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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Best Ever Singer?

487 replies

PennyNotSoWise · 02/10/2019 22:34

AIBU to be a nosy caah and ask who you think the best singer the world has ever seen is?

Mine is Freddie Mercury. I've just seen the ad for Amazon music (I think that's what it was) where it's just his voice singing Somebody To Love, music drowned out, and Sweet.Baby.Jesus, it gave me goosebumps. If I didn't have alopecia, my hair would be standing on end, I tell you Grin Wow, could that man sing!

I told DP and he said, "meh, he was alright." Shock

Who are your favourites? And any particular song where they're at their best?

OP posts:
Shimy · 04/10/2019 17:09

I've always loved Hayley Westenra's voice.

ReverseGiraffe · 04/10/2019 17:55

Came on to say Brendon Urie. Just perfection. And Dallas Green of City and Colour for some acoustic loveliness.

Also agree 100% with Serj Tankian.

Dowser · 04/10/2019 17:56

Did anyone mention young Charlotte church?

dahliaaa · 04/10/2019 19:30

Aretha ... singing this (with Whitney’s mother Cissy on backing vocals too.)
Pure class.

bruffin · 04/10/2019 19:54

Englebert Humperdinck has a great voice, much better than Tom Jones, though Tom became the bigger star.
Also Long John Baldry (sugarbear from Elton Johns Spomeone Saved my Life Tonight)

woodhill · 04/10/2019 20:00

Do you like Elton John's vocal

Brian Wilson and the Beach boys

Goldensummer · 04/10/2019 20:03

Christina Aguilera!

Pollywollydolly · 04/10/2019 20:05

Freddie was unsurpassable - completely! But if you get a chance and can listen with an open mind, then listen to Queen with Adam Lambert singing Who wants to live forever or The show must go on!

Shamanka · 04/10/2019 20:07

Elvis, Sam Cooke, Whitney Houston

ShmooBooMoo · 04/10/2019 20:18

Without a doubt, Billy MacKenzie (of The Associates for male; Kate Bush for female. Both musically mesmerising! Each also has
something of the genius about them.
I wish more people had heard of Billy...he died too young and never got the recognition he deserved.

Doyouthinktheysaurus · 04/10/2019 20:21

Whoever said Emmylou Harris, good shout.

Also Mary Chapin Carpenter, did a most haunting song which is so beautiful but so sad. Also sad is that I can recall nothing more about it.
Michal Macdonald has a lovely buttery voice.

WeBuiltThisBuffetOnSausageRoll · 04/10/2019 20:35

Interesting that there's not that many (if any??) mentions of Frank Sinatra. My mum always says he sings flat

His voice was usually perfectly OK (maybe slightly flat on occasion), but I just couldn't listen to him, even though I do quite like a few of his songs (can't be done with the more 'swingy' style numbers); I could never get past the fact that I find/found him an odious person, with his close mafia and other unsavoury connections.

That and the smugness which singers ten times better than him never demonstrated.

Doyouthinktheysaurus · 04/10/2019 20:36

Sad Mary Chapin Carpenter song is John Doe no, 24. Really is very sad but beautiful.

notquiteruralbliss · 04/10/2019 20:39

I also think its more about emotion than perfection. I would go for Shane McGowan singing a Rainy Night in Soho, Leonard Cohen singing Suzanne or Janis Joplin singing anything.

soulfuleyes · 04/10/2019 20:49

Jeff Lynne from ELO. Such a beautiful quality to his voice.

pedestrianatbest · 04/10/2019 21:08

15 pages and no one has mentioned Natalie Merchant! Saw her live years ago and I got goosebumps from Verdi Cries

Also, Judy Henske is awesome
Ironfloor269 · 04/10/2019 21:12

Freddie Mercury is the best singer ever. No other has even come close.

speakout · 04/10/2019 21:14

Sia.

Can't stand Freddie Mercury.

Graphista · 04/10/2019 21:56

George Michael for me as I was/am a huge fan.

