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The word 'karaoke' comes from Japanese, where 'kara' means 'empty' and 'oke' is a shortened form of 'orchestra.' Thus, karaoke literally translates to 'empty orchestra,' referring to the absence of a live singer/vocalist - the music track plays without the original lead vocal, allowing people to sing along. The term originated in Japan in the 1970s and has since become a worldwide entertainment phenomenon.