# British singers -- no accent **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 9, 2017, 7:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-singers-no-accent/804001 "2017-12-09T07:25:52Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Rilchiam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/2bfe46/32.png) [@Rilchiam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rilchiam)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2017, 7:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-singers-no-accent/804001/1 "2017-12-09T07:25:52Z")
Seems like when people with British accents sing, the accent disappears. Even if they have a really emphatic Cockney or posh or Liverpudlian accent, still, the act of singing seems to smooth it out. Why do you suppose this is? ---
**Author:** ![SmartAleq](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smartaleq/32/163_2.png) [@SmartAleq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmartAleq)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2017, 7:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-singers-no-accent/804001/2 "2017-12-09T07:48:04Z")
Speech and singing are handled by different parts of the brain–it’s why speech therapists have stutterers sing their words on one note, because a lot of people with speech impediments don’t have them when they sing. It’s why I don’t trust country singers who don’t have much of a southern accent when they speak but it’s all of a sudden Twang City when they sing–it has to be done deliberately and it’s fake AF. ---
**Author:** ![Aspidistra](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aspidistra/32/3894_2.png) [@Aspidistra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aspidistra)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2017, 8:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-singers-no-accent/804001/3 "2017-12-09T08:20:13Z")
Singers are deliberately taught to lengthen their vowels, because you can’t sing a note that goes on for a bar and a half on an “æ”, “e” or “I” vowel, but it’s just fine on an “e:” or “i:” (to go all IPA on you…) It just happens, that American accents seem to be quite heavy on the long vowels, compared to UK (or Australia/NZ in fact). So from your POV that sounds like “their accent disappears”. From mine, “they sound American”. My singing teacher would re-write lines for me with the vowel sounds he wanted, so that, eg “And I think to myself, what a wonderful world” would become “Air-nd Ah th-air-nk too m-ah-s-air-lf wh-ah-t ah w-ah-n-d-ah-fool w-ah-ld” to remind me to do it. (The interpolated "r"s disappear in a non-rhotic accent … the scheme worked well enough for me) ---
**Author:** ![casdave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c6cbf5/32.png) [@casdave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/casdave)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2017, 1:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-singers-no-accent/804001/4 "2017-12-09T13:59:51Z")
There are a few vocalists who seem to express their accents, famously the brothers Reid aka The Proclaimers are very Scottish - Lindisfarne would often allow their North East accents to dominate Elbow - with lead singer Guy Garvey is well known for retaining his strong local accent Sean Ryder - he guested on Gorrillaz song which was originally meant to be called 'There' but his strong accent resulted in a change and its now called 'Dare' Kaiser Chiefs - a toned down Yorkshire (Leeds) accent but its still there [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/hamKl-su8PE/maxresdefault.jpg "Kaiser Chiefs - I Predict A Riot (Official Video)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hamKl-su8PE) Arctic Monkeys - cannot mistake that Yorkshire(Sheffield) accent There was something of a trend amongst the UK indy world to emphasise their local accents from the late 1980s onwards, but using a strong regional accent is nothing new - Gracie Fields You could go on to mention George Formby, and definitely the old music hall stars George Formby senior [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/kTirnVmR4_0/maxresdefault.jpg "George Formby Snr 'Weeping Jinnie' 1920 Acoustic 78 rpm") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kTirnVmR4_0) ---
**Author:** ![Bijou\_Drains](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bijou_drains/32/2814_2.png) [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2017, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-singers-no-accent/804001/5 "2017-12-09T14:31:45Z")
one theory for rock and roll singers is they are trying to sound American like Elvis, Chuck Berry , etc. because USA is where rock got started. ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2017, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-singers-no-accent/804001/6 "2017-12-09T15:19:22Z")
This topic seems to come up at least once a year. My standard go to response is to refer to The Pipettes. Esp. any [song](https://youtu.be/wy7SvZQfeBM?list=RDwy7SvZQfeBM&t=25) with “dahnce” in it. ---
**Author:** ![Lamoral](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lamoral/32/16078_2.png) [@Lamoral](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamoral)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2017, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-singers-no-accent/804001/7 "2017-12-09T15:19:40Z")
> [@casdave](#): > > There are a few vocalists who seem to express their accents, famously the brothers Reid aka The Proclaimers are very Scottish - > > … Or the underrated Girl Ray, especially in [Go Back At Ten.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=djIOfHS_kX8) I am an avid musician and musical listener, by the way, and especially interested in British music, so I would be happy to discuss it with you anytime. I am always seeking people to talk to about music. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2017, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-singers-no-accent/804001/8 "2017-12-09T15:51:47Z")
You never heard _I’m 'Enery the Eighth, I Am_ or _Mrs. Brown You’ve Got a Loverly Daughter_ by Herman’s Hermits. 😉 I believe the singer deliberately emphasized his accent, but it shows that it’s certainly possible. ---
