Friday, October 05, 2007

Repost Friday: Sing It Like You Stole It!

Unfortunately, this really isn't National Karaoke Week. This post is from April. I tried to come up with something original today, but the best I had concerned a guy putting up a new stop sign in our work parking lot and every time he stretched it was 'look at the big guy's ass crack' time. And if that's the best I could come up with, I figured it was time for a repost. Enjoy and have a great Friday!!!

For those of you who may not be aware, this week is National Karaoke Week. Oh, if only Sanjaya could have survived just one more week on American Idol. They may have honored him during the telecast or at the very least pretended he has the potential to maybe, possibly have talent. I will say this though, he has nice hair (and by nice I mean a lot), if that’s what you’re in to. But enough about Sanjaya, this is about celebrating National Karaoke Week!

I thought it would be nice to come into the office this morning while celebrating the week to get everyone excited about it. I put a smile on my face, tried to get my voice in tune, or on key or whatever it’s called and strolled into the office singing ‘Take This Job And Shove It,’ because it was the only song that came to mind. It was brought to my attention that it wasn’t the most appropriate tune for the workplace. I calmly explained that it is National Karaoke week and I was merely celebrating the holiday. Figuring that another song might erase the work faux pas I had committed, I started singing Eric Burden’s ‘We Gotta Get Outta This Place,’ as it’s a 60s rock anthem. Apparently singing about escape wasn’t appreciated either. Not to be stopped, I started singing a few bars of Johnny Cash’s ‘Folsom Prison Blues.’ Go figure that a prison tune isn’t acceptable at work either. Feeling defeated but not deterred, I walked away humming ‘I Fought The Law And The Law Won.’ Who would have guessed that management knew that one, too? I decided to celebrate by myself in my cubicle by singing ‘Escape (The Pina Colada Song).’ Since most people only know it as the Pina Colada Song and not by its real title, I got away with it. Happy Karaoke Week to me indeed.

While I am certainly no golden throat, I would like to think that I can carry a tune at least for a few minutes. I was born with a deep baritone/bass singing voice. OK, I wasn’t born with it, but it did show up after puberty. However, I have discovered over the years that there is not much space in this world for a boy that can only sing all the low notes for old Temptations’ songs like ‘Can’t Get Next To You’ and ‘Papa Was A Rolling Stone.’ It goes over great as a momentary laugh for friends and coworkers, but not as a paying gig. It also doesn’t work well in Karaoke as I stand silently waiting for the one line in each Temps song that I can handle. It’s kind of like the way Andy Kaufman used to perform the Mighty Mouse theme song on Saturday Night Live. Only when I do it, I’m not trying to get laughs.

As a former frequenter of the Karaoke scene, I have picked up on the songs that aren’t the best to perform publicly, especially in front of people that know you. The worst part is that I learned this from my own experience. Without a doubt, the first song on that list has to be ‘Copacabana’ by Barry Manilow. I can actually trace my failures with the fairer sex back to the first time I performed this song publicly. Notice I said the first time I performed it. I am a very slow learner. I did ‘Copacabana’ with a couple of my friends and we actually had choreography. We sounded like wounded Geese and apparently looked like them, too. Helpful tip: never do the ‘who shot who’ chorus with your finger pointed in the shape of a gun. It’s not cool, it’s not hip and anything that would be done in the front lounge of a Vegas casino in the mid 60s should never be repeated in front of a high school or college crowd. In hindsight, I still think we made a good choice in performing that instead of ‘I Write The Songs.’

I also regularly used to perform ‘To All The Girls I’ve Loved Before’ with a friend. I had to sing the Julio Iglesias part. This always frustrated me since Willie Nelson’s part is much more challenging. ‘All My Ex’s Live In Texas’ was another regular one for me. That is until someone once asked me if I was aware that I was tone deaf after performing it. I explained that I wasn’t and was told that I should be. That Saturday night was the last time I performed that one. When I did Tammy Wynette’s ‘Stand By Your Man’ as a joke, I was told it was the best I ever sounded. That Saturday night was the last time I performed that one.

I’ve since retired from the Karaoke scene, but in light of this week’s holiday, I might have to return to performing again. I practiced Joe Cocker’s version of ‘She Came In Through The Bathroom Window’ in the office’s restroom before lunch. The acoustics are pretty good in there and it seemed like a good place to sing it. Unfortunately, my voice needs a little more conditioning and another guy from our office walked in while I was practicing. To save face I quickly switched back to ‘Folsom Prison Blues.’ I have always found that the verse ‘I shot a man in Reno just to watch him die’ is very effective in getting people to leave me alone.

Now I gotta go. I have to prepare to meet our HR department tomorrow for violence and harassment in the workplace counseling. I wonder how that happened…I guess I’d better start practicing the verses to ‘All You Need Is Love’ and ‘Give Peace A Chance.’

12 comments:

Odat said...

I believe that a post on the sign guy's butt crack would have been very interesting! ;-)
And.....I think you should do a singing pod cast!!!!!
Have a nice "two-day" weekend. hehe.
Peace

Open Grove Claudia said...

Hey - how are your eyes?? Have you adjusted??

Anonymous said...

How do you ALWAYS write the most KICK ASS musical posts EVER?

This is almost second to the Perfect Post.

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"no golden throat" I DIED.

"I practiced Joe Cocker’s version of ‘She Came In Through The Bathroom Window’ in the office’s restroom before lunch."

OMG. I cant.
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This whole scene and all the songs and all the places you sang them is a friggin skit in my head. That my friend was an SNL skit.

Anonymous said...

You've retired from the karokee scene? Man. As soon as people get contacts, they think they are too good for karokee, this always happens. As for my standout- sing-along songs, I always go for something by Ace of Base. Or you know, depending on how much I want to fall into the sterotype of drunk girl singing- something from Grease. Complete with actions because I'm cool like that.

Lemon Stand said...

Thank you for the laugh today!

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AndreAnna said...

I could totally see you as a karaoke guy!

katherine. said...

karaoke scares the H-E-double-hockey-sticks out of me.

Unknown said...

Yep butt cracks jokes can be considered blog fodder if the presentation is correct.

Michael C said...

Odat: A singing podcast? Can I get arrested if I attempt it??

Claudia: They are no longer as meaty. I guess if I can't get used to them I can buy a pair of 'Tina Feys.' They look good on her and are all the rage.

Meleah: What can I say? I likes me music. It's probably better that I write about it than sing about it.

Bran: I can't even begin to top you calling me out about being too good for karaoke now. I am just laughing too hard!

Besides, how could I think about giving it up? Islands in the Stream and Alone Again Naturally are still out there waiting for my renditions. Out of respect for you I will not do The Looking Glass' 'Brandy' though. We have talked about that before and though I may now wear contacts, I can still respect your wishes!

Lemon: You are very welcome...and I'm actually singing that, not just saying it.

AA: I am choosing to take that as a compliment ;-)

Katherine: It's all about the first time. Once you get up there, the next 1453 times are a breeze. Trust me...

Tink: Well, I'd hate to make the stop sign installer the uh, butt of a bad joke...

Patti said...

I'm with Odat, Michael ~ A singing podcast is a great idea. And no, you wouldn't get arrested. I don't think so anyway.

Lucy and Ethel can join in the singing with you. ;-)

Have a good weekend

Anonymous said...

Thank you from refraining from continuing to put that awful song out into the world. I recently got my haircut and the hairdresser thought it would be the FUNNIEST THING EVER if she started singing it. Sooo original. Almost as original as a hairdresser getting stabbed with the scissors she's holding.

Anonymous said...

I had to read this AGAIN, I love it even more.