I mentioned last Friday that my weekend was going to include some karaoke. And indeed, it did. AND INDEED, IT WAS AWESOME.
The Dude made all these arrangements, and we had people from his work, people we know from other academic environments, and others, including BeckySharper and Pandagon’s Amanda Marcotte and her manpanion (the latter two did a seriously kick-ass rendition of the B-52s’ “Rock Lobster”).
The Dude is really good at karaoke–a strong voice, the ability to do some decent comedy impersonations (Neil Diamond, etc.), and nerve. My voice is…okay, but my singing experience is limited to huge ensembles singing requiem masses and chamber choirs doing lieder at state competitions. That is to say, I love singing, but not solo, and not rock, so I need a dose (or three) of liquid courage to get up and do my thang.
But when I do, I have a few favorites, including The Pogues’ “Fairytale of New York.” In anticipation of our night out, the Dude and I started watching YouTube videos of things that might be good, and we realized that “a good song” does not necessarily equal a “good karaoke song. A lot of the best karaoke songs are actually pretty corny or otherwise not something I’d want to own, or play for my own pleasure on any regular basis.
So, today’s FFT is your chance to add to the “Greatest Karaoke Hits” list I’m compiling. Tell us your special numbers, the best performances you’ve given, or seen, or the Songs That Must Not Be Sung.
Elvis never fails, but recently I have been loving Lady Gaga’s Poker Face. Not the easiest song to sing, but if you can’t sing good sing loud. That’s my motto.
Prince, bishes.
I’m often a karaoke wallflower because I can’t sing to save my life but I have a dude friend who can always get me to sing Prince songs, so at this karaoke night with PhDork, we managed to belt out some Prince standards, including a drunk, late-night closer of “Purple Rain” that had everyone swaying and waving their cell phones.
Also, as PhDork will attest, “Total Eclipse of the Heart” is a karaoke MUST. It’s cheesy! It’s melodramatic! It’s a duet! You can wail! They heard us all over Koreatown when we sang that one.
As for bad karaoke songs: I’ve found that hip-hop and rap don’t make for good karaoke unless you have unbelievably good flow, which very few have, esp. after a lot of drinks. You appreciate the talent of rappers way more when you try to duplicate what they’re doing and find out how hard it is.
I can just manage Nick Lowe’s “Cruel to be Kind” decently plus I love those lyrics.
If there are no other Spanish speakers around I go for “La Bamba” because the fact that I can sing the real words gives me some points, and I can throw in some dance steps in the Los Lobos version. Those are two great diversion tactics!
“Tequila” is a great karaoke cop-out for those who just don’t want to sing.
I’m gonna co-sign on what Becky Sharper said. For about a year, my friends and I went to karoaoke night at this bar every week, and we learned quite a bit about the dos and don’ts. Prince = excellent, especially Rasberry Beret, and rap songs are almost always an epic fail. Especially when you’re drunk and out of breath.
Hall & Oates has always served me well, and Kool & the Gang’s “Get Down On It” is always a crowd pleaser. Strangly enough, one of the most popular ones I’ve ever done is City High’s “What Would You Do?”
While epic/silly songs like “Total Eclipse of the Heart,” “Paradise by the Dashboard Light,” and “Bohemian Rhapsody” are tempting, I’ve found people quickly lose interest in an eight-minute song, no matter how fun it might be.
And please, aspiring karaoke singers, no more “Me and Bobby McGee,” no more “Like a Prayer,” and please, for the love of all that is holy, no more Journey.
I am thirding Becky’s Prince observations—I’ve had a lot of success with “Little Red Corvette” in the past. Also, when it comes to Karaoke, I think the better you know the song the more comfortable you’ll be singing it. For me, this means revisiting songs I used to sing along with on my Sony Walkman when I was in fourth grade—Janet Jackson, Paula Abdul, and yes, even Amy Grant. Time to practice some material, perhaps
Happy Friday Fun Thread!
I LOVE karaoke. One of my friends has an amazing range and always goes for Pat Benetar songs, which are a big win if you have her vocal prowess. I stick to easier fare, but found that Joan Jett makes for great shout-alongs, “I Hate Myself for Loving You” being one of my favorites. I have been practicing Me and Bobby McGee in the shower for years, trying to work up the nerve… but man, Janis had pipes.
And last week above-mentioned friend and I decided to try our hand at Lady Gaga. I can’t tell you how surprised at how many people in the audience sang along to Bad Romance (men included). Gaga for the win.
“how surprised I was…”
Grammar fail.
I am the worst singer in the world however i do perform two songs at karaoke
Fernando by Abba because i truly believe you can’t go wrong with a hit song about the Mexican Civil war, even though I actually largely loathe Abba’s music.
But my actual favourite song, and the one I perform with my husband because we’re essentially a pair of tuneless drunks at heart, is The Pogues Fairytale of New York, a song that I feel not only sums up our relationship but allows us to speak rather than sing the words (always a bonus for the the non-singer)
Oh i’ve also been known to sing maudlin Irish drinking song, Carrickfergus, but I don’t usually need karaoke for that.
My karaoke specialty is hairband. Like “Wait” by White Lion or “Here I go Again” by White Snake, I think. (I mix those two up.) Cheesy awesomeness and air guitar opportunities. Win Win. “Sweet Child O’ Mine” is done to death though.
Fiona Apple’s “Criminal” or Blondie’s “One Way or Another”. The latter does require you to really commit though… commit to at least three drinks beforehand.
