Karaoke Forums

I used to suffer from "My Song" syndrome, but only in a mild way. When I was just starting out as a karaoke singer I could only do about five songs. One of those was "American Trilogy". It became a bit of a tradition for me to do that song as the final song of the evening. I was proud of my rendition of it and because it was faithfully done, with correct timing, it always got rapturous applause.

On a couple of occasions some newcomers to our local bar came in an put "Trilogy" in early. Each time they murdered it, but got their applause, and enjoyed their evening. I was asked if I was still going to do it. I said no. It wasn't that I was sulking, it was that I didn't want to embarrass the new people with their brave attempt and scare them off. (I'm not a KJ, I'm just a customer, but I like to see fresh faces coming back).

Anyhow, the bar regulars were disappointed at not getting their Elvis fix. I shocked them however by turning in a good first-attempt of "You Gave Me A Mountain". The regulars got a big Elvis number, the newbies were not humiliated, and I'd just widened my repertoire. Everyone was happy!

And that's how it should be

I so hate when people do that "it is my song" bit. It is so silly!

I have a friend that does that. If one of us sings one of "her" songs (even if we have never heard her sing it for a LONG time), she gets mad. I think it is stupid. I just think she is scared that hevin forbid one of us sings it better than her and gets more compliments.

Also, I went to this fun thing called "Jameoke" where you sing karaoke with a live band. It was pretty cool! Anywho, their song list has not too many songs, maybe 40, and they are all guy songs that girls (Me anyway) really can't sing (as they are in a really low key). It was my first time there, and I sang two songs (Summer of 69, and I think we're alone now). When I went up to put in my next two requests, these two people (guy and girl) called me to their table and asked what I was singing next.

I told them Ceceila and Hit me Baby One More Time. They very outrightly said to me, "you are stealing all the songs we sing". I really actually did not care. I really did not know what to say. I was just there to have a good time and sing with a band (as I have never done this before).

So, I just put up the songs anyway. I don't think that I will go back there as who needs arrogant people like that anyway.

I think that a lot has to do with jeleousy. Lots of these people can sing one or two songs well, that they get a lot of compliments on. They are probably just scared that someone will sing it better or do a better job, and that may hurt their self-esteem, so they try to make it their song. That is my opinion anyway.

Where I go its not a good idea to resing a song. If you know you're doing it, its just rude, and the audience acts accordingly. If its an accident, the audience will still think you're being rude, and you're gonna get a cold reception. Its best to check with someone. I always do if I arrive late.

I had a local band singer come in and throw down on Da Butcha last Saturday. Did he do it better than me? Yeah, probably, but the crowd nearly booed him off the stage. Personally I don't mind it, but I wished I could have told him beforehand he shouldn't throw down on people. I felt sorry for him.

If I go to put up a song and someone else has already requested it or sung it, I choose another.

Its not a competition.

Karaoke's (supposed to be) fun!

I've seen stuff like this happen, alot.

First of all: BADSINGER, I'da took my boot and kicked that guy where the sun don't shine. That was as rude as rude can get. KJ's like that should not be KJ's. If he wants to light his own candle, he needs to be in a band, not running a karaoke service. I mean, I love when the KJ's sing too, they should join in if they like to sing. But that was very tacky and unprofessional of him to do a song right after a customer.

I HATE the phrase "That's my song". I have heard that out of catty women sooooooo many times. (I don't know about the men, I don't talk to that many in bars- jealous hubby, ya know)

And, if someone sings a song I have up, I simply ask the KJ to change mine to a different one. ( or a good KJ would have mentioned it already) No matter how good the second person may sing it, you're usually gonna get booed. People think you are a showoff, and it looks like you think you can do it better. I never do that. I've had people do it to me, but I just say- whatever floats their boat.

