September

According to my world vision of karaoke, the goal of a good karaoke DJ, or KJ, if you prefer, encompasses more than merely calling up the next singer and playing his or her song selection.  DJ's are in the business of entertainment, and as such, should be entertaining.  For example, I don't believe there should ever be any "dead air" between singers, so I always play music until the next singer is ready to go, even if just for part of a song.  I also believe that every DJ should personalize their shows with their own style and flair.

I try humor -  sometimes successfully, sometimes not.  I get enough laughs or groans to offset the empty stares when a joke or comment fails, so I keep trying.  Often, I'm told that I have no filter, leading some to call me "DJ Inappropriate."  I can live with that.  Most people realize it's humor, or at least, attempted humor.

Sometimes, the songs themselves suggest the jokes.  And so it happened the other night.

An acquaintance of my late father came in to sing a few.  He is closer to my age and worked at the car dealership where my father bought his cars over the years.  He was quite exuberant with his singing and sang well.  He was having fun and wanted to continue the "flow" with an upbeat song.  He requested the Earth, Wind and Fire classic, "September."  I was pleasantly surprised with his rendition.

As he walked back to his seat after finishing the song, I said:  "As you know, my father passed away last year.  As he lay dying, he pulled me over so I could hear him and whispered: 'ba de ya de ya de ya," and then he died.  His last words were 'ba de ya de ya de ya?"  Who does that?  What kind of last words are those? Did he really want me to remember that his last words were lyrics to an Earth, Wind and Fire song?  I thought about it for a while and decided he was telling me to enjoy life to its fullest. After all, it's a very upbeat, positive song. But Earth, Wind and Fire?

Most of the regulars who are accustomed to my (dark) humor, chuckled or shook their heads, those that were paying attention, at least. However, I could see that my father's acquaintance was genuinely sad that I had reminded him of my father's passing. I walked over and gave him a hug, telling him that my father thought he was a great guy and valued their friendship.  That seemed to work.  It was true, too.

To be totally honest, I have no idea what possessed me to make those comments after the song.  I am sure it had something to do with the fact that the singer knew my dad.  But why that song in particular?  The guy sang at least three other songs.

When I arrived home, it struck me. The first line of the song is: "Do you remember the 21st night of September?"  Even though I know the song well and have heard it hundreds of times, I googled the lyrics just to make sure, because I was incredulous.  My dad passed away on September 21st.  It's a night I will never forget.

And, I love karaoke.