# Greatest Rock Vocal Performances **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 11, 2007, 9:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-rock-vocal-performances/395473 "2007-03-11T09:35:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Sam\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Sam\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_Stone)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2007, 4:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-rock-vocal-performances/395473/41 "2007-03-12T04:03:38Z")
I’m not interested so much in the singers, but the performances. You can get a great performance out of a bad singer - _Louie, Louie_, for example. No one would identify Janice Joplin as a technically great singer, and some of her performances were train wrecks. But she had the ability to step it up a notch when it really counted, and put down some absolutely great vocal performances. ---
**Author:** ![Gorgonzola](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e480ec/32.png) [@Gorgonzola](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gorgonzola)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2007, 4:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-rock-vocal-performances/395473/42 "2007-03-12T04:16:27Z")
(henceforth calculates “some” as “three or four”) I’ll also go with Bono in _Sunday, Bloody Sunday._ ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2007, 4:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-rock-vocal-performances/395473/43 "2007-03-12T04:20:25Z")
[QUOTE=Sam Stone] I’m not interested so much in the singers, but the performances. You can get a great performance out of a bad singer - _Louie, Louie_, for example. No one would identify Janice Joplin as a technically great singer, and some of her performances were train wrecks. But she had the ability to step it up a notch when it really counted, and put down some absolutely great vocal performances. [/QUOTE] Meatloaf has it all. A great voice, and I’m exhausted just watching his performance. ---
**Author:** ![Cuckoorex](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ad7895/32.png) [@Cuckoorex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cuckoorex)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2007, 4:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-rock-vocal-performances/395473/44 "2007-03-12T04:37:44Z")
[QUOTE=Sam Stone] I’m not interested so much in the singers, but the performances. You can get a great performance out of a bad singer - _Louie, Louie_, for example. No one would identify Janice Joplin as a technically great singer, and some of her performances were train wrecks. But she had the ability to step it up a notch when it really counted, and put down three or four absolutely great vocal performances. [/QUOTE] And I say again, Anneke van Giersbergen of **The Gathering**. Technically adept, emotionally invested, “Travel” (see earlier post) is her finest moment. ---
**Author:** ![cornflakes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9d8465/32.png) [@cornflakes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cornflakes)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2007, 4:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-rock-vocal-performances/395473/45 "2007-03-12T04:44:49Z")
Well, it was a studio performance, but “Good Vibrations” shows how much control Brian Wilson had over his falsetto. It’s incredible how he hits high notes and fades without even a hint of losing pitch. For live performances, I’d second Leon Russell if I had ever seen him live. I’ve heard that his singing live is at least as good live as his studio work. ---
**Author:** ![JoeSki](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/b487fb/32.png) [@JoeSki](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JoeSki)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2007, 4:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-rock-vocal-performances/395473/46 "2007-03-12T04:54:05Z")
[QUOTE=silenus] _Battle of Evermore_, which is made perfect by the addition of Sandy Denny on harmony vocals. [/QUOTE] Yes yes, and yes. The howling here is simply wonderful. I’m not sure which song, or which part, but I think “At Budokan: The Complete Concert” album by Cheap Trick deserves somekind of attention. “I Need your Love”, “I Want you to Want Me”, and “Ain’t that a Shame” all sound completely awesome. ---
**Author:** ![Hippy\_Hollow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hippy_hollow/32/4841_2.png) [@Hippy\_Hollow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hippy_Hollow)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2007, 5:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-rock-vocal-performances/395473/47 "2007-03-12T05:07:06Z")
Obscure nominations, both from Living Colour: _Cult of Personality_ and _Type_. Corey Glover has an amazing voice. ---
**Author:** ![Sleel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/73ab20/32.png) [@Sleel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sleel)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2007, 5:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-rock-vocal-performances/395473/48 "2007-03-12T05:26:16Z")
Geoff Tate of Queensryche in [Operation Mindcrime](http://www.queensryche.com/releases/operation-mindcrime/); it’s basically a rock opera. He demonstrates a pretty big vocal range, can really belt it out, sustains notes for a long time, shows good breath control in several long sequences. I’m not a vocal expert, but I think it was pretty impressive. ---
**Author:** ![Daylight\_Saving](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/838e76/32.png) [@Daylight\_Saving](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Daylight_Saving)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2007, 6:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-rock-vocal-performances/395473/49 "2007-03-12T06:18:34Z")
[QUOTE=JoeSki] Yes yes, and yes. The howling here is simply wonderful. I’m not sure which song, or which part, but I think “At Budokan: The Complete Concert” album by Cheap Trick deserves somekind of attention. “I Need your Love”, “I Want you to Want Me”, and “Ain’t that a Shame” all sound completely awesome. [/QUOTE] Robin Zander is one of the best. My first thought was Joey Ramone on Bonzo Goes To Bitburg(My Brain is Hanging Upside Down) ---
**Author:** ![Poopraham\_Lincoln](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/94ad74/32.png) [@Poopraham\_Lincoln](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Poopraham_Lincoln)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2007, 7:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-rock-vocal-performances/395473/50 "2007-03-12T07:17:23Z")
I’ll have to toss in Cedric Bixler-Zavala’s performance in Cassandra Gemini with The Mars Volta. The man is ridiculously talented; definitely worth a listen. ---
