Karaoke - The SCs That Sing...

[Hawkguy]

Daisy, I feel your pain.

I run karaoke at a local place that owns their own music and equipment. They never get new stuff. Constantly I get requests for new stuff that I have no way (or intentions) to get.

SC two months ago

Me - CDJ (Cool D.j.)

SC - Do you have (Completely obscure song by nobody I have ever heard of)?
Me - Is it in the book?
SC - No.
Me- There's your answer.

Fast forward to the very next Friday.

SC - Do you have (Completely obscure song by nobody I have ever heard of)?
Me - Is it in the book?
SC - No.
Me- There's your answer.

Fast forward to the very next Friday.

SC - Do you have (Completely obscure song by nobody I have ever heard of)?
Me - Is it in the book?
SC - No.
Me- There's your answer.

ad infinitum (You get the point.)

Also I don't think I ever realized when I was one of them how annoying drunk people can be when you are sober!

[MTNLaurelPoacher]

I hate DJ'ing Karaoke. I ran Karaoke one night a week at one bar and have filled at some other places in town. I don't offer the service anymore and tend to run from bars now when people start to sing. Although to its defense karaoke is fun on Rock Band, or with a pitcher of beer and a crowd of good friends (who can sing very well).

Just for fun, let me ask you some SC questions.


(fun)SC: "Mr. Deeeee Jaaay!" (The customer leans forward & flash large amounts of cleavage Now that they have your full attention) "Will you play my song next. Pleeeeeze?"

-or-

SC: "Hey do you have ____________ ?"
The song requested just came out and there is no possible way that it has been released on a karaoke disk. The other option is the song is so obscure that it will never come out in karaoke form... ever.

-or-

Tone def customers that sings like a chinchilla in heat.

-or-

SC: "Can you watch my drink?"
At this point the customer places their drink over $8000 in electronics.

-or-

SC un-censors song, loudly, and clearly in front of a mixed ages audience. Yep... you don't have to be 18 to get in the door when we were doing karaoke.



So... keep track of that wireless mic, always add a disposable wind screen, and be nice to the drunks. Also, have at least 1 song that you can completely rock on to make the women all swoon and the money roll in.

Have fun!

[Becks]

SC un-censors song, loudly, and clearly in front of a mixed ages audience.

But...censored songs suck...unless it's the radio edit of MetallicA's cover of "So What".

[Daisy]

SC: "Hey do you have ____________ ?"
The song requested just came out and there is no possible way that it has been released on a karaoke disk. The other option is the song is so obscure that it will never come out in karaoke form... ever.

Oh hell, I get this ALL the time. I get the new stuff maybe a month after it comes out, but like you say, there are many many songs that aren't available on karaoke. Seems every time I run a search on a song and it comes back not available, the SCs don't believe me.

"Oh, so you just can't get it then. I'll get it from my *friend, brother-in-law, sister's uncle's ex-wife's daughter that runs karaoke in Boise, etc*"

Um, no you won't, because it DOES NOT EXIST.

What's even more annoying is when they want me to stop the entire rotation and play some song I never heard of as break music. I run break music off of my 5GB mp3 player. I have many many songs on there in many genres. But don't get all pissy and tell me I must not be very good at my job because I don't have some random R&B song I never heard of by some random artist I never heard of readily available for you to booty dance.
On that same note - you are in a bar full of middle aged folks that sing nothing but classic country music. Do not whine because I won't play Nine Inch Nails. Do not offer me a dollar to play it. I will not piss off the entire bar just so you can hear "I wanna F@#% you like an animal."

[MTNLaurelPoacher]

I have many many songs on there in many genres. But don't get all pissy and tell me I must not be very good at my job because I don't have some random R&B song I never heard of by some random artist I never heard of readily available for you to booty dance

Amen!!! I stopped counting the number of times this has happened. I really don't listen to rap. It is not my thing. I listen to strange bands, old stuff, and random anime music soundtracks. I do not have the time or energy to keep up with all the latest crunk songs. All that hate is bad for my cholesterol. MEH! The rap I have is what I get from my Promo Only subscription.

That statement is also why I have all but quit doing anything but over 18 parties, weddings, reunions and corporate events.

My only suggestion is dig back and get the hottest and best rap/booty songs ever. Then make a play list. Find songs that your SCs have totally forgotten about but still love. My suggestions are keep a bit of Black Eyed Peas, Nelly, Outkast, Notorious Big, and a bit of Tupok. Also, if there are a ton of ladies between 18-30 that you want to get dancing, whip out the song "Ghetto Superstars" from the Bullworth soundtrack. You will know it is a good song when you hear a scream or three from the other side of the bar and girls come running to the dance floor. They will not have heard it in about 5 years and still love it, it might also create spontaneous karaoke. (once called singing along)

[Interior Desecrator]

(fun)SC: "Mr. Deeeee Jaaay!" (The customer leans forward & flash large amounts of cleavage Now that they have your full attention) "Will you play my song next. Pleeeeeze?"