Well, except this one time, . Funny story. I got up to do a song I had never tried and made the mistake at the start by saying in the mic "Bear with me.....I've never tried this one before....." Just trying to prepare the poor listeners, ya know.
Well- guess what- a girl in the crowd obviously thought it was her signature song. She was up about 5 songs later, and had the KJ change her song to the one I had just tried. (which I did okay, but not glorious on) KJ told me later she had actually went up & changed it, she didnt even have it up yet.
People did not look upon her with kind eyes, I tell ya. She did the song better than I did it, you could tell she knew it well, though she was not that great of a singer IMO. But she was rude, she actually sang most of the song looking at my table, like she was trying to teach me to sing it. Never have I wanted soooo bad to wipe a smirk off someone's face.
But then.......... later on in the night she sang a song that everyone always says is one of my best. I had not sang it, and had not put it up. (I try not to always do the same stuff) But I just could NOT resist the temptation. She had done crummy on this song. I took up my slip and asked the KJ if it would be too terribly rude, he said "Yeah..... but people usually ARE rude when they're getting revenge.....so let's get ya up there." And he told me to sing it like there was no tomorrow. He actually put me up quicker so the point would be obvious. (bad, bad KJ, )
It was terribly shameful, but my lands- it felt good getting all that applause afterwards & putting a big smirk on my own face for her to see. By people's reaction to the song, I think they felt I was justified in doing it. It was obvious why I did, but what could she say-she did it first.

KJ shouldn't of took part in it, but I think he felt he owed me that after letting her try to humiliate me. Felt good. (Not my usual practice, I'm a pretty nice gal- she just brought out my bad side)

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♥ Laugh your heart out, dance in the rain. Cherish the memories, ignore the pain. Love and learn, forget and forgive. Because you only have one life to live. ♥

Well I don't mind hearing others sing the songs I sing. I think we all have our own style of singing and think about it if the real artist would feel that no one could sing there songs and be able to preven anyone from singing there songs then there woundn't be any karaoke around. I think we should be able to sing any song with out thinking I cant sing that song because it belongs to someone als. lets enjoy listening and not feel like that's my song man . and if its better than the way I sing it great

Great story Charmin. I just love Instant Karma.

My posts DO tend to turn into stories, don't they?!? Sorry, my lengthy posts might be part of the reason the web site is getting slower, *~LOL~*.
Sorry, Mr. Guru, sir- if you're reading.

Thank you for enjoying it though. I was hoping it wasn't one of those "You had to BE there" stories.

I'll be done now. This is gonna be a record for me I think- my shortest post ever!!

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♥ Laugh your heart out, dance in the rain. Cherish the memories, ignore the pain. Love and learn, forget and forgive. Because you only have one life to live. ♥

I like to hear other people sing "my songs," but one thing that does irritate me no end is when someone changes their song to your song after you tell them what you're singing.
The day Johnny Cash died, I was in shock, him having been one of favorites from when I was like 4. This day too, you'll recall, John Ritter died.
I was talking to this dude at a show who was crying and sobbing over the loss of Ritter, and I said, "I'm going to sing HURT as a sort of tribute to Johnny Cash" The guy is like, "Oh well, yeah thats okay if you're INTO that kind of music." HE quickly fills out a slip, runs up and hands it to the KJ, putting him right ahead of me in rotation. HE gets up, and announces, "I'd like to dedicate this to the memory of the late great Johnny Cash." He then sings HURT.
How do YOU spell tacky!?

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

I guess I'm pretty lucky to KJ in places where nobody gets uptight if somebody sings "their" song. Maybe it's just the laid-back midwest attitude here in northern Illinois (LOL).

For example, "Redneck Woman" is the hottest thing going right now, and occasionally we have it sung several times a night...even in the same rotation! All the gals that sing it do a respectable job, and a few are really super!

No one thinks twice about it being "their" song....everyone applauds wildly and has a great time with it. Everyone is very supportive of the other singers. This is typical of other popular songs as well.

Most everyone I meet thru karaoke are good people looking for a good time. That's what attracted me to karaoke in the first place.

Best way to avoid that entire situation is to sing songs that ABSOLUTELY no one else sings. Find really obscure songs that nobody even attempts and nail them down. I sing alot of blues, swing, even a couple of rap songs--again ones that NOBODY even tries. My signature song is Van Morrison's Moondance and VERY VERY few people even attempt it--its a tricky song to sing. But others are Brickhouse, Meet me with your black drawers on, Have you ever loved a woman, Roundabout, Nightshift, Cool Like Dat-Rebirth of Slick, Sky is cryin, Hit that jive jack and several other obscure ones. I NEVER sing Elvis, Sinatra, Neil Diamond or any of the other loved to death songs. Consequently NOBODY ever sings "MY"song! Also they're all bluesy, dance tunes so I ALWAYS end up with a bunch of CUTIES dancing with me while I'm singing! NOW THAT'S KARAOKE!

