Karaoke Forums

I have always been a proponent of censoring lyrics, but because of the strong opinions on this forum to the contrary, I reconsidered my position and have relaxed my standards somewhat, depending upon the venue and the song. That, of course, makes the matter subjective on my part and I could easily "miscall" at any turn what is appropriate.

Well, I may go back to my total ban philosophy.

Why?

I was at the Mobil Beat convention in Vegas last week. At a karaoke show held in a local casino on the strip, not at a hotel, they took exception to any remotely troublesome lyrics. In fact, they frowned upon the lyrics found in the Pussycat Song . Personally, while I find the lyrics disgustingly suggestive, I have never considered banning the song at any of my shows, even ones with minors in attendance. To me, it's kinda like My Ding A Ling!

I think it is an all or nothing type of situation that depends on the venue. We are in a dive where the bar owner himself wants to hear the cat song along with The Rodeo Song, etc. So I bought cheapo versions of those songs and was going to leave them out of the book and just wait for someone to ask if we had them. But then it got to, well if I take that out, what about this and it was overwhelming so I put them back in. Lately we've had a rash of people seeking out all the raunchy songs to do because one person hears someone say f and they want to say f, too.

On the other hand my boyfriend just attended the retirement party of a host where we used to live. I would feel embarrassed just doing Amy Winehouse's "You know I'm No Good" there, although I do it regularly at the dive. That show has run 16 years. The place was packed to the point that each person got in one song during the entire 5 hours. Everyone was dancing and clapping for the singers and having a good time. I would take out everything questionable if I was playing that venue.

I don't know that we could attract different people at a dive by cleaning up the book as we are serving the crowd that is already there. But if we were to get a nice restaurant/lounge then we would censor the books in order to appeal to a wider range of people. I might not have said this a year ago but I've decided it would be the way to go now. Until I change my mind again.

You guys are lucky, you have a choice to censor or not to censor. For us the government does it.

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

Kinda puts things in a new perspective Jian. We take so much for granted in the US.

And I've been gripping about a pirate.

Mojo

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"It looks just like a Telefunken U47 !"

We will be there sooner than we think.

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Music speaks to the heart in ways words cannot express.

UH OH!

RLC, We all have an opportunity to slow up the cencorship this November elections. Let's make sure we continue our freedom of speech. I will not allow any songs with vulgarity, and or non-stop cussing to be sung at my venues. With freedom comes responsibilty, and we don't need to keep going down this path to needless displays of improper behavior. We are loosing our English language to vulgar terms and slang. I am 59 years old and I grew up in a time that only the uneducated used profanity, now most use it so frequently that they can't make a statement without it.

Mrmarog

Completely agree! Our club doesn't allow any song with cussing - period. Doesn't hurt the crowds a bit. If they want to cuss, I tell them they can go down the street to sing that.

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LIKE Lonman on Facebook - Lonman Productions Karaoke & my main site via my profile!

As with most things..there's a time and place for everything

Not allowing "cursing" or vulgarity I don't consider "censorship" really.
Depending on the karaoke venue some songs probably go over REALL well with the cussing.

Personally --I'm not a fan of CUSSING just for the shock value of the song.

Yup. Seems we have already lost spelling as well.

Yes, the November elections are going to be very, very important.

Now I know that censorship is a long ways away, but we as a country are on a very slippery slope, one that frankly scares me. I am also in my mid 50's and the country I grew up in no longer exists. I would really like some of it back.

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Music speaks to the heart in ways words cannot express.

ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh zing!

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KingBing Entertainment C'mon Up! I have a song for you!!! [font=MS Sans Serif][/font]

Yes It is Called the dumbing Down of America, it happens when some people cant progress with the others or even keep up, so the Media thinks it's their job to make everyone see things at the same level and it's not the top level. so we are expected to Dumb down, as was just recently spread on TV this past Super Bowl " who Dat? " what the heck are we allowing to be done right in front of our noses?

that goes for modern music as well all the cussing and no melody just some mindless screaming of random words into a cupped microphone to a sample of a song that was written 30 years ago because they have no musical Talent to write their own.
The Dumbing Down of America.

White Trash , Black trash, its all the same. The Media is our worst enemy

I vote to take the POLITICIANS out of politics.
Whatever happened to just doing what is RIGHT no matter what party or GROUP you belong to. Once you take the BIG MONEY out of politics you're left with averahge people doing what is right for the country and the world.

I guess you never have to look for a party.........Party finds you......

Gonna barbecue after I finish tenderizin'

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Dave's not here.

Moonrider, We need to revisit censorship every chance we get. Freedom of speech is our greatest right. You might be feeling like we are beating a dead horse, but at least we are still able to dicuss it!

Mrmarog

I would like to say that the singers should be mature and intelligent enough to know when they can sing a song with potentially offensive lyrics and when not. For example last night I was at another bar and heard: pussycat song, lap dance is so much better, killing in the name of, ode to my car.

I was then requested by those that know me to do You Mother's Got A (@$%&#!), which had the KJ in tears.

One of the bars I host at is not quite ready for that although then again we've still played (@$%&#!) Her Gently, Show Them To Me so what do I know!

- Jonn

Reeeaaaly? You favor freedom of speech!

Why did you come out so strongly in favor of abridging that right, then? I quote:



Freedom of speech doesn't just protect speech you approve of. It also protects speech you may find absolutely repulsive.

it protects those who spew "profanities and vulgarities"

It protects those who advocate racism, sexism and religious intolerance.

It protects those who publicly call for the peaceful overthrow of the government.

It protects pornography.

It even protects the unthinkable (and unthinking) hypocrisy so blindingly illuminated by the two quotes from you in this post.

Now stop straddling the fence and think about what you really believe. When it comes to freedom it's all or nothing.

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Dave's not here.

What's ironic tovmod is this is exactly why I have such an issue with censorship. The problem with censorship is where do you draw the line. Everyone has a different level of tolerance for language and suggestive lyrics. How do you say this is ok but that's not? The S word is ok but not the F word. There's just no way to please everyone. So I choose to let the songs speak for themselves. I didn't write them, I didn't record them so if someone wants to get mad at me for letting someone else sing it in an adult environment well there's nothing I feel I can do about that. Trying to censor my songs is just one more headache I don't need to deal with.

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DJ Tony
Let It Rip Karaoke