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Like probably most of you, I don't allow the same song being sung twice the same night (very rare exceptions).

So at one of my last shows, I had a girl singing "I will always love you" by Whitney. She did a hell of a job on it, too. The audience was going wild, they liked it.

Now I had this other girl in the rotation, good singer too, but IMHO not as good as the first girl. She wants to put in the same song. So I tell her, that I'm sorry, but I don't allow the same song twice a night. Answer: "But I can do it so much better than she did". I had a smile in my head but kept my coolness. Not, that she was a bad singer, but I really doubt, that she could do it better. Besides, I don't allow it anyway. So again, I'm telling her, that I don't doubt that she can sing it better (crossing my fingers) but this is not, what the show is about. It's not a competition and bottom line, this is my rules, my policies, period. So she tries the flirting route with me, hugging me, come on sweetie and so on... So now I get very direct and make a clear point, that she can do sit ups and what not, it's not gonna change the fact, that she can't do the same song again. Now she's getting pissed and thinking, her flirting doesn't work she calls me gay (and some ).

So needless to say... I explained her in a nice way, that she's not singing at all anymore.

What's your point of view on the subject? What's your (funny) experiences?

Well the second girl was just trying to be rude period.  She wanted (for whatever reason) to try and show up the first singer and "steal some of her thunder".  The rest of her behavior in trying to manipulate you like that just further highlights her basic lack of scruples.

Personally, as a singer, if someone ever does sing "one of my songs" before I get around to it that evening, I'll sing something else.  That's just courtesy, in my opinion!

--Tad

I have had to come at it from the other way - I tell them that I sure wouldn't want them to make the first singer feel badly about the way they did the song by showing them up, and that the second singer probably would probably feel like a schmuck.

I say "first come, first served" on the songs and again, will say, "You know, maybe for the last song you can do it, if you can hang out that long."  

I often get this look from the regulars when someone sings "one of their songs."  I gently remind them that no one owns any songs in the book. Hard for some to swallow, and this is usually the case with singers who have a limited repertoire of songs they sing.

k

I would have handled it the same way.  People that use that "I'm so much better at it" line is THE reason I quit allowing the repeat songs.  Only rare exception would be if enough time has passed between the 2nd time from the first - usually at least 2 hours, & if the original singer is gone.  Also the line about "Hey that's MY song", well no it isn't otherwise you'd be performing somewhere other than a karaoke bar.  {just saw Karen said the same thing just about}!

Off topic but funny story.  This isn't about repeats, but was about a guy trying to talk his way into getting his girlfriend up, offering money - there was like 10 people in the rotation anyway that night.  I told him no, she would have to wait like everyone else.  He offered $50 in my face, thinking i'd just snatch it from his hand.  I said no.  He said you won't take my money , I said no.  He then says well how bout if I just kick you a$4?  I said well, if you did that, you'd be going down by security, have an assualt & battery charge against you, probably be going to jail AND your girlfriend won't get up at all as you both will be 86'd, now if you want to wait the 3 songs that it will take to have her sing again, then go sit down!  They waited & ended up staying all night & he apologized & actully tipped me the $50 at the end of the night.

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Every time I've heard the line "I can sing it better" they never can.

Ever.

I really don't have any hard rules about repeats except not in the same round. I wing it, depending on the two singers and their personalities, like I do too much probably.

Exactly. If they could, they would just pick another song that they can do well.

I have bunches of songs I won't do because it is "someone else's" song at that venue. Though if they can and do sing 20 or more different songs and I know it, I won't avoid their lesser songs.

Has anyone seen people with a Juhachiban? (Japanese word for one especially good song you do.) I saw one guy do "Travelin' Band" and wow the crowd with it. I waited eagerly for his second song and....he was terrible. He sang several other songs and all were poorly done.

Same here.  If I have something picked out and someone else does it first, I just pick something else--no biggie.  Fortunately, that hasn't happened very often.  Many times I pick songs that I've never heard anyone else sing for karaoke (and since I've only been karaoke-ing since 2005, there are still a lot of those).  Sometimes I'll pick stuff that other people have sung, though.  The one and only time I've sung "Before He Cheats" was for live-band karaoke, because that was something a little different.  I had been tired of hearing people sing it, but--what the hey, it's a live band!

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I love being a mom!

Funny how that happens. This also happens with contest songs - I've had to put on contests and people will sing the SAME song over and over, year after year, for the same contests,  thinking maybe this time they'll win with it. As a judge, I have actually marked them down for singing the same song, telling them that they have talent, why not learn something new? There are a lot of fabulous songs out there, why sing the same one over and over again?

Probably a new thread, but another contest pet peeve I have is people who sing songs that are 20 years old or older!  Come on ..... tons of new great stuff out there, and I'm tired of hearing "Fancy"  and "Drift Away" already....

k

What the heck is with "regulars" who will only sing a few songs anyways?  Ever since I FIRST started singing karaoke I always tried to find new songs to sing... I get SoOoOoOoOoo bored singing the same songs.  Since I have been hosting I have requests for me to sing songs that customers like to hear me sing, but to be honest I don't usually enjoy it after a certain point... I only do it to make customers happy.
... I guess I kinda semi-retire songs after a while...and then I will only bring them out on request.  I probably have 50 or more songs that I do fairly often... and then some others that I will do once a month or so... Also depends on the health of my voice on that particular night as to what songs I will pull from my list...

