# Acapella versions of hit songs, please. **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 11, 2009, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acapella-versions-of-hit-songs-please/520870 "2009-12-11T17:00:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Bearflag70](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Bearflag70](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bearflag70)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2009, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acapella-versions-of-hit-songs-please/520870/21 "2009-12-11T18:25:06Z")
_[Rio](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V6hNLySgG-s)_ by Duran Duran ---
**Author:** ![Nzinga\_Seated](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/b5ac83/32.png) [@Nzinga\_Seated](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nzinga_Seated)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2009, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acapella-versions-of-hit-songs-please/520870/22 "2009-12-11T18:26:26Z")
> [@Kaio](#): > > I LOVE this video. > > Not exactly a “hit song” – but Straight No Chaser’s version of _[12 Days of Christmas](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2kYEK-pxs_A)_ is 1\> brilliant and 2\> hilarious. I love that so much that I often look it up year around. I don’t care if it is near Christmas. I don’t even celebrate Christmas. But I dig that video, especially the Africa part. I posted in another thread recently an a cappella version of Grapevine by Marvin Gaye. I can’t link to it here from work but it is worth looking for. ---
**Author:** ![Noelq](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/noelq/32/16438_2.png) [@Noelq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Noelq)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2009, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acapella-versions-of-hit-songs-please/520870/23 "2009-12-11T18:28:27Z")
Check out the “Best of College Acapella” for 2008 and 2009. Some very awesome songs. You can use the performances to check the colleges for full albums. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2009, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acapella-versions-of-hit-songs-please/520870/24 "2009-12-11T19:03:47Z")
> [@Nzinga\_Seated](#): > > I love that so much that I often look it up year around. I don’t care if it is near Christmas. I don’t even celebrate Christmas. But I dig that video, especially the Africa part. Try looking at their new “Christmas Can Can” video. ---
**Author:** ![bleach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bleach/32/3106_2.png) [@bleach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bleach)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2009, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acapella-versions-of-hit-songs-please/520870/25 "2009-12-11T20:59:22Z")
There’s a group called “The Bobs” who released two albums about 20 years ago called [“The Bobs Sing the Songs of …”](http://www.bobs.com/stso.html) and [“The Bobs Cover the Songs of …”](http://www.bobs.com/cover.html). The albums are mostly covers of familiar songs like Come Together, Purple Haze, Disco Inferno, and Psycho Killer. The CDs are hard to find in record stores but you can get used CDs from [half.com](http://half.com) or Amazon. The tracks’ mp3s are available for digital download too. ---
**Author:** ![Swallowed\_My\_Cellphone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9d8465/32.png) [@Swallowed\_My\_Cellphone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Swallowed_My_Cellphone)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2009, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acapella-versions-of-hit-songs-please/520870/26 "2009-12-11T21:09:56Z")
There’s a local gorup here called Retrocity. All a cappella… noting but 80s! They are HILARIOUS! Their new website doesn’t have video yet, but keep an eye out. The only YouTube videos they have up at the moment are poor quality video taken at live shows, so it [sounds like crap](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I24HPVhU5OQ&feature=channel). I’m hoping their website will have better stuff in the near future. ETA: They do have [clip of Broken Wings](http://www.retrocity.ca/) by Mr. Mister on their site. But it’s not as funny. Most of their stuff is pretty funny. ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2009, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acapella-versions-of-hit-songs-please/520870/27 "2009-12-11T21:35:02Z")
> [@blondebear](#): > > [Petra Haden and The Sellouts: I Can See For Miles](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VNFoNBz9Dbs) I like her voice. That’s also her doing _Let Your Love Flow_ in a recent Toyota Prius commercial, and this cover of [Don’t Stop Believin’](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-kXbHf1SwGk) (great video). And I second The Bobs. Their live version of _White Room_ back in the Janie Bob days could really raise the roof. And who else would cover They Might Be Giants? ---
**Author:** ![Ranchoth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranchoth/32/1066_2.png) [@Ranchoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranchoth)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2009, 10:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acapella-versions-of-hit-songs-please/520870/28 "2009-12-11T22:35:48Z")
Well, I’ve heard a couple of good versions of ["Hide](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uAB9DeqMzfw) and [Seek](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ryBecquj0aU&feature=related)." ---
**Author:** ![No\_Me\_Ayudes\_Compadre](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/no_me_ayudes_compadre/32/5224_2.png) [@No\_Me\_Ayudes\_Compadre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/No_Me_Ayudes_Compadre)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2009, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acapella-versions-of-hit-songs-please/520870/29 "2009-12-12T14:33:41Z")
[Pinball Wizard](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J6sI7Wbc-Co) sung a capella by the Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain. ---
**Author:** ![Aji\_de\_Gallina](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aji_de_gallina/32/260_2.png) [@Aji\_de\_Gallina](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aji_de_Gallina)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2009, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acapella-versions-of-hit-songs-please/520870/30 "2009-12-12T15:27:33Z")
King’s singers : [Blackbird](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ywkarAwB0W8) [I wanna hold your hand](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oHVM3JvB0i4&feature=related) ---
**Author:** ![Biggirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biggirl/32/3294_2.png) [@Biggirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biggirl)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2009, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acapella-versions-of-hit-songs-please/520870/31 "2009-12-12T20:14:17Z")
> [@Headrush042](#): > > The Stanford Harmonics perform Simon & Garfunkel’s [Sound of Silence](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7TuF-54c6jQ) > > The live fx are a bit over the top, but the arrangement and performance is superb. Is that really instrument-free? Because if it is, that’s great! ---
