#74 - Sing Karaoke

I hate karaoke.  

It seems an odd thing for a singer / songwriter who has released an EP to say but up until Wednesday night another statement may not have been truer in regards to my opinion of participating in karaoke.  I believe I have been converted.

One of the reasons why I started writing my own songs in the first place was because I sounded like rubbish whenever I tried to sing somebody else's song.  One of the reasons why I started singing was because I watched the first season of the Australian version of So You Think You Want To Be A Disposable Pop Icon Idol With A Moderate Ability To Sing.  (Don't hold it against me... we've all watched an episode or two of Big Brother and / or Big Brother Up Late).

I do not claim to be Singer: Extraordinaire.  I'm quite happy with my inconsistent ability to sing hovering somewhere around somewhat ok.  Just.  Auto-tune does wonders, just ask Madonna, Kanye West and a whole plethora of multi-million album and single selling musical millionaires.  Bono, I'm looking at you (even though I'm not sure where you are looking - what's with those ludicruous yellow sunglasses man?)

Allow me to elaborate.

Traditionally I don't do work social gatherings.  However I've been placed in a unique position this year with this new job that I like doing with people I like.  It may (or may not) have something to do with the mantra I've been repeating on high rotation in my head since January "I work with and for people I like and I'm earning good money".  Call it what you will, (a desperate attempt to convince myself that working 9 to 5 in a mediocre job can be to a degree, rewarding?) My point is I voluntarily participated in a work trivia night and I had the time of my life, think: Patrick Swayze and Jennifer Grey.


Colleagues at work who nominated to take part in the trivia night were split into teams and given a run-down of the format for the evening, including x amount of questions on topics like music, news, sport and capital cities.  There was also a Team Challenge, the karaoke, and the team was given their song only hours before having to perform it.  Our team the Quiz Commandos, who - decked out in camouflage pants, army boots, war paint, toy guns and grenades - won the award for Best Dressed Team was bestowed a great classic to perform none other than Peter Allen's "I Go To Rio".  


In his lyrics, Peter Allen claims not to be, quote  "the kind of person with a passionate persuasion for dancing and romancing" however a quick survey resulted in most of my quiz team members agreeing they indeed thought Allen did have a passionate persuasion for dancing and / or romancing hence the musical written in his honour, documenting his career which evidence suggests involved quite a bit of dancing not to mention romancing given that he:

A) married Liza Minelli and 
B) eventually openly implied being gay and almost admitted to having gay relationships. 


Whatever.  His sexual persuasion aside, Peter Allen was profoundly, immensely talented.  He wrote Olivia Newton-John's "I Honestly Love You" and co-wrote Oscar award winning "Arthur's Theme".  The poignant "I Still Call Australia Home" is a tear jerker for many an ex-pat when abroad or at home.  My point is no one complained having to sing "I Go To Rio" although no one was prepared to sing by themselves, myself included. 

One of the team did a re-con mission to source the lyrics.  I tried to buy some last minute maracas, rather fruitlessly.  Someone else organised a quick rehearsal in the car park basement at work, a directive largely ignored by team mates however those in attendance agreed we would do the conga and tape the lyrics to the back of the person in front of us all whilst in full combat gear.  In the meantime I had been dobbed in by one of my team mates as being the team "muso" and that I should sing the song.  I whole-heartedly DISagreed!  I'm not singing by myself!!!  If one sings we all sing, I protested and insisted I am NOT singing by myself.

Fast forward to Team Challenge and the first team sings their song into cordless microphones.  Cordless.  Microphones.   Cordless microphones are way, very much, extremely and uber bloody cool.  They are hip and they are happening and as soon as I laid my eyes on the cordless microphone I announced to my team "I'm singing!!!"  At the end of the song, which I sung proudly and merrily the cordless microphone had to be prized from my grubby hands.  And like a true soldier, Lest We Forget ... our reluctance to sing karaoke...