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Bizarre phenomenon of the ‘My Way Killings’ triggered by Frank Sinatra’s hit song

Home> News

Published 16:13 29 May 2023 GMT+1

Bizarre phenomenon of the ‘My Way Killings’ triggered by Frank Sinatra’s hit song

Frank Sinatra's classic song has a dark side in the Philippines

Dominic Smithers

Dominic Smithers

One of Frank Sinatra's biggest hits seemingly sparked an incredibly dark phenomenon.

If you've ever been to a wedding or any party really, invariably, the last song of the evening is old Blue Eyes' 1969 single 'My Way'.

But while it's a classic that has stood the test of time, and is beloved by many the world over, there is another, much more sinister, side to its legacy.

It turns out that over the past couple of decades, there have been a spate of violent incidents in the Philippines as a result of the track. Seriously.

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As you may or may not be aware, they can't get enough of karaoke over there, with revellers singing the night away on a regular basis.

Frank Sinatra's 'My Way' is a karaoke favourite.
PictureLux/The Hollywood Archive/Alamy

And with Sinatra's song being one of the most iconic of the past century, it's a regular in karaoke booths all over.

We've all heard it butchered by someone who's had a few too many, right? We know the score. But you wouldn't think of actually doing someone harm for singing a little out of key, would you?

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Well, since 1998, it's believed that around a dozen people lost their lives in what have been called the 'My Way Killings'.

One of the most high profile incidents happened in 2007, when a 29-year-old was shot dead by a security guard at a bar in San Mateo, Riza.

The singer was half-way through the song when the guard interrupted and told him to stop because he was apparently singing out of tune.

However, he refused to do so and carried on singing, with the guard pulling out his gun and shooting the man in the chest.

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He died instantly, police said at the time.

'My Way' was reportedly banned in some karaoke bars in the Philippines as a result of the phenomenon.
Mati Olivieri/Alamy

As a result of the violence, some bars started removing the song from their karaoke machines for fear it could spark trouble.

And while many felt things had calmed down, in 2018, an elderly man was stabbed after a fight broke out at a birthday party.

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The victim had attempted to sing 'My Way' but was stopped from doing so by another man, which lead to him being stabbed in the chest.

Despite being rushed to Zamboanga del Norte Medical Center, he died.

Rodolfo Gregorio has seen countless fights over karaoke songs in his time.

Speaking to the New York Times back in 2010, he said that he wouldn't dare sing the Sinatra classic.

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"I used to like ‘My Way,’ but after all the trouble, I stopped singing it," he said. "You can get killed.

"The trouble with ‘My Way' is that everyone knows it and everyone has an opinion.”

Featured Image Credit: PictureLux / The Hollywood Archive / Alamy Stock Photo

Topics: World News, Music, Crime

Dominic Smithers
Dominic Smithers

Dominic Smithers is the News/Agenda Desk Lead, covering the latest trends and breaking stories. After graduating from the University of Leeds with a degree in French and History, he went on to write for the Manchester Evening News, the Accrington Observer and the Macclesfield Express. So as you can imagine, he’s spent many a night wondering just how useful that second language has been. But c'est la vie.

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@SmithersDom

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