# 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:** 18\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![paulberserker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c4cdca/32.png) [@paulberserker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/paulberserker)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2004, 11:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/singers-with-strange-voices/265373/41 "2004-09-22T11:26:09Z")
> [@Sam Stone](#): > > The lead singer for **Sparks** Russell Mael. No-one’s mentioned Perry Farrell. I never heard anybody else sing like that. The guy from The Music has a wierd high pitched voice that fits in nicely with the frankly rocking tunes they do. Louise Rhodes from Lamb has an affectation to her voice that I know some find really annoying, but I really like Roison Murphy from Moloko ---
**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:** [September 22, 2004, 11:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/singers-with-strange-voices/265373/42 "2004-09-22T11:57:29Z")
On the natural side, Blossom Dearie. If you don’t recognize the name, think _Unpack Your Adjectives_ and _Figure Eight_ from Schoolhouse Rock. She’s a serious singer of jazz standards and such, but still in that same girlish voice. And in a similar vein, Yeardley Smith (who does the voice of Lisa Simpson) has a pretty good set of pipes. For a processed voice, listen to Laurie Anderson in some of her songs, especially _O, Superman_. She combines her natural voice with the processors to great effect. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2004, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/singers-with-strange-voices/265373/43 "2004-09-22T14:41:14Z")
Loudon Wainwright III ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2004, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/singers-with-strange-voices/265373/44 "2004-09-22T14:43:14Z")
> [@presidebt](#): > > Billie Holiday, of course. One of my first thoughts was David Sedaris’s piece on, as a kid, wanting to sing commercials in the style of Billie Holiday – you have to hear it to believe it. ---
**Author:** ![fruitbat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/58f4c7/32.png) [@fruitbat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fruitbat)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2004, 2:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/singers-with-strange-voices/265373/45 "2004-09-22T14:45:15Z")
Leonard Cohen was once described as “having a voice like a burlap bag”, which I find to be a perfect description. I have noticed that as he has aged he has felt the need to add breathy backup singers to many of his songs. Completely ruins it for me. He was one person who could convey great emotion with his voice, and it doesn’t need to be obscured by backup singers. ---
**Author:** ![Kizarvexius](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/da6949/32.png) [@Kizarvexius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kizarvexius)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2004, 2:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/singers-with-strange-voices/265373/46 "2004-09-22T14:45:46Z")
Roland Gift, lead singer of the 80s band Fine Young Cannibals. I always thought he sounded as if he was singing with his tongue glued to the back of his lower front teeth. ---
**Author:** ![gooti](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/eb8c5e/32.png) [@gooti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gooti)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2004, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/singers-with-strange-voices/265373/47 "2004-09-22T15:24:43Z")
Leonard Cohen is probably my number one pick, followed closely by Tom Waits. I like Dwight Yoakam’s voice, but it’s strange because it’s traditional, which isn’t really popular in mainstream country music anymore. As for the ladies, I guess Billie Holiday by default because I can’t really think of anyone else at the moment ---
**Author:** ![TellMeI\_mNotCrazy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tellmei_mnotcrazy/32/3419_2.png) [@TellMeI\_mNotCrazy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TellMeI_mNotCrazy)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2004, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/singers-with-strange-voices/265373/48 "2004-09-22T15:27:03Z")
Bruce Springsteen, whose voice I can’t stand, and Carole King, whose voice I love. ---
**Author:** ![scout1222](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/34f0e0/32.png) [@scout1222](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scout1222)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2004, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/singers-with-strange-voices/265373/49 "2004-09-22T15:30:28Z")
> [@twickster](#): > > One of my first thoughts was David Sedaris’s piece on, as a kid, wanting to sing commercials in the style of Billie Holiday – you have to hear it to believe it. I’m humming the Oscar Meyer jingle as we speak! ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Roboto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/76d3ee/32.png) [@Mr.Roboto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Roboto)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2004, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/singers-with-strange-voices/265373/50 "2004-09-22T15:38:27Z")
Richard Harris Biff Rose Jimmy Webb ``` Without a doubt, the highest voice in Rockdom, does not belong to Getty Lee With a Power Falsetto,hands down,David SurKamp of Pavlov's Dog. ``` ---
**Author:** ![fusoya](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ecccb3/32.png) [@fusoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fusoya)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2004, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/singers-with-strange-voices/265373/51 "2004-09-22T15:39:43Z")
I can’t beleive this thread reached page 2 without mentioning the two craziest voices of 80’s new wave - Talking Heads’ **David Byrne** and Devo’s **Mark Mothersbaugh** ---
**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:** [September 22, 2004, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/singers-with-strange-voices/265373/52 "2004-09-22T16:17:57Z")
Check out the Incredible String Band, **jsgoddess**. Robin Williamson has a truly [strange and wonderful voice](http://hurl.content.loudeye.com/scripts/hurl.exe?clipid=062154102010006900&cid=600005) (and for some inexplicable reason, whenever I crank up the volume, I wind up getting the whole house to myself). ---
**Author:** ![the\_Lady](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bb73d2/32.png) [@the\_Lady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/the_Lady)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2004, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/singers-with-strange-voices/265373/53 "2004-09-22T16:26:18Z")
I’ve always thought Nanci Griffith had a very odd voice. Very, very nasal. Still love her though. ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2004, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/singers-with-strange-voices/265373/54 "2004-09-22T16:49:33Z")
[QUOTE=koeeoaddi] Check out the Incredible String Band, **jsgoddess**./QUOTE] There are so few things in this world you can count on … **koeeoaddi** taking an opportunity to plug the Incredible String Band is definitely one of them. 😛 ---
**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:** [September 22, 2004, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/singers-with-strange-voices/265373/55 "2004-09-22T17:09:56Z")
> [@twickster](#): > > There are so few things in this world you can count on … **koeeoaddi** taking an opportunity to plug the Incredible String Band is definitely one of them. 😛 Cool. Somebody noticed. ::tosses lava lamp, Indian bespread and hookah into knapsack:: My work here is done. 🆒 ---
**Author:** ![stpauler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9d8465/32.png) [@stpauler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stpauler)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2004, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/singers-with-strange-voices/265373/56 "2004-09-22T17:32:45Z")
> [@Big Bad Voodoo Lou](#): > > You lucky person! Please tell us all about it! Start a new thread! Tom Waits is my favorite musician. When is this new album coming out for the rest of us proles? [Done](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=277101) The release date is Oct. 5th from what I’ve heard and read. ---
**Author:** ![Roland\_Orzabal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c2a13f/32.png) [@Roland\_Orzabal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roland_Orzabal)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2004, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/singers-with-strange-voices/265373/57 "2004-09-22T18:18:54Z")
Another vote for Thom Yorke. Roland Orzabal, my usernamesake, has a very distinctive voice as well, though I don’t know if I’d call it strange. ---
**Author:** ![foolsguinea](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foolsguinea/32/14751_2.png) [@foolsguinea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/foolsguinea)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2004, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/singers-with-strange-voices/265373/58 "2004-09-22T19:08:08Z")
Wait a minute! In what way does Leon Redbone “not sing”? I love Joe Cocker. I like Kate Bush except for her voice. I like Cassandra Wilson, basso contralto & all. And Macy Gray is cute. Oh, & I’m that age, you know, where I had a big crush on Cyndi Lauper. Big. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/singers-with-strange-voices/265373.md?page=2)