Maybe only obscure to younger audiences, I always get asked what genre Pepper by Butthole Surfers is. As close as I can tell them, the one catchy heavy psychedelic rock and trip hop influenced track by a band that did anything else, sludgy stuff most of the time. Kurt Cobain said he liked them that one time.
Not necessarily obscure, but ones I haven’t seen anyone else do that people like.
Long Hot Summer Day - Turnpike Troubadours
Wondering Why by the Red Clay Strays
All Your’n Tyler Childers
Jamestown Ferry by Tanya Tucker
The Humbling River by Puscifer. Not many people are familiar with the song but it certainly causes people to ask me about the song and band on occasion 😁
Generally, it'll be funny stuff.
[The Homecoming Queen's Got a Gun](https://youtu.be/xG3yGdQYwqg?si=1C-kg6HhF9nQXzKT) and [Poisoning Pigeons In the Park](https://youtu.be/QNA9rQcMq00?si=mRGB8ChAo3DH8f2S) work well for me.
I don't know if they're "obscure" but I never hear anyone outside my friends sing them, and they usually get good responses. -- The song "Maybe" from the Annie Musical, the song "The Rainbow Connection" from the Muppets, and then one i like to sing, Beck's song "Girl".
Rubber Biscuit by the Blues Brothers.
Summertime by Billy Stewart.
Both involve a lot of gibberish and/or scatting that can be pretty impressive if done well.
My go-to warm up is "Locomotive Breath" by Jethro Tull. The people that recognize it are stoked, and that song goes hard even for people who aren't familiar with it.
This isn’t quite what you’re describing, but I sang an obscure song by and obscure band I love and was extremely surprised by how many of the younger people in the place were excited and knew it. That’s how I learned that Ween’s “Ocean Man” played over the closing credits of the Sponge Bob Movie!
Dare To Be Stupid - Weird Al Yankovic
Da Da Da - Trio (original German version)
If You're Not The One - Daniel Bedingfield
Closer To Fine - Indigo Girls
Old Apartment - Barenaked Ladies
Yoko Ono - Barenaked Ladies
Alcohol - Barenaked Ladies
Three Little Pigs - Green Jelly
Someone absolutely killed with Can’t You See by Marshall Tucker Band last night and I’ve never heard that before at a karaoke night. Adding it to my Spotify list of songs to practice in the car.
Maybe only obscure to younger audiences, I always get asked what genre Pepper by Butthole Surfers is. As close as I can tell them, the one catchy heavy psychedelic rock and trip hop influenced track by a band that did anything else, sludgy stuff most of the time. Kurt Cobain said he liked them that one time.
Great…that is now stuck in my head, and will be on repeat for hours….
Sex and drugs and rock and roll by the blockheads
'In these shoes?' Kirsty MacColl
Manuminmah by the Muppets. Kills with Gen X, but leaves most people scratching their heads.
Doo-doo-dee-doot! I think I just dated myself… lol
Not especially unknown, but under utilized and always gets a good crowd reaction: Seven Nation Army by Postmodern Jukebox
reminds me, I need to do Richard Cheese's lounge cover of Down With The Sickness
Not necessarily obscure, but ones I haven’t seen anyone else do that people like. Long Hot Summer Day - Turnpike Troubadours Wondering Why by the Red Clay Strays All Your’n Tyler Childers Jamestown Ferry by Tanya Tucker
I did "Must've Been" by Chromeo last year and only a few people knew it, but I had people singing along by the second chorus!
Chromeo is so good! This must have been awesome!
The Humbling River by Puscifer. Not many people are familiar with the song but it certainly causes people to ask me about the song and band on occasion 😁
Glory Box by Portishead was so much fun. Also 6 Underground by Sneaker Pimps.
You might like to try morcheeba.
I got to see them live last year!!! You're right, though. Great suggestion.
Generally, it'll be funny stuff. [The Homecoming Queen's Got a Gun](https://youtu.be/xG3yGdQYwqg?si=1C-kg6HhF9nQXzKT) and [Poisoning Pigeons In the Park](https://youtu.be/QNA9rQcMq00?si=mRGB8ChAo3DH8f2S) work well for me.
I fucking LOVE Poisoning Pigeons In The Park. Also Masochism Tango for an even older Tom Lehrer song
I don't know if they're "obscure" but I never hear anyone outside my friends sing them, and they usually get good responses. -- The song "Maybe" from the Annie Musical, the song "The Rainbow Connection" from the Muppets, and then one i like to sing, Beck's song "Girl".
Rubber Biscuit by the Blues Brothers. Summertime by Billy Stewart. Both involve a lot of gibberish and/or scatting that can be pretty impressive if done well.
“Jenny Says” by Cowboy Mouth. None of the younger millennials or gen-Zers have heard it before, but they always get so into it!
My go-to warm up is "Locomotive Breath" by Jethro Tull. The people that recognize it are stoked, and that song goes hard even for people who aren't familiar with it.
I heard a guy do Styx "Suite Madam Blue" - it did not go over well. A bit long and indulgent. Loco Breath might be OK though.
It's only roughly 4 minute song without too much repetition. Plus a killer flute solo that is fun to 'air flute' to
Yes. and no repeated chants of "America"
America Fuck Yeah always kills
This isn’t quite what you’re describing, but I sang an obscure song by and obscure band I love and was extremely surprised by how many of the younger people in the place were excited and knew it. That’s how I learned that Ween’s “Ocean Man” played over the closing credits of the Sponge Bob Movie!
Dare To Be Stupid - Weird Al Yankovic Da Da Da - Trio (original German version) If You're Not The One - Daniel Bedingfield Closer To Fine - Indigo Girls Old Apartment - Barenaked Ladies Yoko Ono - Barenaked Ladies Alcohol - Barenaked Ladies Three Little Pigs - Green Jelly
might give If You're Not The One a shot tomorrow but do it after something massively different, like Bullet For My Valentine - Tears Don't Fall.
I like it to show off my high notes like Take On Me or MacArthur Park
I'm absolutely going to sing Tears Don't Fall next time. Awesome.
I love Life Is A Rock. Always intro with never try this past your 2nd drink!
Everybody’s Free to Wear Sunscreen by Baz Luhrmann.
Someone absolutely killed with Can’t You See by Marshall Tucker Band last night and I’ve never heard that before at a karaoke night. Adding it to my Spotify list of songs to practice in the car.
I love jammin that song. You can ad lib all kind of groove to it. Awesome!!