A lazy top fiver - best singers
Posted by Niks on 13 April 2008 - 8:48pm.
OK it's a lazy one and I'm sure you been through it once or twice before but I thought it might appeal to some High Fidelity fans like me with short attention spans who can't quite bring themselves to be insightful and verbose this late at night/early in the morning.
So it's simply top five favourite singers. One for the blokes, one for the ladies.
Nothing to do with how good the songs they sing are, whether they wrote them, how intellectual, influential, famous, important or generally nice they are. Just simply the quality of their voice and how they use it.
What the hell, I'll start.
Sam Cooke
Blind Willie Johnson
Stevie Wonder
Van Morrison
Captain Beefheart
Aretha Franklin
Etta James
Kate Rusby
Sandy Denny
June Tabor
You?
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OK then but are all from my iTunes
Jeff Buckley
Paul Buchanan
Marvin Gaye
Johnny Cash
Ryan Adams
Kate Bush
Elizabeth Fraser
Aretha Franklin
Bjork
Bonnie Raitt
Here's mine
No particular order, Karen Carpenter, Billie Holiday, Marlena Shaw, Sarah Vaughn & Aretha Franklin. Men: Frank Sinatra, Louis Armstrong, Sam Cooke, Marvin Gaye. If I wanted to be controversial I would also include Rod Stewart! To be honest I could name another 15-20 who are equally as good.
Men & Women
Trisha Yearwood
Aretha Franklin
Gretchen Peters
Wynonna Judd
Shelby Lynne
Craig & Charlie Reid
James Carr
Roy Orbison
Elvis Presley
Bruce Springsteen
But...
Emmylou & Gram
5 men, 5 women, 5 combinations
John Lennon
Sam Cooke
Howlin' Wolf
George Jones
Frank Sinatra
Emmylou Harris
Aretha Franklin
Mahalia Jackson
Linda Thompson
Linda Jones
Gram Parsons/Emmylou Harris
The Everly Brothers
John Lennon/Paul McCartney
The Louvin Brothers
The Beach Boys
Off the top of my head
Solomon Burke
Bob Dylan
Elvis Presley
Charlie Rich
Richard Manuel
Aretha Franklin
Emmylou Harris
Mavis Staples
Wanda Jackson
Dolly Parton
Who's going to be the first not to include Aretha Franklin?
Dylan
Surely he cannot actually sing! We are talking about a notional top 5 here.
Here we go again
I think he can. He can hit the notes, and at his best he puts more character and expression into a song than most would think possible.
As Leonard Cohen once said, singing is the only form of artistic expression where you're not allowed to be stylised: apparently someone can either sing or they can't.
I mean, if this isn't singing, what the hell is it?
Ok but..
Some people like Dylan and the way he 'sings' others don't and never the twain will meet. I do however think that to put him in the top 5 of all time is a bit rich, ultimately it is not too difficult to think of better singers than him.
So...
...it's a matter of opinion, but I'm wrong? I don't put him in there to be controversial. His voice is one of my favourites. But what do I know?
Today's choices (sans Aretha - she's number 6)
Sandy Denny
Lady Day
Joni Mitchell
Diana (that's Miss Ross to you)
Randy Crawford
Paul Rodgers
Sam Cooke
Teddy Pendergrass
Don Van Vliet
Al Stewart
Now be honest
Do you really prefer Diana Ross to Aretha Franklin?
For the voice?
Probably not, but for the singles? Yes indeed.
This lot will do me
David Bowie
Mark E Smith
Guy Garvey
Paul Heaton
Serge Gainsburg
Siouxsie
Becky Unthank
Laura Viers
Susanna Wallumrød
Missy Elliot
Makes mental note
to take Ear Defenders if ever invited round to chez Drayton.
Only for one of your choices, mind...
Go on then
who don't you like?
That bird
from the Banshees.
Name says it all really. What a racket.
See Marco Pirroni's comments in this month's issue, "Siouxsie's not at all musical."
That bird
I'm afraid we'll have to agree to disagree there. To me, at the time, the Banshees were the greatest band ever, Siouxsie the best frontwoman a band could have, doing her own thing, taking on the meatheads, making some great albums, being a stunning live act and looking gorgeous.
