Who originated this style of singing?

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by RickH, Nov 21, 2020.

  1. Vangro

    Vangro Forum Resident

    Location:
    London
    I know what you're getting at but this singing style is not straightforward, somewhat plain and unadorned, it's not Shirley Collins, it's mannered and affected. Also it's someone else's mannerisms and affectations.
     
  2. fndrblndr

    fndrblndr Forum Resident

    Location:
    Seattle
    ...or Ian Curtis
     
  3. Didn’tfeelathing

    Didn’tfeelathing Forum Resident

    Location:
    Australia
    Not the origin but I believe the Elizabeth Fraser vocal on ‘Teardrop’ by Massive Attack was definitely one of the seeds that popularised the vocal styling. And it’s a classic track.

    Unfortunately as mentioned above it has now been distilled down to 80’s cover tunes in advertisements complete with ukulele, xylophone & handclaps.
     
    Last edited: Nov 21, 2020
  4. Rose River Bear

    Rose River Bear Senior Member

    Its a baby lullaby. Many women speak and sing to babies in a higher softened out articulation. I suppose some use that type of singing on many of their songs. Since it is a baby lullaby, it should not have any edge which is what the singer has done. The singing fits in this case. I suppose it fits in the case of other songs with upbeat lyrics that are meant to convey happiness, cheer or comfort.
    Women singers have gained a lot of numbers over the years. I suppose it comes down to not liking that sound of passivity.
    This sound has permeated the ads on TV which are sung by women and sometimes men in high loosely articulated voices.
     
  5. ECK

    ECK Forum Resident

    Location:
    Baltimore
    Couldn't agree more. Nothing else to contribute except: here's a palette cleanser of same song, OP.

     
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  6. misteranderson

    misteranderson Forum Resident

    Location:
    englewood, nj
    There's nothing I care less about in music than authenticity.

    I just think that very often 'round here, it gets to be a bunch of cranky old dudes just enjoying being cranky and dumping on young musicians, though the definition of "young" is fairly malleable.
     
  7. misteranderson

    misteranderson Forum Resident

    Location:
    englewood, nj
    Um, ok, it's a mannered, affected approach in an attempt to sound straightforward and plain. Satisfied?
     
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  8. ralph7109

    ralph7109 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Franklin, TN
    The question was “who originated it” and Norah Jones is a God.
     
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  9. Celebrated Summer

    Celebrated Summer Forum Resident

    Location:
    USA
    Not true. We enjoy dumping on old musicians as well, like Bono and Stink....er, sorry I meant "Sting."

    T
     
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  10. misteranderson

    misteranderson Forum Resident

    Location:
    englewood, nj
    I don't hear Norah or Amy Winehouse at all in this style. Early LDR a little, and Rickie Lee a little too, but Rickie Lee's first four and a half albums are some of my favorite music of all time.

    Honestly, this kind of singing doesn't put me off. Nobody's putting a gun to my head to force me to listen to it.

    Bono & Sting are responsible for some great music. I don't understand the hate for them here at all.
     
  11. Celebrated Summer

    Celebrated Summer Forum Resident

    Location:
    USA
    Sting is like the Dr. Oz of rock stars -- an erotic fantasy for bored, lonely middle aged women. Remember "Spread A Little Happiness?" How about we spread some Philadelphia cream cheese instead? It's actually less cheesy.

    As for Bono: "This is a song Charles Manson stole from the Beatles. We're stealing it back."
     
  12. misteranderson

    misteranderson Forum Resident

    Location:
    englewood, nj
    I doubt you've ever spent more than 30 seconds actually listening to either one. See ya.
     
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  13. Eric_Generic

    Eric_Generic Enigma

    Location:
    Berkshire
    I'm a bit confused (yeah, for a change!). On the one hand I totally get the fatigue that some have with the prevalence of all these kind of singers/performers. And the reasons why they are seen as more authentic can equally grind my gears.

    But then I'm seeing a lot of my all-time favourite female voices being name-checked along the way (LDR, RLJ, Norah, Liz Fraser), so.....eh... :shrug::laugh:

    EG.
     
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  14. Sear

    Sear Dad rocker

    Location:
    Tarragona (Spain)
    You are implying that bored and lonely middle aged women haven't good musical taste.
    Sting is a talented guy
     
  15. drad dog

    drad dog A Listener

    Location:
    USA
    What would a folk ad be anyway?
     
  16. Sear

    Sear Dad rocker

    Location:
    Tarragona (Spain)
    Both are toxic
     
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  17. Celebrated Summer

    Celebrated Summer Forum Resident

    Location:
    USA
    Sad to say, I spent hours and hours in the dorm rooms of college girls listening to more Sting than any human should endure. U2 was played non-stop at my old college newspaper by an editor who had some of their albums on cassette and used to sing along: "In the naaaaaaame of love!!"

    Even back then I used to bust on U2's "MLK," asking why they did a song about "milk" but left the "i" out. I got on people's nerves with this in the Reagan Era, so it's good to see I've maintained that quality. Consistency is an obsession of mine.
     
  18. Eric_Generic

    Eric_Generic Enigma

    Location:
    Berkshire
    The John Lewis xmas ads are a good (ie terrible) example....the worst being Lily Allen's horrendous simplification of Somewhere Only We Know. Which turns an epic, beautiful widescreen soft rock tune into a bad busker outside Primark on a cold afternoon.

    (And this is someone who loves Lilly's detached, estuary vocal on The Fear).

    EG.
     
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  19. misteranderson

    misteranderson Forum Resident

    Location:
    englewood, nj
    Blah blah blah blah blah blah blah. What a wtty post.

    Oops! I left the "i" out, just like Bono. Take care.
     
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  20. mahanusafa02

    mahanusafa02 Forum Resident

    Location:
    UK
    Or the theme song to the alternate history show “The Man In The High Castle,” a version of “Edelweiss” that is exactly in this style. Yuck.
     
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  21. vamborules

    vamborules Forum Resident

    Location:
    CT
    I don't think the song you posted is a very good example of the affect you're talking about.
     
  22. speedracer

    speedracer Forum Resident

    Location:
    Cascadia
    And so the great SHF Pretty Horses shootout begins!

    My vote goes to the OP version.
     
    ECK likes this.
  23. Yep.
     
  24. Man at C&A

    Man at C&A Senior Member

    Location:
    England
    No it isn't. There's nothing wrong with people commenting on their likes and dislikes in music, whether they're from 2020 or any previous year. The 80s certainly get a lot of criticism and are hardly new. There's also plenty of positive threads on new music. Most people here, including you, post mostly positive and some negative opinions on music from most eras. It's the way it should be, no-one likes or dislikes everything or most things.
     
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  25. SoporJoe

    SoporJoe Forum Resident

    Location:
    British Columbia
    I think we’re just a bunch of bitter old farts.
     
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