K is for Karaoke

My sister and I singing Love Shack.

If I suffered from a slightly reduced amount of stage fright, I might be one of those karaoke people (or if I drank, which I don’t do much). You know the ones, they show up to karaoke night with their first ten songs already pre-selected and while the rest of us are fumbling through the ten-thousand page binder of possibilities, they’re already crooning on stage. Those karaoke people fall into two categories: the really fantabulous singers and the ones who know they can’t sing. Either way, they’ve got the market cornered. As a newcomer, if you wait more than ten minutes to get your song choice in, you’re going to be waiting another hour or two to sing. Has anyone else experienced this?

Ok, so a little bit about me. I sing. I was a choir nerd in high school and my parents are folk singers so I sang with their band here and there. I love singing. But I am a nervous wreck about performing. I always have been. I remember participating in contests where I was literally shaking when I went before the judges. Yikes! In my mid-twenties, I was the drummer (no, I cannot drum) for a band. We played approximately 3 songs and our lead singer was so tone deaf it was hard to listen to her. Her husband told me he didn’t like my singing style. Admittedly, I’m not a rock singer (but at least I can carry a tune). It was actually ridiculously fun to sort of mock play the drums for that band.

But back to karaoke. So, given the right circumstances, I could totally be one of those karaoke people. I have my list of songs that I love to sing all sorted out, ranging from Linda Ronstadt’s “Different Drummer” (just a huge coincidence, I swear) to Fiona Apple’s “Criminal.” I rock these songs. My mom and I love to do Lisa Stansfield’s “All Around the World.” My mom can never remember all the words, but she fakes it til she makes it (and the girl can dance). My sister sings the White Stripes “Seven Nation Army” like you can’t imagine (you don’t want to take your eyes off of her, it’s crazy good). My friend Kari (K is also for Kari) and I did a hilarious and fun version of Party in the U.S.A. a few years ago. Man, I miss that girl.

I’d love to say that what’s holding me back from my career as a karaoke diva is my kids, my job, even my stage fright. But if I’m being completely honest, I’d have to say my inability to stay up past 9PM these days is probably the biggest impediment. If I’m awake at 10, it’s probably curled up with a good book, yawning, in my nice cozy bed. So, dreams of karaoke stardom are on hold and instead I just sing while I write. It’ not a bad compromise really; none of the associated performance anxiety and I get to sing every song on the list, no sharing involved.

What’s your favorite song to sing at karaoke? 

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