# The greatest rock and roll singer **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [June 24, 2012, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-greatest-rock-and-roll-singer/626183 "2012-06-24T21:42:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Cubsfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f4b2a3/32.png) [@Cubsfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cubsfan)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2012, 2:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-greatest-rock-and-roll-singer/626183/61 "2012-06-28T02:01:18Z")
> [@denquixote](#): > > I don’t think of Freddy as a R & R singer Huh? Are you serious or are we being whooshed here? If he’s not R&R what do you consider him to be? ---
**Author:** ![denquixote](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9bd4f/32.png) [@denquixote](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/denquixote)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2012, 5:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-greatest-rock-and-roll-singer/626183/62 "2012-06-28T05:29:17Z")
#61 Today, 08:01 PM Cubsfan Guest Join Date: Jul 2002 Quote: Originally Posted by denquixote I don’t think of Freddy as a R & R singer Huh? Are you serious or are we being whooshed here? If he’s not R&R what do you consider him to be?" I would call him rock or hard rock, neither of which I care too much about. There may be a finer distinction. What would you call Steve Goodman? ---
**Author:** ![denquixote](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9bd4f/32.png) [@denquixote](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/denquixote)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2012, 6:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-greatest-rock-and-roll-singer/626183/63 "2012-06-28T06:00:22Z")
Freed tells the audience that “rock and roll is a river of music that has absorbed many streams: rhythm and blues, jazz, rag time, cowboy songs, country songs, folk songs. All have contributed to the big beat.” Alan Freed in Rock, Rock, Rock “Rock ‘n’ roll is really swing with a modern name. It began on the levees and plantations, took in folk songs, and features blues and rhythm. It’s the rhythm that gets to the kids — they’re starved of music they can dance to, after all those years of crooners.” Alan Freed—NME - February 1956 I am not trying to lay down specific criteria for what is and what is not R & R. It is just like the Supreme Court ruling on obscenity, I know it when I hear it. I thought the guidelines laid down early on gave plenty of leeway but I am starting to think that it is simply a generational thing. To me, R & R is an amalgam of R & B (don’t get me started on that one), Blues, Country, Western Swing, traditional Jazz, work songs, string bands, jug bands and probably a host of others that I have forgotten, but I don’t hear one single thing in Freddie Mercury and/or Queen which reminds me in any way of any of those types of music. Frankly, I probably should have just limited the category to those singers who had success between 1956 and 1964, but I did not want to eliminate some truly great performers who were strongly influenced by someone who did perform in an influential way during that period. Thus, I say yes to Roert Plant, Joe Cocker, Mick Jagger, David Lindley, Ry Cooder, Bruce Springsteen and a whole host of others. I said no to Steve Winwood, who to me is mostly Jazz but these are all just my opinions. Who do you say is R & R? And why? In short, what makes Freddy Mercury a R & R singer? ---
**Author:** ![drastic\_quench](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e36b37/32.png) [@drastic\_quench](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drastic_quench)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2012, 6:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-greatest-rock-and-roll-singer/626183/64 "2012-06-28T06:40:48Z")
Their Induction to Rock AND ROLL Hall of Fame? And yeah, that’s a less-than-stellar institution, and other inductees include Grandmaster Flash and Furious Five, Simon and Garfunkel, Al Green, Bee Gees, Leonard Cohen, et al who do not fit your ultra-prescriptivist definition, but so what? What’s wrong with being a little broad in our terms? This thread has been a giant bummer and is totally antithetical to the spirit of rock n roll. I’m off to start a “greatest shoestring” thread and tut and moan that people don’t recognize the difference between laces and cords. In conclusion, Freddie Mercury was the best because of aglets. ---
**Author:** ![E-Sabbath](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e19adc/32.png) [@E-Sabbath](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E-Sabbath)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2012, 1:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-greatest-rock-and-roll-singer/626183/65 "2012-06-28T13:38:22Z")
His purpose was sinister? ---
**Author:** ![phungi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/phungi/32/395_2.png) [@phungi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/phungi)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2012, 2:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-greatest-rock-and-roll-singer/626183/66 "2012-06-28T14:05:08Z")
If Roger Daltry is a candidate, then Eddie Vedder should be on the list, since he [sings Daltry better than Daltry](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d7yEqPMlQH0) ---
**Author:** ![Nunzio\_Tavulari](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/b9bd4f/32.png) [@Nunzio\_Tavulari](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nunzio_Tavulari)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2012, 2:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-greatest-rock-and-roll-singer/626183/67 "2012-06-28T14:08:13Z")
> [@Cubsfan](#): > > Huh? Are you serious or are we being whooshed here? > If he’s not R&R what do you consider him to be? I’m thinking Broadway musicals. He would have done well in opera too. ---
**Author:** ![Truman\_Burbank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecc23a/32.png) [@Truman\_Burbank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Truman_Burbank)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2012, 2:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-greatest-rock-and-roll-singer/626183/68 "2012-06-28T14:39:10Z")
Best I’ve seen, whatever the hell this criteria is, has to be Bruce. Female, best I never saw, might be Patty Smythe from Scandal. If we’re talking about ‘best singing voices’, Brian Wilson’s gotta be in there somewhere… ---
