# Most impressively sung single line of lyrics **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** music\ **Created:** [February 20, 2021, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-impressively-sung-single-line-of-lyrics/933360 "2021-02-20T19:32:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**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:** [February 20, 2021, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-impressively-sung-single-line-of-lyrics/933360/1 "2021-02-20T19:32:48Z")
Joni Mitchell’s final line in [“Big Yellow Taxi”](https://youtu.be/94bdMSCdw20?t=126) shoes off her chops, stretching her range from quite high to quite low. I’m pretty sure, though, the laughter (which came across to me as contrived, forced) was a separate track. (more of a novelty one, this example) Brian Wilson gets absolutely stratospheric with the sublime title lyric from [God Only Knows.](https://youtu.be/AOMyS78o5YI?t=118) Patsy Klein’s opening line in [Crazy](https://youtu.be/DXWCaQPXE_0?t=12) for some reason always ‘gets me’. Doesn’t matter what genre. Curious to hear operatic contributions. ---
**Author:** ![FriendlyCurmudgeon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/friendlycurmudgeon/32/5786_2.png) [@FriendlyCurmudgeon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FriendlyCurmudgeon)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2021, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-impressively-sung-single-line-of-lyrics/933360/2 "2021-02-20T19:58:56Z")
First line of On a Plain, by Nirvana _I’ll start this off without any words …_ ---
**Author:** ![RivkahChaya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rivkahchaya/32/8919_2.png) [@RivkahChaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RivkahChaya)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2021, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-impressively-sung-single-line-of-lyrics/933360/3 "2021-02-20T20:13:32Z")
Maria Callas singing “[Habanera](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RbX8WDAXUmg)”: FF to her breathing in at 6:06, and then listen to the volume and exquisite control she has on “prends garde a toi.” Or just listen to the whole thing. Best operatic voice of the 20th century. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2021, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-impressively-sung-single-line-of-lyrics/933360/4 "2021-02-20T20:53:00Z")
Annie Haslam. The last word of “Song of Scheherazade.” (The last line of the song is the name repeated a dozen times or so as part of a musical phrase, each repetition adding more instruments, then shifting up a third, then Annie hitting a note only dogs and bright, hip people can hear. 2nd choice: Jay Black (Jay and the Americans) holding the word “time” for an insanely long period of time (heh!) during any live performance of “Cara Mia.” ---
**Author:** ![Jas09](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/d07c76/32.png) [@Jas09](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jas09)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2021, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-impressively-sung-single-line-of-lyrics/933360/5 "2021-02-20T21:22:48Z")
I’m not sure if it was multi-tracked or not, but the long notes at the end of Jeff Buckley’s version of Hallelujah are pretty impressive (even if the song is quite overplayed at this point). Around 6 minutes: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y8AWFf7EAc4](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y8AWFf7EAc4) > [@FriendlyCurmudgeon](#): > > First line of On a Plain, by Nirvana For Nirvana I quite like the end of “Where Did You Sleep Last Night?” from their Unplugged set. Around 4:45 here: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hEMm7gxBYSc](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hEMm7gxBYSc) ---
**Author:** ![Didi44](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e47c2d/32.png) [@Didi44](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Didi44)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2021, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-impressively-sung-single-line-of-lyrics/933360/6 "2021-02-20T21:32:19Z")
The opening line of _Layla_ - Derek and the Dominos _What will you do when you get lonely_ The pain and angst of his unrequited love to be spilled out in the rest of the song is as powerful as any bluesman whom he’s been trying to emulate for decades. Speaking of blues(woman), _Ball and Chain_ - Janis Joplin _And I say, oh, whoa, whoa, oh, that cannot be_ ---
**Author:** ![Face\_Intentionally\_Left\_Blank](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/face_intentionally_left_blank/32/288_2.png) [@Face\_Intentionally\_Left\_Blank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Face_Intentionally_Left_Blank)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2021, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-impressively-sung-single-line-of-lyrics/933360/7 "2021-02-20T21:47:59Z")
Wow, she does impress with that last note. I was thinking of something else by her - the chorus of, “Carpet of the Sun”, the live version: [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/XtSQFewjDD0/hqdefault.jpg "Renaissance - Carpet of the Sun") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XtSQFewjDD0) What she does on the words, “Soft and sweet” and “Of oceans mountains deep”,wow. ---
**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:** [February 20, 2021, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-impressively-sung-single-line-of-lyrics/933360/8 "2021-02-20T21:52:49Z")
> [@Didi44](#): > > The opening line of _Layla_ - Derek and the Dominos > > _What will you do when you get lonely_ > > The pain and angst of his unrequited love to be spilled out in the rest of the song is as powerful as any bluesman whom he’s been trying to emulate for decades. Interesting - I found this Clapton lyric, from [“Bell Bottom Blues”,](https://youtu.be/MO2bExu2tGE?t=185) to be even more heart-wrenching. ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2021, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-impressively-sung-single-line-of-lyrics/933360/9 "2021-02-20T22:46:52Z")
