Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

When do we start airlifting the women and children out of Texas?

People are complicated. Love is not.

Nothing worth doing is easy.

JFC, are there no editors left at that goddamn rag?

It’s the corruption, stupid.

The cruelty is the point; the law be damned.

I know this must be bad for Joe Biden, I just don’t know how.

The willow is too close to the house.

Our job is not to persuade republicans but to defeat them.

We are builders in a constant struggle with destroyers. let’s win this.

Wow, I can’t imagine what it was like to comment in morse code.

Impressively dumb. Congratulations.

Never entrust democracy to any process that requires republicans to act in good faith.

So it was an October Surprise A Day, like an Advent calendar but for crime.

And we’re all out of bubblegum.

Make the republican party small enough to drown in a bathtub.

You don’t get rid of your umbrella while it’s still raining.

The revolution will be supervised.

Bark louder, little dog.

Shallow, uninformed, and lacking identity

Peak wingnut was a lie.

Only Democrats have agency, apparently.

T R E 4 5 O N

Whoever he was, that guy was nuts.

You are here: Home / Balloon Juice / Bleg / We gonna ride the boogie

We gonna ride the boogie

by | 165 Comments

This post is in: ,

As long as John is doing embarrassing blegs this evening, thought I’d do one too. I’ve gotten into doing some karaoke recently. Last week I killed with Easy Like Sunday Morning, did a solid Honky Tonk Woman, and flailed with 1999.

Next week I plan to reprise Easy Like Sunday Morning and add Rock With You and Sweet Caroline and maybe Pink Houses. Do you guys have any recommendations for karaoke songs? I have trouble knowing when to come in unless there are obvious cues and more generally I have trouble with rhythm (I can’t account for this, my dad and sister are semi-professional musicians). I also can’t sing very high. I do have a nice voice though.

My holy grail would be a song where I can really emote, though not in an emo way, and maybe say “Lord have mercy” or “can I get a witness” or something like that. Are there any songs like that you can think of? I’ve tried Some Kind Of Wonderful, which seems like a natural choice, but there’s too much harmonizing. Al Green or Van Morrison is totally out of the question, unfortunately, given my limitations.

Update. A couple questions about specific songs…

I do a great “Blues Eyes Crying In Rain”, but does that work at karaoke? I usally do it in cabs or at parties, and that’s a whole ‘nother setting.

My all time favorite song is “Sweet Thing” by Rufus. Is there any way someone who is both white and male could pull that off at karaoke, possibly with back-up help? I have dreams where I do this and they seem real to me.

Reader Interactions

165Comments

  3. 3.

    Napoleon

    Sweet Caroline, are you fucking joking? That was the joke song that the local piano bar would play to get you to pony up tips.

  4. 4.

    arguingwithsignposts

    hmmm, sweet carolina was a good call, but what about all the wine or or Mercy by Black Rebel Motorcycle Club or “Three Leaf Clover” by Rocky Volotato, although that’s a little emo. Plus, I always liked Bob Dylan’s Bucket’s of Rain. or you could go Tom Waits. Tough call.

  5. 5.

    Shoemaker-Levy 9

    Do you guys have any recommendations for karaoke songs?

    John Cage’s 4:33. Might get you laid.

  7. 7.

    Doug Harlan J

    @plaindave:

    Yeah, tried that, I can’t quite pull it off. I convinced the guy in the office across from mine to do it, he can sing.

  10. 10.

    chris

    Try some Bob Seger. Your range sounds similar to mine..and I kill with it. “Night Moves” You can emote like hell with “funny how u remember”…

  23. 23.

    RossInDetroit

    Pretty much any Seeger should be a Win. He has a drastically narrow range that won’t challenge a non-pro.

  24. 24.

    Kmeyer the lurker

    Me & spousal unit do karaoke at the most cracked out dive in the entire town, & we love it. Their song selection is beyond pitiful, but I’ve found some good ones, which may or may not suit your voice:
    Crazy Little Thing Called Love by Queen
    Rock This Town by Stray Cats
    Hell by Squirrel Nut Zippers (I know, but this one is really a lot of fun)
    Life In Wartime by Talking Heads

    Try ’em or ignore ’em but have fun & get (safely) lit!

