John Walsh: Karaoke is a force for self-expression...

Despite occasional evidence to the contrary (The X Factor, Britain's Got Talent,) English people haven't much tradition for singing among friends and family.

The Irish teach their kids to sing sentimental songs of exile, and jolly "come-all-ye's" about roving, from an early age. The Scots grow up on Burns's matchless melodies. The Welsh sing about valleys at the drop of a leek. Karaoke liberates the English from feeling embarrassed about expressing themselves melodically. It gives them the music, the microphone and the lyrics, and all it asks of them is the nerve to let themselves go. And when they do, the karaoke crowd always respond with whoops of acclaim. Regardless of who is the one bold enough to start "Under Pressure" or "Hit Me Baby One More Time", everybody soon joins in.

Karaoke is an electronic love-in, a musical version of the agape, or "love-feast," held by early Christians at communion time. It binds us in a cultural group hug. Yes, there's usually drink involved, and silly hats. But I once listened, almost in tears, as a friend sang "Fernando" with such passion that it transformed this hammy piece of Abba schlock into something personal, tender and moving. And I have seen tears in the eyes of many during my own moving rendition of "Teenage Dirtbag" (high notes included), though I suspect they were less moved than aghast. Not that they'd be so tactless as to mention it; above all else, the key emotion in karaoke is generosity of spirit.