Adventures in Karaoke

A few weeks ago, I went to a karaoke joint with a few of my friends, and actually attempted to sing. I wasn't a hit, but I wasn't a flop either. One of those in-between, okay to listen to but wondering how good the next person will be type of folks. For most people, that's fine.

Not me.

I think we've already established that I'm a perfectionist. However, what we didn't establish is the fact that I took voice lessons in high school and college. I know I can sing, and that I don't have the voice for most of the pop music offered in karaoke bars. I'm good with Broadway tunes, and with the classics, but getting a bar full of drunks to listen to "My Baby Just Cares for Me" or selections from Les Mis or Phantom without the room quickly turning into a bunch of empty chairs at empty tables is just not going to happen. So last night, I decided to take the challenge and find something within the options presented to me.

First, I went for Norah Jones...and the selections I wanted weren't there. Then I tried Sarah McLachlan....until I heard the vocal arrangement on Possession. Ugh! Not for me either. I thumbed through hundreds of pages, song after song, artist after artist, looking for Van Morrison in both the M's and the V's, just in case someone thought that was the name of a group (and yes, "Brown-Eyed Girl" was hidden in the V's)

I was about to give up when I found something that might work...so I grabbed the little golf pencil and slowly wrote in "Son of a Preacher Man - Dusty Springfield" and carefully transcribed the song number on the tiny form. I turned it in and waited.

The people before me ran the gamut. Most were quite good. The kick-ass rendition of Black Velvet, the hilarious version of "Strokin'" one of my friends did from a female perspective...an 80s song I hadn't heard in years (Twilight Zone" by Golden Earring). I had a shot, sang along with my friends and almost forgot I was in the mix. Until they called my name.

Deep breath. Here goes nothing, right? Nothing by my pride since the last time I sang, one of the best Karaoke singers I know had a hard time hiding his disappointment that I sucked, and there he was, front and center. Oh well - the CD started and there's nothing to do but dive in.
So I did. The song had people clapping and singing along, and the key was perfectly within my range. I didn't belt it out - I just don't have a belting kind of voice - but I nailed it! Even Mr. Karaoke himself had to admit it.

I'm already thinking about what to try next time. I have a few options already in mind, or perhaps I'll stick with what works. We'll see how courageous I feel like being, and what kind of crowd it is....