# Pop/rock songs that are deceptively hard to sing **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [October 25, 2011, 2:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pop-rock-songs-that-are-deceptively-hard-to-sing/600703 "2011-10-25T02:37:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![woodstockbirdybird](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/woodstockbirdybird/32/7905_2.png) [@woodstockbirdybird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/woodstockbirdybird)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2011, 5:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pop-rock-songs-that-are-deceptively-hard-to-sing/600703/21 "2011-10-25T17:12:12Z")
> [@Ichbin\_Dubist](#): > > I recently took part in a tribute show to John Lennon, and my answer to this is, “A buttload of John Lennon songs.” I thought Lennon mostly sang pretty comfortably within my (admittedly not great) range, but every song we picked was just exhausting to sing – in his key and with the proper energy, anyway. > > (If you’re curious, the hard ones were “Happiness Is a Warm Gun,” “(Just Like) Starting Over,” “Isolation,” “Gimme Some Truth,” & “New York City.”, along some much easier songs like “Dr. Robert” and “Love.”) Yeah, Lennon’s voice is the closest to mine, so I do him a lot at karaoke. I can pretty easily manage “Revolution”, The Beatles’ version of “You Really Got A Hold On Me”, “Twist And Shout”, etc. But “Happiness Is A Warm Gun” is murder, and I can imagine “(Just Like) Starting Over” would be hard - his voice is all over the place on that one. ---
**Author:** ![Ponch8](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ponch8/32/9883_2.png) [@Ponch8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ponch8)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2011, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pop-rock-songs-that-are-deceptively-hard-to-sing/600703/22 "2011-10-25T17:15:04Z")
The high-pitched screeching in “What’s Up” by the 4 Non Blondes must be pretty difficult to execute. I’ve tried singing it when I was by myself but never in front of anyone else. ---
**Author:** ![AHunter3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ahunter3/32/368_2.png) [@AHunter3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AHunter3)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2011, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pop-rock-songs-that-are-deceptively-hard-to-sing/600703/23 "2011-10-25T17:19:14Z")
One of the most deceptive — although far worse for someone trying to pick the damn thing out on an instrument than for trying to sing it — is the annoying piece of 60s fluff called [“Up Up and Away”](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HC9yD8YqXYI) (in my Beautiful Balloon). Some kid challenged me to pick it out on a piano and after the eighth or ninth keychange in the first few bars I said we could just drop the kitty cat on the keyboard and get a closer approximation. ---
**Author:** ![missred](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/missred/32/14096_2.png) [@missred](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/missred)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2011, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pop-rock-songs-that-are-deceptively-hard-to-sing/600703/24 "2011-10-25T17:25:06Z")
_Natural Woman_ Trying to stay on key for this one is almost impossible for me. ---
**Author:** ![It\_s\_Not\_Rocket\_Surgery](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/it_s_not_rocket_surgery/32/312_2.png) [@It\_s\_Not\_Rocket\_Surgery](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/It_s_Not_Rocket_Surgery)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2011, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pop-rock-songs-that-are-deceptively-hard-to-sing/600703/25 "2011-10-25T18:48:02Z")
I once butchered “Roxanne” by the Police on karaoke night. That song was tough on my vocal chords, too. ---
**Author:** ![Dung\_Beetle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dung_beetle/32/7945_2.png) [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2011, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pop-rock-songs-that-are-deceptively-hard-to-sing/600703/26 "2011-10-25T19:18:13Z")
> [@Ponch8](#): > > The high-pitched screeching in “What’s Up” by the 4 Non Blondes must be pretty difficult to execute. I’ve tried singing it when I was by myself but never in front of anyone else. I think that’s an easy one. Just go on and squall, baby! Of course, I also like to shriek along with The Lion Sleeps Tonight, and the background singer’s part in [Come Back and Stay](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tM-JYJzzesc), by Paul Young. I don’t do this in public, of course! ---
**Author:** ![Greg\_Charles](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/839c29/32.png) [@Greg\_Charles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Greg_Charles)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2011, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pop-rock-songs-that-are-deceptively-hard-to-sing/600703/27 "2011-10-25T19:44:36Z")
For me, pretty much any song that’s not undeceptively hard to sing is deceptively hard to sing. I particularly remember trying to do “Hotel California” at a karaoke place a few years back. Luckily about 45 seconds in, all power in the room went off. None of the neighboring rooms had any electricity problems, so I figured our room had simply committed suicide, and I for one couldn’t blame it. ---
