LET'S KARAOKE 5 : WHITNEY HOUSTON - HEARTBREAK HOTEL

What! No Whitney Houston's karaoke? Well, it's quite difficult for me to get any original Whitney Houston's instrumental that can fit perfectly into her video clips. Finally, I had to resort to creating an incomplete karaoke. This song is taken from her 'My Love Is Your Love' album which I absolutely love. I wish I could create 'I Learned From The Best' since it is one of my favourite songs. Still, this is better than nothing. I didn't put in the lyrics in the video clip though. They are already there in the first place.

The single's cover

This is the Heartbreak Hotel
This is the Heartbreak Hotel
This is the Heartbreak Hotel
This is the Heartbreak Hotel

This is the Heartbreak Hotel
This is the Heartbreak Hotel
This is the Heartbreak Hotel
This is the Heartbreak Hotel

You said you'd be here by nine
Instead you took your time
You didn't think to call me boy
Here I sit, tryin' not to cry
Askin' myself why, you do this to me

Since you're not around for me
To tell you baby face to face
I'm writing you this letter
And this is what I have to say

All I really wanted was some of your time
Instead you told me lies when someone else was on your mind
What'd you do to me? Look what you did to me
I thought that you were someone who would do me right
Until you played with my emotions and you made me cry
What'd you do to me? Can't take what you did to me

Now I see, that you've been doin' wrong
Played me all along and made a fool of me baby
You got it all wrong to think that I wouldn't find out
That you were cheatin' on me, baby how could you do it to me

Since you're not around for me
To tell you baby face to face
I'm writing you this letter
And this is what I have to say

All I really wanted was some of your time
Instead you told me lies when someone else was on your mind
What'd you do to me? Look what you did to me
I thought that you were someone who would do me right
Until you played with my emotions and you made me cry
What'd you do to me? Can't take what you did to me

This is the Heartbreak Hotel
This is the Heartbreak Hotel
This is the Heartbreak Hotel
This is the Heartbreak Hotel

This is the Heartbreak Hotel
This is the Heartbreak Hotel
This is the Heartbreak Hotel
This is the Heartbreak Hotel

All I really wanted was some of your time
Instead you told me lies when someone else was on your mind
What'd you do to me? Look what you did to me
I thought that you were someone who would do me right
Until you played with my emotions and you made me cry
What'd you do to me? Can't take what you did to me

All I really wanted was some of your time
Instead you told me lies when someone else was on your mind
What'd you do to me? Look what you did to me
I thought that you were someone who would do me right
Until you played with my emotions and you made me cry
What'd you do to me? Can't take what you did to me

I ain't gonna take it, I ain't gonna take it no more
I ain't gonna take it boy
I ain't gonna take it no more
Everything you say is a lie

LET'S KARAOKE 4 : JENNIFER PAIGE - CRUSH

This one is for the Gleeks and I am sure there are many out there. The original version is sung by Jennifer Paige back in 1998 and the new version is by Lea Michele (which is not really that bad). I simply love this song. It tends to stick in my head for quite a while every time I listen to it. I guess it must be the chorus that does that. The song is very light and breezy, a little bit sensual and not too 'dancey'. Definitely a song for driving to the beach with friends on a Saturday afternoon. An appropriate song to dedicate to that someone who is head over heels with you when you are just simply enjoying his or her company.

