iconic ballad My Way is a song about triumphing through determination.
The tune has been embraced in the West as an anthem for funerals and personal milestones.
However, in the Philippines it has a much darker legacy. There, Sinatra’s song has been connected to a chilling phenomenon dubbed the ‘My Way Killings’.
Since the 1990s, My Way has been involved in at least 12 violent deaths during karaoke performances across the Philippines.
One of the most infamous incidents occurred in January 1998, when Romy Baligula was shot dead mid-performance in a Manila bar.
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My Way is one of Frank Sinatra’s most famous songs (Image: Getty)
Witnesses say bouncer Robilito Ortega was irritated by Baligula’s off-key singing and fired his .38 calibre pistol at the man, killing him instantly.
Meanwhile in Manila, a local chairman and his assistant were shot during a Christmas party performance of My Way.
The perpetrator seemed to be enraged by their rendition of the song. They fled the scene after the attack, leaving the chairman dead and the assistant critically injured.
Several such incidents led to Filipino newspapers labelling these murders the ‘My Way Killings’, and many karaoke bars in the Philippines banned the song from their playlists.
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Unfortunately the song has become known for inspiring violence (Image: Getty)
For some, the phenomenon is simply a statistical coincidence – My Way is a popular choice in a nation where karaoke is ubiquitous.
However, others have suggested that the song’s triumphant message stirs up dangerous emotions.
With lyrics like “I did it my way” and its defiant crescendo, the tune may amplify feelings of arrogance in singers, sparking conflict when performances fall short of expectations.
Butch Albarracin, who runs a singing school in Manila, argued that My Way evokes an inflated sense of self-worth.
“[It] evoke[s] feelings of pride and arrogance in the singer, as if you’re somebody when you’re really nobody,” he explained. “That’s why it leads to fights.”
Roland Tolentino, a pop culture expert at the University of the Philippines Diliman, echoed this sentiment.
He also described the song as a potential trigger for violence.
My Way was written by Paul Anka for Sinatra and it became a global hit, reaching number 27 on the US charts.
The tune also secured the record for the longest-running Top 40 single in the UK.
Over the years, artists like and Sid Vicious have covered it, further cementing its cultural significance.
However, karaoke enthusiasts should think twice before belting out the words “I faced it all, and I stood tall”, as some audience members might interpret it as a challenge.