# Cher's rich and fruity singing voice **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** music\ **Created:** [November 17, 2022, 4:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chers-rich-and-fruity-singing-voice/975064 "2022-11-17T04:58:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Banksiaman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/banksiaman/32/3334_2.png) [@Banksiaman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Banksiaman)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2022, 4:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chers-rich-and-fruity-singing-voice/975064/1 "2022-11-17T04:58:12Z")
Out shopping the other day, I heard a Cher song being played in a store, and then later heard another one I didn’t recognise but was fairly sure it was hers as well. I remember thinking that it had to be Cher because she has this distinctive voice that is also rich and fruity, sort of roundy and deepish. Since I know little at all about music, I didn’t know the technical term for that sort of fruity vocal style / range / tone [?], but I would expect there is one. And I’m also sure this is the right bunch of people to answer my question. Over to you. ---
**Author:** ![Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmer_j.fudd/32/1211_2.png) [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2022, 6:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chers-rich-and-fruity-singing-voice/975064/2 "2022-11-17T06:06:41Z")
In Opera, she would be described as a contralto; the deepest range for a female vocal role. I think that’s the extent of any formal description. Informally, adjectives like yours are as good as any others. ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2022, 6:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chers-rich-and-fruity-singing-voice/975064/3 "2022-11-17T06:13:08Z")
All I can think of is Queenie’s description of Nursey’s farts. ---
**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2022, 7:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chers-rich-and-fruity-singing-voice/975064/4 "2022-11-17T07:42:05Z")
I’d go with your definition if the OP wants a formal definition. I think for a pop star there are no definitions that don’t harken back to opera. ---
**Author:** ![WOOKINPANUBv.2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wookinpanubv.2/32/3260_2.png) [@WOOKINPANUBv.2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WOOKINPANUBv.2)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2022, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chers-rich-and-fruity-singing-voice/975064/5 "2022-11-17T15:22:10Z")
I hope this isn’t thread shitting, but I’ve always referred to it as “bleating goat”. I grew up idolizing Cher and watching her tv shows and movies so believe me, I love her. The thing I like about her least is her singing voice, though. Here’s Jack McFarland’s take on it [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/mfqC28HcNjk/maxresdefault.jpg "Jack Meets Cher - Will & Grace") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mfqC28HcNjk) ---
**Author:** ![Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmer_j.fudd/32/1211_2.png) [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2022, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chers-rich-and-fruity-singing-voice/975064/6 "2022-11-17T15:27:26Z")
Common wisdom used to be that Cher had a great voice and Sonny did not. But you could play some songs like “I’ve Got You, Babe” and a lot of people couldn’t identify which voice belonged to who. I like Cher’s voice, but I think her greatest talent is choosing really catchy songs that are perfect for her vocal range. ---
**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:** [November 17, 2022, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chers-rich-and-fruity-singing-voice/975064/7 "2022-11-17T16:01:30Z")
> [@WOOKINPANUBv.2](#): > > I hope this isn’t thread shitting, but I’ve always referred to it as “bleating goat”. Certainly not as bleating as Stevie Nicks, another singer I like but whose vibrato is distinctly goat-like. ---
**Author:** ![WOOKINPANUBv.2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wookinpanubv.2/32/3260_2.png) [@WOOKINPANUBv.2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WOOKINPANUBv.2)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2022, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chers-rich-and-fruity-singing-voice/975064/8 "2022-11-17T16:42:37Z")
> [@Biggirl](#): > > Certainly not as bleating as Stevie Nicks, another singer I like but whose vibrato is distinctly goat-like. So true. But I don’t like her quite as much as I like Cher, so her voice is “braying ass” (as in donkey; I’m not calling her an ass). ---
**Author:** ![commasense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/commasense/32/3017_2.png) [@commasense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/commasense)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2022, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chers-rich-and-fruity-singing-voice/975064/9 "2022-11-17T16:42:57Z")
> [@Banksiaman](#): > > Out shopping the other day, I heard a Cher song being played in a store, and then later heard another one I didn’t recognise but was fairly sure it was hers as well. I find it amazing that we can recognize and identify voices so well without seeing the person. That there’s so much variety and unique differences in vocal patterns and that we have evolved to detect and correlate them with other individuals. It’s just kind of mind-blowing. ---
**Author:** ![Jasmine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jasmine/32/2964_2.png) [@Jasmine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jasmine)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2022, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chers-rich-and-fruity-singing-voice/975064/10 "2022-11-17T16:46:28Z")
> [@Banksiaman](#): > > I remember thinking that it had to be Cher because she has this distinctive voice that is also rich and fruity, sort of roundy and deepish. I’m very familiar with the term “rich” being applied to a singing voice, but what constitutes “fruity”? ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba9def/32.png) [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Asking_Questions)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2022, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chers-rich-and-fruity-singing-voice/975064/11 "2022-11-17T16:46:39Z")