The single's cover

Ahh, crush, ahhh

I see ya blowin' me a kiss
It doesn't take a scientist
To understand what's going on baby
If you see something in my eye
Let's not over analyze
Don't go too deep with it baby

So let it be what it'll be
Don't make a fuss and get crazy over you and me
Here's what I'll do
I'll play loose
Not like we have a day with destiny

It's just a little crush (crush)
Not like I faint every time we touch
It's just some little thing (crush)
Not like everything I do depends on you
Sha-la-la-la, Sha-la-la-la

It's raising my adrenaline
You're banging on a heart of tin
Please don't make too much of it baby
You say the word "forevermore"
That's not what I'm looking for
All I can commit to is "maybe"

So let it be what it'll be
Don't make a fuss and get crazy over you and me
Here's what I'll do
I'll pay loose
Not like we have a day with destiny

It's just a little crush (crush)
Not like I faint every time we touch
It's just some little thing (crush)
Not like everything I do depends on you
Sha-la-la-la, Sha-la-la-la

Vanilla skies (vanilla skies)
White picket fences in your eyes
A vision of you and me

It's just a little crush (crush)
Not like I faint every time we touch
It's just some little thing (crush)
Not like everything I do depends on you
Sha-la-la-la
Not like I faint every time we touch
It's just some little thing
Not like everything I do depends on you
Sha-la-la-la
Not like I faint every time we touch
It's just some little thing
Not like everything I do
Depends on you

LET'S KARAOKE 3 : BELINDA CARLISLE - MAD ABOUT YOU

This one came one in 1986 during my sophomore year in college (yes, you should have figured out my age by now). It was Belinda Carlisle's first single (after her departure from The Go-Go's) which propelled her way to the top back in the 80s. The song has a Go-Go's feeling and sound to it since it was considered to be on the group's next album (which was never recorded). An uptempo song which spells summer and everything fun, it is definitely for the young ones (and also not so young ones) who are in love.

The single's cover

I'm mad about you
You're mad about me babe
Couple of fools run wild aren't we
Pushing the day into the night time
Somewhere between the two
We start to see

Mad about you (Mad about you)
Lost in your eyes (Reason aside)
Mad about love (Mad about you)
You and I

Something 'bout you
Right here beside me
Touches the touched part of me like I can't believe
Pushing the night into the daytime
Watching the sky's first light
While the city sleeps

Mad about you (Mad about you)
Lost in your eyes (Reason aside)
Mad about love (Mad about you)
You and I

Mad about you (Mad about you)
Lost in your eyes (Reason aside)
Mad about love (Mad about you)
You and I

I'm mad about you
You're mad about me babe
Couple of fools run wild aren't we

Mad about you (Mad about you)
Lost in your eyes (Reason aside)
Mad about love (Mad about you)
You and I

MONEY FOR NOTHING (I WANT MY CHANNEL V)

Channel V is no longer aired on Malaysian Astro and has been replaced by FOX. So how do I feel? Pissed off definitely. Why can't they have both Channel V and FOX? I don't really watch MTV since most of the time I can't relate to the current music trends and the reality shows (Yes, I am old and don't want to change). Channel V is (was) absolutely not as trendy and hip as MTV but it has (had) its own style and audience. I could watch the video clips and listen to the music without feeling that I was involuntarily trapped in a discotheque or a rave party or worse, a teenager's boudoir. MTV is no longer what it used to be. There was a time when MTV showed video clips of different genres 24/7 but those were the good old days. They are gone and they will never come back. Granted, some of the programmes on MTV can be quite interesting but most of the time, MTV is just another profit-oriented channel showcasing bratty and spoiled rich kids and their superficial friends (I can't stand My Super Sweet 16 and My New BFF). I have nothing against MTV and if that is what their format layout is going to be, so be it. Anyway, let's get back to Astro's decison to scrap Channel V of its channel list. I know that Channel V has never aired anything except 'pop' video clips in the first place but most of the time, these video clips could cater to the average person. Now that is no longer available, where can the average person find 'pop' entertainment without resorting to MTV or Astro Hits (which is the pits)?

p/s Dire Straits (or Sting rather) sings 'I want my MTV' in the first line of the song 'Money For Nothing' which is about music from the point of view of a common person (very much like me). Now a plea to Astro, I am obviously in a dire strait and 'I want my Channel V'.

