Consider yourselves warned.
I went to an annual Filipino picnic in St Louis last Saturday and it was so much fun. The weather was perfect. The sun was out, the Pinoy food was bountiful and delicious as always. I saw lots and lots of my kababayans. And what else was present? A karaoke, of course!
My mother in law drove me and my kids to the venue park as Jeff had to work. After a little bit, she and the kids headed home, while I was left so I could “enjoy myself”. And I really did. I caught up with my old friends, got introduced to new ones. I even played kickball with another Filipina and her husband. And of course, I karaoke’d my heart out.
We Filipinos are very musically inclined. No wonder, amateur singing contests are always part of the numerous fiestas that we celebrate. And long before there was American Idol, we had Tanghalan ng Kampeon (Stage of the Champion) and the long list of succeeding television shows where new singing talents were and still are discovered. So if you love music, you will surely love the Philippines. Music is one of our favorite past times. You will hear them (sometimes real loud) in jeepneys, even in trikes. It should be no surprise that the karaoke plays a big part in our modern culture.
In the Philippines, karaoke is more popularly known as videoke. The logic, I guess is that when the ‘component system’ was just the cassette stereo and the speakers, and the melody was supplied through minus one tapes, it was karaoke. But came the addition of the video and of course, the TV now part of the ’system’, where you see themed backgrounds as you sing and the lyrics too are supplied and highlighted in sync with the song tempo, and there you have the videoke.
Most Filipino households have a videoke system at home. If they don’t, they probably have a relative or a close friend in the neighborhood where they do their singing sessions during Christmas, New Year, fiestas, birthday, christening, on weekends, and anytime they can dream up an excuse for it -when maybe depressed, broken hearted, or happy or simply bored.
We like singing our hearts out. We love listening to our friends and neighbors sing their hearts out. Well, most of the time.
As much as karaoke makes us gather in camaraderie, there are also many times when it has caused trouble. Like when the drunken singing goes on until midnight while the rest of the neighbors are trying to sleep. I’ve known of cases when the neighbors had to petition to the community hall to actually regulate the karaoke hours or have them moved a little farther from residences or removed permanently.
And there is one song in particular that has gained ‘respect’ in the Filipino karaoke world. One better give the song justice or risk getting criticized for wrong pitch, wrong lyrics, wrong tempo or notes not hit. I’m not talking about Martin Nievera’s rendition of Lupang Hinirang at Manny Pacquiao’s most recent victorious fight. Frankly, I side Martin on that one, not because I like his version. I just like that he put his own touch to the song. I think that maybe, if we all can sing it in a way that our hearts will really feel it, then maybe we can actually incorporate the lyrics to our way of life and who knows, it might finally spark nationalism.
The song I am talking about is popularized by Frank Sinatra and is arguably the national anthem among the drunks (usually among the male population). The lyrics say of how one has done a lot in his life, and so he is sort of ‘ready to go’. Ironically, there were those who sang the song who actually went. Some were made to leave the bar, some not-so-lucky ones, were made to leave the face of the earth. Seriously.
Don’t dare walk into a karaoke bar, or in the middle of the neighborhood drinking/karaoke session and start singing “My Way”. It can very well be your last song.
The three B’s -booze, the bar attitude and the bad singing, crime records show, can be a very bad combination. When someone picks the song, I am telling you, try to look around. You’ll see that everybody starts getting nervous. Everybody else is suddenly alert and ready to either run out, run for cover or duct. When I first told Jeff about this, he did not believe me. He finally did when his policemen friends told him that 99 percent of the bloody bar fights that they had responded to started from the song My Way.
If this is news to you, it should sound pretty funny as it still does to me. But it is sadly quite a matter of fact. Some bars have actually removed the song from the karaoke menu! I put together this clip of the lyrics and a few actual cases in the past. Imagine a guy singing it and somehow, a fight starts and somebody is suddenly dead.
Michelle: I’ve heard that about “My Way”… Someone was shot in Tuguegarao last year. I never understood why that happens with that particular song, but what you say is true. A foreigner “might” be able to get away with it by only being tossed out, if it’s early enough that too much alcohol hasn’t started to flow yet.