  26. 26.

    chris

    Hendrix is fun as hell too. Do little wing..Who dont feel like da man singing Jimi? This assumes good back up music….

  27. 27.

    Valdivia

    Last year when I was in germany for a wedding the first night we ended up doing Karaoke at 2 am in a place called the Bangkok Hotel and my back up was the Cologne Fire Brigade. What a night!

    Anyhoo. That night the men had a lot of fun doing Bob Marley & Bon Jovi. I can see you being able to emote on these type of songs without being all emo. I think Fever is my favorite thing to sing in Karaoke, as well as Venus. Oh and maybe some fun 60s stuff–The Four Seasons ‘Oh what a night’ or Begging are pretty good for that.

  28. 28.

    p.a.

    Zevon: Lawyers, Guns and Money. Most Lou Reed; as Iggy said, “He couldn’t sing. I couldn’t sing. Let’s sing!”

  29. 29.

    Suffern ACE

    Rocky Mountain Way – for the rhythmically challenged, there is no frickin way you are going to be lost when the beat is drummed into your skull. Also, has about three notes to worry about if range is an issue.

  31. 31.

    eemom

    lemme up the ante here.

    If he ain’t fucking with us, I will go out and purchase a hat and then eat it.

  34. 34.

    Poopyman

    Coming from ABL’s post up above, I recommend “Having My Baby”.

    Such an kitschy song.

  38. 38.

    Valdivia

    @eemom:

    love that song.

    DougJ would you venture into singing other languages? Do they even have foreign music at Karaoke bars where you live?

    ETA–is the purpose of DougJ singing to get it with the ladies? I gather from the comments this is what the recs are about?

  40. 40.

    Poopyman

    I also can’t sing very high. I do have a nice voice though.

    Do some James Taylor. Never fails wit’ da dames.

  41. 41.

    Doug Harlan J

    @Valdivia:

    I can’t do other languages, not even enough to get through Spanish Bombs or Should I Stay Or Should I Go?

  43. 43.

    stormhit

    If you want some “can I get a witness,” you can even stick with the Neil by nixing Sweet Caroline and going straight to Brother Love’s.

    Also, if you want to emote– Sister Christian. Totally.

  47. 47.

    Poopyman

    Or if you’re drunk enough, anything by Dylan will probably sound passable.

  48. 48.

    Maude

    Southern Comfort would ratchet up the emo. The voice range usually expands at about the same time one starts weeping.

  52. 52.

    Doug Harlan J

    @Svensker:

    Yeah, I was thinking Raspberry Beret too. The whole “sheeee wasn’t too bright” is troublesome for me, though. I can do the “feeel like a movie star” part okay though.

  55. 55.

    Cat Lady

    @Doug Harlan J:

    OK, I’ll work with you here – you could really get down with your bad self with Wanna Be Starting Something, and work in some shout outs.

    I’m going to go listen to some Sly now and forget this post ever happened.

    +4

  57. 57.

    Doug Harlan J

    @Nikita:

    The Commitments is right where I’m coming from. Bear in mind I’m an Irish guy who sings Marvin Gaye in the shower every morning

  58. 58.

    asiangrrlMN

    @Shoemaker-Levy 9: You win. I would definitely give a guy a second look if he announced he was doing this number by Cage, and, more importantly, actually did it.

    ETA: In case your serious, anything by Glen Hansard, if you know who he is.

    ETA II: Given your comment about The Commitments (the movie, yes?), you know who he is.

  61. 61.

    Nikita

    Actually, anything from the Commitments soundtrack would work great. Best soundtrack ever.

  62. 62.

    Poopyman

    @Poopyman: FYWP, for not letting me edit.

    Anyway;
    After some time at Youtube I realize I’ve been singing an octave down.

    Never mind!

  66. 66.

    QDC

    The greatest karaoke performance I have ever, or will ever see, was an extremely butch lesbian absolutely singing the hell out of Led Zepplin’s “The Lemon Song.” (“Squeeze me baby, till the juice runs down my leg.The way you squeeze my lemon, I’m gonna fall right out of bed.”) The bar sat in stunned silence, and then just exploded in applause.

    I had a friend who killed by doing “Devil Went Down to Georgia,” and singing all the fiddle parts.

