Karaoke Forums

I have read many comments criticizing those who have suggested that they might remove songs from their catalogs ---- songs they don't like.... ones that are too long.....ones that have vulgar lyrics.... show tunes.... rap tunes; etc.

I simply ask, what if those pondering the thought of eliminating those songs had made the decision not to purchase the song in the first place?

How many of you have at least one copy of every karaoke song ever produced?

If you made a conscious decision not to buy a disc, even for monetary reasons, didn't you make a conscious decision to discriminate against one product in favor of another. And don't you have a right to discriminate? It's your money and your show!

Why, therefore, shouldn't a KJ have the opportunity to remove any track without someone trying to make him feel guilty about doing that? Or calling it censorship as it there isn't some amount of censorship expected in civilized groups.

So, get off your high horse!

Oftentimes, the tracks we are considering eliminating from our books are ones we probably didn't set out to purchase in the first place. For example, let's say I buy a disc because it has a certain song I've been wanting on it, but it also has yet another Paradise By The Dashboard Light. ARRRGG!! I don't WANT that song, and I didn't CHOOSE to buy it, but it was on the disc with the song that I DID want. The manufacturer forced it on me, I didn't get to choose.
I'm sure that is the situation with a LOT of unwanted songs. I know it is with me.
I would never purposely buy a Celine Dion, Mariah Carey, more Elvis Presley, or yet another PDBTL!

I would rather have a KJ eliminate a song than have me get up to sing a song that it turns out they don't like for some reason, and get a cold mic because of it. That said, I think one should exercise extreme caution in removing songs. You never know what might attract a certain new singer, or what a crowd might really like to hear some night.

I don't think anyone likes to be told what they should or shouldn't do with their show. Most people are just expressing their opinions on how they feel about deleting songs or not. It gets heated when people judge another person for their decision. To me it depends on your crowd or what the owner wants. I try not to let my person feelings dictate what gets sung. If that was the case I wouldn't have to listen to "Turn the Page" 10,000 times a yr. I see what your saying though.

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It's not much different than talking about religion or politics. Everything in moderation. Too far left or right and things get ugly. Too radical is just as bad as too conservative.

It's all about achieving the right balance.

I have no qualms about removing (or rather not listing) a song that is not appropriate for the clubs per their rules. If someone is only coming in to sing those songs, well i'm sorry, pick another or don't sing - again 99 out of 100 times they will pick another song. If I lose 1 customer over it, chances are it wasn't a customer worth keeping in the first place - sorry to say! Most people don't complain and I have found a better class of singer base because of it.

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LIKE Lonman on Facebook - Lonman Productions Karaoke & my main site via my profile!

Totally agree. I'm after the better singers anyway. I want a high quality crowd. That seems to do it.

Better Singers??? Listen to all of you.. Karaoke was created for those who love music in general is not for the Better Singers...Now I can say I have some great one that come out but I would rather have those who love music and cant sing and BECOME better singers thru trying.
As Far as selections goes ...If a KJ is editing a book because her his personal dislike for a song then they shouldnt be KJing...Case and point..I have a couple songs the nail gays and Im openly gay and its does get to me but Im sure when I do PRISON OF LOVE I make a few people squrim. The idea is to let everyone express themselves how they want..regradless..it has taken me a long time to get to this point but in the end what the singer want not what the KJ likes or dislikes

I can't disagree with your comments karaoke is for fun and a KJ should play the requested song if of course the song is acceptable for the owner of the club, he or she has the last word on this, in my opinion

As for wanting to have the better singer customer, I'd say you have a bad understanding of what karaoke is all about, everyone has the right to enjoy karaoke, even though you're a bad singer

I think song censorship is based on what the VENUE OWNER desires, because that's who has hired you and who decides what type of customer the VENUE wants to attract. Clearly, a bar marketing to 20s and 30s metalheads is different from a restaurant/bar that attracts families or couples. The KJ needs to work that out with the venue owner ahead of time.


Now, if I have a personal dislike for a song, I have NO problem with dropping it from the book. It is MY library after all, and if I want to set all the songbooks on fire and dance around them in a circle, I'll do that too.
(There have only been a few songs out of thousands that I've considered deleting based on my personal taste -- mainly "Strawberry Wine," it just gets on my nerves...)

I do agree with Karaoke being for everybody. I actually get annoyed more by the custy that thinks that they are a pro and feel the need to give me mixing advice and don't bother looking through my book even tho I probably have the song they brought on their own disc (even the manu they like). The most fun shows to me is a big group of peeps some good and some bad but nobody judging but just enjoyong music and singing like we are all in a big shower.

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"Don't worry. It will feel better when it quits hurtin."

Now maybe you should listen and read this entire post.

Nobody is suggesting that only 'better singers' should sing. Where on earth did you get that from? Of course it is for people who love music and who love to sing, and certainly nobody is denying that here. However, if it is the choice of the owner of a venue to work toward NOT offending the sensitivities of his patrons, then the KJ who wishes to continue to work at that venue will comply. It's a simple thing, really. And if that same KJ recognizes certain songs that would offend the sensitivities of some, and of course this is dependent on your client base, then by all means it is our judgment that determines whether to disallow that song.

For example, I have a show that is 80% listeners and 20% singers. It is a HUGE show, packed every week; the songs that are sung range from artists like Perry Como to Nickelback to Miranda Lambert and Josh Turner, and so on. The crowd LOVES the singers at my show and why would I want to endanger that if some young punk walked in and wanted to sing Closer? Would I deny him that? Yes, I would, because it would be suicide for me to subject the crowd to that. Same goes from "Get Low" for example, or many other hip hop songs. There is just no reason to subject my crowd to that. They love my show and the way I run it. So for some loser to come in and want to try to impress people with their cussing prowess, I'd have to suggest they go down the road somewhere, anywhere but my show.

