Phil O'Keefe Posted June 21, 2016 Posted June 21, 2016 Head voice. Falsetto. Whatever you want to call it, what are your favorite recorded examples? One of my all-time favorites. I listened to this over and over when I was a kid the same way Brian used to listen to Be My Baby... [video=youtube;lW0YGC68qP4]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lW0YGC68qP4 Historical note: In addition to Brian's angelic falsetto, this entire recording is all-Beach Boys, with no outside musicians used on the track. So, what are some of your favorite falsetto tracks?
Members philboking Posted June 21, 2016 Members Posted June 21, 2016 This one immediately jumps to the fore for me: Oh won't you stay-ay-ay just a little bit longer
Members nat whilk II Posted June 22, 2016 Members Posted June 22, 2016 Always loved falsetto. And without it, my vocal range ain't much Curtis Mayfield - Keep On Pushing [YOUTUBE]HU-mEsCk3D8[/YOUTUBE] these guys certainly can do it in the refrain, BeeGees style: [YOUTUBE]RLCGQagBCOw[/YOUTUBE] this guy has a really haunting quality to his falsetto-Active Child [YOUTUBE]l3WdgBLFhD4[/YOUTUBE] Thom Yorke has an excellent falsetto. And who said he can't dance? I DID! [YOUTUBE]cfOa1a8hYP8[/YOUTUBE] nat whilk ii
Members Beck Posted June 22, 2016 Members Posted June 22, 2016 Great stuff! Don't Worry Baby has always been one of my favs. I grew up listening to The Beach Boys and others in the Surf Rock genre where head voice was dominant. My older sisters listened to this stuff a lot. When I got into high school I rediscovered it and it was about all you would hear playing from my '72 Mustang Mach I, which I used to race a lot. I had Jensen 3-way speakers in the back seat and a couple auxiliary mid/high range speaker in the front. I also had a pair of Jensen 3-ways in the front grill of the car with a switch I wired in to turn them on and off. I never lost a race in that car. People asked me what I had under the hood. I said, "speakers" and added how important it is to have the right music. Here's another I'll never forget... Beach Boys - "Spirit of America" [video=youtube;Gc0cvsSwvs0] And another fav from those days.... Beach Boys - "Hushabye" [video=youtube;0kugBjlnnaA]
Members E-money Posted June 22, 2016 Members Posted June 22, 2016 I love this guy's falsetto voice. Great band (from Philly). [video=youtube;tFPTXxrZ31s]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tFPTXxrZ31s
Phil O'Keefe Posted June 22, 2016 Author Posted June 22, 2016 Philip Bailey is the real deal - great example!
Phil O'Keefe Posted June 22, 2016 Author Posted June 22, 2016 Loved the Stylistics in the 70s. Great vocals!
Phil O'Keefe Posted June 24, 2016 Author Posted June 24, 2016 Come on folks, surely you can think of some more great falsetto singing!
Members Mandolin Picker Posted June 24, 2016 Members Posted June 24, 2016 Not exactly falsetto, but it is that "high lonesome" sound that you hear frequently in bluegrass. John Duffy (the mandolin player in the Country Gentlemen and the Seldom Scene) did this to a tee. You can hear it real well on this performance of "Wait a Minute" by John with the Seldom Scene. [video=youtube;3Rps80QdDtM]
Members nat whilk II Posted June 25, 2016 Members Posted June 25, 2016 The do-wop and soul guys with the great falsettos brought the technique into popular music from roots in gospel. One of the all-time greats, Claude Jeter with the Swan Silvertones - just an incredible voice - listen through, 'cause he really gets it on starting about halfway through.... [YOUTUBE]v9Ffy5VL4ps[/YOUTUBE] nat whilk ii
Members trevcda Posted June 25, 2016 Members Posted June 25, 2016 Steven Bishop- Animal House is the first one the popped into my head: Followed Frankie Valli- Big Girls Don't Cry. My little brother and I got the 45 at a garage sale sometime in the early eighties (we were something like 8 and 10 at he time) and thought it was the funniest thing we'd ever heard.
Members 1001gear Posted June 25, 2016 Members Posted June 25, 2016 Summo FranKEE [video=youtube;08ziDo8Luws]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=08ziDo8Luws
Phil O'Keefe Posted June 28, 2016 Author Posted June 28, 2016 When I was a kid I always thought this Lou Christie song was done by Frankie. [video=youtube;LyRqdzF8swY]
Members 1001gear Posted June 28, 2016 Members Posted June 28, 2016 This just popped into my uh, head. [video=youtube;Hf0Dm-OaTNk]
Phil O'Keefe Posted June 30, 2016 Author Posted June 30, 2016 [video=youtube;EkPy18xW1j8]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EkPy18xW1j8 God Only Knows... Carl's head voice was just as angelic and effortless as his older brother's is IMO.
Members Danhedonia Posted July 7, 2016 Members Posted July 7, 2016 What's wrong with you people?[video=youtube;_LBmUwi6mEo] I know how politically messed up this ^^^^ is, but ... that's one helluva vocal. [video=youtube;GQ9Nm_c3GVY]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GQ9Nm_c3GVY And you could make an argument that Brett Anderson's career was based on falsetto ... this is a particularly gorgeous song and singing performance that is lesser-known than the hits. The first three and a half minutes are basically a mellotron / intro - paydirt is at 3:32. For fans of lush, orchestral ballads, this is your stop.[video=youtube;3lK-lBToezw]
Phil O'Keefe Posted July 12, 2016 Author Posted July 12, 2016 How about Michael Jackson? He didn't use it all the time, but he had a very good falsetto. One example... [video=youtube;yURRmWtbTbo]
Phil O'Keefe Posted July 12, 2016 Author Posted July 12, 2016 For that matter, so does my friend Tye... [video=youtube;CDl9ZMfj6aE]
Members 1001gear Posted July 13, 2016 Members Posted July 13, 2016 It coming outta their heads. Lethal nostalgia content. [video=youtube;lRkF82ZTui4]
Members kl285528 Posted July 18, 2016 Members Posted July 18, 2016 Love the Stylistics! My all time favorite....Eddie Holman
Members bookumdano4 Posted July 18, 2016 Members Posted July 18, 2016 I like most of what's already been mentioned. I especially like a singer who's natural range and falsetto are pleasing to me, hence both Brian and Carl Wilson. Eddie Rabbit could do that too, for example on several parts of the old "You Don't Love Me Any More". Lou Christi (who I'm privileged to know name dropper that I am) is great between his natural voice and falsetto on "Lightning Strkes" and "I'm Gonna Make You Mine". I'd also single out Frankie Valli on several tunes, especially "Dawn" (listen to that thing in mono real real loud sometime). As an aside observation to falsetto singing, the art of overdubbing footstomps on plywood is a lost art.
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