SPRINGFIELD, MASS., August 2001 — Listen up! Dictionaraoke is creating a real sonic boom this month. The award-winning website (www.Dictionaraoke.org) has sparked an international sensation by bringing together the word power of the dictionary with the fun of karaoke. And now the contents of this crazy "Singing Dictionary" are available for free MP3 download at a computer near you.

The project was conceived of by a diverse group of experimental musicians communicating through the Internet. Inspired by the recent addition of spoken word audio clips to the Merriam-Webster and Microsoft Encarta online dictionaries demonstrating the correct pronunciation of each word, these artists have used the samples to create artificial vocals that "sing" karaoke. James Brown's "I Feel Good" (reworked by Jim Allenspach) was the first song to be rendered in the dictionaraoke style, and many more tracks were soon to follow. Covering a wide range of hits from yesterday and today, the site now has over 30 different songs available for download. Many different styles are represented, featuring everything from the Beatles to the Beastie Boys. New songs are continually being added. In addition, the site offers features like the Song Of The Week, links to related topics, and all the information you need to start creating your own Dictionaraoke.

The hilarious material has been spreading rapidly over the Internet and is beginning to receive radio play across the country. The artists involved in the project have no intention of profiting from this however, and encourage anyone to copy their work freely. "We just find it intensely amusing. You just can't help but laugh hearing the singing dictionary perform your favorite songs, enunciating every word with perfect clarity", commented one participant. All in all, Dictionaraoke is a unique musical endeavor and a very entertaining website which may force you to adjust your definition of music.