No matter which camp you’re in I invite you to sit back, grab a cup of eggnog and  enjoy. Happy holidays!


Christmas Presence 11
Warm & Cozy Holiday Tunes
Listen (via OpenTape) | Listen (via Spotify) | Download

1. Holly Jolly Christmas – Martin Sexton
2. All I Want For Christmas Is You – Michael Bublé
3. The Christmas Song – The Raveonettes
4. It’s Christmas – The Polyphonic Spree
5. Frosty The Snowman – Nat King Cole
6. Christmastime – The Smashing Pumpkins
7. Christmas Song – Catherine Feeny
8. The Christmas Walts She And Him
9. White Christmas (Live From A Very Gaga Thanksgiving) – Lady Gaga
10. Happy Xmas (War Is Over) – Vanessa Carlton
11. Winter Wonderland – Jason Mraz *
12. Jingle Bells [Alternate Take] – Frank Sinatra
13. Keegan’s Christmas – Marcy Playground
14. Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer – Ella Fitzgerald
15. Carol Of The Bells – Straight No Chaser
16. Christmas Without You – OneRepublic *
17. Merry Christmas Baby – James Brown
18. Little Drummer Boy – Nicole Atkins
19. Do They Know It’s Christmas – Glee Cast

Holidazed & Confused 11
The Other Side of Christmas
Listen (via OpenTape) | Listen (via Spotify) | Download

1. Shit Xmas – Royal Bangs
2. Maybe Next Year – (X-Mas Song) – Meiko
3. Yellin’ At The Xmas Tree – Billy Idol
4. I Wanna Rock U Hard This Xmas – The Dan Band
5. Santa Stole My Lady – Fitz and The Tantrums
6. It Doesn’t Feel Like Christmas – Toad the Wet Sprocket
7. Xmas Tree – DeerHoof
8. Jingle Bells – Julian Koster
9. Christmas In Jersey – Billy Franks *
10. Deck The Halls – Napoleon IIIrd *
11. Up On The Housetop – Tom’s Computer *
12. Santa’s Rap – Treacherous Three
13. I’m a Little Christmas Cracker – Diana Decker
14. Yule Shoot Your Eye Out – Skyway Traffic *
15. Another Christmas At Home – Eux Autres
16. You Never Come Home For Christmas – Caitlin Rose *
17. Please Daddy (Don’t Get Drunk This Christmas) – The Decemberists
18. You Shook Me All Noel – dj BC *

* Not available on Spotify
All copyrights to respective writers, publishers, etc. Used without permission.

You might also enjoy: 2010 mixes | 2009 mixes | 2008 mixes

Full track listing:
It’s The End Of The World As We Know It (And I Feel Fine) – R.E.M.
You Dropped a Bomb on Me – The Gap Band
Apocalypse Please – Muse
The End Of The World – The Carpenters
99 Red Balloons – Goldfinger
Armaggedon Theme – Hans Zimmer
Earth Died Screaming – Tom Waits
Eve Of Destruction – Barry McGuire
Until The End Of The World – U2
My Apocalypse – Metallica
End Of The World – Shocking Pinks
The Final Countdown – Dispatched
Goodbye Cruel World – Pink Floyd
The End (From Apocalypse Now) – The Doors

What’s on your end of the world playlist?

#40: Total Eclipse of the Heart (Bonnie Tyler)
I didn’t want to mess around with something I had never sung for such a milestone. I toyed with Journey’s Don’t Stop Believing (an overdone, yet iconic piece I love to rock the hell out of every so often) but figured it would be too predictable. I needed something epic to finish the challenge. Maybe with a touch of drama as well. There could be no other choice than this timeless classic. As the lady says, “forever’s gonna start tonight.”

I want to thank too many folks to mention for all the support and encouragement. I definitely didn’t feel like I undertook this challenge alone. Rock on!

UPDATE – I did it! Song lists and videos: #1-4, #5-9, #10-14, #15-16, #17-21, #22-32, #33-39, #40

This was my last full night and thanks to the Karaoke Miracle the previous evening I was sitting pretty with only a handful of songs left.

It was another slow night at The Otter and only it took a couple of hours to get though five songs. We moved to Nye’s piano bar for the last two songs of the night. Live piano accompaniment adds an extra layer of complexity which is why I saved it for the end of the challenge. It’s also pretty cool.

#33: Jessie’s Girl (Rick Springfield)
A standard warm up for me. Such a fun song. It reminds me of my youth.

#34: More Than Words (Extreme)
First time singing this solo. I missed a few notes here and there but I was pretty pleased overall.

#35: I Kissed A Girl (Katy Perry)
I have wanted to sing this for ages. You know, for the irony.

#36: Bohemian Rhapsody (Queen)
I’ve tackled this before. I wasn’t happy with the backing track of this version. It was super cheesy.
[No Video]

#37: Bad Romance (Lady Gaga)
First time singing this. Another song I’ve been dying to try.

