Karaoke Forums

Don't be ridiculous, Ollie. This is not regulation, it is the rules and standards of a private entity, a club or a karaoke host. Rules are OK. Laws preventing rules are not.

Freedom is more than allowing every type of degenerate behavior at any time -- it is allowing people to choose how they live. Some people choose not to expose themselves to the F-word, and that is OK. It is what freedom is about. Just because you have freedom of speech, it doesn't mean that you can come into my house and let loose. If you do, I kick you out. Plain and simple.

Now if there was a law preventing a club or host from allowing swearing, that would be another thing. That is freedom of speech.

Time Out!

Do we really have to argue about censorship? The original post had words like "beach" and "restaurant" The OP reiterated later saying "popular karaoke songs you are aware of that should be avoided in a "G" environment.

Can we rename the thread "not G-rated songs" or "children present" ??

My contribution:

Devil Went Down to Georgia (radio version "you son of a gun")

Tyrone (Erykah Badu) "come get your sh*t" GREAT SONG FOR BILL H venue-slow but fun!

I'm just sort of skimming over this post.  I agree with just about every song that you have all cited as having overtly profane llyrics or double entendres.  However, the one song that I must break ranks with you all over is "Because I Got High."  I must admit that when this song first came out my knee-jerk reaction was to condemn it as a pro-pot smoking anthem.....then I read the words while somebody sang it at karaoke (not one of my shows). If you pay attention, the singer in the song reveals how smoking pot has ruined his life.

In response to above, one of the problems I ran into when I tried to list  explicit language songs was that I was finding myself recommending people pull some of the best songs in karaoke. I agree about "Because I.." a smart funny song with a message.

I haven't seen Dan (one of the main singers) yet but after what Lonnie said, and doing some checking, I'm pretty sure that there are some extra lines in "Anthem" that are his. It's not a song I was all that familiar with before karaoke. I think I heard it on the radio but that's always sanitized so I just assumed (wrongly) that those words were in there. At any event it's definitely not another "I Wanna Love You" (a song with two sets of lyrics).

Just to clear that up.

Actually it doesn't make any sense at all.  Making love is the whole shebang, naked bodies, penetration, rattling headboards.  You can't make love in a theater, you can go down in a theater.  And from personal experience I know you can give hand jobs in a theater as well.  But be sure to pick up some extra napkins from the concession stand or it makes for a somewhat uncomfortable rest of the movie.

Re-invention.. You are too funny!!

Laura, even though some people may clean up the lyrics many do not.  Often times they sill put a lot of emphasis on the parts of the song that are the dirtiest.  I too sing You Oughta Know.  It is one of my favorites.  I dont sing the f bomb but I do sing the rest.  And I always make sure it it later in the evening whether I am hosting or just singing.  I would never sing the song within earshot of children.

I really do like to think that people would have a general respect for others and realize that cursing is not acceptable to everyone nor is it acceptable in many social situations.   Don;t get me wrong I can curse like a sailor myself, when I want to and when I am in the appropriate place and company.  However, I will use this example.  I would never ever curse in front of my parents.  They raised me to be respectful of them and all my family members.  In our family you do not curse to your elders.  We all know we do it, just not in that area.  

Not only all of that.  In my opinion people that use curse words in every single sentance ussually sound as if they are lacking education.  There are far better words that can be used in the place of cursing.

Except maybe when you get your foot run over by a car, fall out of a tree, get a chair slammed over your head in a bar or something to that effect....

<stepping off soapbox>

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Will sing or fish for food!!I'm not quite right!!

If that happened I would probably just scream loudly!  *shudders to think of how any of those things would feel*  

BTW, Isis, since we were talking about Donna Summer, that gave me the idea last night to sing--no, not "Love to Love You Baby", but "On the Radio".  That's one of her clean ones.     The crowd had fun singing along!

*we now return you to your regularly scheduled topic*

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I love being a mom!

...Because there are no headboards, I guess?  

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I love being a mom!

adds a whole new dimension to the Rocky Horror Picture Show

toast, squirt guns, lighters, HEADBOARDS

"you bi*ch, you sl*t, you wh*re"

The song has its humor value, but here's where it becomes vulgar....
I was gonna make love to you but then I got high
I was gonna eat yo (@$%&#!) too but then I got high
now I'm jacking off and I know why, yea heyy,
- cause I got high [repeat 3X]

(La da da da da da da da da)

I wouldn't want to all ow someone to sing something like that in front of a 12 year old. Would you????

Out of RESPECT to the Parents!!!!
WARNING!!!! Very GENERALIZED Statement here!!!!
The plain and simple truth is, SOME Parents can act like total prudes when they're with their children. They want to keep them safe and protected all the times. They don't want to admit that their kids already know how to curse, or that they listen to that kind of music all the time, and thus, they would rather just let off steam by accusing YOU of exposing their sweet innocent child to such vulgarities.

Karaoke is hosted in Bars, but it is also hosted in Bar/Restaurants (where families go out to eat... for example, places like Pizzeria Uno's, TGIFriday's, etc...). My personal opinion is, a Bar is no place for a Minor. So, unless the place is a Family style Restaurant, anything should be allowed without censorship (provided it's part of the song, and not improvisation on the part of the singer), and if the Parents don't like it, they should get a Babysitter the next time they decide to go out to a Bar; however, if the KJ has a rule about such singing, I can respect that and find other things to sing.   