I grew up with Sonny and Cher. I liked their songs, I watched the TV show every week, I loved her dry humor. I thought she was excellent in Moonstruck. And I am here to tell you I will never forgive her for popularizing Autotune. ---
**Author:** ![Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmer_j.fudd/32/1211_2.png) [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2022, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chers-rich-and-fruity-singing-voice/975064/12 "2022-11-17T16:46:53Z")
> [@commasense](#): > > I find it amazing that we can recognize and identify voices so well without seeing the person. So much of human evolution took place before we had significant nighttime illumination, identifying friend or foe in the dark must have been a strong survival trait. ---
**Author:** ![Jaycat.again](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jaycat.again/32/11525_2.png) [@Jaycat.again](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jaycat.again)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2022, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chers-rich-and-fruity-singing-voice/975064/13 "2022-11-17T17:51:33Z")
> [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](#): > > But you could play some songs like “I’ve Got You, Babe” and a lot of people couldn’t identify which voice belonged to who That’s hard for me to believe. ---
**Author:** ![alovem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b38774/32.png) [@alovem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alovem)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2022, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chers-rich-and-fruity-singing-voice/975064/14 "2022-11-17T19:32:25Z")
> [@Jasmine](#): > > I’m very familiar with the term “rich” being applied to a singing voice, but what constitutes “fruity”? I don’t mean this to sound creepy, but I would have said _luscious_. I’ve always appreciated a similar quality in Dolly Parton’s voice. ---
**Author:** ![Banksiaman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/banksiaman/32/3334_2.png) [@Banksiaman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Banksiaman)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2022, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chers-rich-and-fruity-singing-voice/975064/15 "2022-11-17T20:53:09Z")
> [@Jasmine](#): > > I’m very familiar with the term “rich” being applied to a singing voice, but what constitutes “fruity”? Well, I’m not sure since the entire question is about what are more conventional adjectives used to describe voices. It didn’t seem appropriate to use wine terms - the days of describing her as a cheeky and flavourful white are long gone. ---
**Author:** ![Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmer_j.fudd/32/1211_2.png) [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2022, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chers-rich-and-fruity-singing-voice/975064/16 "2022-11-17T20:56:22Z")
> [@Jaycat.again](#): > > > [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](#): > > > > But you could play some songs like “I’ve Got You, Babe” and a lot of people couldn’t identify which voice belonged to who > > That’s hard for me to believe. I guess what I mean by “a lot of people” is me and my high school punk band. We were rehearsing a cover of “I Got You Babe” and when vocals were assigned the shorthand of Sonny or Cher verses it led to mayhem. I just checked out the video below. The bridge is easy to differentiate for me but the first two verses is a tossup to my ears. [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/BERd61bDY7k/hqdefault.jpg "I Got You Babe - Sonny and Cher Top of the Pops 1965") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BERd61bDY7k) ---
**Author:** ![carrps](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carrps/32/2957_2.png) [@carrps](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carrps)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2022, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chers-rich-and-fruity-singing-voice/975064/17 "2022-11-17T21:20:00Z")
That was their first big hit. I’d guess Cher was not belting it as much as she did once she dumped Sonny. ---
**Author:** ![caligulathegod](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/caligulathegod/32/9685_2.png) [@caligulathegod](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/caligulathegod)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2022, 4:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chers-rich-and-fruity-singing-voice/975064/18 "2022-11-23T04:54:09Z")
I can appreciate her a bit more now, but as a child watching the Sonny & Cher Show, I never understood why they kept referring to them as singers. I seriously thought it was the joke that they _weren’t_ singers. Even at 5 years old, I could tell what “off key” was. ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2022, 5:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chers-rich-and-fruity-singing-voice/975064/19 "2022-11-23T05:15:33Z")
> [@caligulathegod](#): > > Even at 5 years old, I could tell what “off key” was. Yeah, I would bet that a lot of autotuning done on Cher is just to keep her on pitch - she tended to sing a bit flat. And Sonny was not much of a singer. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2022, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chers-rich-and-fruity-singing-voice/975064/20 "2022-11-23T19:37:49Z")
I’ll admit I had a bit of trouble with that clip. It’s mostly that Cher’s voice sounds like it could be male, and that I didn’t grow up with them. I even listened to the first part with them singing to recognize their voices, but then got it wrong the next time, assuming they’d swap the order. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chers-rich-and-fruity-singing-voice/975064.md?page=2)