# Best harmonies by band and song **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 15, 2007, 4:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-harmonies-by-band-and-song/419278 "2007-09-15T04:16:45Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Jurph](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/50afbb/32.png) [@Jurph](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jurph)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2007, 12:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-harmonies-by-band-and-song/419278/61 "2007-09-18T12:34:28Z")
I just popped in to mention a single track by **Phish** : The Mango Song. All of the verses follow the same rhyme scheme: ```auto (four trochees) A, A (two dactyls) B (seven trochees) B ``` …and in each verse, “A” always rhymes with “these”, and “B” always rhymes with “size”. After three verses of this in a dense, almost barbershop harmony, they sing the chorus, and because they’re Phish, they do an instrumental bridge. So far, unremarkable. Then they go into the last verse, and each band member\* takes his normal harmony part, but sings the words from a different verse. All three verses are superimposed, but still in step with each other, and still in harmony. The effect is like a lighthouse in the fog: a dim swirling in the mist at the beginning of each line and then blinding clarity for a moment at the end of each line as the vowels align. The effect is really brilliant and is definitely worth a listen. - …except for Fishman, who (for the safety of all dogs and children) should be gagged any time a live microphone is within 100 feet. Seriously, I hate to even mention his name because I’m afraid this thread will go flat. ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2007, 1:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-harmonies-by-band-and-song/419278/62 "2007-09-18T13:04:14Z")
[QUOTE=fishbicycle] Oh, good! I get to be the one who mentions the '80s version of **Yes**. On the Rhino remaster of _90125_ there’s a bonus track of the acapella mix of “Leave It” that’ll put you on the floor. It was originally only on the B-side of the single, but thankfully, you can get it on CD, if you can find it now. It’s hard to fathom that humans can make such incredible sounds with only their voices. [/QUOTE] I love the original version of “Leave It,” but I agree, the all-vocal mix is killer. I’m not sure I would call it a capella, though: it sounds a little synthed up to me. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2007, 1:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-harmonies-by-band-and-song/419278/63 "2007-09-18T13:14:50Z")
Everything I wanted to say has pretty much already been listed, but yes, I’m a big sucker for harmonies too. Oh, here’s one I didn’t see mentioned above: [More Than Words](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=viQWJUoRG50) by Extreme - maybe not absolutely top of my list, but some of the harmony sections in this song make my spine tingle every time. ---
**Author:** ![BaneSidhe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/c5a1d2/32.png) [@BaneSidhe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BaneSidhe)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2007, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-harmonies-by-band-and-song/419278/64 "2007-09-18T15:04:20Z")
Throwing my boys into the mix—Def Leppard. And yes, they do everything themselves, no backing tapes. I second ELO. Excellent band, great songs. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2007, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-harmonies-by-band-and-song/419278/65 "2007-09-18T15:50:38Z")
[QUOTE=fishbicycle] It’s a pity that unless you have the bootlegs of them, you can’t hear them singing “Our Prayer,” the track which would have opened the album. [/QUOTE] There’s a version of this on their _20/20_ album which, according to a book I have, “is basically the _Smile_ recording with a few additional 1968 overdubs.” > [@](#): > > There’s a bonus track on the twofer CD “Smiley Smile / Wild Honey” of them rehearsing, doing an acapella cover of “Their Hearts Were Full Of Spring.” They also did it live, as heard on their _Live In London_ album. ---
**Author:** ![Rick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9f8e36/32.png) [@Rick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2007, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-harmonies-by-band-and-song/419278/66 "2007-09-18T15:53:28Z")
Pretty much anything by **Rockapella** [Up on the roof / Don’t know much](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8oZ7Rjhmq5w) [16 Tons (listen to the backig vocals)](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pxCzfybdI_c) Of course the list would not be complete without a link to the theme from [Where in the World is Carmen San Diego?](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cuzc4jgwlT8) Even an ad for [Folgers coffee](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cdcYYZhbk1Y) ---
**Author:** ![AndyPolley](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/54ee81/32.png) [@AndyPolley](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AndyPolley)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2007, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-harmonies-by-band-and-song/419278/67 "2007-09-18T16:05:05Z")
[QUOTE=BaneSidhe] Throwing my boys into the mix—Def Leppard. And yes, they do everything themselves, no backing tapes. [/QUOTE] I’m almost certain they used sampled vocal tracks when I saw the Hysteria tour, lo those many years ago. That being said, they do a surprisingly good job of singing with the scratchy Joe Elliot though. I’ll mention again **King’s X**. I’ll put “It’s Love” up against any Beach Boys or Beatles tune as far as pure vocal beauty. These guys can freakin sing. ---
**Author:** ![DudleyGarrett](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d9b06d/32.png) [@DudleyGarrett](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DudleyGarrett)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2007, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-harmonies-by-band-and-song/419278/68 "2007-09-18T16:10:36Z")
Also by \*\*Crosby, Stills & Nash \*\* – Southern Cross. This is probably my favorite song of all time. The harmonies are spine-tingling. ---
**Author:** ![BaneSidhe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/c5a1d2/32.png) [@BaneSidhe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BaneSidhe)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2007, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-harmonies-by-band-and-song/419278/69 "2007-09-18T16:40:46Z")
[QUOTE=AndyPolley] I’m almost certain they used sampled vocal tracks when I saw the Hysteria tour, lo those many years ago. That being said, they do a surprisingly good job of singing with the scratchy Joe Elliot though. [/QUOTE] Yeah, I’ll give you on the HYSTERIA tour. You had to. I’ve heard them sing a cappella and whoa, they do a good job. ---
**Author:** ![Roboto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b77776/32.png) [@Roboto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roboto)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2007, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-harmonies-by-band-and-song/419278/70 "2007-09-18T17:21:23Z")
Veruca Salt . . . their harmonies slay me. ---
**Author:** ![OneCentStamp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/13edae/32.png) [@OneCentStamp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OneCentStamp)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2007, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-harmonies-by-band-and-song/419278/71 "2007-09-18T18:08:44Z")
**Boston**. A great example is the choruses of “Peace of Mind.” **Queen**. Plenty of great examples, but “Sombody to Love” is chill-inducing. **The Beach Boys** ’ version of “Sloop John B” has already been mentioned. **Journey** could do some great harmonies as well. “Be Good To Yourself” is sweet. I _love_ **Bad Religion** , but it grates on me a little to hear the harmonies these days, as they’re so obviously “five layers of Greg Graffin and a little Jay.” Perhaps owing to this, BR’s live harmonies are nowhere near as ambitious. Give me the old days when every five piece band had at least three or four guys who could sing their asses off - _and_ pull it off live. Those are great examples of three- or four part harmony. For great two part harmonies, Van Halen and Aerosmith were both excellent. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-harmonies-by-band-and-song/419278.md?page=3)