Nothing beats bellowing out the backing vocals where they have a proper role to play rather than weedy oooohs and ahhs. This one popped up today….the BVs make it IMHO. Great video too actually – various Heartbreakers, future Robert Plant sideman and Albert Lee doing that chicken’ picking’ thing. And Carleen having the time of her life, as a member of the first family of country music should. Sing along!
What do you bellow along to?
It’s always Aretha Franklin’s version of I Say A Little Prayer for me.
“Forever and ever, you’ll stay in my heart
And I will love you
Forever and ever…”
at the top of my (tuneless) voice.
The sarky backing vocals on ‘Red Shoes’ obvs
Oh, I know that she’s disgusted (oh why’s that?)
Cause she’s feeling so abused. (oh that’s too bad)
She gets tired of the lust, (oh I’m so sad)
and from Cliff’s We Don’t Talk Anymore, as Danny Baker points out, the backing vocalist have the unenviable
But I ain’t losing sleep (sle-e-e-e-p)
And I ain’t counting sheep (she-e-e-e-p)
Good one. I do that.
See also “Roll away the stone” – “Shalalala push push” and the immortal “”there’s a rockabilly party on Saturday night – are you gonna be there? I got my invite” Gonna bring a record? Ohhh will do!…
Why did they change that???
I believe it was Lynsey de Paul who did the “I got my invite” and the “Ohhh! Will do!” bits, as per the original single and “The Hoople” album, but I have a Mott compilation CD and the “Ohhh! Will do!” part sounds like a Dalek.
According to Wiki, one of the backing vocalists, Thunderthighs, did the spoken part on the single and de Paul did it when the track was re recorded for the album which could account for the Dalek voice on your compilation.
You can actually sing along with California Dreamin’ and Good Vibrations but I guess those are more harmonies than BVs.
Just about any Mamas and Papas song, really – I Saw her Again Last Night is another good one.
It’s never going to be as tuneful, and I’m not getting anywhere near the notes, but surely everyone tries to emulate Merry Clayton on Gimme Shelter
(or is that just me?)
see also Maggie Bell on Every Picture Tells A Story (note perfect in my head, but in reality about 300 miles away from the actual tune)
I often imagine my voice is comparable to Carolyn Leonhart’s on Pixeleen.
https://youtu.be/V6OrUOPn1zw
The answer as usual is Frank Zappa – any number of his songs have great wonderfully absurd and singable BVs
The poodle bites, the poodle chews it! (2.19)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3nQeYoYn03s
BVs from Gladys Knight’s Pips on Midnight train To Georgia.
Corny but brilliant.
The Beatles are really good for this. The best is Taxman with Paperback Writer a close second but the most fun is Girl (“Tit, tit, tit, tit, tit, tit…”).
Electroencephalogram, wreck wreck, electroencephalogram, wreck wreck, you make me a nervous wreck…….
Wonderful stuff.