Good Song/ Bad Singer

[williamalex1]

All the songs that i murdered, over a forty year period playing in various bands , guilty.:smirk:

 

[Paul_Stewart]

Walk this way by Girls Aloud & The Sugababes - that should have been banned by the European Court of Human Rights.

 

[Hacker Khan]

Anything by Oasis, Happy Mondays and Maximo Park, good songs crap singers.

But couldn't one argue that if you had some pitch perfect singer doing Kinky Afro or WFL it would just not be the same? The way Shaun Willie Ryder sings is part of the charm of the Happy Mondays and a huge reason for their success. And I am willing to bet a large amount that if the Happy Mondays were fronted by someone else then the songs would not be perceived to be half as good as they are. He is a major influence in the quality of the songs.

I am just really struggling on a lot of these songs given as examples as to me the singer is fundamental to the quality of the song. And saying a song is great but the singer is poor to me kind of misses the point. I would argue that Stairway to Heaven by Led Zep is a great song but Stairway to Heaven by Rolf Harris is a rubbish song.

 

[bluewolf]

But couldn't one argue that if you had some pitch perfect singer doing Kinky Afro or WFL it would just not be the same? The way Shaun Willie Ryder sings is part of the charm of the Happy Mondays and a huge reason for their success. And I am willing to bet a large amount that if the Happy Mondays were fronted by someone else then the songs would not be perceived to be half as good as they are. He is a major influence in the quality of the songs.

I am just really struggling on a lot of these songs given as examples as to me the singer is fundamental to the quality of the song. And saying a song is great but the singer is poor to me kind of misses the point. I would argue that Stairway to Heaven by Led Zep is a great song but Stairway to Heaven by Rolf Harris is a rubbish song.

Fundamentally agree with this point. I'll throw Nilsson's "without you" into the mix. Now Harry Nilsson was a good singer, but Mariah Carey is technically a better singer. Now, who's version would you prefer to listen to? One has emotion, charisma, longing and a deep heartfelt understanding of the lyrics. And the other is by Mariah Carey.

Songs by Leonard Cohen are in this category. Yes, he can be a bit dirge-like, but he wrote and therefore understands the meaning of the song. He understands the lyrics and that is apparent when he sings.

People like different things in their music. Some prefer technical excellence, some prefer emotional involvement, some prefer varying combinations of the 2. It's a free world, listen to whatever tickles your fancy.......

 

[sfby]

American Pie - Madonna

I honestly preferred Rolf's Stairway to Heaven to Madge's offering....

 

[Doon frae Troon]

If you want to hear some very different versions of classic songs try The Chieftans.....Black Velvet Band.
Guest songs by Stones,Van Morrison, Ry Cooder, Tom Jones, Sinead O Connor and Marianne Faithful.
Pure class on a different level!
The Stones playing with The Chieftans on The Rocky Road to Dublin is fantastic.

Back on track.......Long Black Veil..Mick Jagger