# One Little Bit of Vocal Phrasing In A Song That Overshadows The Entire Song **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 27, 2005, 1:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-little-bit-of-vocal-phrasing-in-a-song-that-overshadows-the-entire-song/292088 "2005-02-27T01:47:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Tracy\_Lord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@Tracy\_Lord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tracy_Lord)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2005, 12:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-little-bit-of-vocal-phrasing-in-a-song-that-overshadows-the-entire-song/292088/21 "2005-02-27T12:27:35Z")
“Well…maybe next year.” ---
**Author:** ![Mister\_Rik](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mister_rik/32/491_2.png) [@Mister\_Rik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mister_Rik)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2005, 12:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-little-bit-of-vocal-phrasing-in-a-song-that-overshadows-the-entire-song/292088/22 "2005-02-27T12:28:19Z")
The Clash: **ROCK** the Casbah **ROCK** the Casbah The Talking Heads: **Three - hun - dred - six - ty - five - de - grees** Burning down the house ---
**Author:** ![Weird\_AL\_Einstein](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c67d28/32.png) [@Weird\_AL\_Einstein](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Weird_AL_Einstein)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2005, 1:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-little-bit-of-vocal-phrasing-in-a-song-that-overshadows-the-entire-song/292088/23 "2005-02-27T13:03:32Z")
Cyndi Lauper, ,“I Drove All Night”: “…taste your sweet kisses, your arms open wide, this fever for you is just burning me up insiiiiiii-IIIIIIIII-iiiiide” Gives me goose bumps whenever I hear it. What octave _is_ that? ---
**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:** [February 27, 2005, 2:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-little-bit-of-vocal-phrasing-in-a-song-that-overshadows-the-entire-song/292088/24 "2005-02-27T14:15:37Z")
“Gimme Shelter”, Merry Clayton’s voice breaking in the stratosphere on “Rape, murder!” I crank that song up to the max every time, just for that. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2005, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-little-bit-of-vocal-phrasing-in-a-song-that-overshadows-the-entire-song/292088/25 "2005-02-27T14:51:42Z")
It’s not a favorite song, but in “That’s What Friends Are For” (Dionne Warwick & Friends), there’s a bit right at the end: Dionne: “That’s what friends are for” Elton (sarcastically): “Yeah.” ---
**Author:** ![Turek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/turek/32/18782_2.png) [@Turek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Turek)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2005, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-little-bit-of-vocal-phrasing-in-a-song-that-overshadows-the-entire-song/292088/26 "2005-02-27T16:13:02Z")
Heart’s “Crazy On You” “And you kept me alive with your sweet flowing \”. Og, I hate that song. ---
**Author:** ![Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e47c2d/32.png) [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffy_the_Elephant_Shrew)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2005, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-little-bit-of-vocal-phrasing-in-a-song-that-overshadows-the-entire-song/292088/27 "2005-02-27T18:01:49Z")
“Sherry” by the Four Seasons. I used to irritate my wife by turning the radio way up every time the whole group dropped out except that moronic bass voice going “Why don’t you…” ---
**Author:** ![Purd\_Werfect](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/e47c2d/32.png) [@Purd\_Werfect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Purd_Werfect)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2005, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-little-bit-of-vocal-phrasing-in-a-song-that-overshadows-the-entire-song/292088/28 "2005-02-27T18:13:28Z")
Jeff Buckley’s phrasing at the end of Cohen’s “Hallelujah” is pretty damned amazing, but arguements could probably be made for every bit of phrasing in that cover. ---
**Author:** ![Scott\_Plaid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/258eb7/32.png) [@Scott\_Plaid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scott_Plaid)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2005, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-little-bit-of-vocal-phrasing-in-a-song-that-overshadows-the-entire-song/292088/29 "2005-02-27T19:11:31Z")
“Loving You” No, strike that, it’s the whole damn song! ---
**Author:** ![Leroy\_Brown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ad7895/32.png) [@Leroy\_Brown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leroy_Brown)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2005, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-little-bit-of-vocal-phrasing-in-a-song-that-overshadows-the-entire-song/292088/30 "2005-02-27T19:45:07Z")
She’s got electric boots A mohair suit You know I read it in a magazine Oh ho, Buh Buh Buh Bennie and the Jetsss. As a kid I thought she had “electric boobs” i.e. a costume accentuating her breasts with little lightbulbs. Can’t say I like the real version more. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Gadfly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/aeb1de/32.png) [@Gadfly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gadfly)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2005, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-little-bit-of-vocal-phrasing-in-a-song-that-overshadows-the-entire-song/292088/31 "2005-02-27T20:13:26Z")
