Help me find new karaoke songs.

May 24, 2008 6:34 PM

Help me find new karaoke songs that are 1) recent 2) in my key 3) likely to be in a karaoke playlist 4) don't have a bunch of runs and shit and 5) have at least one part where I really get to belt it out like a mofo.

I am looking for songs that came out since 2000. Songs that are in my key, were found in a karaoke book, and have a belt-y part are "Perfect Situation" by Weezer and "All These Things That I've Done" by the Killers. What else can you recommend for me? Bonus points for songs that make girls go "woooooo!" when the music starts.

posted by 23skidoo to grab bag (10 comments total)

these are admittedly hit or miss as to the karaoke book:

i believe in a thing called love - the darkness (if falsetto is in your "key")
annie waits - ben folds
zak and sara - ben folds
get over it - ok go!
like a stone - audioslave
shipping up to boston - dropkick murphys
take me out - franz ferdinand
oh, it is love - hellogoodbye
stellar - incubus
a praise chorus - jimmy eat world
pretty fly (for a white guy) - offspring
strange condition - pete yorn
california - phantom planet
go with the flow - queens of the stone age
2+2=5 - radiohead
run - snow patrol
at your funeral - saves the day
the denial twist - the white stripes
since u been gone - kelly clarkson
posted by ncc1701d at 7:23 PM on May 24, 2008

What's your range? What's something you can sing? That would help me recommend things.

But right there with you on the quest --- I'm looking forward to trying out "Black Horse and the Cherry Tree" myself.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 7:55 PM on May 24, 2008

I love to rock the mic at karaoke nights. None of these fit your "recent" requirement but here are songs that work for me, with amazing results:

You've Lost That Loving Feeling - Righteous Brothers
I Would Do Anything For Love - Meat Loaf
Any Frank Sinatra song

I look forward to this thread, as there's a karaoke contest a week from Tuesday and I could use some new ass-kicking material.
posted by Zaximus at 8:58 PM on May 24, 2008

Yeah, I don't know why you're focused specifically on the post-2000 mark? The songs I've had the most fun with that otherwise fit your requirements would be:
Anarchy in the UK
500 Miles
Bohemian Rhapsody (seriously very very fun)
My Sharona

These are on the silly, and girly, end, but have been really useful in getting people excited and moving again when you reach the starting-to-be-tired-drunk time. No matter what you think of them as in terms of music, they make awesome karaoke:
Girlfriend (Avril Lavigne)
Wannabe (Spice Girls)
Barbie Girl (Aqua)


These have been tested in actual karaoke scenarios. A lot of the ones ncc1701d recommends, I'd be surprised to see in a karaoke box. Also, I recommend bringing your iPod with you. Inevitably, you'll reach a "agh, what next" stage and the iPod will jog your memory.

Last, you can belt out anything if whatever you're singing means something to you. I recommend getting on the tables and picking on (hitting on, whatever) your friends while you sing.
posted by whatzit at 9:25 PM on May 24, 2008

People don't have keys...they have ranges. That you don't know the distinction means it's going to be difficult figuring out yours, so why don't you give us a couple more songs (preferably by male singers, so we don't have to guess at octave transpositions) that you know you can sing along to well (without having to go falsetto or anything).
posted by aswego at 11:55 PM on May 24, 2008

Go to the old favourites for comfort:

Mack the knife (start softly, belt it out around "lady ella too)
Sweet Caroline (start building it at "warm touchin warm")

Then there's:

I fought the law and the law won (Go crazy at "I left my baby and I feel so bad")
I love rock 'n' roll - Joan Jet (corny, but the whole room will join in)
Likewise, Come on Eileen by Dexys (gets everyone going)
posted by baggymp at 2:46 AM on May 25, 2008

I'm sorry I said "key" instead of "range". Two songs that are in my range are the ones listed in the OP. I'm not interested in singing songs that go much higher or lower than the examples I gave. I'm focussed on the post-2000 mark because it's my question, and I want to sing recent songs.

Thanks for the answers so far! Keep them coming!
posted by 23skidoo at 9:25 AM on May 25, 2008

What about "Dance Dance" by Fall Out Boy?
posted by justonegirl at 10:39 AM on May 25, 2008

Everyday I Love You Less and Less by the Kaiser Chiefs works very well indeed in a karaoke setting (and is a fantastic song).
posted by sueinnyc at 1:56 PM on May 25, 2008

Just popping in to answer another karaoke question

I find that singing songs not written for your gender are always fun, get a good laugh, and strangely you can come off sounding better than someone singing the same song genderedly. "I'm just a girl" and "Don't let me get me" are two good choices.

"So tired of being compared to Fxxxing^* Britney Spears" just has that extra special something when a dude sings it.

* Yes, the f-bomb is necessary here
posted by Deathalicious at 10:10 AM on August 8, 2008