If you thought karaoke violence was bad in the United States, you’re not familiar with The Philippines. Butchering someone’s favorite song might get you beaten up in America, but if you do that in Southeast Asia? You’ll risk getting killed.
The Philippines is one of the world’s biggest hotbeds for karaoke, where the people pride themselves on their ability to sing, but for whatever reason, the Frank Sinatra hit “My Way” has become something of a dangerous anthem. Maybe it’s because people sing it too often; maybe it’s because people sing it too badly. Whatever the reason, karaoke clubs all throughout Asia are removing the song from their machines because it seems to be the song that inspires the most violence. Filipino newspapers even have a separate category for “My Way killings,” with a half-dozen of them reported in the past decade.
While the idea of “My Way” killings and the connection of the Chairman to violence might merely be an urban legend, there’s no denying that karaoke leads to violence in The Philippines. Taking no chances, “My Way” is an endangered species in karaoke machines from Manila to General Santos. I think Frank would approve of this level of machismo.
Tags: The Philippines, My Way, Frank Sinatra, karaoke, karaoke killing, violence against bad singing, bad singers, My Way Killings, urban legends, law and order, violence, vigilante justice
