IN THE BEGINNING . . . According to Karaoke myth and rumor, this incredibly popular pastime was born 30 years ago in the urban city of Kobe, Japan. However, other opinion holds that Karaoke dates back even further than the 1970's to Mitch Miller's Television Show "Sing-Along with Mitch." According to this version of Karaoke's birth, 1950's and 60's home television viewers would follow a bouncing ball on their TV screens while singing along with Mitch and Company. Apparently it was after this that the Japanese took this concept and transformed it into a fun form of commercial entertainment called "Karaoke." In the two decades since Karaoke's invention, its popularity has spread far beyond Japan's shore, penetrating the rest of the Far East and reaching as far as North America and Europe. It appears that the rest of the world also enjoys the idea of sharing a drink and song amongst friends! CAN YOU SPELL KARAOKE? The word "Karaoke" is derived from two Japanese words strung together. "Kara" comes from "karappo," which means empty. "Oke" has been shortened from "okesutura," which means orchestra. So, there you have it . . . Karaoke actually means "empty orchestra" (obviously because there are no vocals in Karaoke songs). The word "karaoke" is now listed in dictionaries worldwide, including the latest version of the highly distinguished and conservative Oxford English Dictionary. This proves what a popular pastime the art of filling an "empty orchestra" has become! THE SECRET BEHIND KARAOKE'S SUCCESS For hundreds of years, music, performance and singing have been essential parts of Japanese culture and social life. From ancient times, a party became more rousing when someone attempted to entertain others by singing as the rest of the group kept time by clapping their hands. It never seemed to matter if the singer was actually a good singer or not. As we've all experienced with Karaoke, when a singer is off tune or even just plain horrifying, it often sparks more laughter and fun. Since singing in front of one's peers has always been one of the few socially acceptable ways an individual could display their talent in Asian society without being branded arrogant, Karaoke's incredible popularity within these cultures makes sense! KARAOKE TODAY Previously the domain of middle-aged businessmen, Karaoke's popularity has swept across the globe to enthusiasts of all ages. Almost all CD single releases by Japanese pop stars now include a special Karaoke version of the song, which gives Karaoke lovers the opportunity to practice in the home before heading off to the Karaoke bars to perform. If practice makes perfect, perhaps this is why an increasing number of Karaoke lovers are downloading Karaoke players off the Internet and using them to entertain friends in the comfort of their own homes! Home-based PC Karaoke is a rapidly growing market in Asia and around the world and is expected to boom even larger with the development of Internet, cable and satellite based Karaoke, virtual Karaoke bars and other exciting technologies that will help bring Karaoke a little "closer to home!" WHY DO WE LOVE IT? Come on; let's admit it…we all love to sing. We sing in the car, in the shower and while cooking dinner, but there's nothing like the feeling of getting up on stage, grabbing that microphone and knowing that every eye in the room is drawn to YOU! Karaoke is always a hit in bars, restaurants, cruise ships, hotels, parties and even at weddings! Anywhere friends or family gather for a good time, the fun and excitement of live singing is never too far behind. DID YOU KNOW? Karaoke is a 13 billion dollar industry. * There are "Karaoke boxes" all over Japan. A Karaoke box is a roadside facility containing closed-door, insulated rooms for singing. The first Karaoke box built from a converted freight car appeared in 1984 in a rice field in Japan. * There are over 100,000 Karaoke box rooms in Japan. * A Japanese software development company is now marketing new calorie-counting software that shows Karaoke singers the number of calories they burned during their performances! * Karaoke has been attracting the attention of countries all over the world that are trying to improve their literacy rates. * Japanese businessmen use Karaoke as a tool to unwind from the stress and long hours that are synonymous with a Japanese workday. * MTV has launched a daily television show called "Say What? Karaoke." * Karaoke will be making it to the big screen during the Spring of 2000 when Gwyneth Paltrow and Scott Speedman star in a romantic Karaoke adventure flick called "Duets"! * Big time movie stars like Rosie O'Donnell, Catherine Zeta-Jones and many more are also hooked on Karaoke.