Karaoke Forums

I think it's just something it takes awhile to get used to, and then once you get there you wonder what all the fuss was about. When I first started doing karaoke the thought of singing "Manic Monday," a song I really like, was too much for me because it's clearly gender-specific for a woman.

At some point, I just figured what the hell, I like the song, I'll do it. And the lines "He tells me in his bedroom voice/C'mon honey, let's go make some noise," don't even bother me. If it bothers other people, I figure that's their problem. I think most of the time they just think it's funny. I'm already married so it's not like I need to pick up chicks.

Then again, there are some places where you don't want to cause any trouble if you want to get out of there in one piece, so I guess you just have to know your venue.

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Reward: nine yen in drawer.

I've done a few gender benders, mostly on kamikaze karaoke (we have friends turn in slips w/ our names on it). Imagine a guy singing, er, butchering completely and totally "Did I Shave My Legs For This?". It was horrible - I had never even heard the song before and was thrown into singing.

I've been tempted to do some gender benders but I have a strange voice that makes it hard sometimes. I do gravelly stuff most of the time (think Louis Armstrong), and other than Macy Gray (who I don't for) I don't know too many other women that have a gravelly voice and are low enough for me to sing (or high enough - I can also do a falsetto).

There's lots of gender bendering by professionals. I know of a number of songs on "The Glory Of Gershwin" that are gender bent - Elton John doing Someone to Watch Over Me/Our Love Is Here To Stay is pretty interesting.

Try Dinah Washington or Billie Holliday for the "Gravel Effect". I do both these ladies pretty decently without gravel, just fits my low voice well. Others I've done successfully are Linda Ronstadt (some songs) and Sarah Vaughn. If I had a decent falsetta, I'd love to try Etta James (At Last). I have a bit of a problem with Judy Garland (really strains my voice) but I love her music, so I do it anyway on occasion.

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Jazz and Swing Live (as long as I do).

I actually have some Billie Holiday and never even thought to give it a try. Now that you mention it I remember Cry Like A Rainstorm, Howl Like the Wind w/ Linda Ronstadt do the lows and Aaron Neville doing the highs. Wonder if that could be done as a double gender bender?

I'm a baritone with a good range. We were playing kamikaze one August holiday weekend and I decided to be nasty and put in "Wuthering Heights" by Kate Bush. Guess who drew that out!

Anyway, I performed the entire song falsetto and the place was in uproar. Apparently it was hilarious but OK at the same time.

Next round I drew Celine Dion's "My Heart will Go On"! This time however I played safe and got Dave the KJ to drop the key and I sang it in a man's style.

I LOVE "Wuthering Heights". I tried it one night at a bar. A very very dead night. I didn't expect it to be great, but damn, it ended up way worse than I expected. Needless to say, it hasn't entered my permanent reportoire.

I kick (@$%&#!) on "Running Up That Hill" though. Too bad there aren't more Kate Bush songs available on karaoke.

I sang Kasey Chambers' * "Were all gonna die someday", with appropriate pitch change, in a karaoke bar but the KJ pulled the vocal on me when he saw some of the words (a bit on the crass side) come up on the screen. The song has great life and a catchy rhythm and I'll certainly do it again... in a bar that has a more broadminded KJ!
* Capital Karaoke CK19 (Aussie Country Stars)

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Those who bring sunshine to others cannot keep it from themselves  
Snoopy

I'd like to hear that. On the original, KB had a very amplified, effect-laden voice, which made it a song very much of it's time. It's my favourite song by a female artist.

I've tried "Take My Breath Away," "Total Eclipse Of The Heart," "Through The Eyes Of Love," and "I Love ROck And Roll," with varying degrees of success. The Melissa Manchester song sounded best.

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Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans
~John Lennon~

Well, I am guilty... I sing every Shania Twain song. personally I think she is OK, not my fave or anything, but I can sound just like her. People freak. !
Bubba

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You can choose to be an Actor in your own life... or a Reactor in someone elses.