Karaoke Systems

Karaoke systems often become the life of the party. If you enjoy entertaining, you should seriously consider getting a karaoke system, especially if you cringe at the idea of singing in public. Years ago, you could not pump enough alcohol into my system to convince me to participate in karaoke. I just wouldn't do it. However, once my friends purchased one of these systems, I let it all hang out. I can take them cringing at my voice, just not a bunch of strangers.

What does Karaoke mean? Karaoke is a word formed from connecting two Japanese words--"Kara" which comes from the word "Karappo" and means empty and "Oke", shortened from the Japanese word "Okesutura" meaning "orchestra." Karaoke literally means "empty orchestra." Supposedly, this remarkably popular form of entertainment started in the city of Kobe over 30 years ago. Kobe is one of the three largest cities in Japan.

The Birth of Karaoke and Karaoke Systems

Other historians assert that karaoke could have been created long before the people of Kobe started singing. Some believe its birth occurred between 1950 and 1960 with a popular American TV show that featured a ball jumping above the song lyrics. Viewers were instructed to sing along to their television screens.

Regardless of the concept's inception, the actual act of karaoke was a phenomenon enjoyed exclusively by the Japanese for the first 15 to 20 years. Fortunately, this form of entertainment which requires courage and self-expression made it's way across the Pacific Ocean and into the households of the American people. Consumer electronics manufacturers have exploited this form of entertainment by creating numerous different karaoke systems, most of which are incredibly affordable.