4 Hits From the 1980s That Are Actually Really Hard to Sing (So Karaoke With Caution)

We’ve all done it: we approach the karaoke mic with confidence, excitement, and maybe a healthy dose of liquid courage, only to get halfway through a song and realize you’re up the creek without a paddle. Between key changes and weird rhythmic patterns and lightning-fast lyrics and “Oh God, does this song really get that high?” moments, these vocally challenging songs can sneak up on you.

Allow us to save you the trouble by forewarning you about four songs from the 1980s that might seem fun—even easy—to sing, but really, really aren’t. (Kudos to you if you can, though.)

“Running Up That Hill (Deal With God)” by Kate Bush

Kicking off this list of 1980s hits that seem easy to sing but really aren’t is Kate Bush’s “Running Up That Hill (Deal With God)”. We get it. You re-watched Stranger Things and really want to pull this one off at karaoke night. Just know that you’re looking down a road full of unexpected vocal entrances and melodic leaps that feel a lot bigger when you’re singing them into a microphone and not in your car.

“Take My Breath Away” by Berlin

Unless you also run in your spare time in addition to going out to karaoke nights with friends, we’d exercise caution around cuts like “Take My Breath Away” by Berlin. Really, the name says it all. The lyrical phrases in this song draaaag out at a pace that seems much slower than when it’s playing over a blue-lit tableau of Maverick and Charlie from Top Gun making out.

“We Didn’t Start The Fire” by Billy Joel

“We Didn’t Start The Fire” by Billy Joel is a 1980s pop classic, and of all the hits to come out of this fanciful decade, it’s also one of the most underestimated at karaoke nights across the country. Sure, the chorus is easy and memorable enough. But are you really prepared for all six verses? This song is all about momentum. If you let it get too much ahead of you, you’re liable to crash and burn.

“Livin’ On A Prayer” by Bon Jovi

Assuming you know Bon Jovi enough to willingly select “Livin’ On A Prayer” as your karaoke song, we’d also assume that you know Bon Jovi well enough to anticipate how vocally demanding this song really is. However, it’s far too easy to get cocky in the comfortable verses—and even the original key’s choruses. Before you know it, you’re nearing the top end of the song’s over-two-octave vocal range, and your singing is starting to sound suspiciously close to shrieking.

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