I loved Siouxsie and the Banshees as I loved my own family.
Not a big fan. . .
of the human voice, then?
Timbre time
I'm going to answer this one strictly according to the original rules with a list of the voices that I find the most musical and pleasing to listen to as instruments, regardless of the relative coolness or otherwise of what their owners may have chosen to do with them.
Andy Williams
Al Green
Sam Cooke
Roy Orbison
Elvis Presley
Ella Fitzgerald
K.D. Lang
Karen Carpenter
Mavis Staples
Peggy Lee
Girls and Boys (see below*)
Paul McCartney
Jess Roden
Prince*
John Martyn
Carl Wilson
Joni
Gladys Knight
Sandy Denny
Cory Daye
Lynn Mabry/Dawn Silva (Brides Of Funkenstein - one of them's got a fantastic voice, not sure which)
*?
You forgot the footnote. I'm intrigued now.
*
*He only knew her 4 a little while,
but he had grown accustomed 2 her style
She had the cutest ass he'd ever seen
He did 2, they were meant 2 be
They loved 2 kiss on the steps of Versailles
It looked like rain, mama, birds do fly
I love u baby, I love u so much,
maybe we can stay in touch
Meet me in another world, space and joy,
vous etes tres belle, mama, girls and boys
He gave her all the love that anyone can,
but she was promised 2 another man
He tried so hard not 2 go insane
Birds do fly, looks like rain
I love u baby, I love u so much,
Maybe we can stay in touch
Meet me in another world, space and joy,
vous etes tres belle, mama, girls and boys
Life is precious baby, love is so rare
I can take the breakup if u say that u care
He had 2 run away, his pride was 2 strong
It started raining, baby, the birds were gone
(I love u baby, I love u so much)
Maybe (Maybe we can stay in touch)
Meet me in another world (Meet me in another world, space and joy)
vous etes tres belle (vous etes tres belle, mama)
girls and boys (girls and boys)
(I love u baby, I love u so much)
I want u, babe (Maybe we can stay in touch)
Maybe we can play today (Meet me in another world, space and joy)
vous etes tres belle (vous etes tres belle, mama)
girls and boys (girls and boys)
{Translation in brackets}
Vous etiez de l'autre cote de la salle
{U were on the other end of the room/hall}
Vous dansiez si fort
{U were dancing so hard/strong}
Je sentais votre parfum
{I could smell your perfume}
Votre sourire me dit que nous devrions nous parler
{Your smile told me we should talk}
Sexe et repos
{Sex and rest}
Baby
Je sais que vous aimerez ca
{I know U'll like that}
Vous n'y resisterez pas
{U won't resist it/to it}
Baby
Je vous enlacerai avec mes jambes
{I'll wrap my legs around U}
Baby
Pendant des heures je vais vous etonner
{During hours I'll astound U (?)}
Baby
Faire l'amour Faire l'amour
{Make love make love}
Nous nous rencontrerons
{We'll meet}
I love u baby, I love u so much
Maybe we can stay in touch
Meet me in another world, space and joy,
vous etes tres belle, mama, girls and boys
(I love u baby)
I want u baby (I love u so much)
I want u so much (Maybe we can stay in touch)
Maybe, maybe we can stay in touch (Meet me in another world, space and joy)
Another world, space (vous etes tres belle)
Lips... (mama, girls and boys)
Face...
Happiness in it's uncut form
Is the feeling that I get, you're warm, warm
Happy's what I get when we do what we do
Happiness, mama, is being with u
Good lord
Meet me somewhere after dawn
Lord (I love u baby)
(I love u so much)
(Maybe we can stay in touch)
(I love u baby)
(I love u so much)
vous etes belle
So like I saw u from across the room, and (maybe we can stay in touch)
Honey, u danced so hard I smelled your perfume, (maybe we can stay in touch)
and the look on your lips said that a,
"We could talk some more, (maybe we can stay in touch)
some more on the dance floor baby" (I love u baby)
Hear the words I'm saying, (I love u so much)
Feel the sex I'm laying (maybe we can stay in touch)
Naughty's what I wanna be with u tonight
Tonight
(Meet me in another world, space and joy)
vous etes tres belle, mama, girls and boys
vous etes tres belle, mama, girls and boys
vous etes tres belle, mama, girls and boys
vous etes tres belle, mama, girls and boys
Girls and boys
What's that one called?
