The lyrics may be one factor behind the “My Way” killings, but it’s not the only one. Like many other things, karaoke has its own set of unwritten rules, and these are vigorously enforced in the Philippines. For one, it’s never cool to laugh at a karaoke singer’s off-key warbling. As The New York Times wrote, most of the killings related to the Sinatra song took place because someone was laughing at another person’s substandard version of the tune. Then you’ve got the rest of what can be called the “karaoke code” — don’t grab the microphone from somebody’s hands, don’t select a song that’s already been performed, don’t spend too much time on the mic, etc.
According to University of the Philippines professor Roland Tolentino, it’s these violations of etiquette that often lead to violent incidents during karaoke sessions. “The Philippines is a very violent society, so karaoke only triggers what already exists here when certain social rules are broken,” he said, also agreeing that the aforementioned lyrics of “My Way” can be a trigger to some individuals.
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As a result of the dangers associated with singing “My Way” on karaoke, some Filipinos have purposely avoided singing the song at bars. Others have banned “My Way” requests, even at family gatherings, due to the potential violence that could ensue when someone performs it. But even with those safeguards in place, the first line of “My Way” seemingly still has the chance of becoming eerily prophetic whenever its corresponding number is entered into the karaoke machine.