**Author:** ![GargoyleWB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gargoylewb/32/199_2.png) [@GargoyleWB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GargoyleWB)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2011, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pop-rock-songs-that-are-deceptively-hard-to-sing/600703/28 "2011-10-25T19:46:45Z")
Many Creedence Clearwater songs. They seem like simply structured songs, but Fogerty puts lots of subtle soul inflections into everything that kick the vocals into extreme difficulty. The gap between ‘meh’ and ‘this rocks!’ is small but deep. ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2011, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pop-rock-songs-that-are-deceptively-hard-to-sing/600703/29 "2011-10-25T19:49:04Z")
> [@GargoyleWB](#): > > Many Creedence Clearwater songs. They seem like simply structured songs, but Fogerty puts lots of subtle soul inflections into everything that kick the vocals into extreme difficulty. The gap between ‘meh’ and ‘this rocks!’ is small but deep. In that case I’d like to nominate Brown Eyed Girl. But in this case, Van Morrison’s version is on the “meh” side of bad. But I’ve heard people give inflections and energy to it that turn it into sort of awesome. ---
**Author:** ![Barrett\_Bonden](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/5e9695/32.png) [@Barrett\_Bonden](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Barrett_Bonden)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2011, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pop-rock-songs-that-are-deceptively-hard-to-sing/600703/30 "2011-10-25T20:18:43Z")
> [@GargoyleWB](#): > > Many Creedence Clearwater songs. They seem like simply structured songs, but Fogerty puts lots of subtle soul inflections into everything that kick the vocals into extreme difficulty. The gap between ‘meh’ and ‘this rocks!’ is small but deep. Agreed. Fogerty also has a secure lower register with a killer high belt. Most folks I’ve heard attempt CCR can do one or the other well, but not both. ---
**Author:** ![Tom\_Scud](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f08c70/32.png) [@Tom\_Scud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Scud)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2011, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pop-rock-songs-that-are-deceptively-hard-to-sing/600703/31 "2011-10-25T20:22:16Z")
“Tonight” from West Side Story is deceptive; not difficult but it keeps going up and up. If you start in the middle of your range instead of at the bottom, you’re going to be in big trouble about five or six bars in. ---
**Author:** ![njtt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ecd19e/32.png) [@njtt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/njtt)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2011, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pop-rock-songs-that-are-deceptively-hard-to-sing/600703/32 "2011-10-25T21:03:56Z")
> [@woodstockbirdybird](#): > > “Mr. Jones” I can see, but “Paranoid” surprises me. Well, I was surprised too, but that is the point isn’t it? “Deceptively.” Admittedly I can’t sing for toffee anyway, but most things I can sing to myself so that they sound OK to me. If I am charitable with myself (which I am) I can quite enjoy most of my own singing, even though I don’t suppose anybody else would. But, I tried _Paranoid_ once, out loud, and it sounded appalling, _to me_. I tried a few more times and simply could not get it. You try, and see if you can do it (unless you can actually sing, of course). > [@Ludovic](#): > > In that case I’d like to nominate Brown Eyed Girl. But in this case, Van Morrison’s version is on the “meh” side of bad. You are dead to me. ---
**Author:** ![woodstockbirdybird](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/woodstockbirdybird/32/7905_2.png) [@woodstockbirdybird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/woodstockbirdybird)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2011, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pop-rock-songs-that-are-deceptively-hard-to-sing/600703/33 "2011-10-25T21:39:18Z")
> [@njtt](#): > > Well, I was surprised too, but that is the point isn’t it? “Deceptively.” Admittedly I can’t sing for toffee anyway, but most things I can sing to myself so that they sound OK to me. If I am charitable with myself (which I am) I can quite enjoy most of my own singing, even though I don’t suppose anybody else would. But, I tried _Paranoid_ once, out loud, and it sounded appalling, _to me_. I tried a few more times and simply could not get it. Oh, I believe it, it’s just surprising (much as “You Make My Dreams” shocked me when I tried it). I’ll give it a shot next time I do karaoke. ---
