Dance Party Friday: Karaoke Version

Tonight is the night, y'all! I'm going out with work friends for my birthday, in a joint celebration with my girl Sara. She's the one who is gaga for George Michael with me, the one who does the dance this guy does at 0:23, the one who shares a birthday week with me.

We're going to hit a few bars, grab something to eat along the way, and then - AND THEN - KARAOKE!!!!!

So for today's dance party, you get a glimpse inside my secret daydream life - being a karaoke star. Well, actually, it's notsomuch just a karaoke dream. I just daydream about being somewhere - a talent show, open mic night, karaoke, etc - getting up to a mic and BLOWING EVERYONE AWAY WITH MY AMAZING MOST MAGICAL VOICE.

See, I have an ok voice. Nothing special, nothing horrible. I'm actually a technically proficient singer - I've been in choirs and musical theater all my life until the last couple of years. I can read music, sight-read, I can harmonize and I can memorize easily. If only I had a kickass voice to go along with all of that, dangit!

Sigh.

Instead, I just have a mediocre voice - always in the chorus, rarely getting a solo. THUS ENTERS THE MAGIC OF KARAOKE. I don't need you to give me a solo, I'm gonna take one. And I'm gonna shine. Ok, maybe I won't shine, maybe I'll just be very nervous and sick to my stomach all night trying to figure out what I can sing, while everyone continues drinking and having fun. So tonight, I'm not out to blow anyone away. I'm just gonna have fun. But if I did have an incredible voice? I'd sing these songs:

This is one of my favorite daydreams. I'm onstage in a silvery dress and the lights are low. The band is behind me but you can't see them. At about 2:35 in the song, you can tell something is about to happen, and then BAM!!!! at 2:47, the spotlight turns on full power and my dress sparkles and my mouth opens and you can't believe the beautimousness coming through my vocal chords into the microphone and into your ears. YOU CAN'T BELIEVE IT ZOMG. And then at 3:35 I get even more amazing. I looooove this daydream.

So. Um. I never realized that this song, which I love so much, has a video that shows you my daydream from the Celine Dion song, rock version style. WOAH!!!! I so, so love Brandi Carlile and the way her voice just RIPS on "all of these lines across my face" at 2:54 just slays me. I love how her voice is all weebly wobbly like Patsy Cline's.


I want to sing this, and I want to scream and have enough air to do the entire section from 3:11 - 3:40 without losing it: ONE LAST THING BEFORE I QUIT I NEVER WANTED ANY MORE THAN I COULD FIT INTO MY HAND I STILL REMEMBER EVERY SINGLE WORD YOU SAID AND ALL THE SHIT THAT SOMEHOW CAME A LONG WITH IT STILL THERE'S ONE THING THAT COMFORTS ME SINCE I WAS ALWAYS CAGED AND NOW I'M FREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!! I can't believe Dave Grohl doesn't like how he sounds.


I don't think I really need to say much about this song. I don't have an elaborate daydream for it. Adele is getting a little played but that's because she is phenomenal!! I sing this loudly when no one is home. The video is beautiful.


Raised on this band and Mama Cass - oh, to sing like Mama Cass.


I once sang "Just a Girl" and my friends thought I rocked it, but I'd rather sing this one. I love it so!


Ok - now this isn't my favorite Beasties song, but it's great, on my favorite album of theirs, and the last verse? MCA's? INCREDIBLE. I was at a party once when this came on and I began rapping along and after I did MCA's verse, people actually CHEERED! I felt pretty awesome after that. I think the likelihood of doing a Beasties song tonight is pretty high.


Ain't No Way - For me to siiiing this song . . .


Sigh


Really, I'd love to be able to sing anything that Glen Hansard sings or writes, but this song is just awesome. It's even better in the scene from the movie (Once) where they perform in a recording studio. He can just WAIL.


Oh yes. Singing hard all the way to screaming! I actually can't scream, did you know that? I mean, I can't do a high-pitched shriek, and I can't make my voice do that scratchy, ripped sound. As soon as I get close, it's like God mutes me or something. No sound comes out. I would love to sing this part but you just can't do it without the screaming, you know?


F-U-N!

What do you like to sing when you go to karaoke? Do you have any karaoke daydreams?