I think generalizations in this situation are dangerous. I've never had to tell someone "No, you can't sing that" at this show because it would never occur to those kinds of singers to walk in. On the other hand, at my husband's Monday night show, that is de rigeur, accepted by the crowd, and for the first few times they hear it they'll get a kick out of it. After that, eyes rolling, smoke/bathroom break time.

As a KJ there are songs that make me cringe, first of all because of the artistic value (or lack thereof) -- the kind that make me wonder how on earth they ever made it to the hit lists. It's a matter of personal taste, I guess, and professionalism in my eye - the goal is to please the greatest percentage of the dollar-passing patrons in a place, including singers and spectators. I follow Lon's lead in that respect - head out, buddy, down the road. We won't miss ya.

BTW, FYI it is "case in point"

I still think it is funny that posters on BOTH SIDES of this issue are posting with the tone that they are "right" and other shows are "wrong" in the way they handle things.

OF COURSE the answer to this issue is that you do what is best for the venue to bring in and keep the most people.

Karaoke is played in VFWs, gay bars, family restaurants, sportsbars, dance clubs, retirement homes, churches/youth groups, and the list goes on and on and on. That's what makes karaoke so popular, is that different styles of music can be incorporated to please pretty much any demographic.

So stop with the "we do it the right way at my show because...." BS. OF COURSE the rules are different at the retirement home in Iowa then at the gay bar in NYC. Don't be ridiculous and act like there is only one way to run a show!!

This includes these stupid debates on this board on filler music/censoring the book/system quality, etc.

There is nothing to debate here! The bottom line is that most everyone in here is right. If you have a steady karaoke gig, you are satisfying the demographic sitting in the seats, and whatever you are doing is RIGHT for your bar, even if it would be 180 degrees WRONG at the bar down the street.

I've always said that the fact that you care enough about your show to spend time on this board in the first place puts MOST people on this board in the top 10-15% of KJs in this country. It is the ones that don't care about their craft that ARE NOT on this board that you gotta worry about. Multi-riggers/pirates/undercutters and the type. Those are the shows that are not doing it the right way, not those of you who are argueing on this post/this board in general!

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C Mc
KJ, FL

ONLY the KJ decides on what songs he or she will carry in their library.
Its a BUSINESS and run how the KJ thinks it should run. ( Its their business)
All shows are unique for this apect of the business --shows are similiar but not everyone has the same libary of songs to choose from.

That being said

The success of any KJ show is having the "songs" that want to be sung and are appropriate for the time and venue,

Couldn't agree more Topher. Do what works for you and your venue. If it is successful great, if not rethink your plan. The End!

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"Don't worry. It will feel better when it quits hurtin."

I find that each venue has its different set of "standard rules". And it's our job to try to adjust to the venue's owners ideals. However, it's almost impossible if we have different venues, to justify printing different books for each venue. So, if a song that is allowed in one place, is not allowed in another, then all we have to do as hosts is let the singer themselves know that, that particular song isn't allowed "here", and tell them why. Don't try to make a big announcment about it, just tell the person 1-on-1 to look for a different choice. Those hosts who have only one venue have it much easier in this regards, because they CAN choose which songs are suitable for their own needs. It's really NOT cencorship, it's just guiding the wishes of the owners in how they would like the atmosphere in their clubs/venue. If a singer can't accept the rules of the house, go to another house then and sing whatever they will allow. NOT cencorship,,,,,ownership!

Would somebody please hand TopherM a cigar?

TopherM is correct: there is no "right or wrong" in this cottage business world. It's about what works for you depending on where you are.

I'm seeing more people saying do what works for you than saying my way is the only way in this thread. Most posters are simply defending their choice.

What I don't agree with is a show that allows profanity and adult content being a show with a lower class of people and bad singers.

I don't censor any songs unless the owner requests it in my venue now. I have a nice crowd with great singers. Sure I get the random drunk or jerk, but who doesn't. I don't have people competing to sing the most shocking songs and I'd say most songs sung with profanity are humorous or rare. When I started at this venue I had a rough crowd with fights etc... I've change that around through the yrs and I didn't do it with censoship. Don't get me wrong I can see how it would help in some instances. I'm just saying it isn't always necessary to have a nice crowd. I have 3 generations of familys in the bar sometimes. Grandmas, moms and daughters, all over 21 of course.. Is there a song here and there with a swear word, sure. But hearing the word he!! or sh!t once in awhile doesn't offend them. I do what works for me and I don't judge others that may do it differently.

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[shadow=pink][glow=deepskyblue]. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
[updown]~*~ MONKEY BUSINESS KARAOKE~*~ [/shadow][/updown][/glow]

If the KJ deletes stuff out of the "book", chances are the singers won't know it anyway. So they'll just sing what IS in the book.

If a JK doesn't have what I normally sing, I'll pick something else (even something new I haven't tried before).

That said, if never hear Picture, or Meatloaf, or Strawberry wine, Son of Preacher man, or Black Velvet, or a whole gaggle of songs again, it'll be great.

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For those about to rock, we salute you!!!

I host a 7 night a week show currently. I used to be in multiple venues all with different styles from G to X. I did not delete titles out of my book because of content because the cost would be rediculous to have different books for different venues. I did, however, edit the titles and had a notice in the books that stated "There may be songs in the library that contain explicit lyrics. This does not necessarily mean that these songs can be performed at this establishment. Please take this under consideration when selecting your songs. Thank you".

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"Don't worry. It will feel better when it quits hurtin."