Pick My KttD Song

Since co-founding KttD, I have hoisted Lord Ramsey's Cup only once, following my performance of Chicago's "If You Leave Me Now" in KttD V. At KttD X this Valentine's Day, I'll be a man on a mission. I want regain my past glory, I want to join Hotrod among the ranks of those with two KttD championships in the modern era, but mostly I want to proudly display Lord Ramsey's Cup in my trophy case (fine, bookshelf) once more.

Here's where I need your help. One of my historic weaknesses has been song selection. I tend to pick songs that are guilty pleasures. Combined with my natural enjoyment of the limelight, this tendency leads to me having way to much fun on stage, and undermining my shot at glory.

I'd like to enter KttD with a solid two-song attack strategy. I think I have a good first song in Jesus Take the Wheel, but I need another one that will bring it all home and give me the edge I need to win the Cup.

A couple of considerations:

- Register: I have a low voice. I do the best (read: worst) with songs in a high register.

- Subject Matter: I need a song that can reinvigorate my severely limited capacity to feel shame.

- Length: The longer I'm up there, the better chance I have of wearing out my welcome and annoying the crowd.

So that's it leave your best suggestions in the comments. I'll round up the most popular ones and hold a vote a little later this week. I will sing whatever song wins. 

Comments

[mariser]

cranks, you should take "scenes from..."
c'mon, you get to play AIR PIANO,  in PUBLIC.
the townies will be pleased, no doubt

[crankypants]

I don't have it in me.  I could see M-----l hamming it up though with that one.  I totally think Scenes is full of win.  I just lip synched and did my cheesey office dance to it, all 7 minutes and 37 seconds of it.

[homebody]

I don't think vocals are extreme enough in that one, though it provides a great ballad destruction opportunity.

[crankypants]

Has anyone ever done Nothing Compares 2 U by Shinehead O'Connor?

[crankypants]

Oh yeah, that GM song is a good one.

[Dabysan]

You want to push yourself. It's the songs that really make you cringe that have the most potential for victory.

Also, this Debby Boone idea makes me very, very happy.

[Dabysan]

Nothing Compares 2 U had its KttD debut last year. I still think it has potential in the right (wrong?) hands though. 

[CarrieNation]

I've said it before, I'll say it again -- "I've Never Been to Me" by Charlene. "I've been undressed by kings and I've seen some things that a woman ain't s'posed to see."

[mariser]

Journey?   "Don't Stop Believing" is big with the kids these days.

[crankypants]

Definitely Debby for the win.

see, I'm trying to help you win something.  PLUS Jodi hasn't posted anything today yet so you are getting all my comments.

[Dabysan]

Journey, for me, would be tough, since I really like that song. The more I like it, the more I ham it up, and the more people think I'm having too much fun to win a bad singing contest. 

[Dabysan]

I greatly appreciate your fairness.

What I love about the Debby Boone song is that it is a) terrible b) difficult to sing and c) about Jesus. That's a real recipe for success.

[crankypants]

God Only Knows by the Beach Boys?

Just When I Needed You Most?

Hopelessly Devoted To You?

Against All Odds?

[hotrod]

Against All Odds is a tremendous suggestion.

[hotrod]

Actually, Cranky - you should consider getting into coaching for next year after you get a sense first-hand of how this goes down.  You've got tons of great suggestions.

[crankypants]

You are welcome to it.  I'm just having a good day I guess, whenever I tried to come up with something for Cap'n it was shot down, but that might be more him than my suggestion.  But like I said earlier it was always something that had been done or was unacceptable due to being a power ballad, or a sing-along-with-the-townies song.  But I think I'm in the groove now.

[Dabysan]

Some have forwarded the notion that power ballads cannot win, but I think that's bunk. While it is true that nobody has ever taken the cup with a power ballad, some have come close. In the right hands, the right power ballad could be epic.

Sing-alongs are a bigger problem. A real sing-along song can blow you out of the water when the townies basically drown out your crappy singing with their own crappy singing. None of your suggestions here fall into that trap though. 

[hotrod]

It's not a good song for me, but in the wrong hands it has potential.  Part of Cappy's problem is that I think he lacked the fortitude to humiliate himself to the level necessary to win this thing.  He can find an excuse not to sing any song.

[crankypants]

he humiliates himself in many other ways though.

[AmyH]

"You Light Up My Life" is about Jesus? Huh. I never knew that. Granted, I haven't heard it in, oh, 25-30 years or so.

But it reminded me of "Candle on the Water" by that Canadian lady - what's her name? Maybe I'll sing that one if no one else wants it. I'll have to pull out my Pete's Dragon movie soundtrack LP and refresh my memory on the words.

I was thinking of doing 10cc's "The Things We Do Love" because that's my usual karaoke song - and if it's on at the grocery store I'll sing along to it regardless of how many people stare at me.

[Dabysan]

Here's the link about Debby's interpretation of the song...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/You_Light_Up_My_Life_%28song%29

Also, I strongly considered 10cc's Dreadlock Holiday last year.

[M-----l]

All y'all just stay the fuck away from Huey Lewis.  He's mine.

[Dabysan]

Huey's voice is a little too low for me. He's all yours. Any suggestions to add to the vote?

[M-----l]

I can't worry about your song selection.  I've got to pare down my own list of 25 potentials...many of which I doubt will be available.

Having said that, I'm offering $20 bucks if you and Hotrod will sing "You're a Friend of Mine" by Jackson Browne & Clarence Clemons.

[AmyH]

I have limited range, so I call dibs on my 10cc pick for one of my entries.