Everyone can sing to a small extent, but very few people will be happy with the sound of their own voice.
Here are some people that, I think, are blessed with awesome singing voices. They might not be technically brilliant singers but I really like the way they sing and would love to have a voice like any of them. There are no female singers here (perhaps that can be another post). I like female singers but I don't really desire to have a female voice.
Freddie Mercury (Queen) - R.I.P. He had truly amazing range; Freddie could pull off a piano ballad just as convincingly as a rock anthem. Aids is no fun, but being able to sing like that would be heaps of fun.
Tex Perkins (The Cruel Sea) - As I mentioned in the previous post, this guy has one of my favourite singing voices. Deep and resonant but not too gravelly. If I want to make toast, I just hold a piece of bread next to the speakers when Tex is singing. It doesn't actually work, you still have to use the toaster but that's OK.
James Hetfield (Metallica) - I know it's pretty bogan to like Metallica, but that's why I don't like AC/DC - so I don't exceed my quota of bogan points. It's nice to hear someone in a metal band that actually sings, and not scream. I think I like deeper voices because I don't have a very deep voice myself - coveting the unattainable.
Neil Finn (Crowded House) - A perfect voice but with so much character. If Neil Finn went on Australian Idol, he would get a "touchdown", and a "that's what I'm talkin about", and a "you really felt what that song was about, didn't you?" etc, every time he opened his mouth.
Chris Cornell (Soundgarden) - He sounds like a heavy smoker but in a good way. Very powerful and emotional singing voice; listen to his cover of 'Billie Jean', for an example. I like his voice so much because it's almost the opposite of mine.
John Lennon - R.I.P. The best voice out of all the Beatles. His original recording of 'Real Love' is one of my favourite Lennon moments.
Johnny Cash - R.I.P. It would be very, very special to wake up with Johnny Cash's voice - and to be able to keep it after you've had a drink of water.
Who's singing voice do you (secretly?) wish you had? Who are some of your favourites?
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Paul Robeson, Howlin' Wolf, John Lee Hooker, Otis Redding, Sam and/or Dave, Bob Dylan (but not the current, so-cracked-you-wonder-if-he's-going-to-get-through-the-line version), Leonard Cohen, Lou Reed from the VU days, Iggy Pop, Richard Hell, Bono, Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan (because I'm a wanker), Jeff Buckley (but I wouldn't sing so many notes), Thom Yorke. Louis Armstrong would be fun, so would the vocoder voice and any of the chipmunks would be good for a laugh.
Great post, Der. I like the toast comment.
What about Tom Waits?
If I want to make toast, I just hold a piece of bread next to the speakers when Tex is singing. It doesn't actually work, you still have to use the toaster but that's OK.
James Hetfield (Metallica) - I know it's pretty bogan to like Metallica, but that's why I don't like AC/DC - so I don't exceed my quota of bogan points.
LOL!
You've named two of my top three right there... (Neil Finn and John Lennon). It won't surprise you to know who the other man in my top three is... Timothy Adrian Rogers (particularly his 'back in the day' voice, circa 1993-96, when it wasn't so wrecked). Like I said to you the other night, I do tend to favour the more reedy, higher-register male voice. Maybe that's because I find them easier to sing along with.
Definitely Johnny Cash -- so much power and volume makes other singers sound like Karaoke at Montgomery's. Will Oldham for the wild, cracked apocalyptic prophet type voice. Tim Rogers in the early days especially when he strains at the top of his range. Seachange Beck. Tom Lyngcoln from the Nation Blue, everyone wants to be able to pull off hardcore screaming. Tom Waits. Adalita from Magic Dirt (if I was a girl I'd want to be able to sing like this). Suzanne Vega (see above).
Yes, everyone wants to sing like Tom Waits.
I can't stand Tom Waits voice..... It gives me nightmares.
What about Jeff Buckley? Lior has an awesome voice. I really get into André 3000 too.
I'd love to have Michael Frante's pipes.
For some reason I can think of heaps of women with sweet-as voices. But not as many men.
Some more have come to me.
Marvin Gaye!! Now THAT guy could sing.
And I reckon Tim Freedman's nasally Australian sound is iconic.
I'd have Hetfield's voice any day.
Oh yes, Marvin Gaye is fantastic!
Another one I forgot: Ray Lamontagne.
I love Freddie Mercury and Johnny Cash, Jason Mraz has a great voice but his content is often pretty shallow. Strides between pop and rap, not really genius.
I used to want to sound like Janis Joplin - but now her voice makes me too sad - if I could sound like anyone though it would probably be Katie Noonan.
Noonan has the range and skill of an opera singer with the nuance and clarity of a young boy before his voice breaks...
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