Karaoke Forums

Tonight, while a regular was singing "Unchained Melody" by the Righteous Bros., a man came up to me and said "A good KJ would never let anyone sing this song".

This regular who was singing does a very good job with that song, and there were several couples slow dancing to it.

I responded by telling him that a good KJ lets people sing what they want (as long as the bar permits it-- profanity, etc.).

He then said, "Okay, keep thinking that".

I asked him if he was a KJ, and he said he used to be, and he would never let people sing "sh*t like that".

Wow.

sounds like he ruined your night, sorry to hear that

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"Be who you are and say what you feel... Because those that matter... Don't mind...And those that mind... Don't matter."

What an idiot...

You're right, he's wrong. Keep that in mind, laugh about it and move on.

My thoughts exactly!! we had a bar owner get on the mic and say people had to stop singing rock songs once... a few weeks later nobody was singing anything and we didn't have a show..Dictating what people sing is pretty foolish. I have been known to hold off on "killing me softly" till I can slow down the tempo slowly, then hit em hard right after it so I dont loose the crowd but I will NOT refuse to let somebody sing there song. killing me softly is still killing me. thankfully not verry often, but it IS rough on a crowd.

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the voices arent real, but they have some good ideas

Master....

APPARENTLY, you had your "tongue in cheek" when you selected the title for the subject of this thread.

I wonder what responses you would have gotten if you asked your critic some of the following questions:
- Why aren't you hosting now?
- Are you suggesting that a host who lets guests select whatever they want to sing from the show's song catalog is a bad host?
- Was "Unchained Melody" in his catalog? (It is an extremely popular song at karaoke-IMHO)
- What did you do when someone requested "that" song or any other song you didn't approve of?
- What qualities make for a good host and is not playing a requested song one of them?


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I am curious what is so significant about "Killing Me Softly" as compared to any other slow song that is commonly sung at karaoke shows?

no kidding... there's a reason you're not a kj. You tell people what you can and can't sing. Bull F*N SH&T!

I would have told him to " rub some dirt on it,it will feel better".

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SERVING THE COMMUNITY SINCE LAST TUESDAY

That is just crazy. I advertise Unchained Melody as the greatest love song ever written. I'm not sure that it is all that, but it is one of the best slow dance songs. I always end my club shows with this song, most of time dj. I have two regulars that can really nail this song (brothers) sometimes I can talk one of them into doing it. I have never seen this song not go over well.


Sometimes customers will have good suggestions but this is not one. One thing I have learned is that ex kj's can give the worst advise.

Maybe thats why this clown is an EX-KJ!!

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"You know that I sing the Blues and I do not suffer fools. When I'm on that silver mic, it's gonna cut ya, just like a knife"-The SWINGCAT

Thats just someone crazy.. That song is a classic, and if you have someone that sings it well, then thats a bonus....rock on...

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I stand alone, but not in solitude - those I love and those I have loved are forever with me.

I didn't mean to imply from the title that I believed this guy's assertation of my Kj skills had any merit.

If I took the advice of all the drunks, wannabe KJs, ex-KJs, and other assorted "experts", I would indeed be probably the world's worst KJ!

I try to laugh about things that ridiculous, instead of letting it ruin my night.

I can't stand jerks like that. If he said he USED to run karaoke, that is probably why he no longer does it. KJ hosts don't make it long when they have a cocky or rude attitude and don't support singers for what they do. I find a lot (not all) of former KJ's end up being the most pushy and rude when they come to my shows.

You did right by saying that good hosts let everyone have a chance to sing. People like that should just stay home and watch American Idol on TV if they don't want to hear people both good and bad singing music of all types. That is what karaoke is supposed to be.

I had the same thought as others....maybe that explains why he is an EX kj!

I just love these type of customers....ugggggggggggh! Let people sing what they want to sing! I had a gentleman come up and ask me if I did this for a living the other night. There is no good way to answer that, if the quack is looking to start something. These are also the same wonderful people that say, can't you play something else? I say, sure..what would you like to hear? Oh, anything but this! Hhahaha, coming right up! ***step off***
MrD

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[highlight=midnightblue]MrD - KJ/DJ Specialist
Visit MrD on facebook - mrdsentertainment
& on myspace - larrynance[/highlight]

Well that answers your question right there, with an attitude like that he will loose his KJ gigs and be an EX kj.

Sure sometimes people sing songs YOU don't like. It is part of the job.

But unchained melody spent 45 weeks on the top 40 in both the 60s and the 90s (as a re-release) a lot of people like the song.

I've discovered that the worst critics out there are KJs without a room. It's just jealousy and envy. Of course there's nothing wrong with "Unchained Melody."

The criticisms I get most from these guys is that I let the singers perform the... shall we say.... "edgier" material lyrics-wise. "I'd never allow something like that in my room!" Well, which one of us has a steady job?

this thread has reminded me, although I KJ and do a cabaret act, every once in a while I do get the night off... I never know how to handle myself at someone elses karoke show... the moment I'm on stage I look like an entertainer ( I do calm down considerably but the voice gives me away). If I say something, I feel like I'm under pressure to do well and I also feel that I'm just showing my over inflated ego.... If i don't, i give the game away anyhow and i feel I'm being deceitful, or perhaps it looks like i'm trying to upstage the host.

I can spot a good entertainer in my room, from a mile. They have a life and soul of the party about them. i love them, and usually ask if they work in the industry and what they do. But few shows have the meet and greet that we do...

any suggestions?

Yeah, stop worrying so much about it and just have fun while you're there. I can guarantee you care more about it than anyone else in the audience does.

[quote="Re Invention @ Mon Oct 06, 2008 5:10 pm"

Yeah, stop worrying so much about it and just have fun while you're there. I can guarantee you care more about it than anyone else in the audience does.[/quote]

good point

I had a regular who would sing "Killing Me Softly". I talked them into to trying the Fugee version. Now people don't mind it so much.

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