# Lead singer takes a break: best and worst examples **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 16, 2016, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lead-singer-takes-a-break-best-and-worst-examples/746273 "2016-02-16T16:47:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2016, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lead-singer-takes-a-break-best-and-worst-examples/746273/41 "2016-02-16T21:57:36Z")
In Queen, both Brian May and Roger Taylor also had excellent voices, and they sang lead on a number of songs (often ones that they, themselves, had written). For example: Brian: '39, Some Day One Day, She Makes Me (Stormtrooper in Stilettos), Good Company. Roger: Tenement Funster, I’m In Love With My Car, Drowse, Fight From The Inside – plus the high/falsetto parts in many songs. ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2016, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lead-singer-takes-a-break-best-and-worst-examples/746273/42 "2016-02-16T21:58:39Z")
> [@Athena](#): > > Wait, what? Stewart Copeland wrote Miss Gradenko, but if that’s him singing it, his voice is virtually identical to Sting’s. > > Agree on “Mother”, wholeheartedly, although not sure that’s not Sting singing. Like someone above said, it’s so bad, it doesn’t matter WHO sings. Could be. I just threw in “Miss Gradenko,” but it’s not nearly the fiasco “Mother” is. ---
**Author:** ![EinsteinsHund](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/einsteinshund/32/8400_2.png) [@EinsteinsHund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EinsteinsHund)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2016, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lead-singer-takes-a-break-best-and-worst-examples/746273/43 "2016-02-16T21:58:41Z")
> [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](#): > > You’re kidding, right? I came to post these as “worsts”. I have to back up **WordMan** here. I know that Keef’s voice is an acquired taste. I have always liked his background vocals, but am impartial to his solo output and what he did on most Stones solo offerings, especially the later stuff from the eighties on. But on _Happy_ and _Before They Make Me Run_ he really shone, and his very own style of singing suited the songs and the lyrics very fine. Also on the already mentioned _You Got The Silver_. He really can sing if he tries hard, heck, he used to sing in the church choir as a boy! ---
**Author:** ![drad\_dog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/aeb1de/32.png) [@drad\_dog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drad_dog)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2016, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lead-singer-takes-a-break-best-and-worst-examples/746273/44 "2016-02-16T21:58:54Z")
> [@Jonathan\_Chance](#): > > And thus we come to a parting of the ways, WordMan. Richards is horrific on ‘Happy’. I once read a description of his performance there as ‘vocal Alfalfaisms’. > > Ouch. The stones vocal sound was actually a duet of Mick and Keith with Micks voice heard louder. It’s the soul of their sound, and a big soul. I wouldn’t want to hear anyone else sing that song, any more than I would for Bob Dylan’s stuff. ---
**Author:** ![buddha\_david](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ee7513/32.png) [@buddha\_david](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/buddha_david)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2016, 10:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lead-singer-takes-a-break-best-and-worst-examples/746273/45 "2016-02-16T22:02:52Z")
This thread appears to exclude situations where the lead singer’s quit the band, which disqualifies Blaze Bayley of Iron Maiden, Paul Shortino of Quiet Riot, John Corabi of Motley Crue, etc. In the “good” category: Iron Maiden’s Adrian Smith sings lead vox on the b-side [“Reach Out”.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0OdgSZbxOq0) It’s a cryin’ shame that he never sang lead on any other songs. In the “bad” category: Any Scorpions song which Uli Jon Roth insisted on singing lead, such as [“Polar Nights”.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xaKWV7ZA16k) Am I really the only person who _likes_ “Mother” by the Police? Granted, it’s in a “so bad it’s good” kind of way… ---
**Author:** ![EinsteinsHund](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/einsteinshund/32/8400_2.png) [@EinsteinsHund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EinsteinsHund)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2016, 10:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lead-singer-takes-a-break-best-and-worst-examples/746273/46 "2016-02-16T22:14:25Z")
> [@buddha\_david](#): > > Am I really the only person who _likes_ “Mother” by the Police? Granted, it’s in a “so bad it’s good” kind of way… To be honest, I’ve always had some kind of a soft spot for it too, for exactly the same reason. It was definitely not recorded to sound pretty ;). ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2016, 10:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lead-singer-takes-a-break-best-and-worst-examples/746273/47 "2016-02-16T22:19:42Z")
> [@Exapno\_Mapcase](#): > > A favorite from my worst examples list: “Mother” (Andy Summers) and “Miss Gradenko” (Stewart Copeland) from _Synchronicity_. > [@sciurophobic](#): > > “Mother” is what made me think of this topic. I love both those songs but especially _Mother_; that song totally fucking rocks! In fact, it’s one of my favorite songs by The Police. I’ll toss out a “best”: Kim Deal was not the lead vocalist for The Pixies but she sang on their biggest hit, [Gigantic](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F-6QcRZqhOk). And yeah, she of course later went on to lead her own band The Breeders (and the one-album wonders The Amps as Tammy Ampersand). ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2016, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lead-singer-takes-a-break-best-and-worst-examples/746273/48 "2016-02-16T22:20:51Z")
^^^^^^^^^ Mike Mills, who unfortunately can’t carry a tune in a bucket, sings lead on my favorite R.E.M. song. Go figure. :dubious: 🆒 ---
**Author:** ![gazpacho](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/6f9a4e/32.png) [@gazpacho](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gazpacho)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2016, 10:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lead-singer-takes-a-break-best-and-worst-examples/746273/49 "2016-02-16T22:28:33Z")
> [@drad\_dog](#): > > Phil Lesh didn’t sing much at all, but he wrote the music for and sang “Box of Rain” which I think of as the Deads greatest song. > > Weir was not a good singer. I’ll leave it at that. Let Phil sing! ---
