Great Music of DDT: Vocal performance

You knew I was going to sneak one of these in here. While they can belt some notes (Zac has quite a range), their strength is in three part harmony. This song was recorded by doing the vocals in a single take and guitar in a single take. A fan was kind enough to do a lyric video for the song.
 
Figured I'd just come in here and rave about Regina Spektor but...that's been done, so good on you. Here are the other things I had around the same level:




I'll be straight with you...when I'm alone and get drunk and nostalgic it's probably 50/50 that I post this on some music thread somewhere on the internet. Hope Sandoval is what all vocalists should aspire to be; her voice is heartbreakingly good and her performances convey an emotion that 99% of people I've seen couldn't muster on their best day. No matter what I'm doing, her performance here can always grab my attention.





It took me years to come around on this song. I'm a kid of the 90s. I like NIN. I hate country. This shit bugged the hell out of me. But one day it came on and it kind of hit me...this was a guy at the end his run and his vocals gave this such a punch that Reznor's version didn't have. This is one of the few songs that I just don't see the point to listening to the original anymore. Even Trent has admitted it isn't really his song anymore.





Kurt's vocals were the first that really struck me as someone being able to convey more from how they were singing than what the actual words were. I don't know that this is the best example, but it was one of the first that came to mind. Maybe it's hindsight, but especially on some of their acoustic stuff there always seemed to be a genuine sadness that didn't exist in the work of any of their contemporaries.





Godforbid is probably my favorite active vocalist. Dude has got a voice of gold. I don't think he has the genuine emotion of the above songs, but he makes it work.
 
Figured I'd just come in here and rave about Regina Spektor but...that's been done, so good on you. Here are the other things I had around the same level:




I'll be straight with you...when I'm alone and get drunk and nostalgic it's probably 50/50 that I post this on some music thread somewhere on the internet. Hope Sandoval is what all vocalists should aspire to be; her voice is heartbreakingly good and her performances convey an emotion that 99% of people I've seen couldn't muster on their best day. No matter what I'm doing, her performance here can always grab my attention.





It took me years to come around on this song. I'm a kid of the 90s. I like NIN. I hate country. This shit bugged the hell out of me. But one day it came on and it kind of hit me...this was a guy at the end his run and his vocals gave this such a punch that Reznor's version didn't have. This is one of the few songs that I just don't see the point to listening to the original anymore. Even Trent has admitted it isn't really his song anymore.





Kurt's vocals were the first that really struck me as someone being able to convey more from how they were singing than what the actual words were. I don't know that this is the best example, but it was one of the first that came to mind. Maybe it's hindsight, but especially on some of their acoustic stuff there always seemed to be a genuine sadness that didn't exist in the work of any of their contemporaries.





Godforbid is probably my favorite active vocalist. Dude has got a voice of gold. I don't think he has the genuine emotion of the above songs, but he makes it work.

I was about to undermine your really poignant sentiment with a "one does not simply sing fade into you" meme but that's a grave disservice. I'm 100% on the same page as you with that tune. And your whole post really. It resonated with me a lot. Good stuff. I love these music threads.
 
Can we talk about backing vocals? I feel like the killer backing arrangement is now a lost art.

Gladys Knight & The Pips - Midnight Train To Georgia

This is live but the studio cut has an amazing interaction between the lead, the back-ups and an organ.




The Hollies - I Can't Let Go

Everyone bigs up the Beach Boys in the harmonies department but these guys are stacked with amazing but punchier examples.

 
Can we talk about backing vocals? I feel like the killer backing arrangement is now a lost art.

Gladys Knight & The Pips - Midnight Train To Georgia

This is live but the studio cut has an amazing interaction between the lead, the back-ups and an organ.




The Hollies - I Can't Let Go

Everyone bigs up the Beach Boys in the harmonies department but these guys are stacked with amazing but punchier examples.


I intend backing vocals as it's own thread, but crossover is fine with me.
 



I remember the first time I saw the video for this....I was floored that those vocals were coming from that tiny kid.





I've had the pleasure of knowing a lot of amazing musicians and singers. By far the best singer I've evet known is Mali Sastri of the band Jaggery. I never thought I'd witness someone pull off a cover of the Cocteau Twins' song Carolyn's Fingers but then this happened:
 
Whitney Houston - Love Will The Save The Day

Well if nobody else is going to post Mariah/Whitney/Celine I guess I’ll have to do it. I’ve posted this one before but she absolutely nails it. An absolute juggernaut of a performance.

Also includes loads of amazing white people arrhythmic dancing.

 
This may be the song that Stevie played live that moved both guys from Ween to tears upon seeing him at Radio City Music Hall - and the guitarist's blog described Stevie as "a musical prophet that walks the earth only once every 2,000 years..." - I think it was this song. Pick any song, though, if there was a voice-wish-granting genie who asked "who do you want to sound like," I would say Stevie Wonder without hesitation.

 
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