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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

As a singer going to different bars I hate to hear the same song over and over. Went to one place that has a large C&W clientle, and they hold karaoke after the line dancing classes. I went there and hear the SAME George Strait song sang by 3 different people in the FIRST rotation. Needless to say, I left.

I have songs that I consider my signature tunes. These are songs that I sing regularly. The only time I get frustrated is when I've turned in a song and the KJ doesn't tell me the songs already turned in. I'm relaxing, drinking my beer, eating my dinner when the song I turned in is being sung by another person. I write up another slip and turn it in. I don't take it out on anyone, I just get frustrated when it happens. Fortunately, most of my songs aren't sang that often - lots of rap, swing, Louie Armstrong, Fats Domino, GNR, AC/DC... it's an ecletic mix, but that's what I do!


As a KJ, I never play the song twice in the same rotation and try to put a rotation between the same song - never by the same person twice in a night. If someone else turns in a song that's already turned in I tell them it will be 1-2 hours before they sing it. If they want to sing before then they need to turn in another song. Same goes for 'turns'. If they ask why they're not singing, I tell them they only turned in a duet and their partner has 6 duets turned in, and 3 solos. It's not the 'Tim' Show, it's karaoke and it's shared by everyone. They always understand (so far) and either turn in another slip or take 'Tim's' name off the duet in favor of someone less 'popular'. I do it this way mainly because I have people coming in from 10pm until 2am (we're open until 4-4:30am) when I do the larger club. BTW, the main reason I do this is because I'm trying to be accomodating to the people that want to sing AND I have a limited selection (about 1700-1800 unique tracks and adding more every week!).

The only person that ever got upset with me was called 4-5 times throughout the night at which point I tossed the slip. He came up near the end of the night and tried to confront me. I explained I had called him numerous times, he didn't come up and showed him where I had tossed it only 15-20 minutes before. He complained, said he didn't want to sing it now, and walked off. He came back 5 minutes later saying he had changed his mind and wanted to sing it. It was almost closing time, I had closed the rotations but to finish at 4am instead of closer to 4:30a. I put him right up, he sang and left. Well, he tried. Baby Got Back isn't a song to try doing while you're stumbling drunk - it's hard enough to do sober.


BTW, the main reason I'm so flexible with the patrons at the larger club is because the last KJ had a smaller selection, would play a song only once a night, would tell people to stop turning in slow songs refusing to play them if they were turned in. He wasn't very accomodating for the singers and felt as though it was an inconvenience for him to do the show. He went back east and now I'm doing the show - we have a great time (so far!) and it looks like most of the people will be coming out on the next night as well. Seeing as how I'm paid a fixed rate vs. the door at this club the more accomodating I am the more people that will show up and stay for the night.

Had an experience a 3-4 years ago that wasn't exactly a "My Song" situation, but similar...

I got up one night and sang "Before The Next Teardrop Falls" off of my own disc. I own the Sound Choice version, which does not have the Spanish lyrics - instead it replaces the Spanish with a repeat of the first verse in English. (Never have heard Freddy Fender sing it that way, so I'm not sure why Sound Choice decided to produce it that way. Musically, however, it is very good.) I know the Spanish lyrics and always sing them, which usually garners a lot of attention from those actually watching the screen.

This particular night the KJ approached me a few minutes after I finished the song. He was apologetic, but said that there was a guy bugging him to let him sing the song because he could do it better. Since the KJ knows me and knows that I'm a good sport about things, he asked if I would mind if the guy sang the song from my disc. I said I didn't mind, so a few minutes later he called the guy up. All went fairly well until the second verse came up in English. The guy just stood there dumbfounded and immediately accused the KJ of not using the same disc that I had used. (Apparently, he didn't watch the screen while I was singing to see that I sang the Spanish lyrics on my own.) I had to chuckle...

my karaoke experience has mostly been limited to online singing such as in paltalk..im just not comfortable as a single woman goin to bars....however i think the same gripes go there as here..except we all have our own songs and music . The one time I did go to karaoke..I remember that no one could really sing and they were all mostly drunk but lawdd they were having the time of their lives i had just as much fun watching them...they knew they couldnt sing..and they didnt care they actually got more applause than anyone who could half way sing...

