I’ve never planned for it or anything, but I do enjoy getting up and doing a song or two when I’ve found myself somewhere that has karaoke going. I take pretty much zero satisfaction in watching/hearing everyone else’s performances and really only care about when I can have my moment. And I really don’t like people that think it’s cute and funny that they don’t know the words and can’t sing songs. It’s just annoying. I feel like everyone that thinks they might end up with a microphone in their hand in front of other people should at least learn ONE song so the torture is lessened for the rest of us.
I have a small number of songs that I can do really well, so those are the ones I do and I get joy out of being better than everyone else. I’m not a great singer, but the songs I do I have memorized fully and have sung them a million times so I can put full force into my passionate delivery instead of standing there reading words off a TV. A few times I’ve had the opportunity to sing with a live band and that’s even better, of course.
Anyway, my go-to songs are . . .
BILLY IDOL - Rebel Yell or White Wedding
DION - The Wanderer
Forced / coerced karaoke was always a staple of the forced / coerced socializing that came along with working in Japan. In order to hold my own, I decided to learn the lyrics to a couple hits by Utada Hikaru and Ayumi Hamasaki, and also to ratchet up the humor factor by learning some “enka” classics (the distinct local form of blues which, for everyone under 60 there, is considered perhaps the lamest music genre on tap).
On one occasion, I made it through the enka classic “Sayonara Tokyo”, by this guy who is like a Japanese Jerry Lewis (but whose full name I forget), and the proprietor of the little snack / karaoke dive ran out from the kitchen to shake my hand, and then place it upon his heart to indicate how hearing some freaky gaijin sing the songs of his youth gave him hope for a bright tomorrow. It was genuinely touching…all I wanted to do was be a self-effacing goofball for some easy laughs, and I somehow managed to make this guy’s week.
Anyway…when not doing karaoke for work functions, I got back to the English-language repertoire, and usually threw these into the mix (yes, these are widely available as English-language selections even in more remote parts of Japan):
Madonna: Like a Virgin
Slayer: Angel of Death
Judas Priest: Painkiller, Livin’ After Midnight
Bon Jovi: Livin’ On A Prayer
Rick James: Superfreak
James Brown: Sex Machine
TLC: No Scrubs
Sir Mix-a-Lot: Baby Got Back
Both Sir Mix-a-Lot and sappy crap like LL Cool J “I Need Love” came in helpful on those few occasions where I’ve done karaoke on U.S. soil. I tend to keep my Stateside repertoire on the more ridiculous or over-the-top side; because nothing kills the party atmosphere quicker than people thinking I have a strong emotional connection to the song.
Forced / coerced karaoke was always a staple of the forced / coerced socializing that came along with working in Japan. In order to hold my own, I decided to learn the lyrics to a couple hits by Utada Hikaru and Ayumi Hamasaki, and also to ratchet up the humor factor by learning some “enka” classics (the distinct local form of blues which, for everyone under 60 there, is considered perhaps the lamest music genre on tap).
On one occasion, I made it through the enka classic “Sayonara Tokyo”, by this guy who is like a Japanese Jerry Lewis (but whose full name I forget), and the proprietor of the little snack / karaoke dive ran out from the kitchen to shake my hand, and then place it upon his heart to indicate how hearing some freaky gaijin sing the songs of his youth gave him hope for a bright tomorrow. It was genuinely touching…all I wanted to do was be a self-effacing goofball for some easy laughs, and I somehow managed to make this guy’s week.
Anyway…when not doing karaoke for work functions, I got back to the English-language repertoire, and usually threw these into the mix (yes, these are widely available as English-language selections even in more remote parts of Japan):
Madonna: Like a Virgin
Slayer: Angel of Death
Judas Priest: Painkiller, Livin’ After Midnight
Bon Jovi: Livin’ On A Prayer
Rick James: Superfreak
James Brown: Sex Machine
TLC: No Scrubs
Sir Mix-a-Lot: Baby Got Back
Both Sir Mix-a-Lot and sappy crap like LL Cool J “I Need Love” came in helpful on those few occasions where I’ve done karaoke on U.S. soil. I tend to keep my Stateside repertoire on the more ridiculous or over-the-top side; because nothing kills the party atmosphere quicker than people thinking I have a strong emotional connection to the song.
Obvious question at least to me - did you pull in any local trim being a karaoke superstar?
I was once lucky enough to live in Honolulu, Hawaii for a few years. Karaoke is huge there, due in part to the strong influence of Japanese culture. Prior to living there I would have never participated in such shenanigans, but they’ve got a pretty cool thing going on there. I went to numerous karaoke bars for birthday parties and various celebrations. They’ve got cool places where you can get a private room with your own sushi chef and bartender and you just karaoke like a mofo and they fill you up on raw fish and hot sake. Pretty fun.
Ahhhh,“trim”…now there is a euphemism that I greatly miss…
I randomly caught a few minutes of “48 Hours” the other night. Eddie Murphy has a line about “trying to get some trim,” that cracked me up solely because I hadn’t heard that in ages.