Though, a video of the performance would be more entertaining than the gorilla suit idea in the forum thread.
Hello Michelle,
Nice article,just today i open my mail and read all the columns here at LIP and write my comments because im just giving birth,,yes most of the Filipino like to sing even that we dont have good voice,,me myself like also videoke/karaoke even when i sing all lizards will jump down!!!!!
Hi Ading Michelle – Once again, you are so right! Even the poorest of families will rent a videoke system for their party, and singing will go on until “the last song” is sung.
I stay away from “MY WAY” for exactly the same reasons you cite. Those, plus usually the only puti in the crowd, keeps my singing career on permanent hold. I do have a little luck when I try Sinatra’s “THAT’S LIFE.” Unfortunately, that will stimulate a half-hour long “MY WAY” competition, complete with audience singing, corrections, variations, and arguments. Sometimes it’s wise to just pass the mic along and not hold it for more than a second.
Kamusta ka Michelle,
Great article, and I am glad you had fun at the filipino picnic there in St. Louis.
I understand the love for music there, and that the filipino people love there karaoke parties and clubs. But I don’t understand the violence behind the singing of “My Way”. Because the words are saying “I am ready to go”, so they kill the person? For some reason, I don’t get this..So if I were to start singing “Mary had a little lamb”, the people would dress me up like “Little Bo Peep”? and find some sheep for me to herd…lol. Of course I am being funny right now, but just don’t understand what triggers the violence. I do find this interesting, and of course something I have never heard about before. Rose loves the karaoke parties too, but she doesn’t get up there and sing, because she says she don’t want to scare the people away with her voice…hehe..lol. My voice is not much better, but I have promised to sing a song for Rose when I get to Philippines, just haven’t figured out what song I will do yet, I will definitely scratch off “My Way” from the list..lol. I was thinking of Christian Bautista’s song “Everything You Do”, Rose loves that song..but I am sure I will mangle that song with my voice…lol.
Take care, and love your articles….
Salamat,
Danny
On my visits to The Philippines, I wanted to go to some stores that delt with Audio equipment to see what kind of products were being marketed there. Although I have not yet found a store that exclusively sells medium or high end stereo systems ( these days here in the USA it is more ” Home Theater Systems ” than stereo systems ) I was able to look at some things in major Dept Stores and a couple of malls.
Every ” Full Sized ” amplifier or receiver I looked at, they all had a microphone jack on the front panes and many of them labeled as ” Karaoke Mic “.
Sure, there are karaoke Bars here in the USA although I don’t frequent bars that much myself but it seemed like the few bars I went to with friends in The Philippines everyone was looking at the song list. I had no desire to take part in the singing but I am glad you have mentioned about the song ” My Way “. I never would have thought about it and I’ll never even mention it in a Philippines bar thanks to you , LOL .
There were two occasions where I actually did sing to an audience in Philippines although fortunately not at a bar. One was at a Debut Party for someone I did not even know. Friends I was visiting had been invited to this party and I was told before I got there that we would be going to a ” Birthday Party “. When I was told this I had no idea a Filipinas 18th birthday was such a celebrated and honored event. Soon after my arrival one of my friends showed me a printed ” Program ” and I did an instant double take. My name is on the printed program saying next to it ” Words of Inspiration “.
Here I am, only 3 days in a foriegn country that I had never been to before, I am in a big catering room filled with people I never met and didn’t know and I was not even sure if they could undersatnd me and I find myself listed on a formally printed program to give ” words of Inspiration ” ? Add to that the possibility of Cultural Differences I may not even be aware of ?
I had studied the area I was visiting ( Iligan City ) for two years via internet before I went there which included viewing over 1000 pictures, over 100 hours of video, mostly on youtube, and learned as much as I could about the place before I even thought of going there for a visit. One day while I was ” Websurfing Iligan ” an old song came on the radio here. Without even thinking about it, a set of lyrics to that song about Iligan started drifting through my mind as I was looking at the latest batch of pictures from there. I verified that everything in these lyrice actually is in Iligan City and I just kept the song to myself for about a year.