**Author:** ![Jonathan\_Chance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jonathan_chance/32/701_2.png) [@Jonathan\_Chance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jonathan_Chance)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2007, 11:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-rock-vocal-performances/395473/51 "2007-03-12T11:06:56Z")
[QUOTE=Sam Stone] I’m not interested so much in the singers, but the performances. You can get a great performance out of a bad singer - _Louie, Louie_, for example. No one would identify Janice Joplin as a technically great singer, and some of her performances were train wrecks. But she had the ability to step it up a notch when it really counted, and put down some absolutely great vocal performances. [/QUOTE] Using this as our basis, Sam, I don’t think there’s any other choice than Bono’s performance of the song ‘Bad’ at LiveAid. That single song made that entire event and essentially moved U2 up from another up and comer who’d had some great songs to a supergroup. And it’s not just the singing, God help me, it was that he was so clearly lost in himself and the event. Stumbling around the stage as if he were having a stroke and going into the audience to share some connection with them. It might well be the single greatest live song ever recorded. ---
**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:** [March 12, 2007, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-rock-vocal-performances/395473/52 "2007-03-12T15:18:21Z")
[QUOTE=cornflakes] Well, it was a studio performance, but “Good Vibrations” shows how much control Brian Wilson had over his falsetto. It’s incredible how he hits high notes and fades without even a hint of losing pitch. [/QUOTE] While it’s possible the high notes you’re thinking of were Brian’s, it was Carl who sang lead on “Good Vibrations.” (Both Brian and Carl were capable of some great vocal performances.) ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2007, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-rock-vocal-performances/395473/53 "2007-03-12T15:26:52Z")
Springsteen’s “Glory Days” Billy Joel “My Life” ---
**Author:** ![yojimbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yojimbo/32/232_2.png) [@yojimbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yojimbo)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2007, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-rock-vocal-performances/395473/54 "2007-03-12T15:44:11Z")
[QUOTE=Jonathan Chance] And it’s not just the singing, God help me, it was that he was so clearly lost in himself and the event. Stumbling around the stage as if he were having a stroke and going into the audience to share some connection with them. It might well be the single greatest live song ever recorded. [/QUOTE] It probably was. Didn’t hold it for very long though 😉 Freddie and the boys came out after U2 and put in the best performance I’ve ever seen. Freddie had that 80-90000 eating ouut of his hand. Nobody did big gigs like Queen. Everybody involved in the event says that Queen blew every out of the water on the day. Before the gig they were taken as old and tired. Not after. Great performance by U2 though. They always put on a great show. Some liveaid queen goodness. We will rock you :- [http://youtube.com/watch?v=E5d9fP6ASGo](http://youtube.com/watch?v=E5d9fP6ASGo) Boh Rap and Radio Ga Ga, Ga Ga starts at 2:45 and is just stunning. You can see the waves of sound travelling through the audience. Remember this wasn’t a Queen crowd either. - [http://youtube.com/watch?v=4FNoIDgNE6o](http://youtube.com/watch?v=4FNoIDgNE6o) ---
**Author:** ![romansperson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/romansperson/32/17100_2.png) [@romansperson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/romansperson)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2007, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-rock-vocal-performances/395473/55 "2007-03-12T15:45:42Z")
[QUOTE=Glassy] The person I thought of when I saw this thread was Sam Cooke. (Hey, if we can have Aretha, we can have Sam.) \*Beautiful \* voice. [/QUOTE] And if we’re going to have Aretha, we have to think about Patti LaBelle, too (Lady Marmalade, anyone?). And don’t forget Tina Turner (River Deep Mountain High, Acid Queen, We Don’t Need Another Hero. I could go on). ---
**Author:** ![nashiitashii](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/7c8e57/32.png) [@nashiitashii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nashiitashii)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2007, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-rock-vocal-performances/395473/56 "2007-03-12T16:05:14Z")
[QUOTE=yojimbo] Freddie and the boys came out after U2 and put in the best performance I’ve ever seen. Freddie had that 80-90000 eating out of his hand. Nobody did big gigs like Queen. Everybody involved in the event says that Queen blew every out of the water on the day. Before the gig they were taken as old and tired. Not after. [/QUOTE] I was barely alive for all of this, but having seen Live Aid on DVD and having been an avid fan of Queen for most of my life, I wish that I were present for just one performance. Freddie, even in his porno mustache days, was able to amaze and rile up a crowd like no one else I’ve seen. ---
**Author:** ![Myron\_Van\_Horowitzski](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9de053/32.png) [@Myron\_Van\_Horowitzski](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Myron_Van_Horowitzski)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2007, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-rock-vocal-performances/395473/57 "2007-03-12T16:07:40Z")
Bob Seger, _Night Moves_. Now there’s a classic! ---
**Author:** ![2pelo\_honey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/2/ecb155/32.png) [@2pelo\_honey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/2pelo_honey)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2007, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-rock-vocal-performances/395473/58 "2007-03-12T16:34:31Z")
[QUOTE=Myron Van Horowitzski] Bob Seger, _Night Moves_. Now there’s a classic! [/QUOTE] He put on quite a concert, too!!! 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Labtrash](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/labtrash/32/528_2.png) [@Labtrash](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Labtrash)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2007, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-rock-vocal-performances/395473/59 "2007-03-12T16:35:08Z")
Crosby, Stills & Nash. Just awe-inspiring vocals there ---
**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2007, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-rock-vocal-performances/395473/60 "2007-03-12T16:40:35Z")
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