# Name a singer with an "unusual" voice. **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [October 3, 2017, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-a-singer-with-an-unusual-voice/797882 "2017-10-03T16:56:41Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Paintcharge](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/paintcharge/32/7946_2.png) [@Paintcharge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paintcharge)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2017, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-a-singer-with-an-unusual-voice/797882/41 "2017-10-03T20:14:28Z")
Lucinda Williams seems to be getting more so as the years go on. ---
**Author:** ![2Bits](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/2/e95f7d/32.png) [@2Bits](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/2Bits)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2017, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-a-singer-with-an-unusual-voice/797882/42 "2017-10-03T20:26:46Z")
[![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/8NgfcLG5V0g/maxresdefault.jpg "The Tallest Man on Earth - Shallow Grave (FULL ALBUM)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8NgfcLG5V0g) Kristian Matsson (performs under the moniker "The Tallest Man On Earth.) He’s Swedish but appears to mostly sing in english. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2017, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-a-singer-with-an-unusual-voice/797882/43 "2017-10-03T21:01:52Z")
Wow. No mention of **Rod Stewart** yet. ---
**Author:** ![Maggie\_the\_Ocelot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/df705f/32.png) [@Maggie\_the\_Ocelot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maggie_the_Ocelot)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2017, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-a-singer-with-an-unusual-voice/797882/44 "2017-10-03T21:03:36Z")
The late, sorely missed Leonard Cohen. ---
**Author:** ![Superdude](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/superdude/32/13450_2.png) [@Superdude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superdude)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2017, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-a-singer-with-an-unusual-voice/797882/45 "2017-10-03T21:08:54Z")
John McCrea from [Cake](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F_HoMkkRHv8). At first listen, it sounds like he’s just talking over music, but there’s more to it. ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2017, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-a-singer-with-an-unusual-voice/797882/46 "2017-10-03T21:40:32Z")
[Blossom Dearie](https://youtu.be/jr5kuMAjvHQ), died at 84 but probably still sounded like she was 7 years old. ---
**Author:** ![Ranchoth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranchoth/32/1066_2.png) [@Ranchoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranchoth)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2017, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-a-singer-with-an-unusual-voice/797882/47 "2017-10-03T21:54:15Z")
[Martyn Jacques](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martyn_Jacques). Honorable mention: [IBM 7094](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yIwhx3NQSLg). Or maybe Shirley Manson, for a (far) less bizarre definition of “unusual.” ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2017, 10:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-a-singer-with-an-unusual-voice/797882/48 "2017-10-03T22:35:19Z")
I always thought Judy Garlands voice was strange. And Joe Walsh does that weird blowing-into-a-tube guitar thing. ---
**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:** [October 3, 2017, 10:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-a-singer-with-an-unusual-voice/797882/49 "2017-10-03T22:47:06Z")
> [@Shoeless](#): > > Natalie Merchant has a weird voice. Not exactly flat, but something has always just sounded… off… about it to me. She mumbles, and it sounds like her tongue is swollen. ---
**Author:** ![Crafter\_Man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crafter_man/32/458_2.png) [@Crafter\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crafter_Man)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2017, 11:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-a-singer-with-an-unusual-voice/797882/50 "2017-10-03T23:25:57Z")
And the answer is: [Doc Dart of the Crucifucks](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y44EaXu1U98). What do I win? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![koeeoaddi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/koeeoaddi/32/408_2.png) [@koeeoaddi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/koeeoaddi)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2017, 11:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-a-singer-with-an-unusual-voice/797882/51 "2017-10-03T23:29:42Z")
> [@RealityChuck](#): > > Mike Heron and Robin Williamson from the [Incredible String Band](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bogz2xZy-bo). …and [Licorice McKechnie](https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=2uIyxn9PCr8), who could shatter crystal and summon wildlife! ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2017, 12:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-a-singer-with-an-unusual-voice/797882/52 "2017-10-04T00:38:26Z")
