Karaoke Forums

I hate to even ask this but what is the best version of Love Shack, one seems worse that the other and Paradise by the Dash Board Light?

Best versions are in the ear of the beholder.
Love Shack I prefer the Pioneer laser version, it's a shorter version than say the Sound Choice which is actually closer to the album version.
PBTDL - If you LIKE to do the announcer section in the middle, then All Hits would be my choice, if you like to have the announcer section already recorded - then the Sound Choice version.  If you don't want the announcer section at all, then I believe it's on either Zoom or Sing To The World.

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

Pioneer? have you lost your ears?

The sound choice version of Love Shack is very close to the album version.

As far a Paridise by the Dashboard Light - I removed all versions of this song from my books so no one sings it it has to be one of the worst songs ever written along with Dancing Queen, and What's Up by 4 non blondes.

As far as I remember the Dk version isn't bad I remember liking it more than the sound choice version for some reason.

I gotta agree with Lonman.  When it comes to Love Shack, shorter is better.

As for PBDBL, while not many people sing it well, it is definitely not one of the worst songs ever written.  The lyrics of the song are great, IMO.  I much prefer the All-hits version, mainly because I enjoy doing the announcer section.

Question for the baseball fans out there, though.  If there's TWO down, nobody on, in the bottom of the ninth, why in the world do they call a suicide squeeze once the guy gets to third base?  Seems like the third baseman should have just thrown the batter out at first.  :)

I have to agree with Lonman as well.  Shorter is DEFINITELY better when it comes to Love Shack.

I like PBTDL when it's sung well.  Problem is that it's a rare occasion when you find a pair that does it well.  I've seen one or the other do it well, but it's 'great!' - 'ouch' - 'great' - 'ouch'.  You get the idea.  Occasionally you find a good duet but it's rare.

I like the Sound Choice version myself since it gives you break in the middle of the song.  BTW, I've sang the song only once.  I was asked to help out a girl on the song and I was the 'ouch' portion. :sillygrin:

I wasn't aware that all hits had the announcing section in the middle so I might make it a point to pick that disk up in the near future.  Lonman, you know the disc number?

Not Lonman, but AH 8001.  Also has decent versions of 'Taxi' and 'Angel Eyes'.

Nope haven't lost my ears at all.  You get used to what you hear first.  I also stated that the SC version is closer to the album version, but I really don't like it & neither do our customers when I tried phasing my lasers out, I got more complaints to bring the laser version back & I agreed.
Prime example, I have the SAV (Nikkodo) version of I Hate Myself For Loving You - Joan Jett a couple years before SC put it out.  This was one of our most requested songs.  When SC version came out, it was CLEARLY the better version, fuller sounding, more accurate lyrically - yet everyone that sang the SC version, asked to have the inferior version - that's what they knew.  I still list the SC version, but if they ask for the other, i'll give it to them.

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

I'm asked to sing Love Shack a lot when I host because I've got Fred Schneider's voice down to a science.

If people are use to singing the album version, the Pioneer version will trip them up.  The only version of Love Shack that I know of that is the full album version (as KJ's around the world cringe) and is not half-bad is done by ChartBusters - it would be a rare recommend for me to point at ChartBusters and pop music and recommend in the same sentence.

Paradise By The Dashboard Light's best versions with the Harry Carey play-by-play (yes THE Harry Carey who announced for the St. Louis Cardinals for 14 years and coined the phrase, "Holy Cow!") is All-Hits, or if you can't find it also lives on the 2004 Supercore Pack (disc...8 I THINK).  I BELIEVE the version on the Supercore disc and the version on the All-Hits disc are essential the same, just reissued.

BUT - I have never seen nor know of a "perfect" version of Paradise by the Dashboard Light.  I have never seen a version with the cannonization at the end of the song.

Male:  It was long ago and it was far away and it was so much better than it is today

Female:  It never felt so good it never felt so right and we were glowing like the metal on the edge of a knife

Every version I've seen has had the male part only of the cannonization (listen to the album, it's there) so when I've performed it I'll just do the female part and alert my partner before we start what I'm going to do.

I know I'm in the minority on Love Shack - but I loathe the Pioneer version...

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Despite the internet rumor, Karaoke is not Japanese for "drunk buffoon with microphone."  However, "rotation," is Japanese for wait your damn turn!

Hmmm... Not to start a fire or anything... But when I first started buying CDG's for  my personal use, I would only buy what I liked for myself... If anybody asked... I'd say... I don't like it, so tough!

But now... that I'm playing parties for hire... I look to please the audience as much as possible... The only exception is with songs that have profanity in them, because I play mostly family parties, they don't make it to the songbook.

For example... I dislike Rap & Pop... and yet I've started to buy Rap and Pop... It's not about me! It's about pleasing the audience... Believe me when I say that Aretha Franklin's R-E-S-P-E-C-T gets old after women request it two or three times on the same night!  :asleep:

Maybe this should be a new discussion....

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Frank
Pelican in Flight KJ/DJ
Miami, Florida

This would make a good discussion by itself, but I agree - you can't let personal opinion on what you may or may not like influence what your singers may or may not want - if that were the case, I wouldn't allow country music at all.

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

I wouldn't be me if I didn't make controversal statements that makes people think. Do I like all the songs that people write on their slips? No. Have I ever denided a person the right to sing a song? No, but I have talked them into singing something different if I know they can't handle it. Other times it's fun when people suck! As I post more on the chat board you people will be begin to learn my carachter.


When it all boils down I am actually very serious about what I do. I'm not afraid to voice my opinion, an I know that I'm not always right or in the best frame of mind. I enjoy that I get to help out and voice my opinion on particular subjects. I'm sure that all of the people here are professional and good at what they do, I jsut like to pull chains once in a while please don't ever take anything personal, I never wish to offend.

I agree with that.  What you sing first is what you get used to.  I first sang 'What A Wonderful World' off the AH8001 and later got a couple different versions including Sound Choice, Karaoke Bay, Sweet Georgia Brown (and perhaps a couple others).  I still prefer the timing on the AH8001 disc (and need to get it one day!).

I also agree that if you're hosting you should purchase the best quality available to you and what the people want.  If they all want the laser disc version then convert them to VCD/SVCD and keep using them.  If the customers are happy then they keep coming back.

one is better than none!!!!

one is better than none!!!!

DK 86 has the correct ending for PBTDL. Also, ZOOM has the correct ending, and if it weren't for the fact that ZOOM completely cut out the Sports Narration part, I would say that it was the best version out there (IMO). I left this version out of my list (only because they cut that part of the song out), and in all the other versions I have. Personally, I like the All Hits and the DK versions the best (which gives the person a choice as to whether they want to do the Narration part or let the Disc do it in the background).

Sounds like DK has it all then.  I like Zoom's discs a lot - I have a Billy Idol disc of theres it is absolutely outstanding.  Also like how they do the second ticker count down on instrumental breaks.

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Despite the internet rumor, Karaoke is not Japanese for "drunk buffoon with microphone."  However, "rotation," is Japanese for wait your damn turn!