Vocal Songbook
Vocal Songbook
10 Songs to Avoid when Singing Karaoke
The world of karaoke is full of cautionary tales. Some will tell you to avoid Journey or Bon Jovi or the cheesy karaoke bar staple, "Sweet Caroline" by Neil Diamond (wherein the crowd adds a very meaningful duh-duh-duhhhh after the title line).
But these songs are classics for a reason. Plenty of people can hit those notes and, should they fall a bit short during the bridge or after the key change, the crowd is almost certain to help out with backing vocals.
However, after many years gracing the finest and the seediest karaoke establishments, it has become clear that some songs should be erased from the songbooks. Here are the top 10 songs to avoid at karaoke:
1. "It's the End of the World as we Know it" by R.E.M. Fun song? Sure! Easy to sing to? Nope! It's almost impossible, actually. I'm no scientist, but I would guess that 99.9% of the population can only sing the chorus, and random lines here and there, even if their lives depended on accuracy. R.E.M. may stand for rapid eye movement, but nobody's eyes can read these lyrics fast enough. Which leads us to:
2. "Rapper's Delight" by the Sugarhill Gang. This falls under the same category as Sir Mix-a-Lot's booty-centric epic "Baby Got Back". We all know and love the opening verse or two. It's the other several minutes of mumbling through the lightning-speed lyrics that disappoint.
3. "Me and Bobby McGee" by Janis Joplin. Man, is this a great song. And a lot of people get the beginning down perfectly. It's the ending that trips everyone up – of course, it doesn't help when the lyrics look like this: "Na na na na… Hey now Bobby now, Bobby McGee, yeah… Yeah! Whew!"
4. "Summer Nights" from Grease. This is a duet, and that only works when both parties are equally pumped. Unfortunately, I've never met a man who doesn't regret this song choice as soon as he takes the stage.
5. "Blue" by Eiffel 65. You might be thinking, isn't that the song that repeats, "I'm blue, da ba dee da ba die" over and over? And you would be correct. This song isn't just a product of your nightmares; it actually existed as a popular single in 2000. One can only assume that it then made its way onto the karaoke songbooks as a cruel joke.
6. "Lady Marmalade". It doesn't matter whether you sing the original by Labelle or the cover from the Moulin Rouge! soundtrack – this song has 4 different parts going. Likewise, you can headbang to "Bohemian Rhapsody" in you car like everyone else, but there's no need to subject a bar to this train wreck.
7. "Hotel California" by The Eagles. Just like "Sweet Child O' Mine" by Guns N' Roses, this song has the ability to take a room full of happy, shiny karaoke enthusiasts and make each and every one depressed -- for almost 7 minutes.
8. "Wind Beneath my Wings" by Bette Midler. If you secretly like this song, there is no judgment here. Everyone is entitled to croon to a 90s ballad every now and then. However, I have seen this song empty a bar not once, but twice. And if it hadn't been my very close friend on the stage singing this song, I would have been out the door, too.
9. "American Pie" by Don McLean. This masterpiece may begin well, but it's very difficult to hold a room's attention for 9 minutes – especially when the lyrics gradually become more pessimistic. Spoiler alert: This story has a sad ending!
10. "Friends in Low Places" by Garth Brooks. I take back what I said earlier about a song being overplayed. I will have this song stuck in my head forever at the rate I see it performed at karaoke. Why not pick another Garth Brooks song? There's usually an entire page in the songbooks.
In the end, what's really important is that you stand behind whatever song you choose, get on the stage, and rock it!
Written By: Micki Grover
About the Author
Micki Grover is a huge fan of karaoke, and given her experience as a writer and editor, she has an innate ability to view the world in an editorial fashion, as brought to you today with her take on karaoke.
What is a good pop/jazz songbook to buy?
I want to sing/play Gershwin songs and things from that era and style...just for fun. What is a good book, with vocals and piano, that's not oversimplified or watered down too much?
Doesn't necessarily have to be Gershwin, I'm just a little more familiar with his songs than any other songwriter.
