# 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:** 4
**Author:** ![glee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b5a626/32.png) [@glee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/glee)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2007, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-rock-vocal-performances/395473/61 "2007-03-12T18:48:51Z")
Daltrey ‘Won’t get fooled again’ Springsteen ‘Racing in the Street’ Meatloaf ‘Paradise by the Dashboard Light’ ---
**Author:** ![Bridget\_Burke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7cd45c/32.png) [@Bridget\_Burke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bridget_Burke)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2007, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-rock-vocal-performances/395473/62 "2007-03-12T19:17:13Z")
Rocky Erickson’s wail on “You’re Gonna Miss Me” was hard to beat. The 13th Floor Elevators became legend & Rocky changed his name to “Roky.” The group was notoriously “psychedelic,” but they were also hard driving rockers. A few years back, I saw Eddie Vedder on TV, playing with Neal Young. “Young Rocky,” I thought. ---
**Author:** ![Cemetery\_Savior](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/439d5e/32.png) [@Cemetery\_Savior](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cemetery_Savior)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2007, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-rock-vocal-performances/395473/63 "2007-03-12T21:43:09Z")
If we can go “newer” on vocals, I really enjoyed the ethereal vocals on “John Wayne Gacy” by Sufjan Stevens. It’s more of a mood piece than a virtuoso vocal performance, but his voice fits the music perfectly, and is near pure. All the U2 mention and no reference to “Pride”? Under a Blood Red Sky had a great version of that, and Bono was leading the audience throughout. And I’ll be the first to admit that he doesn’t have a “great” voice, but I can’t think of another vioce I’d want to hear perform the southern, kudzu-laced Alt-rock of REM than Mikey Stipe. I’d also be remiss if I didn’t mention my single greatest concert moment (and there have been a few), seeing Bob Mould do his Workbook material at Metro with one guitar and a nightstand (and about 6,000,000 speakers). Uncle Tupelo was a great listen as well. Tweedy was a little rougher back then. -Cem ---
**Author:** ![Mikemike2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mikemike2/32/305_2.png) [@Mikemike2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mikemike2)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2007, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-rock-vocal-performances/395473/64 "2007-03-12T21:47:25Z")
I saw Colin Blunstone of The Zombies in concert on Friday. What a great set. I nominate him as his voice still sounds indentical to when most of their hits came out in the late 60’s like Tell Her No and Time of the Season. ---
**Author:** ![akira5822](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/53a042/32.png) [@akira5822](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/akira5822)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2007, 10:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-rock-vocal-performances/395473/65 "2007-03-12T22:30:51Z")
Anytime music was playing and **Freddie Mercury** opened his mouth ---
**Author:** ![LifeOnWry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/96bed5/32.png) [@LifeOnWry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LifeOnWry)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2007, 10:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-rock-vocal-performances/395473/66 "2007-03-12T22:39:16Z")
[QUOTE=Cemetery Savior] And I’ll be the first to admit that he doesn’t have a “great” voice, but I can’t think of another vioce I’d want to hear perform the southern, kudzu-laced Alt-rock of REM than Mikey Stipe. [/QUOTE] Oh, yes, me too! Stipe’s is one of those uber-distinctive voices, and no matter what he sings, the instant you hear it you can’t imagine anyone else singing it. I wasn’t all that familiar with REM, but a friend of mine had an Indigo Girls CD and I first noticed Stipe singing background vocals on a song called Kid Fears. I purchased the Indigo Girls CD, found out who Michael Stipe was, and purchased REM’s entire catalogue soon after. ---
**Author:** ![Clothahump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/51bf81/32.png) [@Clothahump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Clothahump)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2007, 10:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-rock-vocal-performances/395473/67 "2007-03-12T22:48:47Z")
Jackson Browne. Especially his concert version of “Running on Empty”. ---