#38: Joy To The World (Three Dog Night)
First time for this one. At Nye’s with live piano. You can hear Gillian (my fearless karaoke companion) singing along at times. Added bonus: the waitress discussing the Flip cam. At this point in the challenge I’m not going to be critical of the videography.

#39: I Will Survive (Gloria Gaynor)
Wishful thinking considering how tired I was. Another one with the piano, sung shortly after midnight on my actual birthday.

Song number forty will be performed later this evening at Joe & Stan’s Sports Lounge & Grill in St. Paul. What will it be? Stay tuned.

UPDATE – I did it! Song lists and videos: #1-4, #5-9, #10-14, #15-16, #17-21, #22-32, #33-39, #40

This challenge is becoming more about if I can continue to stay out until 2am each night. I have to say I am wiped out. But the end is in sight. I must forge ahead.

I started Wednesday evening feeling a little nervous about the number of songs left to sing. Admittedly, I didn’t plan ahead enough to provide a buffer if I fell behind. I was averaging only four songs per night. What was I to do?

That’s when the Karaoke Gods smiled upon me. Basically the only people at bar were myself and my constant karaoke companion Gillian. The rotation had us trading off, singing every other song for over an hour or so. Even when others started arriving, they just sat and watched us for a while. This gave me the edge I needed to catch up and make some serious progress. By the time the bar closed, I had eleven songs under my belt. Eleven! It was a Karaoke Miracle.

Every song wasn’t a gem, but I was pretty darn pleased overall. My voice held out and I had a blast. This is the night I’ll be telling my grandchildren about.

#22: Walking in Memphis (Marc Cohn)
First time singing this. Worked well as a warm up too.

#23: Spin Me Round (Dead or Alive)
Another first. I had a little trouble finding time to breathe in the short time between verses and the chorus. It’s trickier than I imagined.

#24: To Be With You (Mr. Big)
Duet with Gillian Reynolds.
[No Video]

#25: She Talks To Angels (Black Crowes)
I love this song and have always wanted to sing it. I probably wouldn’t have attempted it before.

#26: Unchained Melody (Righteous Brothers)
Fighting the urge to make pottery. First time singing this.
[No Video]

#27: Don’t Let Me Down (The Beatles)
Yet another first for me. It sort of jumped out of the catalog. Once I got the pacing of the verses down it was really fun to sing.

#28: The Time of My Life (Bill Medley & Jennifer Warnes)
Duet with Gillian Reynolds. Second time we’ve ever sung this. You have to love the classics.

#29: I Love Rock & Roll (Joan Jett)
First time singing this. Next time I’ll probably switch the gender of the person referenced so often in the lyrics (I saw her standing there by the record machine…)
[No Video]

#30: At this Moment (Billy Vera & The Beaters)
I’ve done this before. Such a great 80s ballad.

#31: Rock & Roll (Led Zeppelin)
Another song I’ve done in the past. Although, it’s been a long time since I sang this. See what I did there?
[No Video]

#32: Build Me Up Buttercup (The Foundations)
I was singing along to this on the radio the other day and thought it would be a fun addition to the countdown.

So. Close. Stay tuned for more details…

UPDATE – I did it! Song lists and videos: #1-4, #5-9, #10-14, #15-16, #17-21, #22-32, #33-39, #40

The pressure is getting to me. Thankfully my voice is back in full force. I’ll need it in the coming days as I race toward the finish line. I’m drinking gallons of Throat Coat just in case. By the way, I want to thank all the folks who have been stopping by lately to cheer me on and share a song or two.

I finally got to experience Mancini’s last night and it was amazing. The bar is straight out of a Rat Pack-inspired Vegas dream with tiered levels of massive curved leather booths, loads of mirrors, brass rails and tiny colored lights outlining everything. The crowd was mostly of the age to have taken in a Sinatra show in his heyday, including the DJ.

These people are passionate about their karaoke. The rotation ran like clockwork. They even have a queue board so you can track your place (see photo). The regulars get their own printed cards. I could see my future self in the elderly gentleman who crooned Unchained Melody and then needed assistance returning to his seat.

#17: I’ve Got the World on a String (Frank Sinatra)
In honor of the timeless venue (and a catalog heavy on standards) I chose to warm up with a little Sinatra. The mics run a little loud at Mancini’s and I was a little hesitant as I was getting my voice back up to snuff. The combination didn’t yield much of a memorable result. So I’m exercising veto power over the video. This is the benefit of making up your own rules. Moving on…
[Video Redacted]

#18: Heartache Tonight (The Eagles)
I thought I’d shake up the tempo but didn’t want to startle any of the regulars. This seemed like a good compromise. First time singing this tune. Not thrilled with the performance, but it was an improvement over my last song. My only complaints with Mancini’s: the mics were too loud and the music too low. Now I sound like a cranky old man.