” Words of Inspiration ” ? I had to come up with something and fast ! This resort looked out over Iligan Bay. One look over the balcony and I had my answer. At the time I did not even know about all the singing and karaoke in The Philippines but I guess it worked to my advantage. I had never sung this song to anyone before and I thought, Debut Party ? I’ll debut My Iligan Song !
I don’t know if they translated to ” words of Inspiration ” but from the response of the crowd and the after party comments I heard about ir , the people were quite impressed that someone from so far away who had never been there before had made up a song about the place where they lived. Maybe that in itself was an inspiration !
Someone took a video of me singing my song at the party, one of the last lines of the song was clipped because the person with the camera was not familiar with the pauses in the song but for the most part it is all there.
Here is a link to the video. What do you think ? Does this sound ” Inspiring ” to you ?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fPt8YltS1z0
The is the first time, I have heard about the violence associated with “My Way”. Like Danny, I do not understand the reasons behind it. Speaking of complaints of Karaoke, one of my neighbors in Boac plays his karaoke so loud and up to 2:00AM in the morning, I initiated filing a complaint to our barangay captain. The whole neighborhood supported my complaint. He was told to play only until midnight and has to lower the volume of his videoke. I have to wear earplugs if I am outside the yard when his karaoke is playing. This is one of the annoying things that I forgot to list in my article last month in this magazine.
in my wifes niebourhood in mandaue city they sing all nite long between the church mass loud speakers then the disco music and the karoeke drunks singing,just when its about to get silent then the street dogs start and the chickens start there thing! then its time to wake up thats asumeing you have already had some sleep to wake up from! thats why we bought land out in the province to build our house on !
There is no way that ANYONE should sing “My Way” except “Old Blue Eyes” himself. Not even Elvis! Just about eveyone I have ever heard sing it butchers the song so badly, that I cringe! Usually it sounds like cats in heat or chalk on a blackboard. We love Karaoke as much as anyone, but if I hear it done badly, it’s time to go! Just an opinion….
Danny,
I had the troubadors play ‘Til There Was You for Melanie at Pearl Farm.
All those years I lived across the river from St. Louis, and never recognised a Filipino community? I’ll keep a lookout next time I am there.
This violence over MY WAY just boggles my mind?……i2f…..John
Hi Michelle,
Sorry to say i,m not a fan of Karaoke,maybe i,m getting old.
I am a fan of Spanish Guitar though.
In my younger days “Maggie May” by Rod Stewart was banned from many Disco’s as it caused riots on the dance floor,why i don,t know,but fuelled by booze i guess.However nobody died that i am aware of.
regards Chas.
I am aware of the alleged reactions to that song but personally I have never had any trouble when singing ‘My Way’, maybe because I sing it so well(joke). I have a repertoire of 4 songs inc the above, they are ‘Yesterday’, ‘House of the Rising Sun’ and ‘Volare’. Then I shut up.
Hello Michelle,
Never heard the My Way story but I could never do Frank justice anyway so I guess I would be ok, Maybe. Truth is as for filipina’s and music, All one has to do and check a dating site for the Pilippines. Think I enjoy, music, singing, cooking, and cleaning house. Try to find one of those in America. hehe You did not mention but you do know it was a filipno that invented Karaoke. And I have never been anyplace in the Phil’s, except disco club, that did not have karoke. In fact I saw very few telephone poles that did not have adds for videoke. I did not sing there and only one reason. I could not find a western karoke cd. Maybe good thing if “My Way” will get you in so much trouble. hehe In fact when my son was here last week to haul home in a 10×16 Uhaul whatever he wanted because I am moving there, he pick up my $150.00 Stetson and said I don’t suppose I can have this huh Dad. I just told him was going to stick out enough as blue eyed tall white guy and no longer had use for it. Didn’t see a single cowboy there, and I want to blend as well as I can. hehe Acually I will be in Phil’s in 4 days for 15 days and then 3 weeks later I will live there forever. As all your articles this one was informative and well written. Just keep them coming.
Hi Michelle, I use to live in St.Louis for all but, 3 years of my life. I am now living in Davao city and have for almost 5 years now.