  67. 67.

    chris

    Probably impossible…and most likely embarrassing (its how I end my parties) but some indigo girls always feels good..(i sound like shit..but man does it make me happy!)

  69. 69.

    Arclite

    If you don’t have a lot of range, The Doors are a good choice. Break on Through and Light My Fire are on almost every karaoke machine in existence.

  73. 73.

    Brian R.

    1. Merle Haggard, “Mama Tried”

    2. Barry White, “Can’t Get Enough of Your Love”

    3. Journey, “Any Way You Want It”

    4. Lou Rawls, “You’re Gonna Miss My Lovin”

    You’re welcome.

  74. 74.

    Joel

    I like to serenade my wife with Thunder Road.

    But for kicks, you can always rock out with Born to be Wild. If you have real balls, you could try to karaoke some rap. Even crappy old school rap is very, very difficult.

  77. 77.

    Odie Hugh Manatee

    We need a recording so we can determine if you are good when drunk or not…lol!

    How about Good Golly Miss Molly?

  81. 81.

    a hip hop artist from Idaho (fka Bella Q)

    @Doug Harlan J: If you see her say hello would be my vote if yer gonna cover the Zimmerman cat. It’s lovely and nobody else is gonna do it.

  93. 93.

    Johannes

    “Fly Me to the Moon,” baby. I keeled.

    Doug, I know you said no Tom Waits–but “Fumblin With the Blues” can be done without the gravelly effect–it cleans up pretty well. Or Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah”. (Of course, that one always puts me in mind of Alison Janney weeping, but wotthehell, wotthehell._

  94. 94.

    Svensker

    Sweet Thing made me remember Chaka Khan’s “Ain’t Nobody”, which may be best song ever of all time.

    Never heard anyone else do it. Can’t improve on perfection.

  95. 95.

    Doug Harlan J

    @Johannes:

    Yeah, Frank might work for me. I would do I’ve Got You Under My Skin or Just The Way You Look Tonight.

  96. 96.

    a hip hop artist from Idaho (fka Bella Q)

    Think about If you see her say hello. Short but pretty and easier than Buckets of Rain. Or if you want kinda emo, do My Opening Farewell or Jamaica Say You will – all Jackson’s early stuff was better, lyrically.

  97. 97.

    Suffern ACE

    Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain would work if you don’t try to imitate Willie singing it. It’ll save your chops for the grand finale.

    O.K. Last one Moody Blues to knock em dead and the theme is perfect for the venue.
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N_J-hmyAS6c

    Range wise, it is very limited so you won’t find yourself suddenly stuck singing notes that hurt. Besides, even if you are, you don’t have to sing any note very long. Since you are obsessing 24 hours before you go on, I assume that you are going to practice. The hard part is:

    How can we understand
    Riots by the people for the people
    Who are only destroying themselves
    And when you see a frightened
    Person who is frightened by the
    People who are scorching this earth.

    You could blow the roof off the joint with that, though.

  99. 99.

    fitzwili

    Let me echo the call for John Prine. Spanish Pipedream is great, I knew that naked lady had something up her sleeve is such a killer line. Also early Kristofferson. It is not as famous as others but I love his song Sugarman, it is very dramatic to sing. How about Roger Miller?

  101. 101.

    kentropic

    “Papa Was a Rollin’ Stone” or “Take Me to the River” (the Al Green version).

  103. 103.

    Corner Stone

    DougJ, there are 2, and only 2, songs a white male can pull off while drunkenly kararokaking.
    1. Chocolate Salty Balls – by chef
    2. Gimme Something to Break – Limp Bizkit

    Now please tell the crowd just how bad you’ve been pranking them.

  104. 104.

    RossInDetroit

    One slightly hipper baritone whose parts are pretty easy to sing is Ian McCulloch. If you find a karaoke machine with Killing Moon on it I want to be there.

  108. 108.

    fitzwili

    @ Doug Harlan J
    Best of all possible worlds by Kris Kristofferson is pretty great.
    Boy named sue perhaps?
    Oooh what about Rhinestore Cowboy?

  109. 109.

    Parallel 5ths (Jewish Steel)

    @Doug Harlan J: Sweet Jane. It’s low, soulful, got some “whoas!” and “watchmenows!” You’ll knockem dead, DougJ TomJones.

