Confessions of a Pop Fan

Thursday, February 22, 2007

WHAT DO YOU EXPECT FOR FREE? A RUBBER BISCUIT?

Karaoke Watch: Last night was Joëlle's Birthday Karaoke Blowout. Hosted by Dr. Love down at the Boiler Room, so much was sung and so little sleep was had, I am not sure I can catalogue everything. I know my performances were:

The Who - "Baba O'Reilly"

My Chemical Romance - "Welcome to the Black Parade"

Elvis Presley - "Trouble/Guitar Man"

Frank Sinatra (without Nancy) - "Something Stupid"

Tom Jones - "What's New Pussycat?"

James - "Laid" (last of the night, and really terrible; blew the bridge like you wouldn't believe)

I feel like a heel, I can't recall everything Joëlle did. I definitely remember her doing one of her standards, "Stray Cat Strut," and she tested out "What's Up?" by 4 Non Blondes and "Creep" by Radiohead. Both were amazing. She also tackled the tough Cab Calloway number "Minnie the Moocher." But what else? This isn't like me.

Mason came and even made a scorecard so we could give scores to singers. When I gave some drunk girls who as a collective trio murdered Madonna while thinking they were super hot a score of 1, the club's bouncer came over and thanked me for doing so. "I work here, and I'd love to do that," he said.

Mason himself was a shining star, doing an awesome, animated "If I Were a Rich Man" from Fiddler, a ripping Elvis on "Bossa Nova Baby," and an anthemic "Fat-Bottomed Girls" by Queen. Major points, though, for Natalie Imbruglia's "Torn," too, which I was jealous that he got to do. I'll have to try that someday. He also beat me to the Killers' "When You Were Young," the bastard. (Mason, I know I'm forgetting some of yours, too. If you can fill in yours or Joëlle's in the comments, please do!)

* UPDATE 2/28: I was reminded that Mason also tackled "Waterfalls" by TLC, and I tried to help him out with the Left-Eye parts. Joëlle's "I Am, I Said" also slipped my mind!*

The most impressive thing I've had to have ever seen in my life, though, was Dr. Love's rendition of "Rubber Biscuit" as performed by the Blues Brothers. If you know the song, most of the lyrics are nonsense, just scatting, and he nailed them all.

Joëlle also got a copy of the SingStar karaoke videogame for her birthday and I've logged about six hours of competition. I think I do best on the Keane and Naked Eyes tracks, but die every time I try Elton John or Scissor Sisters.

Trying to e-mail me? It's tradition that when my editor, James Lucas Jones, leaves town, my e-mail goes down. He's at the comic convention in New York. He also runs my webservice, so that's where the connection somehow is. If you get a bounceback, resend to golightly @ gmail.com.

Current Soundtrack: songs from Cerys Matthews' Myspace page (including Bowie and Decemberists covers)

Current Mood: crappy