"Scroll Down 4 Ever"?
Shouldn't that be "Eva"?
It's "Girls and Boys" by TAFKAP Squiggle Prince whatsit.
So far...
... a quick back of fag packet totting up reveals.
Sam Cooke 4
Elvis 3
Captain Beefheart/Don Van Vliet 2
Roy Orbison 2
Aretha Franklin 4
Sandy Denny 3
Joni Mitchell 2
Emmylou Harris 2
Mavis Staples 2
surprising few for Kate Bush and none at all for Tom Waits.
Keep going...
Quick brain dump - recent listening
Lowell George
George Jones
Paul Rogers
Bob Marley
Tom Waits
Howlin' Wolf
Tricia Yearwood
Martina McBride
Kim Richey
Tracy Thorn
KD Lang
Lucinda Williams
Crafty.
Six of each, thought we wouldn't notice, eh?
Hee hee
Sorry chaps. Taking the piss this morning.
Tom - I think Blue Valentine/Heart Attack and Vine/Swordfishtombones is my fave era if we're talking his voice. I like the earlier and later too of course. If you want it in one, "Somewhere" off Blue Val is one of the finest performances.
Tom Waits
Early or late? For me they are two quite different voices.
I thought this about Waits
Then I realised that I've cited Bob Dylan, and how many voices has he had?
This Morning's Selection
Paul Robeson
Otis Redding
Steven Tyler
Radik Tiuliush
Marvin Gaye
Candi Staton
Lila Downs
Ella Fitzgerald
Rita Lee
Karen Carpenter
It was a long way down this thread before anyone mentioned ...
... Karen Carpenter ... and I'll add Devlin Love who gave a belting performance when I saw her with the Alabama 3 a couple of years back ... Clare Torry's ooohs and aaahs on Dark Side of the Moon are still haunting, Dusty Springfield and Aretha Franklin ...
and it's late and i can't be arsed with men
Candi Staton
Good call.
Lungtastic...
Bobby Bland
Rod Stewart (pre-twat years)
Bob Dylan
Eddie Kendricks
Frank Sinatra
Ella Fitzgerald
Sandy Denny
Kate Bush
Ronnie Spector
Aretha Franklin
Here goes
Men: Jackie Leven
John Tams
Bobby "Blue" Bland
Rufus Wainwright (even if much of the material leaves me cold)
Chet Baker
Women: Sinead O'Connor
Sandy Denny
Lucinda Williams
Suzanne Vega
Skye Edwards (original Morcheeba singer)
Duets etc: Gram'n'Emmylou
Phil'n'Don
Jayhawks
Difford/Tillbrook
Lindisfarne (1st 3 discs line-up)
I'm sorry to say
I find that Rufus, who has top-notch pipes, note-wise, also has a very distinctive, and to my ears irritating, vocal inflection. Once my ears had noticed it, I found I couldn't avoid it getting in the way. His "Want"s have remained unplayed ever since.
I agree
With the very occasional exception - Poses, One Man Guy and Vibrate - I find his tendency to pronounce every "oo" sound as "o" beyond irritating.
The scores on the doors
Sam Cooke 4
Elvis 3
Captain Beefheart 2
Roy Orbison 2
Bobby Bland 2
Howlin Wolf 2
Sinatra 2
Dylan 2
Marvin Gaye 2
George Jones 2
Aretha Franklin 5
Sandy Denny 5
Ella Fitzgerald 3
Joni Mitchell 2
Emmylou Harris 2
Mavis Staples 2
Kate Bush 2
Lucinda Williams 2
Recount!
Twango and I both had K.D. Lang. Where she?
Sorry
The silky voiced Lesbian crooner gave me the slip. And not for the first time.
You wish, Niks, you wish
(Makes note to self: Add "silky-voiced" to the adjectival thread. Or is she "velvet-toned"?)
One mans meat is another mans poison
How many of the above names also feature in the worst singer we ran a few weeks back. Certainly the Bee-Fart did, I recall.
But how?
