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Thread: British Singers Trying to Sound American

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    Highly Evolved Orangutan JKL2000's Avatar
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    British Singers Trying to Sound American

    This is from Ian Anderson's tribute to Bowie, which someone posted in the RIP David Bowie thread:

    "Unusually in the world of Pop and Rock where British singers feel strangely compelled to sing in ridiculous fake American accents, Bowie proudly used his own natural spoken vocal tones to carve a niche as one of the few high baritone singers of the Pop/Rock world."

    Is that true that a lot of British singers try to sound American? I'd have thought more American singers try to sound British. But I actually didn't think most singers would or could try to control their voice that way. Not being much of a singer myself, I thought it kind of just comes out sounding however it comes out. I know singers can control certain aspects of how they sound (my wife studied voice and sings very well, though she really no longer uses it), but I thought most people would try to affect a particular accent. To me, generally, people don't sound "British" or "American" (if they are) when they sing, unless they have a unique speaking voice or accent that comes through (like Sinatra).

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    Member Plasmatopia's Avatar
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    There are tons of different affectations out there. Some probably come more naturally than others. Sometimes I can't tell if these pronunciations are consciously adopted to create a signature style, were picked up naturally due to their influences, or because it might just be easier to sing...
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    Progga mogrooves's Avatar
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    I'd say African American. Bowie sounded like Anthony Newley.
    Hell, they ain't even old-timey ! - Homer Stokes

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    Elton John is the obvious example, singing with a transatlantic accent that didn't chime with his speaking voice right from the first album Empty Sky, probably out of insecurity at first.

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    Member adap2it's Avatar
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    Mick Jagger!
    Dave Sr.

    I prefer Nature to Human Nature

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    Mick Jagger is the worst offender.

    Australian performers were guilty of this too many decades ago. Good though the Easybeats were, you can hear the American affectation in the singing - perhaps more obvious to an Australian listener than an American one, for whom it would simply sound natural. You hear it right up through to the late 70's with bands like Cold Chisel. and even later on in INXS. It wasn't really until the 1980's that this particular cultural cringe started to disappear, with acts like Paul kelly, Midnight Oil and Goanna deciding that if you were Australian, it was OK to sing with your natural Australian accent and drop place names like Sydney, Melbourne and Alice Springs instead of New York City and Los Angeles.

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    Highly Evolved Orangutan JKL2000's Avatar
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    Ray Davies didn't do it! (Show a li-oo bi of emotion).
    Neither did whoever it was from The Clash (Jimmy Jazz for example).

    Did Mick Jagger? I never noticed it. I guess a way to identify it would be when they sing a word that has a very different pronunciation, for example Roger Daltry must not have because of how he pronounced Mobile.

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    Member Plasmatopia's Avatar
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    So who was Axel Rose pandering to on Sweet Child o' my-ee-ine?
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    Member Jerjo's Avatar
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    What was odd was that all those seminal British singers channeling American blues and soul acts, and then all those American kids that tried to sound like the Brits trying to sound like Americans.
    I don't like country music, but I don't mean to denigrate those who do. And for the people who like country music, denigrate means 'put down.'- Bob Newhart

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    Member StevegSr's Avatar
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    Good God! Even Ozzy Osbourne wanted to sound like Elvis!
    To be or not to be? That is the point. - Harry Nilsson.

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    Member dgtlman's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Plasmatopia View Post
    So who was Axel Rose pandering to on Sweet Child o' my-ee-ine?
    The King Of Suck! Just a horrible song.

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    Member Plasmatopia's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by dgtlman View Post
    The King Of Suck! Just a horrible song.
    I agree, but it'll fill a dance floor.
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    Studmuffin Scott Bails's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Plasmatopia View Post
    So who was Axel Rose pandering to on Sweet Child o' my-ee-ine?
    Ethel Merman fans.
    Music isn't about chops, or even about talent - it's about sound and the way that sound communicates to people. Mike Keneally

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    Surprised nobody has commented on how well PeterG came off sounding like a NYC-born Puerto Rican...
    -=Will you stand by me against the cold night, or are you afraid of the ice?=-

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    Quote Originally Posted by dgtlman View Post
    The King Of Suck! Just a horrible song.
    I was never a fan of G 'n' R and I can't stand Axl Rose, but I have to say that "Sweet Child of mine" has one of the best opening riffs ever.

