Songs that should be illegal for cover bands to play

*Shudders* Never mention that song again... Of course, there's also it's fellow perennial glurge-y karaoke fave, "My Heart Will Go On"...

Thank you for mentioning Gary Morris' version; that was the version I heard growing up and is the one cover of that song I'll tolerate.

I actually have sung "My Heart Will Go On" once at karaoke. But the reason was that the person who was supposed to be singing was also a manager of the bar, and she had to pick up after someone breaking their glass mid-song, so she asked someone to step in rather than stop the song or have it play out as instrumental. I did the only thing I could with the material, which was become a Large Ham. Oh, and I find the Songs To Wear Pants To version amusing.

So far as karaoke songs being banned goes, I pick "Paradise By The Dashboard Light", simply because it's just too long - basically if someone picks that song, they'd better be really good at it, and they almost never are. "Bohemian Rhapsody" could be a choice for similar reasons, except it can be saved if it turns into a crowd singalong.

edited 17th Mar '14 10:24:20 PM by MikeK

"Bohemian Rhapsody" should always be sung in a group. No exceptions. Even Freddie Mercury had backup singers (i.e. the rest of Queen live, plus massive overdubbing on the studio version). Nobody can pull it off on their own.

"Paradise By the Dashboard Light" is a classic. However, I agree- I have yet to hear anyone do a karaoke version (or a cover) that came anywhere within several kilometers of the original. Best left alone unless you're a virtuoso with incredible stamina...

Also, the link was hilarious. Yes.

It blows my mind that "Bohemian Rhapsody" is even offered as an option. I can't imagine it NOT being a train wreck. Even Queen themselves admitted they could not pull off the middle section live, and just played a tape of the studio version while a Victrola was spotlighted.

I remember one bar I went to where the entry for Richard Harris' "MacArthur Park" was heavily and unequivocally blacked out.

...I did "Bohemian Rhapsody" at karaoke once :(

(The crowd loved it, but I think part of it might have been that they felt bad for me and also the fact that I tripped backwards on stage may have helped garner some entertainment value.)

edited 18th Mar '14 1:55:32 PM by Odd1