LET'S KARAOKE 2 : OMC - HOW BIZARRE

He was a one-hit wonder who appeared out of nowhere and suddenly made it big in the international music industry. Just like his appearance, he also left like lightning. A Pacific Islander from New Zealand, Pauly Feumana of OMC took 'How Bizarre' to the top of the pop charts in most countries in 1996. Pauly died earlier this year at the age of 40, 15 years after his debut single was released but this infectious song lives on. This is definitely a summer song. With its lilting melody and happy mood, this is actually a fun song to sing. Like Madonna's You'll See, I've made another karaoke version using the original video clip and the instrumental version. Enjoy it and I'm sure it will bring back a lot of happy memories to some of us.

The single's cover

Brother Pele's in the back, sweet Zina's in the front
Cruisin' down the freeway in the hot, hot sun
Suddenly red-blue lights flash us from behind
Loud voice booming, "Please step out onto the line"
Pele preaches words of comfort, Zina just hides her eyes
Policeman taps his shades, "Is that a Chevy '69?"

How bizarre
How bizarre
How bizarre

Destination unknown, as we pull in for some gas
Freshly pasted poster reveals a smile from the past
Elephants and acrobats, lions snakes monkey
Pele speaks "righteous," Sister Zina says "funky"

How bizarre
How bizarre
How bizarre

Ooh, baby (Ooh, baby)
It's making me crazy (It's making me crazy)
Everytime I look around
Everytime I look around (Everytime I look around)
Everytime I look around
It's in my face

Ring master steps out and says "the elephants left town"
People jump and jive, but the clowns have stuck around
TV news and camera, there's choppers in the sky
Marines, police, reporters ask where, for and why
Pele yells, "We're outta here," Zina says, "Right on"
We're making moves and starting grooves before they knew we were gone
Jumped into the Chevy and headed for big lights
Wanna know the rest? Hey, buy the rights...

How bizarre
How bizarre
How bizarre

Ooh, baby (Ooh, baby)
It's making me crazy (It's making me crazy)
Everytime I look around
Everytime I look around (Everytime I look around)
Everytime I look around
It's in my face

LET'S KARAOKE 1 : MADONNA - YOU'LL SEE

I used to like Madonna a lot until she became too weird (she was revolutionary back then but now she is only trying to be necessary) for my liking. I have most of her albums from the 80s and 90s and also a few singles which I consider as the definitive themes of my youth and life. When she came up with 'Music', my interest in her went dead. I stopped buying her music and that was that. However, her song 'You'll See' is one of my favourites. It was even covered by Susan Boyle in her debut album 'I Dreamed A Dream'. Without a doubt, Susan has a better voice but I prefer Madonna's version (sorry about that, Susan!). Madonna's version is tinged with sadness and melancholy while Susan's version sounds more defiant and aggressive. I think Madonna brings a lot of soul and emotion (most of the time) into her ballads. Just listen to 'Live To Tell' and 'This Used To Be My Playground' and you'll know what I mean. Combining the original video clip and the instrumental version of the song, I managed to 'manufacture' my own karaoke version of the song. I don't have enough multimedia skill on how to embed the lyrics into the video clip so if you want to sing along, you'll just have to listen to the original version first.

The single's cover

You think that I can't live without your love
You'll see
You think I can't go on another day
You think I have nothing
Without you by my side
You'll see
Somehow, some way

You think that I can never laugh again
You'll see
You think that you destroyed my faith in love
You think after all you've done
I'll never find my way back home
You'll see
Somehow, someday
All by myself
I don't need anyone at all
I know I'll survive
I know I'll stay alive
All on my own
I don't need anyone this time
It will be mine
No one can take it from me
You'll see

You think that you are strong but you are weak
You'll see
It takes more strength to cry, admit defeat
I have truth on my side
You only have deceit
You'll see
Somehow, someday
All by myself
I don't need anyone at all
I know I'll survive
I know I'll stay alive
I'll stand on my own
I won't need anyone this time
It will be mine
No one can take it from me
You'll see

You'll see