Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Question Of The Week: What's Your Karaoke Jam?

Rick Diamond
/
Getty Images for ACM

For a long time, my go-to karaoke song was "Sweet Child Of Mine" by Guns N' Roses. I'd really let loose at the end on the "I-ee I-ee I-ee I-ee I's." I remember singing it in what I thought was a private booth at a karoke bar in Japan only to later learn they were piping it through the lobby speakers. Fortunately for you, I have no recording of this. But it was not unlike that scene with Cameron Diaz from My Best Friend's Wedding, minus the applause at the end.

The songs we sing when we're by ourselves (or think we're by ourselves) aren't necessarily the songs we'd sing in front of other people. For a while, my go-to karaoke song for singing with others was "Can't Take My Eyes Off Of You," which gave me an opportunity to fall to my knees for the "I love you baby!" part. And I genuinely love that song. But these days my go-to cut is Neil Diamond's "Love On The Rocks." (The best part in this video kicks in about 1:51).

I can't say "Love On The Rocks" otherwise appears on any of my "favorite songs" lists. I don't even own a copy of it. But it's in a forgiving key for me and gives me the chance to punch the air and emote on the "first they say they want you" part.

But what about you? What's your go-to song for karaoke? Tell us in the comments. Better yet, if you have a video of it, hook us up with a link!

Copyright 2022 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.

Robin Hilton is a producer and co-host of the popular NPR Music show All Songs Considered.