End of the year and the new year holiday season, people especially in Japan or Asian regions tend to get together to go karaoke for gatherings. Whether you like it or not, that’s how they seem to bond, be entertained individual characters and taste of music. You never know what your hidden talents and style are like until you try. No wonder karaoke culture is globally populate. It also can be a stress release by singing, vocalizing as well as recreation.
One of classic popular karaoke anthems is Paul Anka’s composition, Frank Sinatra vocal’s “My Way”. It is an human anthology. Likely sung by many old schools above their 50’s. It is the classic and challenging song to sing and many younger generations like gen-z hardly know the existence or seeing the song as “cliché” from music class.
Myself tend to listen to various My Way versions heavily at end of the year ritual or at least repeadly on yearly basis. Several artists covered this classic song like Elvis Presley in the past and various artists we recall for example, Celine Dion, and Three Tenors are noticed and all famous vocalists.
One cover version with Sid Vicious was also featured in the film ending song of Martin Scorsese’s “Goodfellas” and the one with Gary Oldman’s Sid Vicious character, “ Sid and Nancy” which is a vividly memorable film that how they homages the actual performance in 1980 of the cover of “My Way”. Not the only loathing performance and his interpretation of lyrics, but also Sid Vicious’ outfit of the slick styled large white jacket and the slimmed black pants are refined on him so as the video clip itself which made punk saga icon as cultural, fad phenomenal whether it is a good or not (…this also convincingly make sense how fatal this VERY young bullet Sid Vicious was founded, adored by Dame Vivienne Westwood and Malcom MacLaren ). The quote of Dame Vivienne Westwood is recalled, “ If you dress up, it helps your personality to emerge – if you choose well.”
Speaking of the outfit, the end or start of the year is an occasional season for the dress up : From GALA to New Year concerts ete, some dress up awfully formal to casually formal-ish by the occasions. For “My Way”, black and white tuxedos and Frank Sinatra late stage of his career always went well and that was one of the memorable classic styles of his. It was a jazz and entertainment show-style back then. And his one and only voice was very clear distinguished low and echoes: the tuxedo style was likely the suitable outfit for the quality vocal and his performance to lead and illuminate the audience and space as a show and present himself on a world of My Way. And the symphonic and jazz melody enhances the dramatic effect thus the outfit blended in. ( Not to mention that how memorable his beginning was a suit and hat style which was very smooth and humble ).
The lyric and the world of My Way might be a punk, a bit too unique and emotional for today’s assertive and light hearted society : for the music style, it is different yet the performance style reminds us of Japanese “Enka” and “Kayo-kyoku” . There is no denial about these genres of production and artists got influenced by the musical style so as stage costumes. In the genres, singers like Akira Fuse, Keiko Fuji, and another legendary “goddess” singer, Hibari Misora covered the song in Japanese. Her low, vibrato, echoing vocal style are certainly her unshakable legacy. Her stage costumes were always outstanding which no one else could impersonate but herself. Jazz up to classical.
From the multiple covers of My Way, this British pop singer, Robbie Williams’s cover is also popular and remarkable. He paid well respect to Frank Sinatra and reflected on Williams his own paths. His concert at The Royal Albert Hall in London in 2001 was witty entertainment, with a warming atmosphere compared to other his old past performances. A cover of Sammy Davis Jr.’s “Mr. Bojangles” in the concert was quite sentimental and catchy also.
Meantime it gives a strange impression for the saga of the social hierarchies and impacted on one’s vulnerable youth paths like one with the Sid Vicious with different generations and consequences ( Perhaps both are completely different yet are commonly known as the British icons ).
For the outfit, his suit represents his pop icon for using a subtle spangles on a casual 90’s hip black ties and black pants which is a well cleverly presented who he is as a young enough icon in the formal occasion. Overall, it is likely a simply good cover song performance to enjoy especially on the holiday season.
At last, which My Way is your favorite? And how was all your year overall ? War, Currency and economy recessions, Covid, Climate change ete, all sounds hellish elements of the year downers. Despite all, hopefully by now, you all enjoy singing, listening, or hanging out with good, loved ones regardless ( even if it means with yourself is wonderful), whilst to reflect on your own “My Way”.
Wish you all a joyful weekend and the final season of the year.
Location Reference:
Karaoke Maneki-Neko | Address : 4th floor Shibuya Prime building, 2-29-5 Dogenzaka, Shibuya, Tokyo ( 24 hours open ). Franchised globally, one drink purchase BYO system in Japan. Please check the website further details.
Royal Albert Hall | Address : Kensington Gore, London, SW7, UK