**Author:** ![Number](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/number/32/242_2.png) [@Number](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Number)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2011, 4:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pop-rock-songs-that-are-deceptively-hard-to-sing/600703/34 "2011-10-26T04:47:12Z")
> [@Agent\_Foxtrot](#): > > Counting Crows’ _Mr. Jones_. I’ve heard several people mangle it. I’ve mangled it. I find just about anything by Counting Crows or Matchbox Twenty really difficult. It’s not so much the vocal range, but the way Messrs. Duritz and Thomas tend to add ornaments and change little bits of the tempo on every verse. Some otherwise-easy standards can be problematic in that way too. If you practice Sinatra’s version of a song, you can be in for big surprises if the KJ puts on the Tony Bennett or Michael Bublé one. > [@Superdude](#): > > I would also add “It’s the End of the World As We Know It” by REM. I don’t think it or “One Week” belong in this thread. They are ridiculously fast, and thus hard in a non-deceptive way. (If you really want a fun one, try “[Life is a Rock (But the Radio Rolled Me)](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=16kh-AP4OCU)”. I find it helps to read the lyrics off my phone, since, annoyingly, many karaoke tracks don’t go fast enough and make you guess at upcoming verses.) Also, in case anyone is unaware, [Audacity](http://audacity.sourceforge.net/) has a Change Pitch feature which mimics the one found in most karaoke software. It’s a great way to work out what key change to request ahead of time. ---
**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 26, 2011, 5:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pop-rock-songs-that-are-deceptively-hard-to-sing/600703/35 "2011-10-26T05:55:08Z")
> [@Number](#): > > I don’t think it or “One Week” belong in this thread. They are ridiculously fast, and thus hard in a non-deceptive way. (If you really want a fun one, try “[Life is a Rock (But the Radio Rolled Me)](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=16kh-AP4OCU)”. I find it helps to read the lyrics off my phone, since, annoyingly, many karaoke tracks don’t go fast enough and make you guess at upcoming verses.) I disagree, but for only one reason: They’re “challenge” songs, even to the completely sober. People know they’re fast, but think they can do it, anyway. I don’t drink, and know all the words to both the REM song and “One Week.” I can do them both well in my car. In front of a microphone, however, I struggle to keep up. And it’s not “stage fright,” at least for me. I did stand-up professionally for about 6 years. ---
**Author:** ![loshan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ce73a5/32.png) [@loshan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/loshan)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2011, 6:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pop-rock-songs-that-are-deceptively-hard-to-sing/600703/36 "2011-10-26T06:56:37Z")
I’vw never tried karaoke. I am well aware that I can’t “carry a tune in a bucket”. But. I know which songs I can howl along with in the car without blowing out my own eardrums. Amazingly, almost all those listed here sound fine to my own ears when I sing along. Others (Heart, Zeppelin, Rosemary Clooney) sound horrible, to my ears, even when it’s only me, in the car, by myself, with no other cars close enough to see me singing. Obviously, I, and you, are missing something by me not singing in a bar on Friday night. However, I would be willing to put up with the pointing and laughing for a significant contribution. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Molotok](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ecd19e/32.png) [@Molotok](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Molotok)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2011, 7:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pop-rock-songs-that-are-deceptively-hard-to-sing/600703/37 "2011-10-26T07:04:27Z")
Chop Suey - SOAD. Also, I thought Metallica songs would be easy to sing… ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2011, 12:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pop-rock-songs-that-are-deceptively-hard-to-sing/600703/38 "2011-10-26T12:06:09Z")
> [@boomerwang](#): > > Also, I thought Metallica songs would be easy to sing… Ahhh yes. I’ve sung songs by Metallica on rock band that can deceptively go out of my range quite sneakily. Not that I have that big a range to begin with. ---
**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 26, 2011, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pop-rock-songs-that-are-deceptively-hard-to-sing/600703/39 "2011-10-26T17:01:35Z")
I would venture to say that [Silent Lucidity](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jhat-xUQ6dw&ob=av2n) would be very difficult, as well. ---
**Author:** ![Clawdio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/d07c76/32.png) [@Clawdio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Clawdio)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2011, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pop-rock-songs-that-are-deceptively-hard-to-sing/600703/40 "2011-10-26T17:29:58Z")
I think a lot of 80’s hair metal falls into this because you don’t always realize how high those guys were singing. My nomination is Livin on a Prayer by Bon Jovi. Those “WHOA OHs” are awfully high. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pop-rock-songs-that-are-deceptively-hard-to-sing/600703.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pop-rock-songs-that-are-deceptively-hard-to-sing/600703.md?page=3)