Billy T, re song selections. Those you mentioned are fine but doing an Elvis cover of a female's song is less of a challenge as he has already converted it to a male song and a Nashville style. On the other hand, some purists actually try and sing female songs in their original key. I've seen Garry do Minnie Ripperton, for goodness' sake! That is going too far as most of us mere males are not tenors, let alone sopranos (at least past age 12) and I always forget to bring the rubber band for the todger. As for women doing men's songs that only applies to tenors like Farnham. Females can't do a bass version of Old Man River (at least any I've seen). It would be like a violin trying to play bass fiddle.

As for comp's I agree that they are really just a re-badged talent quest. Karaoke is supposedly about punters being able to enjoy the miracle of having 5-10,000 backing tracks available to try - something we could only dream of 2 decades ago. So there's no need to memorize words or perfect a song for such a hobby. You can try wild combinations you can't do anywhere else. You don't expect prizes for doing weird stuff - just a few laughs. And doing them at home is no substitute for a live audience to see how you went down. You don't need a prize to know if you did well.

As the Wizard of Oz put it:

'Lion, you’re confusing courage with wisdom. Back where I come from, we have people who chase karaoke contests. Once a month, they take their one well-rehearsed song out of mothballs and parade it again in front of all and sundry. And they have no more courage than you have.

Tin Man, there are people who do nothing all day but pen silly love songs. And their hearts are no bigger than yours.

Scarecrow, we have recording studios that release these people onto the pop charts, with no more talent than you have.

And you with the ruby shoes, our record companies are forever losing money cloning the last big thing while ignoring the next big thing right under their noses. They have no more intuition than you or your little dog.

But! They have one thing you haven’t got! A certificate! Therefore, by virtue of the authority vested in me, I hereby confer upon you this gold record, and - for meritorious conduct, extraordinary valour, conspicuous bravery in overcoming stage fright, I award you the Karaoke Cross. You are now members of the Legion of Karaoke and Karaoke Idols.

And remember, my sentimental friends: that a heart is not judged by how much you love, but by how much you are loved by others. '


Submitted by Tom on 07-02-2008

Meet karaoke hosts and singers in the Where2sing.com forums . . .

Where2sing.com