# Singers with strange voices **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 21, 2004, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/singers-with-strange-voices/265373 "2004-09-21T20:39:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2004, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/singers-with-strange-voices/265373/1 "2004-09-21T20:39:59Z")
In [this thread about Macy Gray](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=276751) there was some discussion about singers with unusual voices. I am a big fan of peculiar voices. Anyone else really like strange voices? Who are your favorites? ---
**Author:** ![Mockingbird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c68b51/32.png) [@Mockingbird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mockingbird)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2004, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/singers-with-strange-voices/265373/2 "2004-09-21T20:49:12Z")
I initially thought Nina Simone had a weird voice when I was introduced to her ten years ago. Now I adore her and can’t imagine a world without her music. ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2004, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/singers-with-strange-voices/265373/3 "2004-09-21T20:54:46Z")
Thom Yorke - bizarre high voice (recently copied almost exactly by the lead singer of Muse). Nick Drake - one third of the powerful appeal of his music is his unique voice, IMO - the others being the ethereal tunes and breathtaking guitar work. Jeff Buckley. The lead singer of that one band as well. What’s it called? Placebo. David Bowie. Kelis. ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Mudd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f14d63/32.png) [@Larry\_Mudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Mudd)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2004, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/singers-with-strange-voices/265373/4 "2004-09-21T20:59:59Z")
Eartha Kitt has an unusual but compelling voice. Edith Piaf did too, if you wanna go back a ways… Annie Ross, maybe? ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Mudd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f14d63/32.png) [@Larry\_Mudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Mudd)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2004, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/singers-with-strange-voices/265373/5 "2004-09-21T21:02:15Z")
Almost forgot… **Mockingbird** , I’ve always been confused when people frequently mistake Nina Simone’s voice for a man’s. WTF? She sounds like pure sexy woman to me. _I Want Some Sugar In My Bowl_ makes me faint. ---
**Author:** ![fishbicycle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/aeb1de/32.png) [@fishbicycle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fishbicycle)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2004, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/singers-with-strange-voices/265373/6 "2004-09-21T21:05:46Z")
Bon Scott of AC/DC had a most unusual voice, which fascinates me. I’m not a giant fan of the group, but it’s plain that this guy had some kind of tortured gift. I didn’t like Kate Bush when I first heard her music, but she grew on me enormously over time. Paul Young had an unusual voice in that he sang full on with his throat, instead of from the diaphragm. I have nothing to back this up with, but I wouldn’t be surprised to learn that he doesn’t sing like that anymore because he might have wrecked his voice singing that way. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2004, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/singers-with-strange-voices/265373/7 "2004-09-21T21:08:54Z")
> [@jsgoddess](#): > > In [this thread about Macy Gray](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=276751) there was some discussion about singers with unusual voices. I am a big fan of peculiar voices. If we’re ever at the same Dopefest, ask me to sing. I tend to sound like a Cajun Elvis. ---
**Author:** ![Hampshire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hampshire/32/4887_2.png) [@Hampshire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hampshire)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2004, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/singers-with-strange-voices/265373/8 "2004-09-21T21:11:07Z")
How about **Brad Roberts** from **The Test Crash Dummies**? Known for the “Mmmm Mmmm Mmmm Mmmm” song. ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2004, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/singers-with-strange-voices/265373/9 "2004-09-21T21:14:05Z")
Tiny Tim. ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2004, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/singers-with-strange-voices/265373/10 "2004-09-21T21:25:43Z")
> [@Hampshire](#): > > How about **Brad Roberts** from **The Test Crash Dummies**? > > Known for the “Mmmm Mmmm Mmmm Mmmm” song. Oh yes. Him singing “Superman’s Song” is just wonderful. Very strange, very neat voice. This is the sort of thread where I find new people to go looking for. If anyone can suggest particular songs for their particular favorites, I’d be grateful. **Jeff Olsen** , Cajun Elvis? By design? ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2004, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/singers-with-strange-voices/265373/11 "2004-09-21T21:31:01Z")
How strange? Will “not traditionally lovely” do? I love Louis Armstrong and Joe Cocker. ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2004, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/singers-with-strange-voices/265373/12 "2004-09-21T21:32:59Z")
And, for actually strange, there’s Jimmy Sommerville, once of Bronski Beat. ---
**Author:** ![mack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b19c9b/32.png) [@mack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mack)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2004, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/singers-with-strange-voices/265373/13 "2004-09-21T21:34:43Z")
Captain Beefheart. It’s like…oh never mind. You just have to hear it. There’s a sample of a tune on [this page](http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B000005JB4/ref=m_art_li_3/103-2386903-5603834?v=glance&s=music) if you scroll down. Tom Waits. Gwen Stefani has sort of a funny voivce but I think it’s more affectation than actual funny voice. ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2004, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/singers-with-strange-voices/265373/14 "2004-09-21T21:34:39Z")
> [@twickster](#): > > How strange? Will “not traditionally lovely” do? I love Louis Armstrong and Joe Cocker. I guess all I mean is a voice that would have some people demanding to know if you think that person can actually sing. For example, my husband is completely baffled by my love of Leon Redbone. He claims that Leon Redbone cannot sing at all. But this is a man who loves Willie Nelson, who definitely doesn’t have a “traditionally lovely” voice. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![presidebt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c37758/32.png) [@presidebt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/presidebt)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2004, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/singers-with-strange-voices/265373/15 "2004-09-21T21:35:21Z")
Billie Holiday, of course. Also, the singer for that newer group Maroon 5 (or something along those lines). Catherine Irwin, of _Freakwater_, comes to mind. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2004, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/singers-with-strange-voices/265373/16 "2004-09-21T21:40:28Z")
> [@jsgoddess](#): > > Cajun Elvis? By design? Yeah, that’s the way it comes out. Sometimes more Cajun than Elvis but the mix is always there. [Check this out](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?p=5147545#post5147545). ---
**Author:** ![SolGrundy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bbce88/32.png) [@SolGrundy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SolGrundy)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2004, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/singers-with-strange-voices/265373/17 "2004-09-21T21:43:28Z")
I just heard “Crying” for the first time in years the other night, and it reminded me that Roy Orbison has a really weird and actually kind of creepy voice, if you think about it. ---
**Author:** ![Bippy\_the\_Beardless](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ac8455/32.png) [@Bippy\_the\_Beardless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bippy_the_Beardless)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2004, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/singers-with-strange-voices/265373/18 "2004-09-21T21:46:25Z")
Bjork has a remarkable vocal range. The lead and backing vocals on Sweet’s hits are quite remarkable as well. ---
**Author:** ![ultrafilter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/3d9bf3/32.png) [@ultrafilter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ultrafilter)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2004, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/singers-with-strange-voices/265373/19 "2004-09-21T21:52:13Z")
Lazare (the vocalist for Solefald) has a somewhat odd voice. You can hear “Mont Blanc Providence Crow” from _In Harmonia Universali_ [here](http://mp3.centurymedia.com/Solefald_MontBlancProvidenceCrow_InHarmoniaUniversali.mp3). ---
**Author:** ![vl\_mungo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/bc8723/32.png) [@vl\_mungo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vl_mungo)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2004, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/singers-with-strange-voices/265373/20 "2004-09-21T21:56:45Z")
**J. Mascis** was acutally the first I though of… BUT, actually I have a two way tie for strangest… **Daniel Smith** of [The Danielson Famille](http://www.epitonic.com/artists/danielsonfamile.html) and **YaSuKo O.** of [Melt-Banana](http://www.parkcity.ne.jp/~mltbanan/) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/singers-with-strange-voices/265373.md?page=2)