Karaoke Forums

I have removed songs from my library...but only the ones that have offended someone. When the bar owner and customers come to me and complain about a song having disgusting language and content, then I will take it out of the book for that venue.
If a customer complains that I don't have it...I can tell him/her that I do have it but it's not allowed at such-n-such place but if they want to visit me at another venue they can sing the song.
I do wish people wouldn't get such a kick out of being gross and cussing on the mic...

Oh well... that's life in karaoke

Three years of hosting karaoke has numbed my senses so much that nothing really bothers me personally anymore. Not even Picture, which I now view as a four minute break from my station.

However like all of us there are songs that I don't like to see come up because they've been done so much, or because we know the room is just going to tune it out.

No one has ever done My Way. American Pie was done maybe once last year. Crazy has only been sung just a handful of times. Walk, Down With The Sickness, Turn The Page... almost nightly.

If there's one that I care for the least it would be Friends. But that's because I'm stuck to the mixer. You just never know where the singer's volume will be from the intro to the chorus. But like last Saturday, it's usually done by a guy from table that's been supporting the show all night, buying round after round, and eventually one of them gets the nerve to sing.

And that's what they put up. Well they've earned it in my book.

The only song I've ever pulled is PBTDBL. And that's because of the devastating effect it has on the room. I watched the place practically empty out the last time I allowed it. But they'll tolerate Summer Nights, which gets done a lot. Maybe because it's half the length... I dunno.

Like Knightshow stated, I don't take any songs out of my books, due to me not liking them. I don't take out offensive songs for a particular venue. I am not going to have different songbooks for different venues. Way too much work, but I will tell someone that the song they picked is not going to be played at this location, if due to profanity.

The customer is usually right, and if I have it, they can sing it, nomatter how much I dislike it. It usually is the best drinker and tipper. I have a customer who will buy me drinks all night long, and all I have to do is sing 2 songs I would normally not sing. The customer doesn't sing at all, just eats, drinks, and enjoys the show. I will Sing "Tarzan Boy" and "Together Forever" at different points during the show. I always get one over with quick, before the real crowd gets there.

Felix the KJ

Man I sometimes wish the songs you all are mentioning WOULD be sang at my shows. Bohemian Rhapsody is one that does get done regular.

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I took the profane ones out of my book because I am not the only KJ using this book...some of my other KJ's don't know which songs are the ones not to be played at certain venues. If they ask I will tell them what the song numbers are so they can be played at places where it doesn't matter. Good thing is also, these songs aren't request very often.

There are only three that I have banned. I banned them because I was getting complaints not because I personally don't like the songs.

2 songs I would get rid of in a heart beat would be: Low Places by Garth Brooks and Sweet Caroline by Neil Diamond! I hate those songs. I had never heard either of those songs till I started going to karaoke and now I know them by heart... thats how much people sing them!

Hey, this is fun! Reminds me of a couple stories. Recently, I performed "Closer" by Nine Inch Nails, late at night with no one there, just to let my poor innocent KJ know what exactly she had in her songbook (It's a great song, actually, but certainly not for the faint of heart).

Then there was the night where my pal and I were listening to perhaps the worst karaoke singer we had ever heard, hacking a Journey song to pieces, having absolutely no business trying something that high and hard. When the rotation swung around again, we cringed in anticipation and then heard the opening chords of his choice: "Stairway to Heaven." AUUUUUUUUGH!!!!

And Amen on Turn the Page. Not a bad song, but always performed by the drunkest guy in the bar.

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See/hear the serial version of Michael's karaoke novel, "Outro," at outronovel.blogspot.com

That wretched Paradise is by FAR the first on the list. Add to that Hotel California, Bohemian Rhapsody, and The Weight......maybe Horse With No Name as well..

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"No Contests, No Divas, Just A Good Time!"

" Disc based and loving it..."

Horse With No Name? I don't think i've EVER heard that one done, always liked that one.

Funny thing is with the wanting to ban - Bohemian, Hotel, Paradise, they are get a great crowd response everytime at my show. Paradise isn't done as often as the other two.

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EXACTLY on the audience response!

What songs did you remove, LisaH??

I hate to say, cause some ppl here might take offense But, Closer by NIN was one, Ode to My Car was another, and...shoot...can't think of the other one right now. *did ya hear that WHOOOSH* went right outta my head!

and before anyone says anything...I'll say again, I didn't take these songs out because I personally don't like them...I think Ode to my Car is funny as all getout, but when my bar owners complain (and two of the three bars I work at did), then that seals the deal...it's out of the book!

I would never take out a song because of my personal taste...that would be counter-productive. Besides, even a song that is over-played can be enjoyable when it's done well.

I've also gotten quite adept at not 'hearing' ...I set the sound for each singer, make sure it's as good as I can get it, then I'm back concentrating on the rest of my job...usually answering some customers' question. Funny how I can really not be 'hearing' the song being sung, but I can keep one ear on the sound and make needed adjustments as the song progresses...

So, really, as for over-played songs...Yeah, I'd probably prefer not to listen to that last note on Summer Nights ever again...there's no way I'd ever take it out of the book. Shoot...am sick to death of Picture but find myself singing along....

Off topic....what are 'points'? I see I have some....

The reward you get for posting in the forum.

I donate some to you and you can go shopping in the forum shop

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I can neither confirm nor deny ever having or knowing anything about nothing.... mrscott

Amazingly, I do exactly the same thing. As for PBTDL, the only reason I would ban it is because it's inevitably requested at the end of the night when I'm trying to get as many singers as possible in. Just plain annoying.
As for Celine and Mariah, I do exactly what Lisah does... tune it out. Some annoying bits still get through, though.

As for points, I would like to know what they're for as well.

Thank you....and what do I do with them?

Oh Wow...SHOPPING!!

PBTDL is not one that gets sung here...don't know why. But yeah..the end of the night is always when ppl are trying to sing the LONGEST song they can think of...it is irritating. I frequently play overtime because of ppl like that..

"Folsom Prison Blues" - someone's always gotta mumble this one the whole way through.

"Before He Cheats" - has definitely lost its charm. Was great when it was new, but now .... just overdone.

"Ring of Fire" - hate to pick on Johnny Cash, but another one that gets mumbled through more often than not.

"We didn't start the fire" - not a whole lot of singing talent needed here, and goes on and on and on....

I'm not so much for all out banning all of these songs entirely, just want to see 'em done a little less.

In general, I also just get slightly annoyed when people do the EXACT SAME songs every night they go to karaoke shows. I can see wanting to warm up with something you know, but gotta try some new stuff here and there. There's so much untapped karaoke material in these books!

I've heard "We Didn't Start The Fire" like three times in ten years at karaoke!

Ya can't get rid of Sweet Caroline! That's the official Karaoke Starter Song! One of the biggies for newbies to start rolling on!

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"No Contests, No Divas, Just A Good Time!"

" Disc based and loving it..."