Tales from karaoke oceans

Okay, so this space is going to be equally about random personal music experiences as it will be about goings-on in the business. Sunday night saw the second annual sushi-and-karaoke celebration for my friend Eric's birthday. Now, karaoke in its own right doesn't really deserve mention here, but there was something very peculiar that night.

In searching for a good eighties tune to wow the crowd, I was alerted to the presence of "Owner of a Lonely Heart," from Yes. Now, 90125 is still one of my favorite albums, so this was a no-brainer. I got up on the stage, grab the mike, and expect the drum intro that kicks the song off on that record. Only that's not what I got. Those of us who grew up on the MTV Saturday Night concert may recall a video called 9012Live. There was an album of the same name, but that only had one or two songs along with a collection of featured pieces for each of the band member. The video, on the other hand, had a full set of old and new Yes songs performed by the reconstituted band. Including an extended intro for "Owner of a Lonely Heart" that found its origins in a song called "Make It Easy" that didn't make the record, but appeared on a boxed set from about ten years ago.

It's a really cool intro, and that's exactly what came out of the karaoke speakers, replete with the sick guitar lick that marks the transition into the song proper. What I'm wondering, though, is just how a version of a song that only exists in an out-of-print video release made it to the sing-along circuit. It makes you wonder. I'm not sure exactly what it makes you wonder, but still...