  111. 111.

    Svensker

    @Peter:

    It’s hard to beat Sam Cooke’s Bring It On Home To Me, though it helps if you’re heartbroken.

    Perfect.

  113. 113.

    fitzwili

    @DHJ
    Beck’s version of the Dylan song Leopard Skin Pillbox Hat is fantastic. Give it a listen, it is a blast to sing. What about the Kinks? Oh and Big Star’s Thirteen is a heartmelter.

  114. 114.

    Amanda in the South Bay

    I’ve always wanted to sing Let it Be, and just use the words “let it be” a lyrics rather than the actual lyrics.

  115. 115.

    Parallel 5ths (Jewish Steel)

    @Doug Harlan J:

    It’s too talky though

    That’s how you rope-a-dope your audience. First they’re thinking, “Oh, he’s picked a safe, tuneless talking song.” Then we build, BUILD, BUILD and POW! Knock it out of the park on that last verse!

  116. 116.

    fitzwili

    Oh and if you want to do a weirdly dramatic song that will bring the house down, In the year 2525 is your song.

  119. 119.

    Parallel 5ths (Jewish Steel)

    All four sides of Tales of Topographic Oceans would be ballsy, but Jon Anderson sings higher than a lot of girls.

  120. 120.

    greggha

    London Homesick Blues, Jerry Jeff Walker. Throw that down and watch the tears flow.

  122. 122.

    RossInDetroit

    These days with a little autotune and a lot of digital reverb anyone can sound like a god. I studied voice for 10 years for naught.

  123. 123.

    Gian

    to play along…
    Ramones

    I wanna live…

    or bonzo goes to bitburg, if you wanna be all political and stuff

  124. 124.

    eemom

    How about Son of a Preacher Man, in honor of Pulp Fiction? Surely the husky alto of Dusty Springfield is within reach.

    (If this post is for real, I will hire a milliner to custom design, produce, and display an entire fashion show of eatable hats.)

  126. 126.

    jazmen8

    “My all time favorite song is “Sweet Thing” by Rufus. Is there any way someone who is both white and male could pull that off at karaoke, possibly with back-up help? I have dreams where I do this and they seem real to me.”

    After all of your best-of-blog headlines, this post put me over top. I think I love you lol…seriously!

  128. 128.

    danimal

    First, I believe eemom’s hat is safe for now.

    My all time favorite song is “Sweet Thing” by Rufus.

    I’m going to start counting how many songs get the DougJ “all time favorite song” description. It’s got to be in the dozens, possibly hundreds.

  130. 130.

    RossInDetroit

    @Parallel 5ths (Jewish Steel):

    Another singing janitor? That’s crazy. We should start our own blog. Or band. Or cleaning company.

    Custodial work. Isn’t that where everyone who spent too much time sight reading sheet music ends up if they’re not good looking enough to wait tables?

  132. 132.

    Gian

    oh and I forgot, avoid “my Way” read a story a year or two back about how that song starts fights/homicides in Manilla, and parts nearby

    if you want to not be booed, there’s the version of the prayer of st francis done by Sarah Mclachlan on the Buffy TV soundtrack, though I doubt it’ll be available…

  133. 133.

    eemom

    @QDC:

    I had a friend who killed by doing “Devil Went Down to Georgia,” and singing all the fiddle parts.

    heh. I have no recollection of this, but my husband and kids insist that I recited that entire song in the hospital while zoned out on pain meds the night after I had back surgery.

  137. 137.

    freelancer

    @eemom:

    My cousin and I butchered DWD2G years ago on a fairly infamous family excursion. That night might be mentioned in my obit, it’s that infamous in my extended family.

  138. 138.

    JPK

    Sam Cooke, “Sugar Dumpling.” It has funny lines that are fun to sing (“fixes me a dinner with seven kinds of meat” … “give me that coffee”).

    Stay far away from Johnny Cash songs, they are impossible without cover.

    Good luck.

  140. 140.

    piratedan

    well based on the suggestions so far, I would humbly suggest the following Nick Lowe classic, Cruel To Be Kind

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6eofPxjVjVM

    plenty of emo interpretation without getting into the really high ranges, and its hooky as hell and most of all, its lyrically snarky and quite possibly its a song that isn’t sung all the time.

