the dark. 'Hello darkness, my old friend / I've come to talk with you again.'"

In popular culture

• There is a track Bathroom Singer in the 1988 album of Arno Hintjens, Charlatan
• Pretty Woman was singing in the bath tub. But this was not a "true" bathroom singing: she had her earphones on, so this was rather karaoke or "sing-along".
• Singing in the Shower, several songs with this name.
• Singing in the Bathtub, a 1993 album (and a track in it) by Robert Crumb & Cheap Suit Serenaders, ASIN B000000DSP
• A collectible: 1961 Barbie Vintage Fashion: "Singing In The Shower" robe
• Reviewers of the 1991 film The Adjuster [2] mention that "the film also pays fairly serious attention to the question why people sing in the shower." ^[4]
• One episode of The Flintstones features Barney Rubble being able to sing quite well in the shower (even hitting a note that only dogs could hear). Fred Flintstone convinces him to try out for a talent show, only to learn that outside the shower Barney has no singing ability whatsoever.
• In an episode of the animated television series Recess, it was discovered that Mikey had an awe-inspiring singing voice, but he could only sing in the school bathroom. A substitute teacher helped him find the courage to sing in front of an audience, which led to his performance at a school function.
• In an episode of The Simpsons (Homer's Barbershop Quartet), Barney Gumble is found singing traditional Irish music on the floor of the Men's room at Moe's Tavern. He is quickly chosen as a replacement for Chief Wiggum, whom their agent, Nigel, thought was "too Village People".

Arno Hintjens (usually referred to as Arno) is a Belgian artist from Ostend. ... Pretty Woman is an American romantic comedy motion picture that was one of the top films at the box office in 1990. ... A Karaoke machine Karaoke (Japanese: カラオケ, from 空 kara, empty or void, and オーケストラ ōkesutora, orchestra) is a form of entertainment in which an amateur singer or singers sing along with recorded music on microphone. ... Self-portrait. ... Barbie, the worlds most well-known and best-selling doll, debuted at the American International Toy Fair on March 9, 1959. ... The Flintstones, an American animated television series produced by Hanna-Barbera Productions, is one of the most successful animated television series of all time. ... Barney Rubble. ... Fred Flintstone. ... Recess was an American animated television series, created by Paul Germain and Joe Ansolabehere (both part of the Rugrats creative team), and produced by Walt Disney Television Animation. ... The Simpsons is an American animated sitcom created by Matt Groening for the Fox network. ... Homers Barbershop Quartet is the first episode of The Simpsons fifth season. ... Barnard Barney Gumble born (April 20 or June 15, 1967) is a fictional character on The Simpsons, voiced by Dan Castellaneta. ... An Irish band playing in the Hetzel Union Building, Penn State University. ... Moe Szyslak Moe Szyslak (pronounced SIZZ-lack; or, using Polish pronunciation, SHIZ-lock) is a fictional character on the animated series The Simpsons, voiced by Hank Azaria. ... In the television series, The Simpsons, the Wiggum family consist of Clancy (father and police officer), Sarah (mother), and Ralph (child). ... Village People were a novelty disco band of the late 1970s. ...

References

1. ^ musiciansfriend.com" "Studio Tech Tip - Taming the wild bedroom"
2. ^ Ibn Khaldun, Muqaddimah, section "The influence of the air (climate) upon human character" from Ch. 1
3. ^ [1]
4. ^ "Review/Film; Some Serious Singing in the Shower", May 30, 1992, The New York Times

• Jearl Walker, The Flying Circus of Physics

May 30 is the 150th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (151st in leap years). ... 1992 (MCMXCII) was a leap year starting on Wednesday. ... The New York Times is a newspaper published in New York City by Arthur Ochs Sulzberger Jr. ... Jearl Walker, born 1945, is a physicist noted for his book Flying Circus of Physics, first published in 1975. ...

External links

• Singing in the bath cartoons