Acapella versions of hit songs, please.

Cafe Society
41

Oh dear.

Also, does anyone else cringe at how earnest some of the singers look? It’s even worse when they’re trying to dance too. I used to be in an a capella group myself, and I cringe looking at it all.

Anyway, no thread about a capella would be complete without mention of Ladysmith Black Mambazo. For your consideration, not exactly hits, but I wish my national anthem were half as beautiful, and Sesame Street has never sounded so good. And from the pop charts, this beautiful version of The Lion Sleeps Tonight.

42

We did, too! They actually did a concert here in Lancaster, PA. The second we heard about it we got tickets. Wonderful performers, and like you said, really lovely people. I was thrilled that I got the chance after the concert to tell them that I actually prefer their version of “Wuthering Heights” to Kate Bush’s original.

43

Capital Green have quite a few if you search for their channel. Two I like:

Tyrone Wells - Sink or Swim

U2 - Where the Streets Have No Name

44

A buddy’s a capella group just released an album of Beatles songs, and it’s available for free from their website at the moment:

Overboard

45

The UNC Clef Hangers does a nice version of Carolina In My Mind - you can listen to it on their MySpace site.

46

Yes did a good a capella version of “Leave It”.

Here’s a crappy college choir singing it: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mZ8VDxys9K0&feature=related

47

They look like they are genuinely having fun. I love that the “drummer” and “bass player” have air instruments.

48

My favorite is from the movie Slackers where they do Ace of Base’s I Saw the Sign. Clip here. Granted the movie adds some drums to part of it, but the original recording was all vocal and there are version of it out there…

Also really love the MIT acapella chorus that did Dar William’s “As Cool As I Am”.

49

That is great!
Here is an oldie but a goodie: Finnish group Loituma performing Levan Polkka. I first saw them in a previous SDMB thread.

50

Here the Bobs are doing Psycho Killer along with a dance group called ISO. I love those guys!

51

I like The Fleet Foxes, and I love their *“White Winter Hymnal”. *I honestly thought it couldn’t be matched until I heard the cover by Sonos:

Excerpt of the recorded version

Live on Youtube (not great video or sound quality)

It really crosses into choral music, and has a crystalline quality that makes me want to play it over and over.

They also cover Bon Iver’s “re: Stacks”, but it really doesn’t match the quality of the original. In fact, a lot of their repertoire falls into the same trap as a lot of a cappella groups - that finger snappin’ bebop/light jazz feel. But *“White Winter Hymnal” *shows just how good a cappella can be.

52

Italian acapella group Neri Per Caso performing The Doobie Brothers’ “What A Fool Believes.”

53

That was worth all the commercials.

54

Two of my long-time favorites from Spike Lee & Co. Do It A Capella

The Mint Juleps doing Higher and Higher http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9cosvQfbgAA&feature=related

True Image and Rockapella doing Under The Boardwalk http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mDGOKhcRUmw&feature=related

55

A friend of mine was in the group “Mosaic Whispers” at Washington University in St. Louis. They are phenomenal.

Here’s a bunch of videos to keep you entertained:

http://mosaicwhispers.wustl.edu/videos.html

56

One of the best sources for a cappella is this this site, Primarily A Cappella, which sells CDs of dozens and dozens of a cappella group — contemporary, jazz, gospel, barber shop, collegiate, world, doo wop, vintage harmony, etc.

There’s even an onsite a cappella audio stream.

For the record, I have absolutely no financial ties to the site other than as a longtime customer.

For really good contemporary stuff I second the nomination upthread of the BOCA (Best of College A Capella) annual compilations, which started in 1999.

For non-college contemporary groups, AC Rock, The Coats (they were The Trenchcoats before Columbine), Rockapella, 17th Avenue All-Stars, the inimitable Bobs, Throat Culture, the Nylons and the oh-so-smooth Blenders are all phenomenal, but there are a huge number of talented groups out there.

If you’re anywhere near one of the regional competitions for the Harmony Sweepstakes, by all means take it in. Mrs. HTB and I have been to the Pacific Northwest competition twice in Olympia, and enjoyed it hugely, though it’s a four hour drive each way and an overnight stay.

It’s particularly delightful for those of us who cant carry a tune with a forklift and a dumptruck.

Happy listening
Hometownboy