I like to sing some dirty songs on occasion when I go out to Karaoke. Before I do, I will scope out the crowd, and use my judgement in deciding whether I can pull it off or not. If I see children present, it's a no-brainer. If I see a large elderly crowd around, it's a crap-shoot (I've actually been surprised when I've been approached by a 60's plus group of people, and they've asked me to sing "The Pussycat Song" (because they heard me sing it before, and loved it)). Even if I'm at a place where we're all the same basic age group, it's still a crap-shoot if I choose to sing something with language or sexual content in it. Some places/crowds just don't like that type of performance and some places eat it up. Like I said, it's a judgement call.

 

Sir: I am not being rediculous. I have never sang the rodeo song and probably never will. I have done karaoke in bars where maximum exposure was allowed. I do a dinner club where kids are all0wed until 9P. I will reiterate. When there are kids present NOBODY uses bad language. If a mother is present and you cuss you will probably wind up with a bloody nose. At appropriate times we will get down and dirty. We do not need somebody else telling us how to live..

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Join The Karaokle Singers Social Network. Upload Your Music!!

So glad you tried that one and it went over well.  I tried Last Dance once.  I didn't so so well.  I should try it again at home first.  LOL

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Will sing or fish for food!!I'm not quite right!!

You have rules, then. They are just unwritten.

Swearing whether it's "in" the song or not adds nothing to the quality of a show.    It degrades it.    It insults people.   It serves no purpose.      It's immature.

And don't give me the #@%& about artistic expression.    It was meant to sell records to immature buyers, period.    The ones that like the shock factor.   That's all.   It works because every immature has a copy.

I have one very bad habit.      I swear like 10 drunken sailors.     But not in mixed company.  Not in front of kids.    Not at my karaoke show.

Holy cow!!  QUICK!! Someone check h$ll to see if it has frozen over. SW admitted he has a bad habit..... Gosh darn and I thought he was perfect...

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Will sing or fish for food!!I'm not quite right!!

Well you gotta add "Crazy Bytch"  by Buckcherry to the list. A lot of girls seem to like this song though.  There's some mysteries that are best left unsolved I guess.  LOL

I guess we have to add Summer Nights to this list because I don't think I have heard anyone sing the real version without altering the lyrics in years....

Since coming back to this board it is refreshing that the discussion is no longer legal/illegal, but this is getting almost as ridiculous.

As a matter of fact, this discussion started as it should, with blatant songs, such as the Rodeo song, Ode to my Car, and Snoop Dogg. I don't think many people disagree that at the very least these songs are post 11:00PM song no matter where you are. However, it then progressed into second tier songs like You Outta Know, B*tch, etc. Songs that have only one or 2 dirty words, but are generally aceppted and even got radio play.

After that this thread and other went to merely sexually suggestive and or violent songs. 95% of the songs we sing could be fit into this category depending on who is interperting the lyrics.

We will be left with nursery rhymes and lullabies. This is the problem with censorship- it starts with the noblest of intentions, but rapidly snowballs....

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Let's Kick the Tires and Light the Fires!

What follows is part of my posting when I began this thread:



One of the responses to the above:


Where did that come from?  Didn't I clearly define the parameters for this thread to be a family environment?  So why are there so many who need another opportunity to rant and rave about censorship (in general).  I don't care what you think about censorship; I've drawn my own conclusions in that regard.

Wouldn't it be nice if most threads actually stayed on topic and focused on solving the inherent problem and/or providing the requested advice.  I asked for assistance in achieving a goal that I had established for myself: learning what songs cannot be allowed in a family environment.  I did not request any critiques of my desires.

Rather than rising to the occassion, some are just compelled to spout off.  Why can't folks just help?  Joe Charteuse has a thread about what songs he should consider in his mind to entertain young kids at a show he will be doing.   Why not tell him it doesn't matter what the ages and tastes of the kids are.  Since they're in attendance with adults, why can't the kids, along with the adults, hurl a few good "f-bombs". It would be a great bonding experience, fathers and daughters seeing who could gross out whom the most?

And in no way could the parents justify a public outcry in response to such a performance without appearing to be disingenuous!  Surely the parents aren't prudes so why would they want to act and look like prudes?  Clearly, all of the prudes have been driven from the earth.  And as parents they must know that their 2nd graders have a well-rounded vocabularly in and previous exposure to smut, vulgarities and the like!  So, let's just condone such experiences for children rather than reject them.  And considering that Karaoke is such a sophisticated art form, we should allow it, in its entirety, to be thrust not only upon our children, but upon an unsuspecting public, as well (like during a family day at the beach)!! Yeah

It's been stated over and over again that karaoke is hosted in bars
Well...........it's also hosted in bar/restaurants...in restaurants without bars (maybe w/wine & beer license).... in restaurants without alcohol licenses....in coffee shops...on the boardwalk in Hollywood..AND OTHER PLACES THAT CATER TO FAMILIES.   So, what's the point to any discussion regarding where karaoke is offered?   Are some of you implying that karaoke is for adults only?