**Author:** ![Spoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e57/32.png) [@Spoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoke)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2007, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-rock-vocal-performances/395473/68 "2007-03-12T23:31:09Z")
Two pages and nobody’s mentioned **Little Richard**??!! Cheesy Geico commercials notwithstanding, that guy had some PIPES. [“Lucille”](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G3hGDs2fNm4), [“Long Tall Sally”](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jBTakXapwiE), [“Tutti Frutti”](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ayNdjFyk1c)… Any of these could qualify. And those are just poor-quality YouTube versions. If you listen to the Rhino Records compilation of Little Richard’s music you realize what an amazing instrument his voice once was. And as long as I’m going old school, how about **Jackie Wilson**? He showed off his incredible vocal range on **“Lonely Teardrops.”** (Can’t find a good internet clip of that one, unfortunately, but here’s Jackie doing [“Baby Workout”](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bLKOIsbYVyY) just to give you some idea of his vocal abilities.) ---
**Author:** ![Spoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e57/32.png) [@Spoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoke)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2007, 11:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-rock-vocal-performances/395473/69 "2007-03-12T23:45:31Z")
Oh yeah, and here’s one reason **Elvis Presley** is the King of Rock and Roll: [“Heartbreak Hotel”](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_1Qo1eaWF8c). And we can’t forget **Roy Orbison** ’s “[Crying](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7g0MM1Px8Ds)” ---
**Author:** ![PunditLisa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/4af34b/32.png) [@PunditLisa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PunditLisa)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2007, 1:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-rock-vocal-performances/395473/70 "2007-03-13T01:16:10Z")
\*\*Elvis Presley’s \*\* “Suspicious Minds” from \*Aloha in Hawaii \* is still perfect 25 years later. Journey’s \*\*Steve Perry \*\* belting out “Mother, Father” during MTV’s televised Houston concert in '81 - he had incredible range and emotion. **Prince** ’s live “Purple Rain” version of “The Beautiful Ones” makes me want to rip off my clothes and screw someone. **Elton John** ’s “Someone Saved My Life Tonight” is still one my favorites list. Queen’s \*\*Freddie Mercury \*\* singing “Bohemian Rhapsody” Live at the Bowl - So powerful and the dude never missed a beat \*\*John Cougar Mellencamp’s \*\* voice is underappreciated. It’s a great rock and roll voice. His live version of “Little Pink Houses” at the Concert for New York was nearly perfect until Kid Rock came out and killed it. \*\*Alanis Morrisette’s \*\* unplugged version of “Uninvited” is both haunting and hard ass. **Pat Benatar** ’s “Promises in the Dark” is that great combination of vulnerable and rocking. **The Eagles** Randy Meisner’s performance on “Take it the Limit” is great. ---
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2007, 1:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-rock-vocal-performances/395473/71 "2007-03-13T01:55:09Z")
What, no mention of “\*Hocus Pocus \*”? Why do you hate yodeling? ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2007, 2:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-rock-vocal-performances/395473/72 "2007-03-13T02:05:42Z")
**Aretha Franklin** on _Respect_ **James Brown** _This Is a Man’s World_ and now for something completely different… vocals that are so tight, so structured, so technically perfect that they deserve mention. **Karen Carpenter** on damn near anything, but let’s say _Rainy Days and Mondays_ **The Mamas and Papas** on _California Dreamin’_ and _Monday Monday_ ---
**Author:** ![EddyTeddyFreddy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eddyteddyfreddy/32/18796_2.png) [@EddyTeddyFreddy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EddyTeddyFreddy)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2007, 2:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-rock-vocal-performances/395473/73 "2007-03-13T02:09:50Z")
Bruce Springsteen and Melissa Etheridge, on MTV’s Unplugged, singing “Thunder Road” – the perfect match of voices to lyrics. ---
