Karaoke Line Up

My girlfriends and I enjoy a good GNO (Girl's Night Out). Often we'll do a dinner and movie, but once in a blue moon we'd try our local Karaoke bar. Only one or two in the group can actually carry a tune, but we all attend for moral support, the cocktails, and usually a good laugh.

Now my friend K2 is an amazing singer. She can belt out Sheryl Crow and Norah Jones like no one's business! We all know when she gets up there the crowd will be wooed each time. We all stand and applaud her as she steps down from the stage and she'll no doubt look at me and mouth "you're next" each time. Not going to happen. There are plenty others ready to entertain.
You know the ones, the regulars, or the couple of singers you see at every Karaoke bar.

Mr. Confidence: He's with his buddies and has a few glasses of liquid courage under his belt. He stands up and there's that song..."She Thinks My Tractor's Sexy." He does this one every week. We've been coming for 2 years maybe 10 times total, and he's there singing that song, every time. He's good at it, well with all the practice. He doesn't even have to read the screen.

Ms.Drunk & Giggly: She stands (barely) squinting at the screen fumbling through what she thought were the correct words to the song. Adding an "ooh" where there's an "aah" and then just finishes out with a "la la la la lah!" and giggles all the way back to her chair. Okay, well that was, um...good.

This is when your resume of "I sing in the shower," doesn't come in handy.

Mr. Monotone: He's confident enought to get on stage but sings the whole song in a low key with no expression.

The Yeller: Inevitably someone will hold the microphone ON their lips and proceed to sing a the top of their lungs and pracitcally render the crowd deaf. Just in case, bring earplugs, even one can help!

Miss Feedback: I'm not sure how this happens but when the squeal of the feedback starts it really agitates the singer and she either speeds up or slows down and often gives up. Not a whole lot you can do about it, but it happens.

Finally, there's the Karaoke DJ who takes a turn: Okay we know that you go home with the equipment, the music lists, and use all your spare time perfecting your craft. Great. More power to you, but can you ease up on the dramatics? Unless you're shooting a music video we don't know about, getting all Rod Stewart with the mike stand is a tad over the top.

No doubt, Karaoke night is bound to be a blast one way or the other. In a perfect world I'd get up and give my best rendition of Bette Midler's "Wind Beneath My Wings." One day. One day.

Have you ever sung at a Karaoke bar? If so, what song(s) are your favorites?

*Originally Published At Beautiful! Fabulous!*

24 supporters in group:

  1. WeaselMomma said...

    When I sing Baby Jesus cries. So I don't do it in public. But I love a good GNO.

  2. Molly said...

    I have only been to one bar that had karoke, but I used to have a neighbor that had the whole set up-with 3 microphones and every cd known to man...it was crazy.

    I think Me and Bobbby McGee is the best until Janis got all drunk at the end [wink]

    Molly
    thegirlinthemiddle

  3. Candy said...

    My dad always used to ask me if I'd sing "Far, Far Away." I got that hint very early on. I'm one of those people who looks like they sing in church, but not too much comes out of my mouth at the risk of offending those in close proximity.

  4. Mrs. Heck said...

    LOL, I love your analysis of a karaoke bar. :) We used to be regulars (before we had 3 kids) and the hubs would always sing. He was "Mr. I really could care less what others say." He would go up there, sing, and not talk to anyone but the people we were with. HAHA! I have to be REALLY far gone and intoxicated before I'll go up there...i'm just the cheerleader for everyone. :)

  5. Tenakim said...

    When I clicked on a karaoke post, I was really hoping for a video! I love it, but don't get out much (but I have TWO karaoke machines of my own- and an entire library of cds -at last count, I have 1200 songs!) LOSER, right?

    I like a challenge so I let others pick my song for me.

  6. Mommy In Pink said...

    Psst! I gave you an award over on my blog...go check it out!

  7. SavvySuzie said...

    BWAHAHAHA...so sad, but so true. You did forget to mention one key character of the Karaoke bunch though:
    Mr./Ms. Heebie-Jeebies: the very old or very socially awkward individual who always chooses a sexually inappropriate song and executes it in such a manner that any sober person within a 30 foot radius feels an immediate need to have a HazMat shower.

    My hubby and I met at Karaoke :) His signature tunes were "Open Arms" and pretty much anything 80's hair metal...mine were "Alone" by Heart and "All Jacked Up"

  8. Shorty said...

    I've only had one Karaoke opportunity...and funny...there were "technical difficulties" that caused it to shut down. Yeah, I haven't wanted to try again...guess that was a hint.

