“The Middle”
by Jimmy Eat World
from the album Bleed American
2001 Buy the album on Amazon
I’m going for the low-hanging fruit with this selection because Chris and I just discovered how fun it is to do as a duet a few months ago. What a great tune to switch hit with your friends. It’s totally easy to pass the stanzas back and forth and then come together on the chorus. Plus it’s got some fun air guitar moments if you’re into that sort of thing… which I am. Continue reading Karaoke Tuesday: “The Middle”→
“Give It Away”
by the Red Hot Chili Peppers
from the album Blood Sugar Sex Magik
1991 Buy the album on Amazon
This song sweats, that’s all there is to it. Even before Stéphane Sednaouie‘s gorgeous video confirmed it, the song had that dessert sun feeling to it. It’s just stanky and funky. I’ve performed this at karaoke a few times and it’s an exhausting song to sing. The structure is relentless and punishing – there’s never a chance to catch your breath. If you put it in the car and crank it and you’ll be excited for whatever adventure you’re driving towards, guaranteed. It’s totally a summer party anthem. Speaking of, this song brings to mind a very specific summer memory.
“Jane Says”
by Jane’s Addiction
from the album Nothing’s Shocking
1988 Buy the album on Amazon
“Jane Says” is another one of those songs whose absence from the karaoke songbook is a total head scratcher. Most places will have “Been Caught Stealing” and that makes sense, but then they’ll also have some random track off of Strays but not “Jane Says.” I meanWTF is that about?
“Alone”
by Heart
from the album Bad Animals
1987 Buy the album on Amazon
There are songs that make me wish I were a female, just so i could sing them. There are songs that aren’t duets but I convince someone to make it into one. And there are songs that seem like a good idea and then go horribly, horribly wrong. This one checks all three boxes.
“Lightning Crashes”
by Live
from the album Throwing Copper
1994 Radioactive Buy the album on Amazon
I’m totally behind on my posts, so I was feeling a bit stressed on what to pick for the karaoke entry. I had something completely different in mind when I decided to hit MNP to see what Chris had cooked up for his entry. Upon seeing “Brick” I thought FUCK IT and countered with my own depressing karaoke song. Ladies and gentled, the song you should never sing with expectant parents in the room… “Lightning Crashes.”
“Brick”
by Ben Folds Five
from the album Whatever and Ever Amen
1997
Buy the album on Amazon
This isn’t exactly a karaoke upper. For people who don’t know it, it’s a bit of a downer in sped, but if you do know what the song is about, it’s downright depressing. Which of course hasn’t stopped me from doing it a time or two. Continue reading Karaoke Tuesday: “Brick”→
“Summer of ’69”
by Bryan Adams
from the album Sparkle and Fade
1984 Buy the album on Amazon
I can’t believe I didn’t think of this sooner. It wasn’t even in my mind until Lance did 1979, and we were discussing how timeless the song was even if 1979 wasn’t your summer. This song is the same.
It’s not about being there in the summer of 1969 – it’s about having all the time in the world on your hands, starting a band with your friends, and having it eventually fall apart because everyone grows up and apart. Any of those relevant and timeless? Check, check, and check.
Oh, when I look back now
That summer seemed to last forever
And if I had the choice
Yeah, I’d always wanna be there
Those were the best days of my life
I used to associate this song with my childhood and watching it on MTV, but now there’s a different association. It must be stated that this is the song that Lance and I start every single karaoke night with. It makes a great duet, it warms the voice up, and traditions are important. And damn if this isn’t incredibly fun to sing. This deserves to be sung with your pal, sharing the mic, thinking of days gone by, even if it is just in some tiny, dark karaoke room.
“Hey Jealousy”
by Gin Blossoms
from the album New Miserable Experience
1992
Buy the album on Amazon
I wasn’t too sure what to post this week. Nothing was really calling out to me, but was just looking at my karaoke playlist and this jumped out. Probably because it’s so much of the same time as Lance’s pick. I never really got into the Gin Blossoms. I think I had this album at one point but got rid of it, but man, this song is great.
“Kill Your Television”
by Ned’s Atomic Dustbin
from the album God Fodder
1991
Buy the album on Amazon
I had fully intended on picking a song I regularly sing at karaoke because I’m trying to make it a week without being whiney. I didn’t wanna get sucked into the black hole that is “Man, I wish they had ____.” But fuck man, I wish karaoke joints had some Ned’s Atomic Dustbin jams.
“Turn My Way”
by New Order w/ Billy Corgan
from Get Ready 2001 Buy the album on Amazon
The final entry in #AprilDuets (though I certainly have more I could post) comes from New Order. This was a bit of a comeback album after they hadn’t released anything in 8 years, and though I never gave it enough of a proper listen, this song pretty immediately jumped out.
