Karaoke at The Tarheel Tavern!

Karaoke at The Tarheel Tavern!

Today is Karaoke Sunday at The Tarheel Tavern and the sign up sheet is surprisingly full! Eighteen performers, offering up quite an eclectic mix of styles and voices, it ought to be well worth the cover charge. Hey, you DID drop your five-spot in the hat at the door, right? Then by all means, grab a drink and take a seat, and hark the sound of Carolina bloggers and their songs!

Before we get started, I'd like to introduce Mandie from It's a Pixilated Life, and her friend's daughter. She'll be playing the music for us tonight. Not only is she a beauty, but talented too! I think I'd even call her a prodigy!

First up is Laurie over at Slowly She Turned. She's singing a fresh rendition of a song by a band called Nazareth called Preservation. It's an ode to going natural, returning to the doing things the way they used to be done... I think she changed the lyrics a bit, I don't remember that song having anything to do with canned okra! - someone must have spiked my tea!)

Lance McCord from Perpwalk feeling ambitious and signed up for two songs today, from two vastly different genres - but that's ok, because if nothing else, I encourage diversity! He's starting out with a mellow historical tune by a little known band called Nazz, called Christopher Columbus. But once he gets over a bit of stage fright, he cranks out Power of Equality by The Red Hot Chili Peppers.

Billy, our resident Blogging Poet, has decided he wants to sing a little something about Revolution. As far as I see it, the Beatles are always welcome, and I sit back and hum along as I listen to his poetic rendition.

Realizing, vaguely, that this tea is actually a Long Island Iced tea, and being inspired by the Red Hot Chili Peppers, I decided it's my turn. As I climb on stage and the music starts, I warble out an untalented rendition of Bitch by Meredith Brooks that she'd be ashamed of, and quite frankly so am I!

Poor Pratie from Pratie's Place, embarrassed for me, shakes her head as we pass on the stage and she gets geared up for a soulful version of Home of the Blues, inspired by her daughter Melina's recent Delta Safari and her pass through the intersection of highways 61 and 49 in Clarksdale, Mississippi.

Ron, from 2sides2ron, dropped in from Nimes, France where he visited Aigues Mortes. While he was there, he decided which song he'd sing us, and decided to dedicate the song Resist by Melissa Etheridge to the memory of Marie Durand. I think she'd approve!

Now, truly getting into the spirit of the festivities, and with a few drinks each under our belts, things start to turn strange, and Bora from Science and Politics heads for the stage, feeling either light of heart (or of head) and launches into Harry in the Sky with Bludgers from the Harry Potter Soundtrack. Sung to the tune of Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds, but with more amusing lyrics, this is a real crowd pleaser! Since Bora hit every note with perfection, we deemed the performance Harry Potter, no spoilers.

Next we enjoyed a lullabye of sorts, piped in from The Nearest Distant Shore. It was a beautiful performance from her - for her son - she made joyful noises while singing I Will by the Beatles, as she did during her pregnancy, and he knows it to this day.

Michael from Robust McManlyPants, who had reservations about singing in public at first, saw the mood lighten a bit and siezed the opportunity to sing his planned The Dukes of Hazzard theme song. I think everyone in the crowd sang along, I mean who didn't love Bo and Luke(yeeeeeeeeeeeeeeehaw!) Daisy, (Aww c'mon y'all!) and good ole Uncle Jessie!? How many of us can't laugh like Roscoe P. Coletrain, (can't ya just hear that laugh?!) or picture Boss Hogg's white suit, bald head and cigar?

The next performance was a strong one - Jennifer from Open Book sang to tell us things we already knew. I didn't exactly recognize the lyrics, but it was a Sublime song, and I sure was feeling it!

Now on stage is Screwy Hoolie singing a politically inspired tune by Bush, called Cold Contagious. He sings with heart, conviction and vehemence - and gets a sincere round of applause. That one's got a strong voice I tell ya!

By this point in the evening we would have considered taking a breather, except Joe from Guarino. Joe's entry followed well with the political tone Screwy started and wild horses couldn't have held him off the stage! Now I won't call him 'angry' per se, but let's just say he was feeling far from 'democrat-ic' as he sang, and the song Stolen by Ministry tells us what really does matter to him. He was another strong voice for us all to listen to.

Seeing a trend forming, George of Dirty Greek fame, followed with his performance. Feeling inspired to speak out about the arrogance of certain views and ideas in the political forum lately, and particularly motivated by ignorant suggestions concerning Bombing the Mecca, he chooses to sing Metallica's Holier Than Thou. A rousing performance to say the least - and a message more people should listen to!


When Nina rose and headed to the front, with Some Kind of Notebook in her hand (presumably her sheet music) the smile on her face piqued my curiosity. I had to wonder just what she was smiling about - what did she know that we didn't? She knew that she was going to have us all celebrating Christmas-in-July in tandem with a birthday celebration for hymn writer Isaac Watts by singing Joy to the World

Not to be outdone was Max from Words Fitly Spoken, who decided to follow the festive theme, in his own way. I won't even begin to describe his expression (or anyone else's) when he started singing a whole new set of lyrics to another Christmas carole: Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.

With just a few entries left, -d- decided there was plenty of time left to sing a few songs, a collection of sorts. We all sat back and listened to a wonderful variety. Everything from Lauren Hill to 50 Cent. With that - d - covered 6 months of personal favorites, and finished with a bow.

Jon Lowder impatient for his 5 minutes of glory, hit the spotlight next. He took a minute to smooth his shirt, his slacks, his hair. . . After a moment of what some may mistake for vanity, he shared his vision of Center of Attention by Guster. Though how he found that song, I'll never know!

And bringing up the rear, last, but certainly not least, was AE, in from Arse Poetica, to instill a sense of remniscence with a tune by The Smiths, which left many of us wishing for more days when we could take the time to remember when music, like oxygen, made us feel alive. What a great way to finish off the night, leaving us all in high spirits, smiling with memories from yesterday.

So that's it for tonight folks. I want to thank you all for participating in my little musical interlude. The money in the hat at the door will now be used to pay for the cab ride home, for those of us who had a few too many! Anyone know the number for Yellow Cab off the top of their head? Damn, where did I leave my phone!?