  143. 143.

    Anton Sirius

    As someone who’s done more karaoke than everyone else in this entire thread combined, I find the insecurity of the “he must be joking, right?” crowd really funny.

    Doug, based on what you’ve said and you saying that you can already do a passable Jagger, I’d say give Wild Horses a try. Everyone knows it but it’s rarely done, there’s nothing tricky about the rhythm, and you can pour your heart out singing it. It’s the kind of song where feeling it is way more important than getting every last note or word right.

  144. 144.

    BethanyAnne

    Late to the party, skipped to the end. Do “Folsom Prison Blues”!

  145. 145.

    Ryan

    My local bar has “Tom Traubert’s Blues.” It’s plenty emotive and you can’t screw it up too badly.

  146. 146.

    Will

    Sinatra’s my standby. If you can sing at all, he’s in your range, and it’s plenty emotional.

  147. 147.

    Anne Laurie

    Seeger’s ‘Turn the Page’ or Zevon’s ‘Mr. Bad Example’. Or if you’re all drunk enough, Croce’s ‘Time in a Bottle’. All emot-intensive, and I’d assume common enough to be karaoke’d.

    The other singer-songwriter nobody’s mentioned yet, I think, is Dan Fogelberg. Probably a reason for that…

  148. 148.

    Chines

    If you wanna be a stage hog, you can always do all 20 verses of El Paso by Marty Robbins. I really got a kick out of some guy friends doing Putting on the Ritz by Taco.

  149. 149.

    a hip hop artist from Idaho (fka Bella Q)

    @RossInDetroit: Some of them have the visuals, but not the temperament to wait tables. So they are the very hot janitors, heh. Or web developers.
    How do you improve the aerodynamics of a guitar player’s car? Remove the Domino’s sign from the roof. Difference between a dead trombone player and a dead snake in the middle of the road? The snake might have been on its way to a gig.*
    Between a dead lawyer and dead snake? Skidmarks in front of the snake. Try the veal and don’t forget to tip generously.

    *Mr. Q was a professional trombone player in upstate NY prior to becoming Mr. Q, though we originally met when he was getting his masters in composition at our local music conservatory and was the housemate of my ex (a guitar player). So all 3 of us have jokes above. Heh.

  154. 154.

    Fucen Pneumatic Fuck Wrench Tarmal

    for limited range, and surprising opportunity or two to emote

    punk rock girl by the dead milkmen.

    although if your karaoke is as classic rockish as most, it might fall on deaf ears, even though its anything but punk.

  155. 155.

    DPirate

    @chris: Devotion is quick and easy.

    Morphine and Chocolate by 4nonBlondes.
    Superstar from Jesus Christ Superstar.
    She’s Gone, Hall and Oates.
    Love is a Stranger, Eurythmics.
    Songs From the Wood, Tull.
    Fire on the Mountain, Marshal Tucker Band.

  156. 156.

    Gina

    What about Cheap Trick? Surrender is my favorite, but Want You to Want Me would give lots of emoting opps.

  157. 157.

    Bobby Thomson

    Darling Nikki

    Up on Cripple Creek

    Suspicious Minds

    It’s Now or Never

    Night Swimming

    I Think She Likes Me (Morphine)

    Crazy. Patsy made it famous, but Willie wrote it and it will get you laid.

  158. 158.

    mak

    It’s all about audience participation, which is why Sweet Caroline is a good pick, though probably overly cooked by now.
    Others crowds love:
    Rocky Mountain High, John Denver
    You’ve Got to Hide Your Love Away, the Beatles (the crowd all jumps in on the “HEY” just before “you’ve got to hide your love away.”
    Also, anything with a grunt, like You Got that Right, Lynyrd Skynyrd.

  159. 159.

    marv

    “Loving You” – forget the artist but she left Rotary Connection to go solo – would be perfect for you

  161. 161.

    Dr.BDH

    Two words: Talking Heads. Everybody has a greater vocal range than David Byrne. Try “This Must Be the Place” for emotion. Or “Psychokiller,” for fun.

  165. 165.

    JRon

    “don’t tell me no lines and keep your hands to yourself” is a great karaoke song. You can emote.

Comments are closed.