#19: Almost Paradise (Mike Reno & Ann Wilson)
Duet with Gillian Reynolds. This love theme from Footloose has become our standby duet. Sadly, this was not our best rendition (by no fault of Gillian). Acoustical issues at play again. Damn, I really sound cranky now. Hey you kids, get off my lawn!
[Here's a better version from a previous TechKaraoke Minneapolis outing]

#20: Sister Christian (Night Ranger)
Another standby, this time on Grumpy’s stage. I changed venues to get a few more songs in.

#21: You Give Love A Bad Name (Bon Jovi)
Last song of the night, for me and the bar. Almost 2am and I’m finally past the halfway mark!

Stay tuned for more details of the final two nights of my challenge.

UPDATE – I did it! Song lists and videos: #1-4, #5-9, #10-14, #15-16, #17-21, #22-32, #33-39, #40

Despite a few days of rest I still hadn’t gotten my voice back completely. So I continued to rely on songs better suited to my lower range.

#15: The Distance (CAKE)
Another CAKE song, but is that necessarily a bad thing? Hell no.

#16: You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feeling (Righteous Brothers)
Duet with Jake Nyberg. The high point of the night. It’s always a thrill to sing with Jake.
[No Video]

Stay tuned for more details as I enter the home stretch.

UPDATE – I did it! Song lists and videos: #1-4, #5-9, #10-14, #15-16, #17-21, #22-32, #33-39, #40

This was a tough night. I was fighting a head cold and my voice was raspy and dangerously close to being gone. No high notes were in the cards this evening. I knew I had to fight through it. So, in a burst of spirit akin to what I imagine Washington had a Valley Forge, I regrouped on-the-fly and selected a series of songs better fit for my new, deeper range. The results:

#10: Where The Streets Have No Name (U2)
First time. Not sure where the drunk dude at the bar pulled “Big Mike” from (shouted in the first few seconds of the video) but, sadly, the nickname stuck all night long.

#11: Don’t You Want Me (Human League)
Duet with Gillian Reynolds. This is where I break the no duets rule for the challenge. I’m getting worried about how many songs I have left and it is my challenge. So I can change the rules if I want to. Back off!
[No Video]

#12: Short Skirt, Long Jacket (CAKE)
This proved to be so much fun and a perfect choice for my new lower register. My favorite part was when the folks in the back of the bar were singing the backing responses in the second verse. Another first time song.

#13: Stray Cat Strut (The Stray Cats)
Another first. Not my best performance, the voice was starting to go here.

#14: Smells Like Teen Spirit (Nirvana)
OK, it may be a cliché and but this song is a karaoke legend. Nobody ever does it justice. I was no exception, but it served a very specific purpose — it’s the only song I can sing with half a voice. I destroyed what was left of my failing voice by the end of this song.
[No Video - i.e. Not sure who forgot to hit record this time, but it's probably a blessing]

Stay tuned for more details as the challenge continues.

UPDATE – I did it! Song lists and videos: #1-4, #5-9, #10-14, #15-16, #17-21, #22-32, #33-39, #40

This is where the challenge got difficult. I couldn’t convince anyone to join me this round and thought about canceling. But the drive to get more songs under my belt was just too strong. I wound up flying, or rather singing, solo not knowing a soul in the bar. It was lots more fun than I imagined and I got pretty chummy with some really talented regulars. Onward and upward!

#5: Separate Ways (Journey)
One of my all-time favorite songs. It’s hard to find the karaoke version but Grumpy’s huge catalog has it. First time singing it and I was very happy with the result. Best song of the night in my opinion, and possibly the best first song of the night I’ve ever done.

#6: Right Now (Van Halen)
Probably not the last Van Hagar song that will make the countdown, but a fun one. First time for me too.
[Video malfunction - i.e. I forgot to hit record]

#7: Just A Gigolo (David Lee Roth)
The Louis Prima classic with Diamond Dave’s spin on it. I actually bought this EP (on vinyl) when it came out. I’ve sung this at least once before.

#8: Oh Darling (The Beatles)
Not a first, but so fun much fun to sing. Nice way to slip some Beatles in the list as well.

#9: Here I Go Again (Whitesnake)
Another standby and a great way to end the evening.

Stay tuned for more details as the challenge continues.

UPDATE – I did it! Song lists and videos: #1-4, #5-9, #10-14, #15-16, #17-21, #22-32, #33-39, #40

#1: Livin’ on a Prayer (Bon Jovi)
I had to start with a classic, albeit one I’ve sung before. New Jersey represent! I think of it as solid ground from which to leap from.

#2: Your Love (The Outfield)
I’ve always wanted to sing this and it was recently added to the Otter’s catalog. Win, win.

#3: Are You Gonna Be My Girl (Jet)
Another first-time song for me. I’m pretty pleased with the result. My favorite of this evening’s set.

#4: Suspicious Minds (Elvis Presley)
I needed to work The King in somewhere. However this post-midnight rendition is a bit low on energy.

Stay tuned for details about the next 36…

UPDATE – I did it! Song lists and videos: #1-4, #5-9, #10-14, #15-16, #17-21, #22-32, #33-39, #40