I read on here somewhere how karaoke began..and wow has it spread and evolved! Those of us who really do like to Sing..and want to sound pro even when we arent take it alllll very seriously...but..forget the MY SONG garbage..

my friends tammy and linda and i..we sing the same songs ON PURPOSE.. tammy makes them bluesy/jazzy...i make them new kountry and linda puts that tammy wynette twist to them...and..we all sound good doin the same song eek!

hugs...I like fun.

No offense, but what a (@$%&#!) thing to do... the guy is a moron and probably deserves to be charged (why didnt you go this route?), but it is not appropriate for you to pursue him this way. His actions are a reflection on himself only and you had no right messing with the guys livlihood. So you would be happy if he lost his job over this incident, totally unrelated to his work?

It can be very difficult sitting through a song that someone is butchering that you know you do well...

This is one of those scenarios that can be trying but in the end I think you just have to suck it up, otherwise you end up looking arrogant.

If there is a significant elapsed time between them this might be ok...




How pathetic is that?

I've never really had that problem with someone singing my songs, because I usually bring my own discs and a genre that is usually never offered at most karaoke places that I have visited. I'm not sure if this is really a good idea, however, because a lot of what I sing usually isn't popular and I can sometimes feel the tension mount as the song goes on and the people would wish it would end already. On the bright side, I have started getting requests to do certain songs that I bet no KJ here has---(for example Song to the Moon from the opera Rusalka--- sung in the original Czech). I am just curious what you guys think about someone who brings their own discs and then starts singing a lot of foreign language or Opera when you least expect it. Does it really bother you, or do you think that some music should be considered off-limits (such as the time I sang an Opera aria not really knowing that the bar was a real hard-core Country and Western joint.)

If someone sings a song I was going to do, I simply change the song. No problem. I personally avoid singing songs which I know to have been presented that night.

About bringing my own discs with me. It's okay and perhaps refreshing, but I would not easily do it. I have to sing enough arias to my teacher. Some people might consider that kind of a person arrogant, as she/he would not be happy with the choice they have in the bar. But - on the other hand - why not if the KJ allows you to do it. If people get to know you they may always expect something different from you. So you have a brand.

I think a lot depends on the tastes and the age of the people in the bar.

Me, personally, I could care less what anyone sings, as long as they are happy singing it. You could sing opera (I would love to see that as opera singers are amaing), or whatever.

Now, I know I have gone to places where the average age of the crowd was around 40 years old to 50 years old, and I sang Avril Lavinge Unwanted, and when I was done singing, everyone just kinda clapped, and the air in the crowd was more like "what the hell was that??"

So, now when I sing, I take a look at the crowd around me, and try to fit my songs to what they like to hear....I guess you could say. So, if it is a crowd of 20 year olds, I can sing my popular songs. When it is an older crowd, I sing more 80's, 70's, and country. Make sense?

I think the more important thing is to be honest with yourself about why you go out to sing karaoke. If you're doing it because of the sheer pleasure of singing then I'd say bring your own discs and sing whatever your little heart desires.

If you're doing it because you enjoy the connection with the audience and the feeling you get when they applaud you at the end of the song, then you're probably better off somewhat tailoring your song choices to the crowd.

Neither is right or wrong, we all have our own reasons why we enjoy karaoke, so just do whatever it takes for you to get the maximum enjoyment from it.

Personally, I tend to sing a lot of obscure songs and I hate repeating the same few songs over and over again, so I'm always trying new stuff simply because I like the song and want to see how it will go when I sing it. I have my own discs and sing a lot of stuff off of those. This tends to result in pretty sedate responses to a lot of the songs I sing, but I don't take it personally at all, I understand that a lot of people tune out if they don't recognize the song.

The feeling that I DO get, which I really like, is when somebody is inspired to ask me what song I just sang and who originally recorded it, or that they really like the variety and styles of songs that I do. It's strange, but I'd rather have somebody tell me that they were impressed by my song choice rather than by the way I sing. I just like the feeling of exposing people to music beyond the same old crap that you hear over and over and over in karaoke bars or on the radio.

So I'd say sing your little operatic heart out. Odds are that the people who ignore you while you're singing will still ignore you unles you happen to pick one of their very favorite songs. You might as well enjoy it as much as you can, and you can take pride in the fact that you're exposing people to something that they likely wouldn't be exposed to otherwise.