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There’s a great song called “Closing Time” by Greenday…



I found it a good song to close out the night when I did a bar.

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After the usual, thank the bar staff, management etc, we're back next (enter day) etc.... and quick joke "thank you for having me and if you haven't had me yet meet me out back in ten minutes". Our show finishes on "Love shine a light" Katrina and the Waves.

It's cheesy at it's best, but has the all important key change (to upift the mood) and a soft finish, (without a fade out ending which tends to leave the crowd wanting more) to calm the night down.

Everyone knows it as our "end of night song", everybody in the Uk knows it, despite it rarely being on the radio or a music channel(Eurovision baby!!!!).

I never cared for the song much, until it got played by accident at a rough pub i used to do (we're talking fights and police every saturday). I'd never seen so many tattoo'd men hugging and waving their arms before.... thats when i knew their was something magical about it.

A few of our long term regulars complain that it's time to change it, but no one can suggest anything better. Musically Lonestars "Amazed", fits the formula but the lyrics are about lovers rather than friends. "You raise me up" would have been good, but I think radio play and Westlife have ruined it for many.

Edited to add: I call time on the slips about 10minutes earlier than I should, and just advise "from this point on i can not promise you will get to sing, I'll do mybest but no promises". All new singers then go to the back of my rotation. I'm usually faster than i think, and the early warning tends to make those singing get to the stage quicker (the pressures on by all the possible new singers at this point) I tend to finish on time (maybe a couple of minutes over) and everyone who wants to sing would have sung.

I used to call time on slips exactly when I could no longer fit anyone in, people would then leave, someone would get lost in the toilet, i'd have someone change their song one minute in, and the the person at the end of the line, would nearly always get missed out. The new method seems to give the impression that I work harder to let everyone sing, and that I'm generally a nicer person. Reality: there is no difference in the show, if anything the new method wastes more time, as more people argue with me over if they'll be able to sing or not. But perception is everything.

Don't you mean "by Semisonic"?

Take Your Drunk A$$ Home by Big Al Carson, great tune that tells exactly like it is and always brings a smile to everyone's face

(Announcements, thanks for coming, cya next time, yadda yadda yadda)

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Absolutely. Semisonic. And it is a great closing song. If there is time for it and our manager isn't too swamped he comes up and closes us up with it. And every one sings the chorus with him....

I know who I want to take me home
Take me home....

It's a great song, and a great sing-a-long if anyone in the room is under 40.

edit: Remember now the singer is the manager. So the line in the song he emphasizes the most....

Closing time. You don't have to go home but you
CAN'T...
STAY...
Here!!!!!

As far as cutting off slips .... Thats tough, if you cut off slips say at 12:00 you may already have "accepted" slips from people who may not sing ? Then again if you cut off slips and people leave before hand you may find yourself with "TIME" on your hands after you have already told someone there is no time .... TRICKY thing

personally I don't cut off slips but make a judgement call once I see the last rotation is long enough to finish the night ... I DO MAKE AN EFFORT to tell anyone handing in slips late ......THAT THEY MAY NOT GET UP TO SING ..but if something changes I'll call them. On Thursdays gig I'm just learning that the LATE COMERS are coming in from across the streets karaoke show

What would you do with these singers
A) Try to get them up to sing in the hopes to make a REGULAR
B) F'em

That's why I HAVE a cut off time. If we get these late comers that are coming in from across the street, as long as they get there before the cut off time, I can get them in. If they get there after, sorry, come earlier next time! The cut off primarily is enforced to make sure everyone that has been in the bar and has a slip up will get a chance to sing their last song. It's rare that I do a cut off & people leave before the sing after handing me a slip - not to say it hasn't happened, just not very often.

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This is so interesting to me because the way I do things is so different.

I have never announced I'm cutting off slips. I have to admit probably 80% of my patrons have song cards. I'm getting very few slips turned in unless you are trying a new song or new to the bar. Everyone knows closing time is 2am unless there are a lot of people still there, I go to 3am.

I may have people ask me if they will get their last song in and I try to figure it out the best I can. But with so many people leaving because I'm closing at 2, I don't know who will still be there are not. You can't tell if you use song cards to hold people's place in line. It isn't like they put a slip in.

I do feel bad though if someone has obviously been waiting and I know they won't get to sing again, so I'll walkb over and explain it to them.

I have been to karaoke bars where the KJ doesn't tell people if they'll get to sing or not and they don't think twice about it. If I want to know I'll ask hestitantly because I don't want to be a pest. I guess it doesn't bother me, but I'd like to know.

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Another good one to play is "Goodnight Sweetheart".

The one place I go to... when the bar staff says "cut it", whatever song is playing is the last one, and all that is said is "Last call". Everyone knows that's it.