His voice sound like a volcano erupting in slow motion, you could swim in his voice, you could fry eggs in it and carve mountains out of it and use it to fuel jet planes - it's stupendous.
Hmmmm
Interesting metaphor. I've never swum in lava, but I accept eggs can probably, very quickly, fry in it, that it can probably carve thru (limestone?) mountains and, given the science, one could fly a plane on it. Doesn't sound like my idea of a dip........
Seriously tho', I think it's mainly the irritating yelp as he sweeps from (why is it always called, in his context) basso profundo to emasculated wheep.
I like one Bee-Fart song and singing, This is the Day, off Unconditionally Guaranteed. Nice guitar also, from Winged Ear Semen Sucker or whatever he was called. Nowt else.
Winged-Ear Malmsteen?
Was that the lad?
I bet his real name was...
Clive.
That's Winged Ear Semen Sucker, not...
Signore Cuore di Manzo.
Try
Her Eyes Are a Blue Million Miles off Clear Spot or Zig Zag Wanderer off Safe As Milk. They both sound like the noise at the end of the world, but from two different vantage points.
or my favourite;
Neon Meate Dream Of A Octafish.
There is no other voice in the known universe could pull that one off.
You try!
Oh
God I hate that album.
Nina Simone
Unbelievable that no one has included Nina Simone. No question. The greatest ever.
yes but
she'd make a pigs ear of Like a Virgin or Smile.
Aaaaahhhht Last...........
Etta James ( just listen to At Last )
Emmylou Harris ( like pure silver )
Eva Cassidy
Mary Coughlan
Tina Turner
Robert Plant
Rod Stewart ( the early stuff )
Bono
Roy Orbison
John Grant ( the Czars )
Here is mine for the day
GUYS:-
Paul Simon
Nick Lowe (crooner period)
Robert Palmer
Prince (vocal range)
Robert Plant
Gals:-
Lucinda Williams
Bettye Lavette
Emmylou Harris
Minnie Ripperton
Nina Simone
Can you imagine anyone else singing this?
Yes
I'm imagining Janette Krankie singing it.
Oh damn, she's gone and fucked up the second verse.
I'm a bit late, but......
Billy Mckenzie
Scott Walker
Smokey Robinson
Neil Tennant
& of course the mighty MOZZA
Laura Nyro
Rickie Lee Jones
Dusty Springfield
Tracey Thorn
Kylie
Apt, we got it
This thread is the perfect way to celebrate today - it's World Voice Day. Who knew?
Then there's always
Christine Collister (the best of all)
Mathilde Santing
Sandy Denny
Bonnie Raitt
Laura Nyro
Marvin Gaye
Caetano Veloso
Paul Buchanan
David Bowie
David Baerwald
Forgot the Bluebird of Douglas (Isle of Man)
Whether with Clive Gregson, solo or with Dave Kelly (Blues band), always a treat. Also consummate backing singer with Richard Thompson.
Not, as far as I know, with the Bonzos.
A lil' bit late but here we go....
Marvin Gaye (he knows the score...)
Alexis Korner
Peter Green
Elvis Presley
Smokey Robinson
Alison Krauss
Aretha Franklin
Ronnie Spector
Emmylou Harris
Debbie Harry (no-one could whisper like Debbie!)
Debbie Harry:
"Take a walk, kid"...
Fabulous!
Spoken aside at the end of No Imagination, for me the stand out on Plastic Letters, their best LP IMHO.
I've deliberated and cogitated and made a list
Neil Young
David Bowie
Al Green
John Lennon
Otis Reading
Dinah Washington
Roisin Murphy
Karen Carpenter
Agnetha Faltskog
Aretha Franklin
My i-pod selection
Depends how you assess it - technically best singers or singers that 'get' to you, so I've added a bit of both from my i-pod in no particular order..
Blokes :
Michael McDonald
Paul Rodgers
Frank Sinatra
Rufus Wainwright
Ray Charles
Birds :
Ella Fitzgerald
Etta James
Mama Cass
Deniece Willams
Aretha Franklin
Wimmin
Candi Staton
Aretha
Etta James
Kim Weston
Ann Peebles
Currently
I can't get enough of Candi Staton or Bettye Swann.