Any line you like out of this. Maybe, “I was born by the river, in a little tent, and just like the river, I’ve been running ever since,” at the start. Or “There’ve been times when I thought I couldn’t last for long, but now I think I’m able to carry on,” at the end. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/wEBlaMOmKV4/maxresdefault.jpg "Sam Cooke - A Change Is Gonna Come (Official Lyric Video)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wEBlaMOmKV4) ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2021, 12:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-impressively-sung-single-line-of-lyrics/933360/10 "2021-02-21T00:19:12Z")
Well, it’s got to be Annie Ross. Some people dig “Twisted,” but for me the most impressive was [“Jackie”.](https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=j3hF2NG0c6c) [![]( " - YouTube") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j3hF2NG0c6c) ---
**Author:** ![FriendlyCurmudgeon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/friendlycurmudgeon/32/5786_2.png) [@FriendlyCurmudgeon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FriendlyCurmudgeon)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2021, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-impressively-sung-single-line-of-lyrics/933360/11 "2021-02-21T00:27:23Z")
> [@Jas09](#): > > For Nirvana I quite like the end of “Where Did You Sleep Last Night?” from their Unplugged set. Around 4:45 here: [Nirvana - Where Did You Sleep Last Night (Live On MTV Unplugged Unedited) - YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hEMm7gxBYSc) [My Girl, my girl …](https://youtu.be/hEMm7gxBYSc?t=207) ---
**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:** [February 21, 2021, 12:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-impressively-sung-single-line-of-lyrics/933360/12 "2021-02-21T00:37:50Z")
> [@Guest-starring\_Id](#): > > Brian Wilson gets absolutely stratospheric with the sublime title lyric from [God Only Knows.](https://youtu.be/AOMyS78o5YI?t=118) Isn’t that Carl? ---
**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:** [February 21, 2021, 12:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-impressively-sung-single-line-of-lyrics/933360/13 "2021-02-21T00:41:42Z")
Roy Orbison on “Only the Lonely”: _But that’s the chance_ _You gotta take_ _If your lonely heart breaks_ _Only the lonely_ [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/kjq4wYuwgxs/hqdefault.jpg "Roy Orbison - Only The Lonely") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kjq4wYuwgxs) ---
**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:** [February 21, 2021, 12:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-impressively-sung-single-line-of-lyrics/933360/14 "2021-02-21T00:47:10Z")
> [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](#): > > Isn’t that Carl? Ah, true - Carl was definitely the lead vocalist for that one (and written by Brian W. and Tony Asher). Interesting that in the video it has Brian (with acoustic guitar) singing lead. (heh, or lip-syncing?) Maybe my favourite Paul singing line (non-Beatles!) From [No More Lonely Nights.](https://youtu.be/y3Xn9A4Negk?t=88) ---
**Author:** ![TreacherousCretin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treacherouscretin/32/476_2.png) [@TreacherousCretin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TreacherousCretin)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2021, 12:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-impressively-sung-single-line-of-lyrics/933360/15 "2021-02-21T00:52:52Z")
Linda Ronstadt - **Do What You Gotta Do** - the last line “Come on back and see me when you can.” Wow. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/hBbunEyHUj8/maxresdefault.jpg "Do What You Gotta Do") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hBbunEyHUj8) ---
**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:** [February 21, 2021, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-impressively-sung-single-line-of-lyrics/933360/16 "2021-02-21T00:53:06Z")
> [@Guest-starring\_Id](#): > > Interesting that in the video it has Brian (with acoustic guitar) singing lead. (heh, or lip-syncing?) That’s Carl and Bruce Johnston at that mic. Brian isn’t in that video although he sings backing vocals on the track. Mike Love, seen in the video, did not sing on the recording. ---
**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:** [February 21, 2021, 1:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-impressively-sung-single-line-of-lyrics/933360/17 "2021-02-21T01:04:46Z")
> [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](#): > > That’s Carl and Bruce Johnston at that mic Indeed, right again. 🤦‍♂️ Blaming it on all that damn hairless baby fat. Opening line from Janis’s [Piece of My Heart](https://youtu.be/SCngPse1iiI?t=23) has _just a little_ bit of oomph or something going on. ---
**Author:** ![peccavi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peccavi/32/388_2.png) [@peccavi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/peccavi)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2021, 2:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-impressively-sung-single-line-of-lyrics/933360/18 "2021-02-21T02:04:59Z")
Impressively sung lines? This is a candidate: [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/IYj2hex99gY/maxresdefault.jpg "Righteous Brothers - Unchained Melody [Live - Best Quality] (1965)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IYj2hex99gY) ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2021, 2:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-impressively-sung-single-line-of-lyrics/933360/19 "2021-02-21T02:26:46Z")
Every time she sings “breath” in _Teardrop_. Probably tied with it is the scat at the end of Birthday by the Sugarcubes but that isn’t really a “line” per se as it isn’t lyrics. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/u7K72X4eo_s/maxresdefault.jpg "Massive Attack - Teardrop (Official Video)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u7K72X4eo_s) ---
**Author:** ![Guy\_Incognito](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guy_incognito/32/3920_2.png) [@Guy\_Incognito](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guy_Incognito)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2021, 3:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-impressively-sung-single-line-of-lyrics/933360/20 "2021-02-21T03:28:06Z")
I’m always struck by the way Eddie Vedder sings the last lines of “Black” by Pearl Jam. I can feel the rage and loss that’s being put out there: _I know someday you’ll have a beautiful life_ _I know you’ll be a star_ _In somebody else’s sky_ _But why_ _Why_ _Why can’t it be_ _Oh can’t it be mine_ [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-impressively-sung-single-line-of-lyrics/933360.md?page=2)