But I agree Freddie was also fabulous as was Witney Houston (and I say that as someone who wasn't a particular fan)

A few that have been mentioned I suspect are younger posters and I'm afraid I'm thinking "them? Really?"

I think one which would surprise many but any Bones fans who've seen the wedding episode will I'm sure agree - Cyndi lauper!

Also meatloaf is incredibly good but few people seem aware, there's a fabulous example when he's interviewed by Leigh Francis in one of his many guises and totally steals the show!

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=LZJqrxGDXNw

Karen carpenters voice I adore

Yy stevie nicks

Barbara Streisand, aretha Franklin, Otis Redding, Annie Lennox (god I'll be here all night!), billie holiday, Diana Ross (back in the day, but not so good last couple decades), Christina Aguilera, Johnny cash, Joni Mitchell, Judy garland,

Possible controversial entries - Doris day, cat Stevens, mama cass, frank Sinatra

Graphista · 04/10/2019 21:56

Jesse J does have an amazing voice too. Alison Moyet too.

My mother would KILL me but I really don't rate any of the Beatles as singers, their talent was in songwriting and managing themselves well and protecting that product.

"Live shows, records etc rarely show off a singers voice, it’s much better hearing an acoustic live set where the focus is more on the voice than entertaining an audience." Totally agree with this, I'm always suspicious of singers who won't sing without all the accoutrements.

TemporaryPermanent iirc all the nolans really could sing well, I remember them being popular and on chat shows etc and had no problems just giving a wee bit of a performance faultlessly

Boy George - my dad is not the most "enlightened" of people and was somewhat disconcerted by his appearance back in the day but has always said he has an amazing voice and I agree.

I'm actually listening to absolute 80's right now and...

Sharleen spiteri, Tony Hadley, Peter Gabriel, nik kershaw (whatever happened to him?) "wouldn't it be good" was playing on absolute 80's recently and basically broke me cos I'm in a very low place right now and I had wrongly forgotten how despairing the lyrics are... As I said I'll be here all bloody night!

Graphista · 04/10/2019 21:57

Bruno Mars yes, not my kind of music really but good voice

Paradyning that's one of my favourite George clips, here's another

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=uyyQ8BkLsig

Haven't been able to watch this since he passed though.

Neil diamond - yes! I remember watching the jazz singer as a youngster (when I thought I knew better than my mum and that "old films" were naff especially ones my mum liked!) tore my heart to pieces! But also just amazing vocals!

"Have to look at this Jeff Buckley never heard of him" 😱really? His version of hallelujah is haunting

"Come on mama cass lovers... show yoursrlves" one over here! - wrote before I reached a mention on the thread

"Can you be taught to sing?" IMHO no, you can be taught to carry a tune but not to be a good singer. I've been singing publicly since I was 4, I'm not super talented but I'm good enough to not feel shy doing so, but I'm more Beverly craven than Whitney! Only a 2.5 octave range and more "pure" than vibrato galore and oral gymnastics.

Webuiltthisbuffet Re Minnie ripperton do you watch "the good place"? The actress that plays the judge is her daughter! - and I'm with you on that Irish singer if it's who I think it is

Graphista · 04/10/2019 21:57

"Come on folks ..show a bit of love for
Joe cocker
Amazing gravelly voice" I do much prefer his version of "I'll get by with a little help from my friends" as per earlier comment on Beatles. I also prefer the guns n roses version of "live and let die"

WeBuiltThisBuffetOnSausageRoll · 04/10/2019 21:57

Also Tracy Chapman and Marc Cohn. I'd add Lyle Lovett to the list, too - not for power or technical brilliance but expression and emotion.

Original poster
PennyNotSoWise · 04/10/2019 22:02

I really don't rate any of the Beatles as singers

Me neither to be honest, I also feel that way about Bowie Blush Don't tell anyone Wink

Also Tracy Chapman

Yes, lovely mellow voice, very soothing.

OP posts:
Graphista · 04/10/2019 22:09

Yea I'm not a big fan of Bowie either.