**Author:** ![Spoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e57/32.png) [@Spoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoke)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2007, 2:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-rock-vocal-performances/395473/74 "2007-03-13T02:44:41Z")
Sam Cooke - [“A Change Is Gonna Come”](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l4kMnMM2Fmk). ---
**Author:** ![AHunter3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ahunter3/32/368_2.png) [@AHunter3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AHunter3)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2007, 2:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-rock-vocal-performances/395473/75 "2007-03-13T02:57:04Z")
Crosby Stills & Nash: Suit for Judy Blue Eyes Queen: The Prophet’s Song in both cases for great harmony and balance, dramatically different stylings of course. Tori Amos: Silent All These Years how can someone’s voice inspire tenderness and creep you out at the same time? I can listen to her for hours. Yes (Jon Anderson): Turn of the Century that’s a great voice and in this one the vocal just drives the song, like a breeze gradually picking up to a gale-force wind Neil Young: Rocking in the Free World just because ---
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2007, 3:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-rock-vocal-performances/395473/76 "2007-03-13T03:01:48Z")
Not sure I would say “greatest,” and I don’t even like the song that much, but it seems like Billy Thorpe deserves a mention for “Children of the Sun.” I’m going to have to go with Harry Nilsson (before he blew out his vocal chords drugging, smoking, and boozing around with John Lennon). Especially “Jump Into the Fire,” and (though it may qualify as “rock”), his version of “Without You.” ---
**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 13, 2007, 2:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-rock-vocal-performances/395473/77 "2007-03-13T14:09:00Z")
Bob Seger’s “That Old Time Rock and Roll.” I can’t picture anyone else singing that song and not turning it into a sick parody. ---
**Author:** ![AHoosierMama](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/258eb7/32.png) [@AHoosierMama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AHoosierMama)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2007, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-rock-vocal-performances/395473/78 "2007-03-13T15:52:43Z")
[QUOTE=Sam Stone] snip **Jeremy** - Eddie Vedder/snip [/QUOTE] I’d have to disagree here. Sing the following line in your head to the tune of “Evenflow”: “Heeeeeeeeeeeee - hawwwwwwww, everytime I sing I sound just like a donKEY!” Some comedian parodied Eddie Vedder years back and since then, I can’t listen to Pearl Jam without thinking of it. I’ll add my vote for all things Freddie Mercury and Roy Orbison. I’ll also throw in anything done by Chrissy Hynde - think “Chain Gang”, "Kid’, “Brass in Pocket” - I could go on… ---
**Author:** ![gromehown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a5b964/32.png) [@gromehown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gromehown)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2007, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-rock-vocal-performances/395473/79 "2007-03-13T19:17:38Z")
[QUOTE=BubbaDog] **Clair Torre’s** orgasmic expressions at the end of **Great gig in the sky** on **Dark Side of the Moon** was the first thought that came into my head when I read the thread title. [/QUOTE] Another vote. And a more recent track to consider - Kid Rock (!) - Only God Knows Why ---
**Author:** ![woodstockbirdybird](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/woodstockbirdybird/32/7905_2.png) [@woodstockbirdybird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/woodstockbirdybird)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2007, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-rock-vocal-performances/395473/80 "2007-03-13T19:30:00Z")
[QUOTE=Cemetery Savior] All the U2 mention and no reference to “Pride”? Under a Blood Red Sky had a great version of that, and Bono was leading the audience throughout. [/QUOTE] A nitpick, but “Pride” wasn’t on _Under A Blood Red Sky_ - that was recorded on the _War_ tour, a year prior. There is a live version of “pride” on _Rattle And Hum_, though. [QUOTE=Cemetery Savior] I’d also be remiss if I didn’t mention my single greatest concert moment (and there have been a few), seeing Bob Mould do his Workbook material at Metro with one guitar and a nightstand (and about 6,000,000 speakers). -Cem [/QUOTE] Agreed there. Bob’ s never been a technically great singer, but his passion and intensity blow everybody else I’ve seen out of the water. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-rock-vocal-performances/395473.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-rock-vocal-performances/395473.md?page=5)