**Author:** ![Eats\_Crayons](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/278dde/32.png) [@Eats\_Crayons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eats_Crayons)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2009, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acapella-versions-of-hit-songs-please/520870/32 "2009-12-12T20:23:48Z")
> [@Biggirl](#): > > Is that really instrument-free? Because if it is, that’s great! I saw a group do Bohemian Rhapsody without instruments and as ridiculous as it was to have a guy making guitar noises by going “byoo-byew-byoo-byew” it was surprisingly effective when you had the whole effect of everyone immitating sounds and one really good beatboxer. There were definitely no instruments at the performance I saw, but if you closed your eyes, you’d wonder if maybe there were. ---
**Author:** ![Talon\_Karrde](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Talon\_Karrde](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Talon_Karrde)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2009, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acapella-versions-of-hit-songs-please/520870/33 "2009-12-12T21:26:27Z")
A couple of years ago (it was around Christmas) someone here posted a link to an acapella version of Rihanna’s “Umbrella”. It was really good, and if someone knows how to find it I’d like to hear it again. You can download an amazing a capella version of “God Only Knows” here: [セサミンと血圧の関係](http://petrahadenmusic.com/sounds.html) ---
**Author:** ![Headrush042](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a5b964/32.png) [@Headrush042](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Headrush042)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2009, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acapella-versions-of-hit-songs-please/520870/34 "2009-12-12T21:58:37Z")
> [@Biggirl](#): > > Is that really instrument-free? Because if it is, that’s great! I believe so. They run their lines through special effects filters; and even without the effects, their vocal percussionists are pretty spot-on. That and the bass appears to be amplified out the wazoo. Way more technical wizardry than I like for an acappella group, but instrument-free nonetheless 🙂 I mostly like it for the arrangement. ETA: I could certainly be wrong about it being instrument-free. But I am familiar enough with special effects to say that it’s plausible (and even likely) that it’s so. ---
**Author:** ![Headrush042](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a5b964/32.png) [@Headrush042](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Headrush042)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2009, 10:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acapella-versions-of-hit-songs-please/520870/35 "2009-12-12T22:36:15Z")
From the same concert, Stanford Harmonics perform [_Dream for the Moment_](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2w5PV2LTPRc&feature=channel), a mashup of Aerosmith’s _Dream On_ and Eminem’s _Sing for the Moment_. It’s more obvious that there’s no instruments in this one, and you can actually hear the true vocals beneath the effects processing. Although I’m still wondering why the crap they thought it was necessary to throw auto-tune in there. ---
**Author:** ![Ephemera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8baadc/32.png) [@Ephemera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ephemera)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2009, 11:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acapella-versions-of-hit-songs-please/520870/36 "2009-12-12T23:48:39Z")
> [@badbadrubberpiggy](#): > > Pimping my husband’s old a cappella group, the [Soundbytes](http://www.cmusoundbytes.com/albums) - they do mostly pop songs, and you can download several of their albums here. > > On their first album (at the bottom) you can hear my husband’s Dave Matthews impression 😃 I am grumpy that you cannot download their latest album. I really want to hear their cover of Soon, Love, Soon. ---
**Author:** ![KennerTheGreat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/a8b319/32.png) [@KennerTheGreat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KennerTheGreat)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2009, 11:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acapella-versions-of-hit-songs-please/520870/37 "2009-12-12T23:55:19Z")
No love at all for the [Nylons?](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Mpw2Ue-HDg) This is the original quartet’s take on the Supremes’ Up The Ladder To The Roof, probably around '84 or so. Lots more like it on Youtube. ---
**Author:** ![Archie\_Spelunker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/67e7ee/32.png) [@Archie\_Spelunker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Archie_Spelunker)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2009, 11:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acapella-versions-of-hit-songs-please/520870/38 "2009-12-12T23:59:08Z")
Not a hit song by any stretch, but you owe it to yourself to check out Sweet Honey in the Rock: [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c-YGzsUc2iE](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c-YGzsUc2iE) You’re welcome. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Toxylon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f05b48/32.png) [@Toxylon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Toxylon)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2009, 1:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acapella-versions-of-hit-songs-please/520870/39 "2009-12-13T13:51:34Z")
Dire Straits’ best song: [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/g55JlxWYo8Q/hqdefault.jpg?sqp=-oaymwEmCOADEOgC8quKqQMa8AEB-AH2BIAC0AWKAgwIABABGGUgVihDMA8=&rs=AOn4CLBAWOIx3nnq0U4LJNochammihQQ7w "Club For Five - Brothers In Arms") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g55JlxWYo8Q) Not quite sure about the ultra-bass lead, myself. ---
**Author:** ![Biggirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biggirl/32/3294_2.png) [@Biggirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biggirl)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2009, 2:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acapella-versions-of-hit-songs-please/520870/40 "2009-12-13T14:07:08Z")
> [@Toxylon](#): > > Dire Straits’ best song: > > [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g55JlxWYo8Q](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g55JlxWYo8Q) > > Not quite sure about the ultra-bass lead, myself. The only thing wrong about the bass lead is that it takes the bottom out of the song. The song sound so much. . . fuller during the breaks where he carries the bass line. Finding a good bass must be the hardest part of forming an acappella group. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acapella-versions-of-hit-songs-please/520870.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acapella-versions-of-hit-songs-please/520870.md?page=3)