In downtown DeKalb, nestled snugly between Hardings Family Martial Arts and a decoration shop called My Favorite Things, sits the Hometown Sports Bar & Grill.
Every Thursday and Saturday night, Hometown has karaoke at 10 p.m. I cannot participate in the honored Japanese tradition as often as I’d like; however, when I do, I perform as my charismatic alter ego, “Two-Shot Sinatra.”
I love singing karaoke, but I love watching it even more. It’s a gold mine for armchair psychologists. Even when the karaoke is completely, gut-squeezingly horrible, it’s still pure self-expression.
Usually the singer’s eyes mesmerize me most. They’re typically filled with a combination of drunken enjoyment and abject terror. Body language and song choice also are fascinating. For example, when I sing “I’ve Got You Under My Skin,” I like to think I’m showing off my hidden romantic side. Interestingly, I’m more comfortable exposing that part of me in front of strangers than in private.
Not everyone needs to turn karaoke into a therapy session. Even blatant crowd-pleasers like “Mr. Brightside” and “Sweet Home Alabama” are fun to dissect. What pulls people toward these specific sets of chords and melodies? Imagining the answers and stories kickstarts my mental engine.
I hope you drop by for karaoke. It requires very little of you. Just be brave and open up for three minutes. You can even cheat by imbibing some liquid courage beforehand. I won’t tell anyone.
I’m Ryan Janovic, and that’s my perspective.