# The Falsetto Playlist **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [April 24, 2019, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-falsetto-playlist/833001 "2019-04-24T16:49:17Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Biggirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biggirl/32/3294_2.png) [@Biggirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biggirl)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2019, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-falsetto-playlist/833001/1 "2019-04-24T16:49:17Z")
When I’m sanding I like strong sounding, distinctive music playing in my ear. I have an old-fashioned 60’s and 70’s guitar rock playlist that is getting a bit old and I need something else to listen to. My thought: great falsettos. If you could recommend and please, _please_ include a YouTube clip (or however you can legally link the song). I’ll start things off with the fantastically earsplitting Philip Bailey from Earth, Wind and Fire [Keep Your Head to the Sky](https://youtu.be/qpD4siBSUOE) and, of course, the great falsetto classic [Sherry](https://youtu.be/08ziDo8Luws) which I saw Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons sing about a decade ago (maybe even longer-- these years start coming and they don’t stop coming!). They sang it about a whole octave lower and I really thought ole Frankie was going to burst a blood vessel in his neck, but it didn’t sound half bad. ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2019, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-falsetto-playlist/833001/2 "2019-04-24T19:56:06Z")
I don’t have pop suggestions but you might also look for classical music with countertenors (Purcell, Tallis, etc) and try the [recordings](https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=Alessandro+Moreschi) of Alessandro Moreschi, the only castrato to be recorded solo. ---
**Author:** ![Dahnlor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dahnlor/32/533_2.png) [@Dahnlor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dahnlor)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2019, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-falsetto-playlist/833001/3 "2019-04-24T20:20:23Z")
The first thing that came to mind when I saw the thread title was the Rolling Stones’ [Emotional Rescue](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9iw_BE_X9sA). I don’t know how hard you like your rock, but [King Diamond](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AJ65MAd5e1s) is well-known for his [del]falsetto[/del] head voice. ---
**Author:** ![romansperson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/romansperson/32/17100_2.png) [@romansperson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/romansperson)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2019, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-falsetto-playlist/833001/4 "2019-04-24T20:24:31Z")
Scissor Sisters - [I Don’t Feel Like Dancin](Scissor Sisters - I Don’t Feel Like Dancin’)’. ---
**Author:** ![Dropo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ce7236/32.png) [@Dropo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dropo)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2019, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-falsetto-playlist/833001/5 "2019-04-24T20:35:21Z")
Skip James had the most haunting falsetto in Blues. Pick a track, any track (I prefer “Devil Got My Woman”) - [Skip James - full album - Devil Got My Woman (1968) - YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZbawJaC3dwQ) Other tracks - [https://www.youtube.com/results?search\_query=Skip+James](https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=Skip+James) ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2019, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-falsetto-playlist/833001/6 "2019-04-24T20:45:55Z")
[Prince’s first hit song.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rp8WL621uGM) ---
**Author:** ![Aspidistra](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aspidistra/32/3894_2.png) [@Aspidistra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aspidistra)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2019, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-falsetto-playlist/833001/7 "2019-04-24T21:36:52Z")
[Jimmy Somerville - The Communards](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hvlv5qrhDUM&list=RDHvlv5qrhDUM&start_radio=1&t=0) ---
**Author:** ![Zyada](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zyada/32/3028_2.png) [@Zyada](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zyada)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2019, 10:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-falsetto-playlist/833001/8 "2019-04-24T22:13:14Z")
[Games People Play](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SKL-gJkZ1ck) has three different parts. Even after seeing the people performing, I still want the highest part to be sung by a woman ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2019, 10:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-falsetto-playlist/833001/9 "2019-04-24T22:22:02Z")
The Bee Gees _Too Much Heaven_. Or _Stayin’ Alive_, or _Tragedy._ Or basically, anything from _Main Course_ and later albums. ---
**Author:** ![romansperson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/romansperson/32/17100_2.png) [@romansperson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/romansperson)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2019, 10:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-falsetto-playlist/833001/10 "2019-04-24T22:40:59Z")
> [@cochrane](#): > > The Bee Gees _Too Much Heaven_. Or _Stayin’ Alive_, or _Tragedy._ Or basically, anything from _Main Course_ and later albums. Yep. Falsetto is basically their thing. Also: Curtis Mayfield and [Pusherman](https://youtu.be/hCDAfa-NI-M). ---
**Author:** ![Biggirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biggirl/32/3294_2.png) [@Biggirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biggirl)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2019, 10:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-falsetto-playlist/833001/11 "2019-04-24T22:51:43Z")
> [@Zyada](#): > > [Games People Play](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SKL-gJkZ1ck) has three different parts. > > Even after seeing the people performing, I still want the highest part to be sung by a woman You and me both! This is one of my favorites and I just found out maybe 5 years ago that that wasn’t a woman. More trivia about this song. It’s actual original title is They Just Can’t Stop It-- which is ridiculous. The single came out with They Just Can’t Stop It (Games People Play) as its title. Everybody calls it Games People Play, even Wiki. ---