I also, use to go to the picnic’s in St. Louis hosted by the Phil Am community. The last one I went to was at Creve Cour park (wrong spelling ?)which was lots of fun just watching people enjoying themselves and sharing the day.
Question: did your future husband or husband have a condo for sale in qouzen city? I visited it but ended up purchasing one in Pasig (Mayfield Park )instead as it was to small.We stay atthe one in Pasig 2 or 3 months a year.
How do you like St.Louis as your new home? I certainly miss it at times mostly Forest Park which offered a little bit of everything.
Lloyd
Living in davao
hello michelle
i know when a filipina is singing loudly she is truely happy.mmmmm my new wife must be very happy as she sings every day.
salamat michelle
Hello again Michelle,
I just asked Rose about us going to karaoke bar when I get there, and I told her I wanted to get up there and sing Frank Sinatra’s song “My Way” for her. She got this funny face on her, and said “Oh no honey, you sing that you may die”. She said..sing it in shower for me, that will be ok with me…of course I say..that is ok with me too.:)
Ingatz,
Danny
Thanks Imagine, I would murder that song for sure..lol, and thanks for clearing up the i2f thing..:)
I have always thought it’s just too ridiculous and too funny.
One time, Jeff and I went out and a woman (who was very mannish) stood up and held the mic as the “My Way” intro silenced the room. I was so shocked (this after telling him about the song) when Jeff stood up too and said, “Hey that’s my song!” Everyone looked his way and then he just waved and said, “I’m just kidding.” The song was sung perfect. She got a round of applause both for her performance and daringness. No inuries whatsoever.
Good thing the night was young and the place wasn’t that busy then.
kostas kai juvy, Since I became a mom in 2006, I started greeting my friends who either get married or give birth (or father a child) by saying, “Welcome to the club!” But I don’t know if it’s your first child.
I, too hum a lot. And my little girl does now, too.
Thanks for the comment. Congratulations and good luck!
Manong Paul, Haha! That’s funny. You are so right that not only do people avoid “My Way” but also other choices that could lead to it.
I think passing the mic along is a good idea. Or singing in chorus instead of a one-man show. I know that’s when I have the most fun is when everybody is singing and dancing at the same time.
Danny, Rose is right. Actually, anybody can still choose it (if the place still has it on the list) and sing it at one’s own risk.
Bob New York, I saw the video. Good job!
David B Katague, Thanks for sharing your karaoke story. The only rational explanation I can come up with is that booze makes people do seriously silly or seriously stupid things.
mike, You forgot to mention the neighbor yelling at her husband for coming home late and the feuding neighbors thrashing each other in public. Hahaha.
By the way, good for you and congratulations.
stevo, You sure haven’t heard me sing it.
Don’t worry it’s never gonna happen. It is definitely a hard song to sing and actually give justice to. But I can do Rod Stewart’s Hot Legs any day. Wahaha!
chasdv, Wow. I have never heard of that before. Thanks for the information.
BTW, I think Rod Stewart is brilliant, although Jeff doesn’t care for him at all.
John Lindon Whalley, I have “House of the Rising Sun” on my slow rock list!
andy, Thank you. Good luck and enjoy life in the Philippines!
lloyd, I missed the Creve Coeur picnic. It was held the day after the one I attended.
No, my husband Jeff doesn’t own anything in the Philippines. (Well, as far as I know. Hehe.)
I like St Louis. We, too go to Forest Park. I like that we live in the city. Although right at this very moment, I have discovered my love for ‘country’. After a long vacation on the country side and just this recent July 4 weekend, I can finally imagine myself living in the Lake of the Ozarks area. Actually, I’m planning on starting a small business in Osage Beach.
Thanks Lloyd.
RonW, I’m sure she is very happy. Please say hi to her from me.
i use to run in forest park at 6:20am every day as i only lived 3 blocks away from the jefferson memorial. I miss living there but Davao is my home for now and forever.
I use to travel missouri as a sales person but, never found anything like living as i did near forest park. Lots to do and see. Never a boring day when the sun was out.
I asked about the condo because the man was also married to a pinay and lived in st.louis.
Thanks,
Lloyd
Thank you, I really value your opinion .