I'm going Karaoke-ing tonight for my friend Jenn's birthday. I mentioned to my friend Dianne one time that I have trouble choosing what songs to sing because the stuff I know well is usually too obscure for the club. She asked me what I would sing if I could. I thought I'd make a list of songs I'd be comfortable enough to try but that I've never seen on a Karaoke play list.
Steve Earle - Johnny Come Lately, The Mountain, or Going South to Dixie: I flipped the time I found Copperhead Road available but my favorite song off that album is Johnnie Come Lately.
The Pogues - Lorelei: I finally found a Pogues song for karaoke, Fairytale of New York, and was writing it down on the request slip before I remembered it's a duet for male and female and probably no women I hang out with would sing it with me.
The Violent Femmes - Country Death Song: it's the darkest on the bunch and is fairly evil. I can see why it's not on lists but it's fun to sing.
The Sadies - It's Nothing to Me: there's other Sadies stuff that would be fun but it's usually too low for my range.
The Chieftains and Mick Jagger - The Long Black Veil: This one is usually on the lists but in a different arrangement that's too swing-y and light. I like the way Jagger sings it.
The Clancy Brothers - The Parting Glass: the place I go has a few traditional Irish songs on the list, and I might try Finnegan's Wake tonight, but I'd like to do this one. I love it both as the Clancy's do it and in the arrangement on the soundtrack to Waking Ned Divine. I usually end up singing this one going from my car to the door after karaoke. The Foggy Dew is another good one.
Johnny Cash - The L&N Don't Stop There Anymore: like the Sadies most Johnny Cash is too low but that doesn't stop me from trying. I also like his version of Poor Wayfaring Stranger.
Kingston Trio - Coal Tattoo: I've loved this ever since I heard Aunt Margaret sing it.
Steve Taylor - Finish Line: It's probably just as well, I cry at the end.
Glass Hammer - Dwarf and Orc: I don't actually know this well enough to sing it in public but I wish I did.
They Might Be Giants - I Returned a Bag of Groceries (Dead): I had a lot of fun learning and singing Birdhouse in Your Soul the last time I went out, but this is my favorite TMBG song to sing.
The Crossing - None But One, Winter, Where Has the Carpenter Gone, Rise Ye Up and Go, Psalm, The Bold Little Preacher, Standing Stones: if I had to pick one it'd be Psalm but since it's never going to happen I can do them all.
Michael Card - God's Own Fool: There's a lot of Card songs but this is the one for me unless I count the settings of Come Ye Sinners, and Jesus, Lover of My Soul on Starkindler. Those are possibly my two favorite hymn settings.
Third Day - Consuming Fire: This one might have a chance on Christian karaoke discs.
So there's a list of songs I wish I could sing for karaoke, none of which I'll get to do tonight.
Random quote from youth group:
"You think nobody will know? God knows and so does Google." NW in his message
Verse of the day:
"For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain." Philippians 1:21
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4 comments:
I know what you mean about "The Chieftans" being a wee bit obscure. Most people, when I put on my Chieftans CD and start crooning with Sting, Mick and Sinead look at me like I'm crazy, then they can't understand anything anybody on the album is saying. And you're right, the haunting way Mick and The Chieftans do it is sooooooo much better than that swing-y pseudo-pop version they have in most Karaoke bars. And, oh, how I long for a night of Karaoke (but no one here will go with me, and going alone is bit scary for me). Have fun, and please write to tell us about it.
nqOf your list I knew one song. The Card one. Yup, your musical taste is too obscure for this Mamma!! :)
It's a shame you don't know anyone who would sing Fairytale of New York with you, since it's such a beautiful song. I've gone to karaoke exactly once, with Tom and a friend of ours named Bill. It was several years ago. Tom sang The Joker, Bill tried (and I mean tried) The Devil Went Down to Georgia, and I sang a song by Fastball called The Way. I was just a little flat. Then Bill and I sang Loveshack and took the roof off the place. It wasn't even a tin roof OR rusted.
Tom uses Birdhouse in your Soul as his cellphone ringtone for when I call. One of my favorites.
If somebody knew it they might sing Fairytale with me, though the language is a little rough for my friends. The main problem is that the only person I've met since coming to Illinois that listens to The Pogues is a guy and he lives in Ireland now anyway.
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