Karaoke
I love karaoke. Give me a mic and a willing audience and I'll give it a go. In fact I don't need an audience, I'll sing to a practically empty room and I've done that a few times lol.
If there is karaoke on somewhere I'm happy as Larry. I'm not a brilliant singer but karaoke isn't for professionals. I've absolutely murdered some songs though - notably Let It Go from Frozen and Cheerleader by Omi 😂 After the former I was categorically told I'm never allowed to sing that again 🤣
I'm quite good at some songs and maybe this is only because I sing the same songs over and over again and I know the words. It's when there is a different version of a song that throws me off kilter.
I first gave karaoke a go when I was 16 and sung a duet with Gayle from work. It was Sonny & Cher - I got you babe. No idea how good or bad I was but it was to an almost empty room at a local club.
My next karaoke experience was on holiday with my parents in 1995, I was 17 and had Robson & Gerome with Unchained Melody stuck in my head and I thought it was great. I'd worn out the cassette that I'd recorded it on to; listen over and over. Anyway, so I was helping the Entertainment Rep all holiday (I think I missed my calling), and one night was Karaoke. People were singing and I was the one loading the LaserDiscs into the player. Then came my turn and I was ready, however I'd loaded the LaserDisc into the player and queued it up - grabbed the mic and stood on the stage to sing. It was the wrong song, wrong artist and I didn't know any of the words. I can't remember what it was, but to say I was bad was an understatement 😂 On the plus side when trophies were given to the best and worst singer I at least won something LOL
The first time I sung in a pub was in The Lamb in Astley Bridge. Always by Bon Jovi. Yet another song that I absolutely crucified lol. Wasn't good. I didn't know anyone in the pub, so it was fine 😊
I went to a Christmas Do once and I was stood in the toilet, as you do, when I heard my name being announced as next up to sing. Well, at this time I didn't know it was me. I thought "Oh, good for them" but on exiting the Gents (I had washed my hands), I was directed to the DJ where I was given the microphone. Guess what someone had put me down to sing? Yes, you guessed it The Proclaimers, I'm gonna be.. 500 Miles. Yes, I look like a Proclaimer don't I? 🤣 I didn't know whether to be offended or what. Anyway I sung and I went down a storm. This was the beginning of my road to nowhere lol. This Proclaimers track became my raison d'etre. I sing it without needed to even look at the words 😂 I know, amazing right? 😊
A few years down the line and I went to a Haven caravan site and even sung karaoke on stage there in front of at least 1500 holidaymakers. I loved the whole experience at Haven so much that people thought I was on the staff. (Like I said before, think I missed my calling).
So when I moved back to Bolton in 2015 I started to frequent The Bay Mare. This pub had karaoke on every other week. Let's just say that years followed with me singing all sorts of songs - whenever I could get on the mic - I would. I was up for a laugh and so once the landlady thought it'd be funny for me to do my best Freddy Mercury impression singing I Want To Break Free. She even went so far as to get me to wear one of her dresses and had the Henry Hoover out. LOL
https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=818085531581631&id=100001405764179
So now, wherever there is karaoke, wherever the is a mic, you may find me.
