'Oh, Was I Singing Out Loud?': We have 'em, those cheesy, goofy, cringe-worthy guilty pleasures that we just can't help singing along with

Teacher Taryn Painter sings along with music from her phone in the hallways of Apison Elementary School. Painter says her guilty-pleasure songs are "Ice Ice Baby" and anything by New Kids on the Block.

Something happens to her whenever she hears the song "It's Raining Men" by the Weather Girls. No matter where she is, her body starts moving, her mouth opens and out come the lyrics:

"'Cause tonight for the first time

Just about half past 10

For the first time in history

It's gonna start raining men."

"I hope no one sees me cut loose in the car when it comes on," she says. "It's a fun one. Like they used to say on 'American Bandstand,' it has a good beat and you can dance to it."

Sisk is hardly alone. We all do it, and sometimes we don't even realize we are.

Even those who would admit to being really bad singers can't help but break out into song when a certain number comes on the radio or Spotify or Pandora. But there's singing along with Frank Sinatra or Elvis when either launches into "My Way" - everyone does that - and then there's being outed by a teenager with a camera phone who catches you dancing "The Carlton" while singing Wham's "Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go" at the top of your lungs.

We all have a guilty pleasure song (or more), one we know may not be considered a work of musical art, but has a catchy melody or a lyric that we just can't resist singing along to, whether we're washing dishes or in the shower or sitting in our car at a red light.

Oh yeah, and alone. Almost always alone.

Mitts, part owner of an antiques store in Red Bank, also can't help joining Bono on almost any U2 song that comes on, and often she adds a few dance moves.

"Sometimes you have to do a little dancing. The arms go up."

She regularly sings at weddings and funerals and occasionally sings the National Anthem at ballgames, so she's used to singing in front of people. And when people do catch her singing in the car, "I usually give them a thumbs up and smile. If you are singing, you are happy."

Taryn Painter, a teacher at Apison Elementary School, sings in the classroom, in the car, walking down the street and anywhere she feels inclined. Her favorite guilty pleasure number is "Ice Ice Baby" by Vanilla Ice. "And anything by the New Kids on the Block.

"Unfortunately for everyone else, I don't care if they're watching or not," she says. "I'm busting out singing and dancing either way.

"Am I a good singer? Eh I tell everyone that, in my car, I'm the next American Idol. I sang in my high school choir years ago. I can carry a tune. I don't get booed offstage doing karaoke. You aren't going to hear my single on the radio or anything, but I do OK."

On the Times Free Press Facebook page, we asked readers to share their favorite guilty pleasures - 122 people listed almost 100 different songs. Everything from Sweet's "Ballroom Blitz," a favorite of Jenise Wade, to the Archies' "Sugar Sugar," the number that Travis White joins in on, to "I Think We're Alone Now" by '80s teen star Tiffany and a pleasure of Tony Rogers.

Brooke Reynolds says she loves anything by Beyonc. "And I think I really can sing when I am singing it. Much to my family's dismay if they happen to hear me!"

A.J. Bembry says he's "not even remotely ashamed" to join The Darkness when "I Believe in a Thing Called Love" comes on the radio.

Michael Bianculli wonders if joining Jerry Reed on "East Bound and Down" from the "Smokey & The Bandit" soundtrack "makes me old, and a redneck."

Brittany Hardy likes "Shake it Off" by Taylor Swift - "Don't judge me," she says - while Louise Dunavan prefers Swift's "Blank Space."

For Becca Brock, Rupert Holmes and his "Escape: The Pia Colada Song" seems to hold some kind of magic sway over her.

"I will bust out singing it anywhere anytime I hear it. Just ask my friend Amy about the Vegas incident."

When Drew Gribble needs some motivation, he turns to the Grateful Dead's "Touch of Grey" and its "I will get by, I will survive" chorus. "Sometimes it's on repeat to get me through the day," he says.

Christine Morgan has several guilty pleasure songs and, in fact, has a different song for different occasions. She likes funk music such as "Baby Love" by Mother's Finest or "Atomic Dog" by George Clinton for cleaning the house. It's Kid Rock songs when cooking and AC/DC when getting dressed. And she turns to guitarist John Petrucci, a founding member of prog rockers Dream Theater, "when I need to concentrate."

Some new songs also rang up on the Guilty Pleasure Meter. As you might expect, Pharrell's "Happy" makes people, well, happy, and Bruno Mars gets a nod for his catchy "Uptown Funk."

Painter, who says she uses music as part of her teaching methods, is passing her joy of song on to future generations

"My 19-month-old daughter loves to sing, and we sing lots of 'Sesame Street' songs and 'Frozen' songs in the car. She sings, "Gooooo! Gooooo!" when 'Let it Go' is on."

And, when people catch her singing with the radio, "Honestly I don't even check to see if anyone in the car next to me is looking because it doesn't bother me. But I'd LOVE to look over and have someone start singing along with me."

Contact Barry Courter at bcourter@timesfree press.com or 423-757-6354.