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    Member Jerjo's Avatar
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    A coworker of mine learned to play guitar in the late 80s. Cut to the late 90s and he's got a weekend gig at an amusement park, being in the backing band for a show at the park's amphitheater. They played a lotta pop crap behind a couple of singers. One Saturday morning they were pissing around in a sound check without the pop singers. My coworker said he punched a distortion pedal he never could use in the show and just hit that opening riff for "Sweet Child", just blow the pop shit out of his head. Sound guy grins and boosts the system all the way up. And wham, the whole band kicks in HARD with the biggest damn grins on their faces, one of the band picking up the vox. The coworker said he swore he saw a couple guys pushing strollers come flying in through the exit just to see WTF.

    So yeah, for a certain demographic, that is THE RIFF.
    I don't like country music, but I don't mean to denigrate those who do. And for the people who like country music, denigrate means 'put down.'- Bob Newhart

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    phil collins on “d-ah-nce on a volcano” as opposed to phil collins on “i caaaan’t daaaance”.

    americans sounding like brits: billy joe armstrong (GREEN DAY)

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    Studmuffin Scott Bails's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by iguana View Post
    phil collins on “d-ah-nce on a volcano” as opposed to phil collins on “i caaaan’t daaaance”.
    Phil seems to go back and forth, depending on the song or context. He's over-the-top on "Like China," for example.
    Music isn't about chops, or even about talent - it's about sound and the way that sound communicates to people. Mike Keneally

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    Member progholio's Avatar
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    i've always had a strong dislike for the band Green Day for trying to sound British.

  20. #20
    Quote Originally Posted by iguana View Post
    americans sounding like brits: billy joe armstrong (GREEN DAY)
    That guy from Babylon. Doroccas, or whatever.

    Canadians trying to sound like Brits: Michael Sadler (Saga) and the guy from Men Without Hats.
    Confirmed Bachelors: the dramedy hit of 1883...

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    Quote Originally Posted by Progbear View Post
    That guy from Babylon. Doroccas, or whatever.

    Canadians trying to sound like Brits: Michael Sadler (Saga) and the guy from Men Without Hats.
    haha, true!

    sadler was born in wales. and daryl gilmour in scotland. musical heritage? both sound very canadian when speaking though.

    canadians sounding canadian: geddy lee. unmistakeable canuck enunciation.

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    Member No Pride's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by StevegSr View Post
    Good God! Even Ozzy Osbourne wanted to sound like Elvis!
    Rod Evans (first lead singer for Deep Purple) DID sound like Elvis.

  23. #23
    Quote Originally Posted by JKL2000 View Post
    Did Mick Jagger? I never noticed it.
    You've never heard "Far Away Eyes," then? I get that it's supposed to be a silly affectation, but that doesn't make it less grating since it sounds weirdly hybrid. That one's spoken rather than sung, though. Off the top of my head, all the examples that spring to mind have him distinctly sounding British ("JJ Flash," "Satisfaction," "Midnight Rambler," "You Can't Always Get What You Want," "Sympathy for the Devil," "Salt of the Earth"). Offhand I can't think of a time he tried to sound American.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Spiral View Post
    You've never heard "Far Away Eyes," then? I get that it's supposed to be a silly affectation, but that doesn't make it less grating since it sounds weirdly hybrid. That one's spoken rather than sung, though. Off the top of my head, all the examples that spring to mind have him distinctly sounding British ("JJ Flash," "Satisfaction," "Midnight Rambler," "You Can't Always Get What You Want," "Sympathy for the Devil," "Salt of the Earth"). Offhand I can't think of a time he tried to sound American.
    Ever try giving "Love in Vain" a listen?
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  25. #25
    Quote Originally Posted by -=RTFR666=- View Post
    Ever try giving "Love in Vain" a listen?
    Are you kidding? It's a staple. Not sure what you're hearing, but that one sounds British to me too (albeit with a slight twang).

    Maybe that's why I didn't get the original point. If it's an obvious British accent with a slight twang, I still count it as a British accent. It didn't sound to me like he was actually trying to do anything else.

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