# Off key singers on (mainstream) records? -\> Santana Caravanserai **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** music\ **Created:** [August 12, 2024, 12:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/off-key-singers-on-mainstream-records-santana-caravanserai/1005612 "2024-08-12T12:46:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![WreckingCrew](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wreckingcrew/32/4080_2.png) [@WreckingCrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WreckingCrew)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2024, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/off-key-singers-on-mainstream-records-santana-caravanserai/1005612/21 "2024-08-13T20:58:02Z")
It wasn’t Denny’s mistake While mixing the record, engineer Bones Howe punched in the coda vocals too early, inadvertently including Doherty’s false start on the third chorus (“I saw her…”). Despite attempting to correct the error, the miscued vocal could still be heard on playback. Producer Lou Adler liked the effect and told Howe to leave it in the final mix. [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I\_Saw\_Her\_Again](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I_Saw_Her_Again) ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2024, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/off-key-singers-on-mainstream-records-santana-caravanserai/1005612/22 "2024-08-13T21:05:06Z")
I’ve seen Santana live once. At the time they had two lead singers, Greg Walker and Alex Lightergood. Neither were out of key. Carlos never opened his mouth. This was at the time in my life were I went to as many shows as possible and was particularly interested in seeing iconic bands at least once even if I wasn’t a huge fan. Santana surprised me. Turned out to be one of the best concerts I’ve ever seen. His band at that time was insanely talented and tight. It’s possible he was the worst musician on the stage. ---
**Author:** ![XOldiesJock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/ec9cab/32.png) [@XOldiesJock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XOldiesJock)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2024, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/off-key-singers-on-mainstream-records-santana-caravanserai/1005612/23 "2024-08-13T21:11:32Z")
> [@WreckingCrew](#): > > _It wasn’t Denny’s mistake_ Interesting! That’s a version of the story I’ve never heard. However the “mistake” was made, or whoever made it, that false start was a good effect. ---
**Author:** ![Al128](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/al128/32/16541_2.png) [@Al128](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Al128)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2024, 10:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/off-key-singers-on-mainstream-records-santana-caravanserai/1005612/24 "2024-08-13T22:40:09Z")
how about that? … I always perceived this as a false start (should be cue’d to 0.07min) [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/oofSnsGkops/maxresdefault.jpg "James Blunt - You're Beautiful (Official Music Video) [4K]") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oofSnsGkops&t=7/ewrsd) ---
**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:** [August 13, 2024, 11:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/off-key-singers-on-mainstream-records-santana-caravanserai/1005612/25 "2024-08-13T23:04:03Z")
Yeah, I love that part of the song, intentional or not. ---
**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:** [August 14, 2024, 1:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/off-key-singers-on-mainstream-records-santana-caravanserai/1005612/26 "2024-08-14T01:35:18Z")
Agreed. However it happened, it made the song better. Same same for “Break On Through” by the Doors. For decades every issue of the song clipped the word “high” from the lyrics. Now, when I hear the unclipped version on the radio, it just sounds stupid. There was a lot more urgency when Jim sang “She gets…she gets…she gets…yeeeeaaaaaaahhhhhhhh.” At least he was on key. ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2024, 2:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/off-key-singers-on-mainstream-records-santana-caravanserai/1005612/27 "2024-08-14T14:15:25Z")
> [@Al128](#): > > I always perceived this as a false start Weird Al’s parody (“You’re Pitiful”) has that false start, followed by him asking: > What? Did I come in too early? Okay, want to start over? Should I just keep going? Or what?.. > _“My life is brilliant…”_ ---
**Author:** ![Jaycat.again](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jaycat.again/32/11525_2.png) [@Jaycat.again](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jaycat.again)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2024, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/off-key-singers-on-mainstream-records-santana-caravanserai/1005612/28 "2024-08-14T16:40:43Z")
Ringo Starr… Keith Richards… ---
**Author:** ![Meurglys](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/258eb7/32.png) [@Meurglys](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Meurglys)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2024, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/off-key-singers-on-mainstream-records-santana-caravanserai/1005612/29 "2024-08-14T16:58:37Z")
I went to a concert by J. Mascis back in 2002. Just him, his guitar & pedals. Great stuff, although there wasn’t much difference I could tell between some tracks after the vocals! And the venue burnt down 2 days later! ---
**Author:** ![Sylvanz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/fbc32d/32.png) [@Sylvanz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sylvanz)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2024, 6:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/off-key-singers-on-mainstream-records-santana-caravanserai/1005612/30 "2024-08-15T06:46:46Z")
I really like that song, but I think the video may have tainted it for me. 🙁 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/off-key-singers-on-mainstream-records-santana-caravanserai/1005612.md?page=1)