Singing is the Key to a Long Life - Karaoke for Self-Conscious Off-Key Grown-Ups

I believe that singing is the key to a long life, a good figure, a stable temperament, increased intelligence, new friends, super self-confidence, heightened sexual attractiveness and a better sense of humor.

British composer, artist and activist Brian Eno

Brian Eno believes that Singing Is The Key To A Long Life. 

Here's what Eno had to say about singing in his This I Believe essay on NPR last November:

I believe in singing. I believe in singing together. A recent long-term study conducted in Scandinavia sought to discover which activities related to a healthy and happy later life. Three stood out: camping, dancing and singing. Well, there are physiological benefits, obviously: You use your lungs in a way that you probably don't for the rest of your day, breathing deeply and openly. And there are psychological benefits, too: Singing aloud leaves you with a sense of levity and contentedness. And then there are what I would call "civilizational benefits." read the rest by clicking here.

Back in September, I decided I really wanted to sing more--and since I'm cursed with an awful voice--I can only sing under the cover of large crowds, or in the privacy of my home.  Here's what I wrote back in September.

And in our younger days my husband & I spent hours singing with the help of songbooks and an inexpensive guitar. When I read Megan McCafferty's story in the September 2008 issue of  Health, "Love (and Karaoke) Will Keep Us Together",  I was intrigued.  Who gets to sing anymore?  Megan's brother-in-law bought her & her husband a karaoke video game a few months ago, just for "the fun of it", and she says

"Karaoke has inspired my husband and me to be unself-conscious dorks together, in a way we hadn't been in years!"

They've got their own American Idol  thing going, with Elvis, Christina Aguilera, and Pat Benetar songs.  When I mentioned this to my husband, (who wouldn't do Karaoke in public in a million years) he was game.  Yeah, he's a secret singer, too.  I can't wait to find this video game.  

I hadn't a clue what sort of karaoke video game McCafferty was writing about or where to find it--but my research was pointing to a Sony Playstation game call SingStar--and that sounded like way too much of an investment for a grown-up like me!

So, I did what any self-respecting medical librarian would do--I contacted McCafferty via email & asked her what her karaoke game was called & if I really needed the Sony Playstation to play it.  And of course, she answered right away.  Yes, I need the Sony Playstation 2  & her karaoke games were called: SingStar 80s & the American Idol Karaoke Revolution.

Two weeks ago my husband surprised me with the Sony Playstation 2 for my birthday.  2 microphones and a SingStar 80s karaoke game.  My kids didn't even have a Playstation--and now that they're all grown-up we go buy one?  Crazy!

I completely missed the 80s music scene & MTV--never watched it.  I was busy with babies-toddlers-little kids--and Raffi.  So I'm traveling back in time with my new Karaoke song machine.  SingStar is meant for teen-agers--I'm sure--but I LOVE IT!  WE LOVE IT!  And guess what?  Not only is Karaoke fun--it demands total concentration--and it is totally addictive.

My husband & I are equally off-key, so finally we have a fair playing field in which to compete.  We can sing duets along with the MTV original stars, like Billy Joel, Blondie, and Tina Turner--and compete against each other to see who is hitting the most right (or off-key) notes.  The words, of course, are on the TV, as well as the notes--and you keep getting instant feedback for how you're doing.  Good!  OK!  Bad!

I can't wait to invite friends over for our own karaoke-for-grown-ups-sing-along.  You can play with up to 8!

Here's how I look at it:  We sing with joy & abandon as children, but if you have a not-so-good-voice, you pretty much lose the opportunity to sing out loud once you grow-up.

Sitting in our family room,  singing along to Billy Joel's "Up Town Girl" and Madonna's "Material Girl" I feel like a kid again.  The time just flies by and we keep saying, "Just one more song--Just one more song!"  Believe me, it's hard to stop.

I can't wait to get the SingStar Legends!  The 80s I missed out on--but the Legends--Marvin Gaye, Johnny Cash, Elvis, Elton John, Sam Cooke & John Lennon--now those are my boys!