[reply]Ahhhh,“trim”…now there is a euphemism that I greatly miss…
I randomly caught a few minutes of “48 Hours” the other night. Eddie Murphy has a line about “trying to get some trim,” that cracked me up solely because I hadn’t heard that in ages.[/reply]
I have seen that film so many times that I remember that line so well…great movie…big fan of Walter Hill…
Obvious question at least to me - did you pull in any local trim being a karaoke superstar?
On one occasion, actually. But it was probably more a function of everyone being drunk out of their gourds than it was a matter of me entrancing the ladies with my siren song.
I’m not sure how I’d react to any woman that saw my atrocious karaoke skills as a romantic turn-on.
I’m tone deaf and know I’m tone deaf. So, I know better than to try and sing in front of others. I have no problem making fun of others that don’t retain the knowledge that they should not be singing in front of others, though
[reply][reply]Ahhhh,“trim”…now there is a euphemism that I greatly miss…
I randomly caught a few minutes of “48 Hours” the other night. Eddie Murphy has a line about “trying to get some trim,” that cracked me up solely because I hadn’t heard that in ages.[/reply]
I have seen that film so many times that I remember that line so well…great movie…big fan of Walter Hill…[/reply]
A big thumbs up to you both, i absolutely love Walter Hill, the man is a master of tough guy cinema and since i was a kid i’ve loved his films. Bullet to the Head wasn’t fantastic, but it had enough bits here and there that reminded me of vintage Walter. Plus i’ve always loved Stallone, so it was a dream movie for the 13 year old me. His new one sounds a bit weird though, Tomboy. Michelle Rodriguez plays a hitman who is fucked over by a crazy surgeon (Sigourney Weaver) and turned into a woman via painful surgery. Sounds stomach-churning, maybe it’s like his modern, topical version of Johnny Handsome.
Not to derail this thread with Walter Hill talk, but what are you guys’ favourites? Any Streets of Fire love from either of you?
Karaoke-wise, i’ve only ever done it in public once, but several times on Guitar Hero or one of those games with a few friends. I did pretty well in the game, which surprised me, i was quite wary of singing in front of people but i did ok.
The one time in public was at a friend’s wedding in London last year. They had karaoke set up at a bar they hired for the reception, and everyone was taking a shot at it. It was hot as fuck and my shirt was slightly ripe, so i put on my Reign In Blood t-shirt under my suit jacket, was very nervous waiting for my turn. Some of the people were great, some were terrible and drunk, and i wanted to get it over with as soon as possible. It took fucking ages to get round to my turn, hahaha.
I did Bowie’s Let’s Dance and it, amazingly, went over really well. Me in my suit and Slayer shirt sweating like mad, giving it full Bowie and people actually applauding [:)] When it ended i was walking back to the bar and couple of people came up to me and told me it was great, which genuinely surprised me, i was so pleased. When i went to the bar the barman said “That was some prime David there”, hahaha.
Normally when i sing i really grimace at the sound of my own voice, but karaoke is a lot of fun, you don’t need to sing as yourself i suppose. If anyone was not a fan or had never tried it, i’d say go with some friends and have a few drinks, it’s fucking great and i’ve wanted to do more since then but have never got round to it.
Yeah, if you get stuck doing it for a first time and it terrifies you I suggest just choosing a song that EVERYONE knows. That way, even if you suck, a bunch of others will sing and yell anyway. Besides, most people suck at Karaoke anyway, so it’s not a big deal if you tank it.
I just enjoy it because I’m an attention whore and it feeds my ego when chicks come up to me and tell me I was great.
It’s after the big bosses get wheeled off to the slammer with their wheelchairs and respirators . . . then they just start whackin’ anyone that might talk. Poppin’ fools outside in the parking lot with silenced guns, going to their homes and cappin’ them and their families, some other mofos get killed execution style and thrown in a hole and Morrie gets brained with an icepick at the base of his skull from Joe Pesci. And, yeah, Sharron Stone OD’s too.
Luv the enthusiasm & he gives classic Ministry an NWA flavor…super job!
Be nice to see happy-go-lucky folks like this guy at shows.
Besides über-hot college/goth chics, recall most as disgruntled assholes~me being one of em, lol…
Hahaha!!!
That’s exactly what happens when the fat guy with ponytail gets the microphone.
What I want to know is . . . . how in the world is “What About Us?” a karaoke track? I would never expect ANY Ministry on a karaoke machine, but certainly not that obscurity. Unless they load up a bunch of voice effects (and hopefully some distortion) though, I have a hard time thinking of ANY songs that would work. “Beers Steers and Queers” (yes, I know it’s RevCo) maybe.
Trying to show the world something by choosing a song by your favorite “extreme” artist will never work. It just makes you look like a boob and turns people off to the band you think is so great. Go with something that is actually singable.