Karaoke Wish List: July 2007

A little early, but it's been a good month:

1) R. Kelly and Usher, "Same Girl"
A 2007 update of Michael and Macca's "The Girl Is Mine," only with more Waffle House and superstation references. Double Up may be the first two-star album in memory to feature at least three four-star songs. Whatever that means.

2) Battles - "Atlas"
The length (7:07) makes this a highly improbable karaoke-hall option, but the nonsese lyrics can be interpreted nearly a dozen different ways: Is it "weeza wuzzza needa fuzza head-on forever"? "Bees a buzzin, she's a fuzzy, gremlins in the blender"? With the right group, this could make for a few spirited "Row, Row, Row Your Boat"-style rounds.

3) Amerie - "Crazy Wonderful"
A 31-year-old man really can't get away with singing any of the new Amerie songs, especially not this one, which is half-diary entry, half-mash note. Seriously, what is up Rick Rubin's ohm-chanting ass? Why won't put this album out?

4) The Darkness - "Friday Night"
I was shocked to even find a proper clip for this 2003 tune, as I had no idea it was ever even released as a single; "Friday" is essentially a pub-rock song with a guitar solo approrpriated from Brian May, and it's required listening for anyone who thinks the Darkness was a one-note joke (they had at least two jokes, maybe even three). When Rod Stewart is brought out of age-defying hydro-carbon tanks in 2037, this will be the first song he tackles for The Songbook, Vol, 24: Let Me Ruin A Few More Tunes For Ya.

5) Kelly Clarkson - "One Minute"
At this point, I've lost track of whether I'm supposed to be anti-Clive-pro-Kelly-and-therefore-pro-America anymore, or whether I'm supposed to be pro-Clive-pro-contrarian-pro-capitalism. Whatever. Either way, this sounds briefly sounds like a Euro-pop Sheena Easton, which is good enough for me.