Karaoke and Carol King

       "Doctors recommend singing to keep your lungs healthy," said tomodachi-san (friend), which explains the overwhelming number of amateur choirs around town. Those of us who prefer socializing to rehearsing patronize the karaoke boxes, modest buildings crammed with studios that pop up around every corner.  From the Japanese for "no orchestra," karaoke participants dial up prerecorded songs and sing along while lyrics appear on a large monitor against a backdrop of random images. At the rock bottom price of $1 per hour, plus $3 per soda, on any weekday afternoon the karaoke box is the perfect retreat for high school students, moms pushing strollers and the occasional sayonara party with guests like me belting out "People" and "You've Got a Friend" among other oldies.

       Today's therapeutic session took place in Shibuya, a stone's throw from the scene in Lost in Translation where Scarlett Johannsen crosses the hectic street on the diagonal.  A lucky group of seven (three American, three Japanese and one other) gathered as a send-off for the Swiss member, reluctantly leaving Asia after a decade. With Carole King coming back to town in a few weeks, "You've Got a Friend" and "I Feel the Earth Move" were particularly timely in this earthquake zone.  Although most of us binned "Tapestry" along with college textbooks in the last century, Carole is hotter in this town than Madonna. Next month her Troubadour Reunion with Berkshire pal James Taylor is sold out.

      "That's world famous Bloomingdale's," I blurted out as Lexington and 59th Street and the grotty steps leading down to the N train crossed the screen. "John Lennon and Ono Yoko lived there," I volunteered as the Dakota appeared behind a Beatles tune. (Japanese names are stated surname first.) Pretzel vendors on Park Avenue, the boat lake in Central Park and Trinity Church on Wall Street flashed across the screen. Following Aretha and Diana Ross, a few  nihongo no uta (Japanese songs) emerged in the line up; how thoughtless of us non-Japanese to punch in song requests without asking permission from our friends.  

     Three hours of song (plus one solo dance performance to "Shotgun") boiled down to $10 per hour per person. Out in the sun along the dori (avenue) cherry trees in bud promise to bloom on or about March 25th, according to projections. One week to Ohanami (cherry blossom festival), two weeks to the Bob Dylan concert.