James Taylor - Handy Man (Karaoke)

     "Handy Man" is a rock and roll song credited to singer Jimmy Jones and songwriter Otis Blackwell. It was originally recorded by The Sparks Of Rhythm, a group Jones had been a member of when he wrote it, although he was not with them when they recorded it. In 1959, Jones recorded the song himself, in a version which had been reworked by Blackwell [1], who also produced the session. "Handy Man"went to number three on the R&B charts and number two on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1960, becoming a million seller [1]. The song was a hit again in 1964 for Del Shannon and again for James Taylor in 1977. Taylor's version of the song was the most successful, peaking at #4 on the Billboard Hot 100 and topping the adult contemporary chart [2]. This version also earned Taylor his second Grammy Award for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance, Male. Some recordings of "Handy Man" list C. Merenstein as a co-writer as does BMI under the full name Charles Merenstein. Merenstein has other songs with BMI.From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Michael Jackson - Ben (Karaoke)

    
     "Ben" is a song written by Don Black and composed by Walter Scharf for the 1972 film of the same name (the sequel to the 1971 killer rat film Willard). It was performed in the film by Lee Montgomery and by Michael Jackson over the closing credits. Jackson's single, recorded for the Motown label in 1972, spent one week at the top of the U.S. pop chart. It also reached number-one on the Australian pop chart, spending eight weeks at the top spot. The song also later reached a peak of number seven on the British pop chart. "Ben" won a Golden Globe for Best Song. It was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Original Song in 1973, losing to "The Morning After" from The Poseidon Adventure; Jackson performed the song in front of a live audience at the ceremony. The song was Jackson's first #1 solo hit.From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Carpenters - Superstar (Karaoke)

     "Superstar" is a 1969 song written by Bonnie Bramlett and Leon Russell (with a songwriting credit also given to Delaney Bramlett[1]) that has been a hit for many artists in different genres and interpretations in the years since; the best known version is by the Carpenters in 1971.
     Accounts of the song's origin vary somewhat, but it grew out of the late 1969/early 1970 nexus of English and American musicians known as Delaney & Bonnie and Friends, that involved Delaney and Bonnie Bramlett, Leon Russell, Eric Clapton, and various others. The song's working title during portions of its development was "Groupie Song". In its first recorded incarnation, the song was called "Groupie (Superstar)", and was recorded and released as a B-side to the Delaney & Bonnie single "Comin' Home" in December 1969. Released by Atlantic Records, the full credit on the single was to Delaney & Bonnie and Friends Featuring Eric Clapton. Sung by Bonnie, the arrangement featured slow guitar and bass parts building up to an almost gospelish chorus using horns.

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The Cascades - Rhythm Of The Rain (Karaoke)

     "Rhythm of the Rain" is a song performed by The Cascades, released in November 1962. It was written by Cascades band member John Claude Gummoe. It rose to number three on the US pop chart on March 9, 1963, and spent two weeks at number one on the US Easy Listening chart. The song was also a top 5 hit in the United Kingdom and a number-one single in Ireland. In 1999, BMI listed the song as the ninth most performed song on radio/TV in the 20th century. The Cascades' recording was used in the soundtrack of the 1979 film Quadrophenia and included in its soundtrack album.
     The 1969 recording by Gary Lewis & the Playboys peaked at #63 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. In late 60s & early 70s, this song was covered by various singers and bands in the South-East Asia region. Among them were Teddy Robin & The Playboys, Felicia Wong in Hong Kong, Tracy Huang in Taiwan, Ervinna, Zhuang Xue Fang (in edited Standard Chinese lyrics under title name of in Singapore, and Sinn Sisamouth in Cambodia. In 1978, the song enjoyed a run of popularity in country music, through a cover version recorded by Jacky Ward. Ward's recording reached #11 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles chart. In 1990, Dan Fogelberg scored a #3 hit on the US Billboard Adult Contemporary chart, with "Rhythm of the Rain" being part of a medley alongside The Beatles' song "Rain." From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Peter Paul & Mary - Puff The Magic Dragon (Karaoke)

     "Puff, the Magic Dragon" is a song written by Leonard Lipton and Peter Yarrow, and made popular by Yarrow's group Peter, Paul and Mary in a 1963 recording. The song achieved great popularity. The lyrics for "Puff, the Magic Dragon" were based on a 1959 poem by Leonard Lipton, a 19-year-old Cornell University student.
     Lipton was inspired by an Ogden Nash poem titled "Custard the Dragon", about a "realio, trulio little pet dragon."The lyrics tell a story of the ageless dragon Puff and his playmate Jackie Paper, a little boy who grows up and loses interest in the imaginary adventures of childhood and leaves Puff alone and depressed. The story of the song takes place "by the sea" in the fictional land of Honalee (the spelling used by author Lenny Lipton, though nonauthoritative variations abound). Lipton was friends with Peter Yarrow's housemate when they were all students at Cornell. He used Yarrow's typewriter to get the poem out of his head. He then forgot about it until years later, when a friend called and told him Yarrow was looking for him, to give him credit for the lyrics. On making contact Yarrow gave Lipton half the songwriting credit, and he still gets royalties from the song.

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Eagle - Hotel California (Karaoke)

     "Hotel California" is the title song from the Eagles' album of the same name and was released as a single in February 1977. It is one of the best-known songs of the album-oriented rock era. Writing credits for the song are shared by Don Felder, Don Henley and Glenn Frey. The Eagles' original recording of the song features Henley singing the lead vocals and concludes with an extended section of electric guitar interplay between Felder and Joe Walsh. The song has been given several interpretations by fans and critics alike, but the Eagles have described it as their "interpretation of the high life in Los Angeles"
     "Hotel California" topped the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart for one week in May 1977. Three months after its release, the single was certified Gold by the Recording Industry Association of America, representing 1,000,000 records shipped. The Eagles also won the 1977 Grammy Award for Record of the Year for "Hotel California" at the 20th Annual Grammy Awards in 1978. In 2009, the song "Hotel California" was certified Platinum (Digital Sales Award) by the RIAA for sales of 1,000,000 digital downloads .From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Bee Gees - How Deep Is Your Love (Karaoke)

     How Deep Is Your Love" is a pop song written and recorded by the Bee Gees in 1977 and released as a single in September. Originally intended for Yvonne Elliman, it was ultimately used as part of the soundtrack to the film Saturday Night Fever. It was a number three hit in the United Kingdom and Australia. In the United States, it topped the Billboard Hot 100 on 24 December 1977 (becoming the first of six consecutive US number-one hits) and stayed in the Top 10 for a then-record 17 weeks. The single spent six weeks atop the US adult contemporary chart. It is listed at # 20 on Billboard's All Time Top 100. Alongside "Stayin' Alive", it is one of the group's two tracks on the list. The song was covered by Take That for their 1996 Greatest Hits album, reaching number-one on the UK Singles Chart for three weeks. The song was ranked #366 on Rolling Stone's list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time. In a British TV special shown in December 2011, it was voted "The Nation's Favourite Bee Gees Song" by ITV viewers. From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia