I enjoyed reading more about Raftery than about the history of karaoke or the people who are responsible for making it what it is today, although those sections were interesting and informative. I connected more with his story, and I think other karaoke fans will feel similarly when they read it. He manages to distill much of what it is that draws us to the microphone time and time again. He describes his friend Mike's introduction to karaoke thusly: "At that point in his life, Mike was most interested in singing, drinking, and behaving clownishly in public, but until karaoke, he'd had to pursue all those interests separately. "Karaoke was the union," he told me several years later. "These three things put together.""
Raftery's writing is engaging and accessible. Scattered throughout the book are references to song lyrics, inside jokes, and humorous re-telling of his karaoke adventures. There are also more serious an poignant moments, which provide more depth than what one might expect from the book's title and cover. Even if you never feel compelled to pick up the microphone and sing to a room full of strangers (or your friends), this book will draw you in and give you a glimpse of the people and culture that drive karaoke today.
Article comments
1 - Jennifer @ Quiverfull Family
Wooo Anna! I love Karaoke too, it's been TOO long.
2 - Clarence Yu
I had a similar experience with karaoke (now called "Videoke" in some parts of Asia).
I used to be a shower singer; even when I used to play with my band and we required second vocals, I would be too nervous to sing on stage. This all changed when I started frequenting karaoke bars.
At the start, many songs were either standards or top 40 hits, not the type of music I prefer (rock and roll), but still, there were some gems. Many a night found me singing "Total Eclipse of the Heart" or "Love Hurts" by Nazareth, a beer in hand with my work shirt opened up. We all can sit in the bars here in private rooms, so I had a chance to hone my vocal skills without drawing undue attention.
It does work! Now the song choices are much more varied, and includes more of the stuff I'd like to sing. I'm still not a good singer in the classical sense but I'm better in terms of confidence and knowing my limitations.