The "My Way" Killings

Are you a karaoke fan? Do you love being able to just sing whatever you want, even if you do not know how to sing? Well one place to not do that is in General Santos, the Philippines. After reading an article in The New York Times, I was shocked to find out about violence that has occurred over the years in karaoke bars. Certain songs cannot be sung because for some reason, they invoke violent rages in people there. If your favorite karaoke song is "My Way" by Frank Sinatra and you decide to sing it while in the Philippines, you risk personal injury and maybe even death.

Rodolfo Gregorio said, "I used to like 'My Way', but after all the trouble, I stopped singing it. You can get killed." The news media have recorded a half a dozen victims who are included in the subcategory "My Way Killings." This has left many questions in many people's minds. Could there possibly be something sinister in the song? Or could this just be a result of the country's violent nature?

"The trouble with 'My Way' is that everyone knows it and everyone has an opinion." Gregorio said. Most of the "My Way" killings have occurred because the singer sang out of tune. Others say that the song itself provoked the killings. Butch Albarracin, Center for Pop owner, said, " 'I did it my way'-it's so arrogant. The lyrics evoke feelings of pride and arrogance in the singer, as if you're somebody when you're really nobody. It covers up your failures. That's why it leads to fights. "

The Philippines is not the only place where karaoke related killings have taken place. In Malaysia, a man was killed for singing John Denver's "Take Me Home, Country Roads." Surprisingly, karaoke related assaults have taken place in the United States. A woman was punched in a Seattle bar for singing Coldplay's "Yellow".

I personally believe that karaoke related violence is a byproduct of a violent country. Everyone should have the freedom to sing what they want to sing at a karaoke bar. A song should not be able to provoke fights and definitely not killings. I would be terrified to sing anything if I even had a slight hint that it would provoke violence and maybe result in my own death. "My Way" is not banned in karaoke bars in the United States, but it is my hope that this song does not lead to fatal violence if it is sung here.

Source:

Norimitsu Onishi, "Sinatra Song Often Strikes Deadly Chord" , The New York Times.