**Author:** ![Guest-starring\_Id](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guest-starring_id/32/21736_2.png) [@Guest-starring\_Id](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guest-starring_Id)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2017, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-singers-no-accent/804001/9 "2017-12-09T20:07:53Z")
I’m guessing mentioned in threads past: for bands that do retain their Brit accents - a lot of oi/punk bands do that, like Cocksparrer, Angelic Upstarts, Cockney Rejects, among tons others. And then there’s yankee bands that _adopt_ Brit accents, like The Dropkick Murphys. When I was kid I always thought [Styx](https://youtu.be/nO62scTZ7Qk?t=32) and [Rush](https://youtu.be/quBCjo2rUZg?t=26) sometimes let in the eensy _slightest_ hints of a Brit accent. Could never figure out if Irishman Shane MacGowan’s vocals were more Irish or British sounding. ---
**Author:** ![Novelty\_Bobble](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Novelty\_Bobble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Novelty_Bobble)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2017, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-singers-no-accent/804001/10 "2017-12-09T21:31:45Z")
> [@Guest-starring\_Id](#): > > Could never figure out if Irishman Shane MacGowan’s vocals were more Irish or British sounding. Well he was born in England and spent most of his life there, a prep-school boy and Westminster School scholarship boy so I’d imagine his accent could be whatever he wants it to be. ---
**Author:** ![China\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/779978/32.png) [@China\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/China_Guy)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2017, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-singers-no-accent/804001/11 "2017-12-09T22:25:45Z")
Listen to the Kinks. They are from working class Muswell Hills, in the London area I think. I’m a septic, so have no clue. Ray Davies can be unintelligible when he speaks. Listen to early interviews and some of the live album banter… ---
**Author:** ![Penfeather](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/penfeather/32/384_2.png) [@Penfeather](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Penfeather)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2017, 11:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-singers-no-accent/804001/12 "2017-12-09T23:24:33Z")
> [@China\_Guy](#): > > I’m a septic, so have no clue. Seppo. ---
**Author:** ![Rilchiam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/2bfe46/32.png) [@Rilchiam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rilchiam)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2017, 3:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-singers-no-accent/804001/13 "2017-12-10T03:14:48Z")
Interesting answers, all! Thanks for replying. ---
**Author:** ![gatorslap](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bb73d2/32.png) [@gatorslap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gatorslap)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2017, 7:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-singers-no-accent/804001/14 "2017-12-10T07:20:44Z")
On Ministry’s first album, the very American Al Jourgensen sings in a fake British accent: [Ministry - Revenge HD - YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lku8D4fP3oA) ---
**Author:** ![NiceGuyJack](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/niceguyjack/32/3069_2.png) [@NiceGuyJack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NiceGuyJack)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2017, 9:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-singers-no-accent/804001/15 "2017-12-10T09:31:53Z")
Johnny Rotten of the Sex Pistols had that London accent. Maybe Punk doesn’t qualify as singing. Although IIRC, the Scottish Punk band the Exploited din’t sound Scottish. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/yqrAPOZxgzU/maxresdefault.jpg "Sex Pistols - God Save The Queen") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yqrAPOZxgzU) ---
**Author:** ![Jamesaz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ecd19e/32.png) [@Jamesaz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jamesaz)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2017, 3:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-singers-no-accent/804001/16 "2017-12-11T03:12:00Z")
As Jimmy Rabbit said to the Commitmentettes " Don’t use yer own accents. It’s ‘Ride Sally Ride’ not ‘Roid Solly Roid’." ---
**Author:** ![dougie\_monty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/439d5e/32.png) [@dougie\_monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dougie_monty)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2017, 5:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-singers-no-accent/804001/17 "2017-12-11T05:36:13Z")
Mick Jagger and John Lennon did, Peter Noone didn’t. Messrs. Jagger and Lennon practiced American elocution. Mr. Noone did not. ---
**Author:** ![Sattua](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sattua/32/11906_2.png) [@Sattua](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sattua)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2017, 5:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-singers-no-accent/804001/18 "2017-12-11T05:50:10Z")
Adam Ant turned his Cockney accent on and off as it suited him. It was especially strong in Stand and Deliver. What? I’m having an Adam Ant phase. ---
**Author:** ![WOOKINPANUB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wookinpanub/32/132_2.png) [@WOOKINPANUB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WOOKINPANUB)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2017, 2:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-singers-no-accent/804001/19 "2017-12-11T14:39:00Z")
> [@SmartAleq](#): > > Speech and singing are handled by different parts of the brain–it’s why speech therapists have stutterers sing their words on one note, because a lot of people with speech impediments don’t have them when they sing. It’s why I don’t trust country singers who don’t have much of a southern accent when they speak but it’s all of a sudden Twang City when they sing–it has to be done deliberately and it’s fake AF. A good example is Keith Urban. When I found out he’s a kiwi I was surprised, to say the least. ---
**Author:** ![muldoonthief](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muldoonthief/32/3188_2.png) [@muldoonthief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/muldoonthief)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2017, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-singers-no-accent/804001/20 "2017-12-11T16:32:48Z")
> [@WOOKINPANUB](#): > > A good example is Keith Urban. When I found out he’s a kiwi I was surprised, to say the least. I was all set to post that you must have confused Keith Urban with Karl Urban, but damned if they’re not both from New Zealand.