Bonus points if the DJ's girlfriend is sitting right next to him with smoke boiling out of her ears.

Actually, I kinda like doing karaoke myself, and I've had some fun with college friends. Unfortunately, I've also been drug onstage to do karaoke with a friend who is hopelessly tone deaf, can't carry a tune in a bucket. Which sucks because I have good pitch and many years of choral training. I should learn to get drunk first!

[Sableonblonde]

I love going to karaoke, although I've been going for years and only very recently started singing. I don't think I'm any good, but it is fun. I don't mind listening to anyone sing, even if they're horrible. Ha, it never even occured to me that karaoke DJs had sucky customers too! I liked reading your stories. My favorite karaoke moment was when I got my guy friend to sing "I'm Not A Girl, Not Yet A Woman." Ahahaha, priceless.

On that same note - you are in a bar full of middle aged folks that sing nothing but classic country music. Do not whine because I won't play Nine Inch Nails. Do not offer me a dollar to play it. I will not piss off the entire bar just so you can hear "I wanna F@#% you like an animal."

LOL The bar I go to every week for karaoke is very much an older white people bar, with 99% of the regulars being 40+. Then on karaoke night it gets split 50-50 between middle aged folks and twentysomethings. There was a time when the owner actually interrupted someone singing a Snoop Dogg song and told them they couldn't sing it. Honestly, I didn't think it was fair at all. If it wasn't for the younger people coming in, there would barely be anyone at karaoke, and definetly no singers. They are the ones coming in spending money, they should be able to sing whatever they want, IMHO.

[Stormraven]

I won't randomly subject anyone to my voice - well, except for my SO, but that's another matter. If I were to get dragged to Karaoke, I would only sing for a small group, and only after warning them.

[monolayth]

some of my best friends dj karaoke. They get all types. i love the women trying to chase after my very happily married friend. If only they knew how much of a fail they were doing. She is a extremely beautiful and smart woman.

but as for the girlfriend getting pissed about the cleavage thing, i was that girlfriend once....and all i can say was my cleavage beat whomever else tried. lol.

[Lil Bunny]

*blinks* Well this is off topic a bit but I just remembered about one of the last times I went to kareoke. I 'might" be on tv next Tuesday. They had a bunch of cameras following this one chick that was a regular and I guess had tried out.

How's that for an odd kareoke story?

[Daisy]

There was a time when the owner actually interrupted someone singing a Snoop Dogg song and told them they couldn't sing it. Honestly, I didn't think it was fair at all. If it wasn't for the younger people coming in, there would barely be anyone at karaoke, and definetly no singers. They are the ones coming in spending money, they should be able to sing whatever they want, IMHO.

Oh I totally agree with this. If you want to sing it, that's fine. But I'm not digging Snoop Dogg out of my mp3s in a place like that. You sing it, you run the risk of having nobody clap LOL

I did have a couple come in to that bar full of the old country crowd and ask me to sing a Pussycat Dolls song. They tipped me $20. I sang the song.

As for the cleavage-bearing gals that come up and try to wiggle their way to what they want, I've seen a bunch of them try this with my BF. Unfortunately there are a few flaws in their thinking:
1. I am his girlfriend. This is no secret. Everybody knows this.
2. I am sitting right there.
3. I am wearing an engagement ring.
4. I am 7 months pregnant.
And the best part,
5. I control the rotation. All he does is run the sound.

In other words, if you think you deserve extra-special super privileges above everybody else, you have to ask me, not him. And I say no. Whether you're male, female, cute, ugly, young, old, whatever. I say no. I run a fair rotation.

[retaildrone]

I'm in Texas - right between Dallas and Ft. Worth. I was a karaoke junkie way before I started running it myself, so I know what people like and what tends to piss them off.

You are from my 'hood!!!!

Sadly, I moved over 1,000 miles away

[the lawsmeister]

The restaurant i used to work at had Karaoke in the bar section.
The same people would show up every week and sing the exact same songs every single time. None of them could actually sing in tune except the bloke who ran the show.

The real standout was the middle aged guy who'd sing "My Heart Will Go On" in a drunken mono-tone each week.

[Daisy]

The real standout was the middle aged guy who'd sing "My Heart Will Go On" in a drunken mono-tone each week.

Yes, but he meant every word of it, right??

[monolayth]

I went out for karaoke last night. We had one girl who literally sounded like a cat was being tortured on stage. What made it bad was she thought it was good and got really into the song.

With her second song the boyfriend came on stage and started fondling her. We were all grossed out. First off This girl I remember from high school. I decided to take sewing as a class for my sr year and was put in with freshmen. She was one of thoes freshmen. I remember her being dumber than a box of rocks.

Her boyfriend looked to be old enough to be my father. He looked like some weary truck driver and was missing teeth. Probobly could have benefited from a shower as well.

Just EW.