Anyways... singers who only will sing 3 songs or something ever... that just seems lame to me... LIVE A LITTLE.  

...There is just something about that nervousness that comes from singing a song from the first time that makes it exciting and causes you to step up your effort a bit....

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~ D.J. ~
Dothan, AL 36301

My Rig:

- Shure PGX/SM58 Wireless mics (4)
- Yamaha MG-16 6 FX Mixer
- Behringer EP2500 Power Amp
- DBX 266XL Comp/Gate
- JBL MPro 15" Speakers (x2)
- Behringer 15" Powered monitor
- Compaq Laptop
- Furman Rack light
- Furman Power Conditioner

Perhaps it is as much a boon as burden for me -- my low baritone means that when I do low-on-the-scale songs I sound good, and when I step down tenor songs I sound different.

Sounds like the way to go .......  Unless she was drop dead gorgeous with double D's and offering herself to you ???  :reddevil:  :reddevil:  :reddevil:  :reddevil:

COME ON !!! JUST KIDDING

ME TOO!!!!!!!     I try to do at least 1 new song each time I go karaoke-ing.  So many songs, so little time!  

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I love being a mom!

I so completely agree, now this is my stance on just being a curteous host period. I am not there to make anyone feel bad, hurt feelings, or show anyone up with a different singer.
I have maintained the no repeat song standard for years, I have had people try and bribe me, but still I say no. I get the same line too "But, I can do it better"

I have told people this is not a competition night, maybe come back when we are doing a contest or something and then sing it better. I know they wont, but its an easy way to just basically tell them to bring it.

I have had other hosts cut me down, or tell me that they will let people repeat songs because the host is there to cater to the singers. I agree partly yes, I cater to the singers, but I will not cater to anyone who is TRYING to make anyone feel bad, or out do anyone else.
Its karaoke and its suppose to be fun, not mean and competitive.
But I guess some are just that way.

I am glad to know of other hosts out there who feel the same as I do.

Once in a while I will let a song be done twice but never because somebody saw somebody do it and wants to try it or "can do it better"... every so often somebody who comes in an hour or two after the show started will request to sing a song that was done before they even got there...if it was at least a good hour or two ago and especially if the original singer has left or is too drunk to care I will let it slide ... I will tell them that it has already been done, but if they REALLY want to sing it I will put them up in a little while....

I think it is more about the intention than the fact that the song has been done already...

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~ D.J. ~
Dothan, AL 36301

My Rig:

- Shure PGX/SM58 Wireless mics (4)
- Yamaha MG-16 6 FX Mixer
- Behringer EP2500 Power Amp
- DBX 266XL Comp/Gate
- JBL MPro 15" Speakers (x2)
- Behringer 15" Powered monitor
- Compaq Laptop
- Furman Rack light
- Furman Power Conditioner

I really try to avoid a song being done twice, or make sure it has been a few hours at least....

As far as regulars go, when they are in a rut, I try to suggest new songs for them. I have a good knowledge of music from the 50's to today and a decent enough ear. If you make those type of suggestions to people, sometimes it is the only way they will ever expnd their repertoire.

My most recent example- older lady that sang 4 songs: Sing- The Carpenters, Love will Keep us Together- Captain and Tenille, These Boots are made for Walkin- Nancy Sinatra, and 1-2-3- Gloria Estefan. She was pretty bad at all of them, but had a high voice, loved oldies, and faster music. I now have her doing Up, Up, and Away & Marry Me Bill- Fifth Dimension, Lightning Striking- Lou Christie, and a few others. She now has almost 12 songs and doesn't make people run ou for a smoke (as often)

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Let's Kick the Tires and Light the Fires!

*grin*  Whenever there's a karaoke contest, I sing "Far Far Away".    As I've said before, I'm not a competitive singer.  I sing for the fun of it.

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I love being a mom!

it depends a lot on the song, and the singers attitude. if one of the singers is a reg that sings the song often I will let them both do it , as long as its as least an hour apart.

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the voices arent real, but they have some good ideas

When not running my own show I like to show support for other karaoke shows in my area by showing up to sing.  As I tend to sing songs that you rarely hear at karaoke (think "He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother), I do not come across people singing "my songs". However, when I do, I politely ask the KJ to remove my slip from the pile and I choose a new one.

We have the same policy of a song only being sang once a night. And last night I had the "But I can do it better than the other". We have over 10,000 I'm sure there is another song that they can do. Of course no they didn't want anything else to do with me for the rest of the night. And to be honest this gal usually only sing one song and it wasn't even the song she wanted to sing.

[font=verdana] I really like the song, Pour Me by Trick Pony, so after practicing it for more than a week, I went to the Friday night show, all pumped up. I was going to knock ‘em dead with my new song.  Johnny says, “Mom, D*** just did that song.  He said maybe I could do it towards the end of the show, (yes, an exception for me, but he knew how hard I had been practicing, and I am his Mama, after all. )There was no way I wanted to do it after her, she is one of our best singers, and I knew I would suffer by comparison.  That girl nails everything she sings, and has a very diverse repertoire.  Alas,  :( she is the one moving out of state. But I’m sure we’ll see her when she visits her family up here.  She loves to sing and has really been an asset to our show. [/font]

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Dusty Rose
Blue Rose Classic Karaoke
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