Songs with great vocals

[jezz8me]

I do singing lessons and I am looking for songs that i can sing. I usualy listen to songs that focus heavily on the instruments but what songs do you guys think have great vocals in them.

I am currently singing Halelujah which is one of the all time best folk songs as well as Mad World, New Slang and Across The Universe. All theese songs i love because of their vocals.

 

[Jamanticus]

If you know German, the 4th movement of Symphony #9 by Beethoven has some great vocals for all ranges.

I'm serious.

....Don't look at me like that....

 

[Adam Jenson]

I am currently singing Halelujah which is one of the all time best folk songs as well as Mad World

Which versions and also whats your voice range? Alto, Soprano?

 

[jezz8me]

I am currently singing Halelujah which is one of the all time best folk songs as well as Mad World

Which versions and also whats your voice range? Alto, Soprano?

Leonard Cohen (origional Halelujah) and Gary Jules (cover of Mad World). I think i am a Tenor. My teacher has not told me a specific range but i do not sing that low and i feel more comfortable streaching higher than going deeper.

If you know German, the 4th movement of Symphony #9 by Beethoven has some great vocals for all ranges.

I'm serious.

....Don't look at me like that....

Hey Classical music has some of the most skilled vocals there is. I just lean toward a more contemporary sound.

 

[Adam Jenson]

Leonard Cohen (origional Halelujah)

probably already heard it but I recommend the Jeff Buckley one.

i feel more comfortable streaching higher than going deeper.

Hmmm If you think your up to it Coldplay or any song featuring Chris Martin, God I love that man, would be a good place to start. If you can match how high he goes to how you do you'll come to know your limits. Sixpence nonthericher is also a good idea.

 

[Puppeteer Putin]

Really depends what you like.

I like Kamelot's vocals personally. The lead singer used to be an operatic singer so when he belts during a rock out, it really reinforces the instrumental drive.

One of their more orchestral songs:
http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=C2aYDXn6whY

Heavier one:
http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=J-TUufvK0gU&feature=related

EDIT:

Or you could always try some Pearl Jam:
http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=9SPMfr38fCA

 

[Pirate Pete]

Queen.
At least try but if it doesn't work well give up. I've heard of tribute gigs using 2 singers to try and cover Freddie's range, and that's just wrong. Unless it's karaoke night at a pub. Then it's 20 singers, and so very right.

Also, possibly something by Death Cab for Cutie.

 

[jezz8me]

Also, possibly something by Death Cab for Cutie.

My band covers "I will follow you into the dark" It is a good song and he is a good singer but they are verry simple songs and i do not get much emotion out of them. Still fun to sing.

Queen does have amazing vocals as does Coldplay but extrmely hard to match. Especially Bohemian Rhapsody.

 

[Sennz0r]

I like the vocals in Depeche Mode songs, so if you're into that you could check out some of their songs.

 

[Hippobatman]

Highlander (The One) - Lost Horizon
Crazy vocals, not for beginners

Part 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bj5PWLXC7Qo
Part 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yUHnt9ubjwk&feature=related

 

[TheDeadman]

If you like rock songs try anything by Army of Anyone. Richard Patrick has a awesome voice.

 

[Alex_P]

I like the vocals in Depeche Mode songs, so if you're into that you could check out some of their songs.

I'll second that. I think "Dream On" is probably best.

-- Alex

 

[Sennz0r]

I like the vocals in Depeche Mode songs, so if you're into that you could check out some of their songs.

I'll second that. I think "Dream On" is probably best.

-- Alex

My first thought would've been "Precious", but "Dream On" is good too.

 

[jezz8me]

I like the vocals in Depeche Mode songs, so if you're into that you could check out some of their songs.

I love this style of vocals but unfortunately it is quite undefined for singing. It is the best to listen too though .

 

[corporate_gamer]

Maximo Park and the libertines have some really brilliant lyrics. personal favourites atm are acrobat by maximo park and time for heroes by the libertines.

 

[Alex_P]

Highlander (The One) - Lost Horizon
Crazy vocals, not for beginners

Part 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bj5PWLXC7Qo
Part 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yUHnt9ubjwk&feature=related

... So, how would you actually turn that into a song you can just sing?

Even if you cut out all the guitar solos, the singer's mostly singing around the guitar. His bit doesn't form enough of a coherent melody to stand on its own, just like, despite their important role in creating the feel of the whole piece, playing just the drum part of most metal songs is going to give you incoherent trash. Now, with some other genres of music, the singer could cheat a bit by scat-singing some of the instrumental part, but you can't really scat-sing metal guitar.

Compare that to, say, Vienna Teng's "The Tower" (link to file, if anyone cares [http://viennateng.com/listen/]), which is representative of a very different genre, the modern "singer-songwriter" style piece. That's a song where the vocals are really the mainstay. Removing the instruments would definitely change the feel of the music, since they're used very carefully to accentuate and punctuate the lyrics, but it would still be a whole, coherent song.

-- Alex

 

[Snowalker]

"Don't worry, be happy," by Bobby McFerrin, that song sounds like it has instraments, but it is actually just one man. No musical back up.

 

[jezz8me]

Highlander (The One) - Lost Horizon
Crazy vocals, not for beginners

Part 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bj5PWLXC7Qo
Part 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yUHnt9ubjwk&feature=related

... So, how would you actually turn that into a song you can just sing?
\

Compare that to, say, Vienna Teng's "The Tower" (link to file, if anyone cares [http://viennateng.com/listen/]), which is representative of a very different genre, the modern "singer-songwriter" style piece. That's a song where the vocals are really the mainstay. Removing the instruments would definitely change the feel of the music, since they're used very carefully to accentuate and punctuate the lyrics, but it would still be a whole, coherent song.

-- Alex

Her song Blue Caravan is amazing thanks for the link. And i completely agree with everything you said. Rufus Wainwright is by far my favourite artist who fits into that singer-songwriter category.

 

[searanox]

Highlander (The One) - Lost Horizon
Crazy vocals, not for beginners

Part 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bj5PWLXC7Qo
Part 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yUHnt9ubjwk&feature=related

... So, how would you actually turn that into a song you can just sing?

Even if you cut out all the guitar solos, the singer's mostly singing around the guitar. His bit doesn't form enough of a coherent melody to stand on its own, just like, despite their important role in creating the feel of the whole piece, playing just the drum part of most metal songs is going to give you incoherent trash. Now, with some other genres of music, the singer could cheat a bit by scat-singing some of the instrumental part, but you can't really scat-sing metal guitar.

Compare that to, say, Vienna Teng's "The Tower" (link to file, if anyone cares [http://viennateng.com/listen/]), which is representative of a very different genre, the modern "singer-songwriter" style piece. That's a song where the vocals are really the mainstay. Removing the instruments would definitely change the feel of the music, since they're used very carefully to accentuate and punctuate the lyrics, but it would still be a whole, coherent song.

The reason for this is generally because in metal, vocals are used as an additional instrument rather than the main part of a piece; there is very little vocal-driven metal out there, and most of that is confined to power ballads and whatnot. Even atonal vocals like black or death metal grunts and shrieks are musical, but only within the context of the rest of the music. I'm not sure how you can fault that compositionally, and just because a singer performs a certain part that is less impressive on its own does not mean the singer is particularly good or bad - in fact, being able to sing a part and being able to sound natural without standing out is something I think requires quite a bit of talent to do.

For anyone who wants to hear some downright amazing singing, you need not look past Pain of Salvation:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mvae5Lt0smI
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AxLaf3y6sDA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RmpLTjJc3_s