Famous Songs Where The Singer Is Out Of Tune

[Blackbird 13]

Jamey Johnson co-wrote Honky Tonk Ba Donka Donk. Case closed.

 

 

Yep.. co-wrote it all the way to the BANK!

 

For the record, I don't care much for Jamey Johnson's sound, but dude's an awesome songwriter, and solid vocalist.

 

 

 

Also... I don't think there are any famous songs where the "singer is out of tune". As someone pointed out, even RHCP's frontman is probably hitting the notes he's aiming to hit. And even if he's NOT, now the way he's sung those songs IS the correct way to sing them.

 

So while even if something was "out of tune", when it was recorded... the way they've sung it has now become "correct" in the minds of the public, y'know?

 

 

Avril Lavigne is pretty off live... and although he's one of my favorite musicians out now, Keith Urban sometimes gets a bit screwy with his vocals. He does the same thing on guitar.. like he just gets so into it sometimes that he's not paying complete attention to what's going on...

[Jakub!]

On 11/17/2009 at 7:05 AM, rlm297 said:

I saw Bob Dylan less than a week ago and his voice had to have been the coolest "live performance" voice I've ever heard. It was Tom Waits rough times a million and shot out of the arena speakers in 3D like Marilyn Manson's soundmen had taken the helm at the soundboard for vocal mixing. It sounded menacing as hell, and there was not one moment where any note sounded "off." I think it all comes down to vibe and context. He completely delivered the goods.

 

Greg Dulli of the Afghan Whigs/Twilight Singers is by no means pitch perfect, but he always has the vibe and swagger to make it work. I think if he was in tune, it might take a little away.

 

Plus didn't even the great Freddie Mercury have a tendency to go a bit sharp every now and then?

If Freddie Mercury was great...I don't know. He had a strong resonance and that's good. But his way of using his voice is a matter of taste. I personally quite like his 1973-74 period and 1977, or for example You Take My Breath Away live 1976 (Hyde Park has the best sound quality, but the warm-up gigs have better vocal) but I don't like his 80s at all. One Year of Love, Friends Will Be Friends, Who Wants to Live Forever, Magic Tour - really horrible. But back to the theme: yes, he was quite often slightly under the tone live, because he pushed everything to the limit, the voice included. But his intonation was generally very good and the live imperfections (in terms of being a bit flat in spots) were human and absolutely acceptable. He didn't have the pitch of Ella F., But no-one does. BUT what I find unacceptable, ist the corrected pitch in "new" Queen releases. Take the 1974 live in Rainbow release. It was autotuned into perfection, including some note changes (Fairy Fella) resulting into something one doesn't want to listen to.

 

The worst singer ever Kiedis was mentioned, Jagger too. Fred Durst or how is the horrible Limp Bizkit "singer" called cannot reach a note either. Roger Waters neither. Save for the performances, he lip-syncs.