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...unless you can actually sing.

Clue me in.

If you can't carry a tune in a bucket (me) why on earth would you publicly prove it by participating in something so shudder inducing?

There can't be that many people in denial. (Yes, I've heard of American Idol, but I think most of those poor wretches are a tad off the mark) I believe most know where their talent lies and more importantly - doesn't.

Let's see, would it be because: Some really bask in public humiliation or truly enjoy seeing others cringe or what...?

What say you?

(and puh-leeze don't tell me: I should just relax and do it - cuz it's fun! I would no more participate in Karaoke than I would juggle wildly combusting chain saws)

I thought the point of karaoke was to give people who couldn't sing for sour apples an outlet....

Notice that it's usually done in a place where there's plenty of alcohol flowing? I think so many things that are utterly ridiculous make perfect sense to the inebriated.

I've never been interested in participating or listening to others.

First several times for me was during business trips in Asia. Good fun after a long day of meetings and dinners. Talk about "seeing the real person " . Nowhere to hide behind a microphone.

Had some neighbors that spent over $2000 on a system and had regular dinners Evey month or so.

You need to be comfortable making a fool of yourself. But, when everyone is in the same situation it's actually pretty liberating. And, no, I can't sing well at all.

RoyGBiv wrote:First several times for me was during business trips in Asia. Good fun after a long day of meetings and dinners. Talk about "seeing the real person " . Nowhere to hide behind a microphone.

First of all, I can't sing to save my life. I worked for a Japanese company and made many trips to Asia. Many of the Japanese guys actually had decent voices and liked to sing so I got pretty good at dodging the microphone.

One night we were at a club in Malaysia and one of my Japanese coworkers decided that he would sing a song and dedicate it to "Bill-san". I was very embarrassed when got on the stage and he sang to me "I Left My Heart in San Francisco."

Another night we had some visitors from our plant in the Netherlands. Fortunately we rented a private room for our group. After a few drinks of Cognac and much prodding I found a song that didn't require much talent and "sang" the Beach Boys song "Help Me Rhonda." I don't know if anyone else was familiar with the song, but they were impressed that I knew all of the words.

I'm a natural baritone. Decent tone quality...if I could ever actually hit a note. Think of Randy Jackson saying, "Yo, Dog; that was just really, really pitchy."

A few years ago I went on a Caribbean cruise with a large party of friends, most of a similar age. On a karaoke night, I was pressured to give it a try. After careful consideration, I told them the only song I felt I could attempt was Gordon Lightfoot's The Wreck of the Edmond Fitzgerald.

There was silence at the table while they considered the gentle motion of the ship and the fact that we were in the Atlantic somewhere between Nassau and the Turks. They wisely decided they didn't want me to attempt a bad version of a song about a famously disastrous shipwreck. Haven't been asked to karaoke since...

In my experience (what I have seen working at bars on karaoke night) people tend to let others sing until the liquid courage kicks in... By this time some are so intoxicated they cannot hear how awful they sound, cannot remember the song, or cannot read the lyrics on the tv. While others I have seen get better end more energetic the more alcohol the put into their system.

For the record I have done karaoke one time... It was 10 years ago over spring break and what happens over spring break haunts you for all time if your best friend has video of it...

Years ago I had an Argentine Karoke in 45 long Colt.

My late wife was a concert level pianist and had her degree in music.

She used to tell me that it was good that I played harmonica, because when the music was playing my mouth was full and I COULDN'T sing.

You know how coworkers and friends get together to play softball? You know how they're rarely anywhere near MLB skill level? It's kind of like that.

emcee rib wrote:You know how coworkers and friends get together to play softball? You know how they're rarely anywhere near MLB skill level? It's kind of like that.

It's all in fun...no one can sing (except for the rare ones) and everyone knows it. It's a fun time amongst friends where you can let loose and be goofy. And yes, booze is usually involved. But hey...if it's a release for people, go for it. No harm, no foul.

Karaoke is the best comedy.

jimlongley wrote:My late wife was a concert level pianist and had her degree in music.

She used to tell me that it was good that I played harmonica, because when the music was playing my mouth was full and I COULDN'T sing.

You had a very "tactful" wife.

You would never catch me attempting to sing karaoke.