Karaoke Forums

I'm new here--I just joined.

So, what was it like for y'all, karaoke-wise, when Michael Jackson died or when any icon of music dies?

Of course, there's a surge in folks trying to sing that deceased icon's songs for karaoke, but anyone got stories or stuff to share? Y'all probably discussed it some way back when it happened...

Any icon who passed be it Michael Jackson, Whitney, etc.

I'll never forget when MJ passed

I worked karaoke the night before--Wednesday. And mid-way during my karaoke night, I had this strange deep urge to play MJ. But I looked around the room and it was filled with 20-somethings (college kids) who always prefer modern music from this century. But the urge was so persistent I said to myself, "ok, I'll play one MJ song in-between karaoke and cut it off after a minute and get to the next singer before these college kids kill me."

I picked the song "Don't Stop Til You Get Enough."

The room was ROCKIN'. I couldn't turn it off. I had to play the entire song. Again, this was the night before MJ died, Wednesday. But the air in the room was a different partying than I've ever felt since. I'm saying the ENTIRE room went genuinely crazy during that song. I remember saying to myself, "This is really weird. I can't believe everyone is reacting so touched by this old MJ song."

Next day, Thursday, MJ dies. And all I could think of was: "How many people are saying right now, 'I was just dancing to MJ last night!!' Because we had a lot of people in the room.

I'm so thankful that I played him the night before he died. I woulda been kicking myself forever if he died & I didn't play him the night before. And that the reaction was so powerful. No matter what anybody thinks or feels about MJ, that was just a great send-off. The energy in that room that night when I played MJ, I have not felt since. It belongs in a category by itself.

MJ story #2

So, MJ dies on Thursday and I didn't have a karaoke gig that day. But I did work karaoke on Friday, the day after he died.

I was not in the mood to work. I was bummed by MJ's death. No matter what folks think of him--dude is an icon. Period. It sucks to lose an icon.

Folks there for karaoke were very somber too. I could tell it was on their minds. The whole room was very blue with somberness.

Whenever someone from the world of music dies, I try to sprinkle a little highlight on 'em during my karaoke show. I play their hits here and there. For MJ, it marked the first time that I played nothing but one artist in-between every karaoke singer all night long.

And I never played the same MJ song 2x. And it saved the night. The air was heavy when I walked in. But with every MJ song, folks perked up. (By the way, this is at a completely different venue than my Wed gig. This is the 35 year olds and up crew of folks.)

The best part. Watching the staff of waiters, waitresses, managers walk by from time to time and mouthing the words to every MJ song I played all night long. No matter the race or gender or background of that person. Everybody knew the lyrics in my particular venue. And they were all smiling with every song I played like "Yeah, I really needed this." I think especially for the workers who may not have felt like working that day, not really over MJ's death but just to lose an icon. They were like, 'You're making my work day better."

At the beginning of the night a lot of older folks were like "This is too painful to hear him." But by the end of the night they were like "All the music you played really really helped. It really brought me back." and "With each different song you played it made me feel something different, maybe laugh as I remembered partying with an old friend in the 80s or something, so I got out of my funk."

We ended on a MJ song--for karaoke. I don't think anyone sang any MJ karaoke that night but the last song we did for him. And we passed around the mic. It wasn't planned. I think we ended on "Rock With You". A girl started it and then folks just passed the mic around the room and everyone sang a line. Even folks who never sing. Then folks ended up all standing around together in a circle, because we kept passing the mic, folks had to get out of their seat to hand the mic off or take the mic, by the end of the song and when it finished everyone hugged each other. That karaoke song was the last song of the whole night. I didn't play anything afterwards. None of that was planned.

Again, we were not judging the man. It was all about respect for an icon.

oh, and since I played an MJ song all night long in-between singers, (which was a lot of songs, never repeating any MJ song) of course, I got a lot of requests to play certain MJ songs from different people in the room, managers, bartenders, staff, karaoke singers, patrons, guests, children, you name it. And every single person I saw was mouthing the lyrics and smiling.

The night Michael died, had one person sing a song of his and a cover tune of Smooth Criminal by Alien Ant Farm.
The night Amy Winehouse died, it was like - who?
The night Kurt Cobain died - massive Nirvana & Seattle grunge bands sung!
The night Ronnie James Dio died, Black Sabbath, Rainbow & Dio songs sung quite a bit.

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The day Whitney Houston died, I had no idea until someone told me at my karaoke gig that night. People kept asking me to play Whitney Houston songs as filler, but I only had a single Whitney Houston song in my MP3 collection. Then, of course, everyone wanted to sing Whitney songs, which I have plenty of, but casual singers trying to pull off Whitney Houston is some pretty bad singing.

The night was definitely not much of a tribute. Probably apropos to Whitney's later life, however. Crack is wack!


People always remind me when it is the anniversary of Tupac or Notorious BIG's death, which gives me a good excuse to play their songs in heavy rotation. Those are fun nights!

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C Mc
KJ, FL

I have an Amy Winehouse wig that I used to put on and do her songs. It was a humor routine so when she died I retired it. I only just sang one of her songs last week. I may bring the wig back as it seems a suitable time has passed.

People almost seem hardened to rock stars dying, like it is expected. I don't get a bunch of people wanting to sing the songs when someone dies.

Of Michael Jackson's songs people usually only attempt "Billie Jean." But I do have some who try "Thriller" and can do the dance. It may be a bit ironic but Michael Jackson is extremely popular at the Kid Shows. They love him.

I get more MJ songs sang as of late than before. But not the just the typical.
Last ones I heard in the last few weeks
Billie Jean (some can dance it, others attempt )
Dirty Diana
Ben
Heal The World
Human Nature
Man In The Mirror
Remember The Time
Black Or White
Rock With You (this one gets done quite a bit)
Will You Be There
Lady In My Life

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I am not a big fan of glorifying celebrities that self-destructed. Michael Jackson, Whitney Houston, Amy Winehouse, Kurt Cobain..... I respect their accomplishments, but the examples they set for people in their later lives or in how the died, wipes most of that away for me.

I had a fantastic karaoke night last night and someone performed "I Wanna Dance With Somebody". They were great, the crowd loved it, people were dancing, and I was smiling. But on the inside I was perturbed that a gifted singer like Whitney Houston couldn't take control of her life and pull herself up to survive, if not perform again.

Wasted talent.....

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-Chris