Karaoke fans should sing hearts out, says author

Hit…Hit Me With Your Best Shot: The Ultimate Guide to Karaoke Domination By Raina Lee Chronicle Books

Karaoke enthusiast Raina Lee follows the old adage of “write what you know,” whether she’s dominating the stage or just having fun.

A graduate with a master’s degree in media and film studies, Lee publishes the independent zine “1-Up,” the first publication devoted to gaming culture. She knows as much about the karaoke scene as she does video games. She pronounces it “ka-ray-o-kay,” and as she relates personal stories about her exploits, she is always laughing – a sure sign that she has fun and takes it seriously. Not too much, mind you.

“I’ve been karaoke-ing my entire life,” said Lee in a recent phone interview with The Pitt News. The book’s forward tells about her childhood love affair with the Japanese performance art.

“My parents had an ancient laserdisc player and would buy ’50s and ’60s love songs like ‘House of the Rising Sun.’ It was a huge part of how I grew up, and my parents think it’s a huge part of Chinese culture.”

Karaoke gained popularity in the United States in the ’80s and ’90s but not like Lee expected.

“There were no books on the subject, and I was surprised,” she said.

People will spring at the chance to sing badly on national television and have their souls crushed by an angsty Brit when they can do it in the safety of a bar where everyone knows their name. That’s Cheers, or Spice Cafe, as it were.

“No one has any excuse not to sing,” said Lee. “Singing is an acquired skill anyone can train for. I had a friend who went to Yale for acting, and she said she saw tone-deaf people sing like they’re in ‘Phantom of the Opera.'”

Lee’s new karaoke handbook, “Hit Me with Your Best Shot,” even has a section of new excuses to wait for the microphone, like “I’ll only karaoke if I’m bombed,” so don’t try any of the classic excuses to duck out of a rendition of Clarkson’s “Since You’ve Been Gone” at the bar.

The book itself is a labor of love. Written in a very conversational style, consider it supplemental material to the hands-on course of karaoke. Plenty of dos and don’ts abound, as well as tips on picking the songs that fit your voice, all while sounding like you’re just sitting in a bar nervously waiting your turn. It’s an entertaining and surprisingly informative read – did you know you should tip the karaoke jockey?

While the bulk of the book may be hilariously sarcastic and light-hearted, Lee does cover the basics: the history, some dance moves to try (her favorites being the shimmy and the turtleneck), types of people you meet at a session and experimentation, which is sure to open a veritable Pandora’s Box of strange crooning.

“I think experimentation’s a part of the charm,” says Lee. “I’ve seen people sing ‘Baby Got Back’ in Frank Sinatra style and people rapping R’B. It results in delightful, if not highly unusual, results.”

Given that many of the songs she lists as good karaoke fodder come from the ’50s to the ’80s, with only a few modern hits, it would be good to flex that creativity so people will remember you for the song.

“It’s like your skill points go up, and it shows your creativity. It’s about how well you can draw in the audience.”

And that takes practice. She does say that singing in general is an acquired skill, so her book also details some products people can purchase to pump up the pipes. One such product, a videogame, is Lee’s current favorite time waster: “Rock Band” for the Xbox 360.

Lee takes karaoke seriously, but her personal philosophy keeps it from becoming too serious.

“I want people to just relax and have fun with karaoke. It doesn’t matter what your skill is. If you’re having fun, you’ll be a great performer. There is a way to be better: it’s about perfecting skill and practice.”

So next time you’re at the bar with mic in hand, make sure you bring a copy of “Hit Me with Your Best Shot.”