Eartha Kitt. ---
**Author:** ![nightshadea](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/7ba0ec/32.png) [@nightshadea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nightshadea)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2017, 12:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-a-singer-with-an-unusual-voice/797882/53 "2017-10-04T00:45:40Z")
lemmy (rip) of motorhead … when I first heard him I said something to the effect of " dude sounds like he cleans out the homegrown pot residue in his throat with night train" ---
**Author:** ![bobot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobot/32/21622_2.png) [@bobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobot)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2017, 1:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-a-singer-with-an-unusual-voice/797882/54 "2017-10-04T01:00:42Z")
Su Tissue of Suburban Lawns. [![]( " - YouTube") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OAQtNyF_TUM) ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2017, 1:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-a-singer-with-an-unusual-voice/797882/55 "2017-10-04T01:08:12Z")
> [@It\_s\_Not\_Rocket\_Surgery](#): > > Marianne Faithful I assume you mean now rather than then. Brenda Lee Cyndi Lauper ---
**Author:** ![JackieLikesVariety](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackielikesvariety/32/296_2.png) [@JackieLikesVariety](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JackieLikesVariety)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2017, 1:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-a-singer-with-an-unusual-voice/797882/56 "2017-10-04T01:17:00Z")
Nancy Griffith - who I love, by the way - but she has a voice kind of like a nine year old girl. ---
**Author:** ![standingwave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9de0a6/32.png) [@standingwave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/standingwave)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2017, 1:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-a-singer-with-an-unusual-voice/797882/57 "2017-10-04T01:48:44Z")
Ian Anderson of Jethro Tull and his use of melisma. I didn’t even know there was a word for what he was doing until I researched it. He was just the dude who could sing more than one note at the same time. His voice is shot now, but back in the day, it was certainly unique. Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk ---
**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:** [October 4, 2017, 2:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-a-singer-with-an-unusual-voice/797882/58 "2017-10-04T02:19:37Z")
> [@standingwave](#): > > Ian Anderson of Jethro Tull and his use ofmelisma. I didn’t even know there was a word for what he was doing until I researched it. He was just the dude who could sing more than one note at the same time. His voice is shot now, but back in the day, it was certainly unique. > > Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk Melisma isn’t singing more than one note at the same time. It’s when a syllable in a lyric has multiple notes sung in sequence to them (think of the vocal embellishments in Whitney Houston’s version of “I Will Always Love You.”) The only thing I could think of singing-wise that produces multiple notes at the same time is overtone singing, which is [pretty odd and cool](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vC9Qh709gas). ---
**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:** [October 4, 2017, 2:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-a-singer-with-an-unusual-voice/797882/59 "2017-10-04T02:29:37Z")
> [@RealityChuck](#): > > Keith Moon (you didn’t say it had to be good 🙂 ) You sound like one of the unfortunates who heard his solo album. I’m another one. > [@pulykamell](#): > > The only thing I could think of singing-wise that produces multiple notes at the same time is overtone singing, which is [pretty odd and cool](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vC9Qh709gas). One of the greatest practitioners of which was mentioned in Post #9. ---
**Author:** ![standingwave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9de0a6/32.png) [@standingwave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/standingwave)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2017, 3:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-a-singer-with-an-unusual-voice/797882/60 "2017-10-04T03:15:17Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > Melisma isn’t singing more than one note at the same time. It’s when a syllable in a lyric has multiple notes sung in sequence to them (think of the vocal embellishments in Whitney Houston’s version of “I Will Always Love You.”) The only thing I could think of singing-wise that produces multiple notes at the same time is overtone singing, which is [pretty odd and cool](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vC9Qh709gas). Ah well, ignorance fought, then. Still, an unusual voice and I’m not completely convinced he didn’t employ overtones. A friend of mine once said that he “sang in chords.” Of course, he also would sing while playing the flute so that could have been part of it. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-a-singer-with-an-unusual-voice/797882.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-a-singer-with-an-unusual-voice/797882.md?page=4)