My karaoke friend and I do a mean “Bohemian Rhapsody.” If you put enough heart into it and sing it at the right time of night, you will get a major sing-a-long going.
“Spice Up Your Life” is amazingly fun but is too fast to sing alone; you need two groups for a call-and-response. “Africa” by Toto is fantastic, “Love is a Battlefield” is fun to sing, “Father Figure” is one of my favorites to sing, especially because I’m a lady. “Wanted Dead or Alive” is, I’m sure, overdone but that is because it’s the best.
For Prince, I like to do “When Doves Cry.” It allows one to be super overly dramatic, and people dance.
I’ve never done Karaoke before, but I’ve played my share of Rock Band. I’m usually nervous about singing in front of other people, but I can confidently say that I do a pretty killer version of “Maps” by the Yeah Yeah Yeahs.
As a terrible singer who studied abroad in Tokyo, I’ve learned to just avoid songs by people who are “too good.” So I have to avoid anything by Mariah, Kelly Clarkson, Journey (can’t hit those high notes), or in a foreign language. Classic rock is always fun, especially Bruce Springsteen’s “Thunder Road” after four glasses of whiskey. And anything by Cheap Trick!
I’m with you, Lady Brain, on Pat Benatar. Almost any of her songs will do but “We Belong” is a personal favorite. Anything by my all-time favorite, Queen, but especially “Under Pressure”, “I Want to Break Free”, “Don’t Stop Me Now”, and “Killer Queen”.
I do not, however, recommend “November Rain” especially when you’re alone, drunk, and cannot for the life of you remember any of the lyrics.
“Bohemian Rhapsody” is fun if you get a group going. If you have a good group of people, anything with audience participation is fun, “Sweet Caroline” being a big one. “Piano Man” is fun as well. Also anything that you can get drunk go-go dancers for: “I Will Survive” and “These Boots Are Made for Walkin’” are great fun.
Most importantly, you should pick a song that moves you and you know very well. And have fun, if you are having a good time, so will your audience.
Oh, and I forgot my absolute favorite… the *other* Bonnie Tyler song, with a video that begs to be linked to:
Holding Out for a Hero
@Katharis, as much as I hate to admit it, I have also tried and valiantly failed at GNR.
I can’t believe no one has suggested Livin’ on a Prayer. Everyone in the bar can’t help but sing along with you and that never fails to create a good time.
Also, I have a friend who can do a spot-on rendition of Monster Mash.
I always opt for No Doubt… there’s a song for every occasion. “Don’t Speak” and “Excuse Me Mr.” are my favorites by far, and of course, “Just a Girl” is a big hit when I sing it with my fellow roller derby chicks cheering me on!
I have a tendency to make up in enthusiasm what I lack in talent, and of course a little liquid courage is a must. My best karaoke story ever involves my BFF and I finding ourselves in a cowboy bar in Nebraska during a wild roadtrip… I sang “Bad Touch” by the Bloodhound Gang and had the whole place up and dancing. Truly awesome to see!
For me, Karaoke = Kylie. Her range isn’t great, so yours doesn’t have to be either.
Do you want a duet? “Especially For You”.
Do you want to wail? “Please Stay”
Do you want to have FUN? “Better the Devil You Know”
If no Kylie is available, Britney is a good fall back. Her songs are guaranteed a laugh even if you sing worse than she does.
My favorite karaoke song is “Tainted Love”, but I supplement it with “I Can’t Decide” and “Semi-Charmed Life”. They’re all such high energy, and so well known (esp. Semi Charmed Life) that I can usually get the crowd singing along at least to the chorus.
I love “Paradise By The Dashboard Light,” but having a good partner is absolutely essential. I had always imagined doing it with one guy, but he turned out to be a total dud. (I still regret not having gone with the scruffy hippie dude who was a total belter!) I can positively wail on that song, though.
Some other favorites are “Never Gonna Give You Up” (Rickrolling karaoke parties = win), “Girls Just Wanna Have Fun,” “Another One Bites The Dust” (The Boyfriend does an amazing falsetto), and “We Didn’t Start The Fire,” where I always amaze everyone with the fact that I know all the lyrics—I have ever since in 7th grade geography class when we had a project where we had to write a new verse about current events.
So I have no experience singing, playing in the school band, rather than singing in our school’s annual musical. Let’s just say that I make a better clarinet player than singer.
One night I did karaoke, with a number of liquid courages to help me on.
I admit, I did Bonjovi’s “Livin’ on a Prayer”. And another couple of Bonjovi numbers, “Wanted Dead or Alive”, “You Give Love a Bad Name”, and the rest of the Bonjovi numbers on the machine…
Paradise by the Dashboard lights! Yeah! That one is so much fun! But as observed, you do need to have a good partner for that one, cause then you can do all the fun call-and-responseish stuff. It’s really long, too, but still so good.
My signature song is “Cabaret”. I do “Bohemian Rhapsody” on my birthday (and ONLY on my birthday), and if I wanna wail (more) will sing “Forgiven” by Alanis Morissette.
The songs that I always see done at karaoke bars are: “Piano Man”, “Wake Me Up Inside” (or whatever that Evanessence song is called), and “Ring of Fire”. Each of which ABSOLUTELY MUST be sung by someone who can sing — and not like Bob Dylan. If you sing like Bob Dylan you are ONLY allowed to sing Bob Dylan songs.
I like singing Goldfinger. It usually ends up sounding like a cross between Shirley Bassey and Ethyl Merman by way of Kermit the Frog.
Justina, I am totally inviting you to the next Dude-n-Dork Karaoke bash.