House of Jealous Lovers, by The Rapture, which can be listened to free and legally [here](http://www.epitonic.com/artists/therapture.html). The whole song is over the top - including the gurgling bass part, the cowbell (!) and all of the vocals. But the explosive, extended, fiery, octave-defying, trachea-destroying, and utterly awesome yell of “SHAKEDOOOOOOOOOOWOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOWOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOWLUUUUULULULULU!” more or less defines the song. ---
**Author:** ![ccwaterback](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/df705f/32.png) [@ccwaterback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ccwaterback)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2005, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-little-bit-of-vocal-phrasing-in-a-song-that-overshadows-the-entire-song/292088/32 "2005-02-27T20:39:57Z")
Take a Walk on the Wildside. And the colored girls say, dew dew-dew dew-dew dew dew dew dew dew-dew dew-dew dew-dew … ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2005, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-little-bit-of-vocal-phrasing-in-a-song-that-overshadows-the-entire-song/292088/33 "2005-02-27T21:04:50Z")
> [@Leroy Brown](#): > > She’s got electric boots > A mohair suit > You know I read it in a magazine > Oh ho, Buh Buh Buh Bennie and the Jetsss. > > As a kid I thought she had “electric boobs” i.e. a costume accentuating her breasts with little lightbulbs. Can’t say I like the real version more. 😉 That should read: I read it in a maga-zay-eeeeeeeeeen ---
**Author:** ![Governor\_Quinn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/d26b3c/32.png) [@Governor\_Quinn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Governor_Quinn)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2005, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-little-bit-of-vocal-phrasing-in-a-song-that-overshadows-the-entire-song/292088/34 "2005-02-27T21:09:51Z")
> [@Hentor the Barbarian](#): > > “Some people call me _Maurrrrice_ 'cause I speak of the pompitous of love.” The backing singers’ “WHET-WOO!” reaction to the name “Maurice” is the part that lingers in my mind. ---
**Author:** ![Laughing\_Lagomorph](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/6bbea6/32.png) [@Laughing\_Lagomorph](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Laughing_Lagomorph)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2005, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-little-bit-of-vocal-phrasing-in-a-song-that-overshadows-the-entire-song/292088/35 "2005-02-27T21:17:50Z")
I always thought the way Freddie Mercury sings the word “fighting” in the chorus of “We are the Champions” was kind of strange. IIRC the last time he does it fairly normally but before that he sings it very high and quaveringly. No doubt an artistic choice on his part. ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2005, 12:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-little-bit-of-vocal-phrasing-in-a-song-that-overshadows-the-entire-song/292088/36 "2005-02-28T00:26:42Z")
For me, the part that drives out all the others in “Rock the Casbah” is the jet fighter sounds… they dropped their bombs between the minarets … skaw skawwwwwwwwwwwwwww ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2005, 12:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-little-bit-of-vocal-phrasing-in-a-song-that-overshadows-the-entire-song/292088/37 "2005-02-28T00:28:36Z")
“… Barracuda…” ---
**Author:** ![danceswithcats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9e8a1a/32.png) [@danceswithcats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/danceswithcats)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2005, 1:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-little-bit-of-vocal-phrasing-in-a-song-that-overshadows-the-entire-song/292088/38 "2005-02-28T01:17:06Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > “… Barracuda…” Damn. Saw one earlier today-nice shape-classic tags, and I said out loud to no one else, _“Oooooh, Barracuda!”_😉 How about the Big Bopper and Chantilly Lace. _Oh baby, you know what I like._ ---
**Author:** ![LilyoftheValley](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/54ee81/32.png) [@LilyoftheValley](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LilyoftheValley)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2005, 1:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-little-bit-of-vocal-phrasing-in-a-song-that-overshadows-the-entire-song/292088/39 "2005-02-28T01:55:57Z")
> [@dwc1970](#): > > Not a song in my preferred genre, but what the hell… > > At the end of “You Are So Beautiful” by Kenny Rogers, he goes up an octave and his voice cracks on singing, “TO MEEEEE…(crack)…EEEE!” I heard Ira Glass (I think) talking about this line. He said (paraphrasing) that it starts out like a nice sentiment “You are so beautiful”, then there is that pause, and you realize that you’re only beautiful to the singer. Not in general. Kind of a backhanded compliment. Ever since then, I haven’t been able to listen to that song without laughing. ---
**Author:** ![KarlGauss](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/karlgauss/32/3713_2.png) [@KarlGauss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KarlGauss)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2005, 3:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-little-bit-of-vocal-phrasing-in-a-song-that-overshadows-the-entire-song/292088/40 "2005-02-28T03:03:48Z")
When I’m ridin’ round the world and I’m doin’ this and I’m signing that and I’m tryin’ to make some girl (pregnant) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-little-bit-of-vocal-phrasing-in-a-song-that-overshadows-the-entire-song/292088.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-little-bit-of-vocal-phrasing-in-a-song-that-overshadows-the-entire-song/292088.md?page=3)