**Author:** ![River\_Hippie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/river_hippie/32/26_2.png) [@River\_Hippie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/River_Hippie)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2016, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lead-singer-takes-a-break-best-and-worst-examples/746273/50 "2016-02-16T22:50:48Z")
> [@Smapti](#): > > Buck Dharma sang on enough of Blue Oyster Cult’s big hits that a casual fan might not even realize Eric Bloom was supposed to be the lead singer. Good example. He did at least one solo album as well. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2016, 11:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lead-singer-takes-a-break-best-and-worst-examples/746273/51 "2016-02-16T23:02:35Z")
> [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](#): > > You’re kidding, right? I came to post these as “worsts”. No way. I’m not really a big Stones fan, although I’ve warmed to them over the past decade, and “Before They Make Me Run” is one of my favorite songs by them. How can you not like that song? ---
**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:** [February 17, 2016, 12:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lead-singer-takes-a-break-best-and-worst-examples/746273/52 "2016-02-17T00:32:29Z")
> [@cjepson](#): > > On the other hand, “Rocket Cathedrals” off Be-Bop Deluxe’s first LP (_Axe Victim_), sung by bassist Robert Bryan, is one of my favorites by that band. I freaking love that album, and that song. ---
**Author:** ![Soul\_Brother\_Number\_Two](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/soul_brother_number_two/32/3515_2.png) [@Soul\_Brother\_Number\_Two](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Soul_Brother_Number_Two)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2016, 1:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lead-singer-takes-a-break-best-and-worst-examples/746273/53 "2016-02-17T01:25:00Z")
> [@cjepson](#): > > Well, Fleetwood Mac brought in Dave Walker for one LP (_Penguin_), on which he sang two songs; of these, “Road Runner” stands in my book as one of the group’s all-time lows, with Walker singing in a grunt-sweat-and-strut style more suited to Grand Funk Railroad or Bad Company than anything that Fleetwood Mac were ever about. The Derelict, on the other hand, is a really nice, soulful piece of music. Good stuff. I do like the Welch albums the best of all of them, though, as a caveat. ---
**Author:** ![Soul\_Brother\_Number\_Two](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/soul_brother_number_two/32/3515_2.png) [@Soul\_Brother\_Number\_Two](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Soul_Brother_Number_Two)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2016, 1:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lead-singer-takes-a-break-best-and-worst-examples/746273/54 "2016-02-17T01:27:09Z")
> [@Labdad](#): > > “Ooh-La-La” and “Debris,” sung by bassist Ronnie Lane, are two of my favorite Faces songs. Aaawww, two of my favorite songs of all. I also love Glad and Sorry. “Thank you kindly For thinking of me…” [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/ZZfJIC_ACl4/hqdefault.jpg "Faces - Glad and Sorry") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZZfJIC_ACl4) ---
**Author:** ![Soul\_Brother\_Number\_Two](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/soul_brother_number_two/32/3515_2.png) [@Soul\_Brother\_Number\_Two](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Soul_Brother_Number_Two)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2016, 1:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lead-singer-takes-a-break-best-and-worst-examples/746273/55 "2016-02-17T01:31:15Z")
How bout Blondie Chaplin, everybody? [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/kdDtOOJgTzc/maxresdefault.jpg "The Beach Boys - Sail On, Sailor with Lyrics") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kdDtOOJgTzc) ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2016, 1:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lead-singer-takes-a-break-best-and-worst-examples/746273/56 "2016-02-17T01:35:49Z")
Al Jardine sang lead on a few Beach Boys songs- most notably “Help Me, Rhonda.” ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2016, 1:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lead-singer-takes-a-break-best-and-worst-examples/746273/57 "2016-02-17T01:42:54Z")
The Edge “sang” on U2’s “Numb” and “Van Diemen’s Land.” ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2016, 2:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lead-singer-takes-a-break-best-and-worst-examples/746273/58 "2016-02-17T02:42:41Z")
> [@Snowboarder\_Bo](#): > > I love both those songs but especially _Mother_; that song totally fucking rocks! In fact, it’s one of my favorite songs by The Police. Normally, I’d say each to their own taste. But this is just wrong. ---
**Author:** ![Dale\_Sams](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/779978/32.png) [@Dale\_Sams](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dale_Sams)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2016, 4:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lead-singer-takes-a-break-best-and-worst-examples/746273/59 "2016-02-17T04:05:34Z")
> [@Exapno\_Mapcase](#): > > Normally, I’d say each to their own taste. > > But this is just wrong. I’ll just say there’s room enough in the universe for “Mother” and leave it at that. Copeland doesn’t sing lead on Gradenko…he does sing lead on [On Any Other Day](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k9Zb_LR_8gM) ---
**Author:** ![glowacks](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/glowacks/32/5548_2.png) [@glowacks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/glowacks)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2016, 4:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lead-singer-takes-a-break-best-and-worst-examples/746273/60 "2016-02-17T04:12:18Z")
> [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](#): > > “Strange Brew,” “Badge,” “Outside Woman Blues,” a few others…it took me ages to realize that Clapton and Bruce were trading lines on “Sunshine of Your Love.” He also sings some sections of “White Room” on the few videos I’ve seen of it. I can’t recognize voices well enough to be sure on the original recording. edit: I found an older video where Bruce seems to sing all of it. Maybe Clapton’s fame later caused them to have him sing more of it. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lead-singer-takes-a-break-best-and-worst-examples/746273.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lead-singer-takes-a-break-best-and-worst-examples/746273.md?page=4)