What do Rosh Hashanah and karaoke have in common? Absolutely nothing, until now. To the chagrin of my friends and co-workers, I recently began studying the ancient and most wondrous art of karaoke. (I’m currently practicing a version of “Sitting On The Dock of The Bay” that will put both Otis Redding and that insanely talented dude at my local karaoke bar to shame.) So what will I be doing this Rosh Hashanah Eve? You guessed it, hitting the microphone with my Jewish (and karaoke loving) friends. I encourage you and yours to do the same. Just don’t expect any of the chosen people to sing the following songs. According to Molly Katz, author of Jewish as a Second Language, these tunes are strictly off limits for Semites:
Songs You’ll Never Hear A Jewish Person Sing
“Wild Thing”
“When the Bullet Hits the Bone”
“I Love the Nightlife”
“I Can’t Stay Mad at You”
“One Bourbon, One Scotch, One Beer”
“Third-Rate Romance, Low-Rent Rendezvous”
“I Fought the Law and the Law Won”
“Sex Machine”
“Some Guys Have All the Luck”
(You will hear us sing any of the following, however: “It’s My Party and I’ll Cry If I Want To,” “I’ve Gotta be Me,” and everyone’s favorite “I’ll Never Smile Again.”)
Shana Tova!
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