**Author:** ![Reeses\_Monkey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/reeses_monkey/32/2885_2.png) [@Reeses\_Monkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reeses_Monkey)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2019, 10:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-falsetto-playlist/833001/12 "2019-04-24T22:58:05Z")
Pittsburgh’s Jimmy Beaumont & the Skyliners doing [Since I Don’t Have You](https://youtu.be/ngZh6ZSRoYg). That last word will run chills up your spine. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2019, 11:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-falsetto-playlist/833001/13 "2019-04-24T23:05:26Z")
Roger Taylor (Queen’s drummer) has a powerful falsetto voice, and most of the highest vocals on their songs were him. A few of the songs which feature his falsetto: [Seven Seas of Rhye](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FxIo57WURRE) [Ogre Battle](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7p-5CgWP7Iw) ['39](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kE8kGMfXaFU) [In the Lap of the Gods](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IeBc-c1Yang) [Bohemian Rhapsody](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fJ9rUzIMcZQ) [Under Pressure](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a01QQZyl-_I) ---
**Author:** ![Biggirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biggirl/32/3294_2.png) [@Biggirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biggirl)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2019, 11:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-falsetto-playlist/833001/14 "2019-04-24T23:06:32Z")
My husband says that Nick Gilder ([Hot Child in the City](https://youtu.be/6s2zm_crkVc)) doesn’t count because that his normal range. What’s the ruling or definition? ---
**Author:** ![romansperson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/romansperson/32/17100_2.png) [@romansperson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/romansperson)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2019, 11:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-falsetto-playlist/833001/15 "2019-04-24T23:16:42Z")
Old thread about this: [Male rock singers with the highest or most feminine voices?](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/archive/index.php/t-518666.html) ---
**Author:** ![Biggirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biggirl/32/3294_2.png) [@Biggirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biggirl)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2019, 11:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-falsetto-playlist/833001/16 "2019-04-24T23:56:48Z")
> [@Quartz](#): > > I don’t have pop suggestions but you might also look for classical music with countertenors (Purcell, Tallis, etc) and try the [recordings](https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=Alessandro+Moreschi) of Alessandro Moreschi, the only castrato to be recorded solo. Am I supposed to fear that the singer may. . . not. . . make that. . . note— aaaahhhh, whew! > [@Dahnlor](#): > > I don’t know how hard you like your rock, but [King Diamond](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AJ65MAd5e1s) is well-known for his [del]falsetto[/del] head voice. Weellll. . . . it’s loads better than Cookie Monster Metal. > [@romansperson](#): > > Scissor Sisters - [I Don’t Feel Like Dancin](Scissor Sisters - I Don’t Feel Like Dancin’)'. This site can’t be reached. > [@Dropo](#): > > Skip James had the most haunting falsetto in Blues. > > Pick a track, any track (I prefer “Devil Got My Woman”) - [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZbawJaC3dwQ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZbawJaC3dwQ) This kinda falls into my husband’s “natural range, not _real_ falsetto” interpretation. > [@KneadToKnow](#): > > [Prince’s first hit song.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rp8WL621uGM) Well, duh! ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2019, 12:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-falsetto-playlist/833001/17 "2019-04-25T00:13:30Z")
**[Take On Me](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=djV11Xbc914)**, A-Ha Also, a LOT of the 60s-70s soul music, such as Smokey Robinson’s songs. ---
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2019, 12:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-falsetto-playlist/833001/18 "2019-04-25T00:15:29Z")
How about Mike Nesmith on [Joanne](https://youtu.be/q5CiOTrRJBw)? ---
**Author:** ![BlankSlate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blankslate/32/80_2.png) [@BlankSlate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlankSlate)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2019, 12:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-falsetto-playlist/833001/19 "2019-04-25T00:45:39Z")
> [@Biggirl](#): > > You and me both! This is one of my favorites and I just found out maybe 5 years ago that that wasn’t a woman. More trivia about this song. It’s actual original title is They Just Can’t Stop It-- which is ridiculous. The single came out with They Just Can’t Stop It (Games People Play) as its title. Everybody calls it Games People Play, even Wiki. Whoa, hold the phone. That _Soul Train_ video is all kinds of wrong. According to the [wiki](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Games_People_Play_(The_Spinners_song)) there are three lead singers credited: Bobby Smith, Pervis Jackson, and **Evette Benton**. There is no way a man sang that part, but why would they fake it like that? ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2019, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-falsetto-playlist/833001/20 "2019-04-25T00:46:14Z")
> [@cochrane](#): > > The Bee Gees _Too Much Heaven_. Or _Stayin’ Alive_, or _Tragedy._ Or basically, anything from _Main Course_ and later albums. First thing I thought of. Then I thought of “[She Drives Me Crazy](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UtvmTu4zAMg)” (Fine Young Cannibals). And, maybe because the current Wings thread has me thinking of him, McCartney’s “[So Bad](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ycXpx46plpQ)”—not sure if it’s a true falsetto, but he sings pretty high on that one. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-falsetto-playlist/833001.md?page=2)