    Loved your song that started playing...made me crack up. My family and I are huge fans of the Chappell Show (which is no more) but Dave Chappell's imitation of Lil' Jon who is the background sayin' his "ya's" and other sounds make me laugh every time!

  9. Ann(ie) said...

    Karaoke bars draw an interesting crowd. But, with enough liquor they can be a hoot! I've been known to belt out Goodbye Earl after a few bevvies. ;)

  10. Jamey said...

    I have been out with the girls once, but I didn't go up there. Your right K2 can rock cheryl crow & wilson phillips!I sing every sunday, I help lead the worship, I don't sing by myself though!

  11. Amy W said...

    I am a total karaoke queen! I don't go out to karaoke places as much as I would like, but I I almost always warm up with "Walkin After Midnight" by Patsy Cline. My current fave to really get the party started is Pink's "Who Knew"... I am (im)patiently waiting for her "So What" to make it into the books--- then I will really be able to get my inner rock star out there! I have a couple posts about my latest karaoke adventure (ego explosion) over at my blog if you are interested in more karaoke fun (incriminating pictures included).

  12. Jo-Jo said...

    I entered a karaoke contest once. I won the first night and had to come back the next week. The girl that won, was good...but not great. I was sooo disappointed! Man...I was so lame.

  13. Heather (How to be a Woman..?) said...

    Oh goodness no! I sound like a weasel with a cold. I used to go to karaoke bars though, and had a lot of fun watching my friends sing. Once we got kicked out of a very serious Japanese karaoke bar in San Franciso when my then boyfriend fell to the floor and started spinning himself in a circle with his feet while singing Copa Cabana. I am not making this up.

  14. Heather of the EO said...

    Oh how I love karaoke and your descriptions are hilariously spot-on. I do want to add the group sing-all the girls night out girls up there belting out "girls just wanna have fun." Yes, of course I've been a part of that group-sing. Sad, but true.

  15. Mrs4444 said...

    I love Karaoke. My favorite songs to sing from Grease or The Carpenters. I also love Harper Valley PTA. We almost went with karaoke for our Halloween party this year, but we have few "Yellers" who drive me insane, so we opted out.

  16. Tony@ That One Paticular Harbor said...

    I sang, some nirvana hit in a downtown seattle bar one night, not sure if it was good or not? But a good couple of back ups are :
    Willy Nelsen : Momma don't let you're babies grow up to be cowboys. easy..
    Or Guns & Rose : Jungle.
    and last but not least; Bon Jovi, Dead or Alive. LOL

  17. Anonymous said...

    I am so Ms. Drunk & Giggly! Oh, I hate myself! lol

  18. Michelle said...

    OMG Jen! I used to hit the Karaoke bars every weekend b4 Scott and the kids! My favorite was 4 Non Blondes..... I loved to do that part where she screams at the end. I know...... bizarre....but hey- it was fun! =)

  19. desi said...

    I used to sing professionally and the stress is awful. So Karaoke is when I sing badly on purpose and don't care. What kind does that make me? I love it. Last time I was there I sang "Feeling Good" by Nina Simone and "Women Be Wise" by Sippie Wallace. Plus my friend (who is still a professional singer) made me go up there and sing "Hardest Button to Button" by the White Stripes. Because she knows I secretly love that song. And I sang back up for her while she ran through a Supremes collection. Gotta love it. No pressure. Just fun. Anyone afraid of it needs to get over it. My favorites are not always the ones who sing well. For instance the unforgettable rendition by Eric of "I'm just a girl". Priceless.

  20. mollybloom said...

    I miss karaoke! I have such fond memories of "I think my tractor's sexy," LOL!

  21. Amanda said...

    LOL you about hit the nail on the head. You forgot Mr. Soprano though. He's so nervous he sings about 3 octaves higher than he should. Our friends used to torture us with a karaoke bar (smoke free) when I was pregnant with our 1st. Thankfully it was only when we visited my in laws, but still, enough was enough. My husband asked me to use my pregnancy hormones to our advantage and tell them no more karaoke bar LOL.

  22. Elaine at Matters of the Heart) said...

    My singing is not pretty....

  23. Rochelle said...

    And then there is K2's drunk friend who gets talked into going up to the mike with her and totally screws it all up.... Yeah, two trips to Asia and I end up singing in TP. I SWORE I would never sing karaoke. And now you know why...

  24. Anonymous said...

    I used to work in a bar that had karaoke twice a week. I always ended up singing "I Will Survive" by Gloria Gaynor. *shudders*

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