5 Best Songs For Open Mic Nights
A departure from the "Wonderwalls" of the world.
It's a hard life out there on the open mic circuit in terms of song selection. Your job consists of toeing the line of playing songs that you like while pleasing the crowd with singalongs. Some of the unlucky few even get the common heckles to play "Good Riddance" and "FreeBird" for the 300th time. It's not an easy balance all the time.
But every now and again there comes a song that fits perfectly into both camps. These songs are the undiscovered gems that can be latched onto quickly and inspire impromptu singalongs from the crowd even if they don't know the words. Even when not inspiring patrons to lend a hand with their drunken renditions, the songs on this list also capture the listener's attention by offering up scenic stories and poignant emotional sentiments while still staying musically grounded.
These tracks are true works of art from a songwriting perspective. The old saying goes that a song is legendary if it has the same effect on the listener if it were just played on an acoustic guitar or piano, and these tunes are more than up to that challenge.
5. Snuff - Slipknot
First up is a song from a band that should be nowhere near the soft-rock crowd: Slipknot. However, one of the standouts from the band's 2008 release All Hope is Gone is this somber quiet number that was inspired by Corey Taylor's separation from one of the most important people in his life.
As the song reaches its emotional climax, the instrumentation keeps building in intensity before turning into a rapid onslaught of heartache. While this song could certainly stand on its own, the instrumentation's rapid ascent is a bit difficult to reproduce live.
That all changed when Corey Taylor was playing an acoustic show in Baltimore and played "Snuff" as a tribute to late bassist Paul Gray. As much as the studio cut knocks the listener back with its power, this performance displays the raw vulnerability behind the song's lyrics and melody. This would make an excellent cut for the middle of a set to tug on the audience's heartstrings. Once the final chorus hits, you can guarantee that the audience will be feeling the emotions with you every step of the way.