Cole Porter! He's probably the song writer jazz people do more than anyone. Ella Fitzgerald and Louie Armstrong cook with propane on "They Can't Take That Away from Me"
Vocal Songbook
"BL Gakuen" - Bell Liberty School Kouka
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The Disney Songbook By Brickman, Jim $24.4 Author: Brickman, Jim Subtitle: Piano/vocal/chords Publication Date: 2005/10/03 Number of Pages: 76 Binding Type: Paperback Language: English Depth: 0.25 Width: 9.00 Height: 12.00 |
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The Wizard of Oz 70th Anniversary Deluxe Songbook (Vocal Selections) By Alfred Publishing Staff (COR) $24.4 Author: Alfred Publishing Staff (COR) Subtitle: Piano/Vocal/chords Publication Date: 2009/10/18 Number of Pages: 99 Binding Type: Paperback Language: English Depth: 0.25 Width: 9.00 Height: 11.50 |
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Glee Vocal Method Songbook By Waterman, Andy/ Reid, Kate $19.29 Author: Waterman, Andy/ Reid, Kate Subtitle: Learn to Sing Like the Stars of the Fox Television Show Publication Date: 2011/06/01 Number of Pages: 80 Binding Type: Paperback Language: English Depth: 0.25 Width: 8.75 Height: 11.50 |
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Alfred 0032755 The Wizard of Oz 70th Anniversary Deluxe Songbook Vocal Selections Music Book $34.25 Alfred Music Publishing is the world s largest educational music publisher. Alfred produces educational' reference' pop' and performance materials for teachers' students' professionals' and hobbyists spanning every musical instrument' style' and difficulty level. The Wizard of Oz: 70th Anniversary Deluxe Songbook features all of the classic songs by E.Y. Harburg and Harold Arlen. Also included are the neverbefore published amp;quot;character themesamp;quot; by AcademyAward winning composer Herbert Stothart' the complete amp;quot;Munchkinland Musical Sequence'amp;quot; and the song amp;quot;The Jitterbug'amp;quot; which was cut from the original film. Utilizing rare MGM studio manuscripts and the original motion picture soundtrack' each song is presented in its original key. As a bonus' this unique collector's item includes two songs from the 1903 Broadway musical production of The Wizard of Oz' with lyrics by original Oz author L. Frank Baum. These songs have not been published in over a century. The songbook also contains dozens of original production stills and publicity photos' an essay on the story behind the songs and score' and biographies of the composers. |
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Nursery Rhyme Songbook $16.86 A beautifully presented, diecut and fullcolor illustrated collection of famous nursery rhymes and stories that perfectly capture the magic and wonder of childhood Includes poems, classic stories such as The Three Little Pigs and Goldilocks and the Three Bears, plus easy piano/vocal music to over 35 nursery rhymes including: Hickory Dickory Dock Hot Cross Buns Jack and Jill The Muffin Man Old MacDonald Pop Goes the Weasel Twinkle Twinkle Little Star and many more. Author: Amsco Publications Binding Type: Paperback Number of Pages: 96 Publication Date: 2005/08/01 Age Level: 04 09 Language: English Dimensions: 9.76 x 6.46 x 0.34 inches |
The Royal Room Cabaret at Colony Hotel Presents the Four Freshmen
The Colony Hotel – which The Palm Beach Post has hailed as “probably the best cabaret on the planet” – plans another sizzling, song-filled season at the hotel’s celebrated Royal Room, featuring some really hot headliners straight from Manhattan’s most sophisticated nightspots and Broadway – including, in fact, a Royal Room regular who was a 2008 Tony Award nominee.
“The Colony’s 2008-2009 Cabaret Season will be our biggest and best ever. Instead of having to fly up to New York City to see major cabaret stars at the Algonquin’s Oak Room, the Carlyle or Feinstein’s at the Regency, fans of the Great American Songbook now can enjoy many of the same extraordinary performers within the cozy confines of the Royal Room. I can guarantee the quality of these performers because I personally reviewed each one,” promises Roger Everingham, general manager of Palm Beach’s favorite boutique hotel, which has repeatedly earned the highly coveted “4-Diamond Rating,” from AAA.
Widely considered to be one of the top cabaret venues in the country, The Colony’s Royal Room has scheduled another audience-pleasing line-up of performers. Celebrating more than a half-century of crowd-pleasing performances, The Four Freshmen is the nation’s longest lasting vocal harmony group. From their first hit song, “It’s a Blue World,” to being voted Down Beat Magazine’s Vocal Group of the Year in both 2000 and 2001, the group presents classic jazz-pop songs with cutting-edge vitality. The Four Freshmen have released more than 40 albums and 70 singles and been nominated six times for a Grammy. This will be The Four Freshmen’s fourth series of performances in The Colony’s Royal Room. The show will be held on December 17-20th.
Reviews of The Four Freshmen include Charles Osgood on CBS Sunday Morning who commented, “Some musical groups survive and even flourish, year after year, decade after decade. The Four Freshmen have endured for the simple reason that they are top in their class.” The Virginia-Pilot said, “A more charming evening of jazz there never was.” The Topeka Capital-Journal urged, “The sound of The Four Freshmen remains as fresh and vibrant as when the original quartet started singing more than 50 years ago.”
For all Royal Room evening performances, the doors open at 6:45 p.m. for dinner and the show starts around 8. To make reservations, call the hotel box-office at 561-659-8100.
About the Author
Professional Marketing Firm for the Manufacturing Community and Manufacturing Journalist to most manufacturing magazines
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Vocal Songbook