**Author:** ![Bridget\_Burke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7cd45c/32.png) [@Bridget\_Burke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bridget_Burke)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2012, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-greatest-rock-and-roll-singer/626183/69 "2012-06-28T15:31:21Z")
> [@drastic\_quench](#): > > Their Induction to Rock AND ROLL Hall of Fame? > > And yeah, that’s a less-than-stellar institution, and other inductees include Grandmaster Flash and Furious Five, Simon and Garfunkel, Al Green, Bee Gees, Leonard Cohen, et al who do not fit your ultra-prescriptivist definition, but so what? What’s wrong with being a little broad in our terms? This thread has been a giant bummer and is totally antithetical to the spirit of rock n roll… Really. I’m an old fart, too. But I don’t care for exclusionary categories. I save my energy for still going out to see live music–local & regional stuff more than pricey acts. (Joe King Carrasco at Miller Outdoor Theater this Saturday! As a Texas musician, he’s no respecter of borders.) I didn’t name Freddie Mercury because I never saw him live… ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2012, 10:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-greatest-rock-and-roll-singer/626183/70 "2012-06-28T22:13:13Z")
> [@Fiddle\_Peghead](#): > > Ah, Blood on the Tracks. Definitely a top Dylan album, with a favorite Dylan vocal on “If You See Her, Say Hello.” I wanted to find a link to this from the album for those who aren’t familiar with it (and even care), but couldn’t. I did find [this](http://web1.uct.usm.maine.edu/~rabrams/LakelandHello.html) very interesting version, apparently from Lakeland, FL in 1976, with drastically altered lyrics and somewhat altered vocals. WARNING: Dylan dislikers, equivocators, and downright haters, you probably _don’t_ want to hear this. 🙂 I listened to his album version of the song. I like his song writing skills but he doesn’t hold a candle to pretty much everybody else listed in this thread. He’s off key a great deal of the time. ---
**Author:** ![Lars\_Aruns](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c68b51/32.png) [@Lars\_Aruns](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lars_Aruns)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2012, 11:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-greatest-rock-and-roll-singer/626183/71 "2012-06-29T23:48:03Z")
If we take 1970 as a cutoff date for the start of a singer’s career to count, then I’d throw in Greg Lake of Emerson, Lake and Palmer (as well as King Crimson, but only for a couple of albums). Here’s a song I quite like: [Take a Pebble](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cPZkivm1xhA&feature=related). I’d also consider Justin Hayward of the Moody Blues. Here’s [Question](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NP9iOqdxS8c). ---
**Author:** ![JustinC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/justinc/32/8083_2.png) [@JustinC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JustinC)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2012, 12:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-greatest-rock-and-roll-singer/626183/72 "2012-06-30T12:37:39Z")
If we’re allowed to be flexible about what is R&R I’d say 1)Mercury 2) Axl Rose 3)Bono 4)Elvis 5)Robert Plant 6)Ozzy Osbourne ---
**Author:** ![Lochdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/edb3f5/32.png) [@Lochdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lochdale)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2012, 12:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-greatest-rock-and-roll-singer/626183/73 "2012-06-30T12:41:11Z")
> [@Aji\_de\_Gallina](#): > > Count me in for Freddy. The motherf-ing range and power are unmatched. Elvis has him beat in both. I think Freddie said the same thing. Guy could do gospel, opera, rOck, blues. His live albums are awesome even with all the schmaltz. ---
**Author:** ![Face\_Intentionally\_Left\_Blank](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/face_intentionally_left_blank/32/288_2.png) [@Face\_Intentionally\_Left\_Blank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Face_Intentionally_Left_Blank)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2012, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-greatest-rock-and-roll-singer/626183/74 "2012-06-30T14:29:46Z")
> [@oreally](#): > > I can’t imagine why. Neither were. Also both quite overrated singers IMO. Rodgers can’t improvise or carry a note to save his life and Robert “I sing like I took way too much speed” Plant…puh-leez. Fingernails on a chalkboard. Never saw Plant. I saw Paul Rodgers with Neal Schon. First time I ever saw a Hendrix cover where the guitar part did the original proud, but a vocal that did not. You would think that Jimi’s vocals would be the easier thing to match. I like Rodger’s recorded work, but I think he lacks range. If Meat Loaf qualifies, I guess he’s my choice. I’ve seen many I’ve loved, but that I wouldn’t necessary rank them as top Rock ‘n’ Roll singers. Ronnie Spector was very good, as was Mary Wilson, but I can’t rate them as the best. Flo & Eddie were pretty good, but not THAT good. Crosby Stills and Nash were, well CSN. Awesome, but Rock ‘n’ Roll? The best female vocalist I ever saw live would probably be kd lang, but again, not Rock ‘n’ Roll. Joe Cocker was great, and might rate near the top. Roger Daltrey, in his prime, might have been my choice, but I never saw him live. ☹ I really miss going to concerts. Thank Og for Youtube. The Prince’s Trust concerts & Rockpalast are a treasure-trove of live music. ---
**Author:** ![Lochdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/edb3f5/32.png) [@Lochdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lochdale)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2012, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-greatest-rock-and-roll-singer/626183/75 "2012-06-30T14:46:14Z")
It all depends on what your criteria is for a good singer. Many of the singers mentioned in this thread are atrocious live. Presley and Mercury (and Orbison) were excellent live. I go with Presley due to his range. He could sing anything. Meatloaf is a lot of fun but he is hit or miss live and actually fairly limited. I’ve seen him in concert many times and I always enjoy it. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2012, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-greatest-rock-and-roll-singer/626183/76 "2012-06-30T14:47:50Z")
If we’re going to differentiate finely between “rock” and “rock & roll,” then my vote goes to Elvis. Otherwise, Freddy Mercury. ---
**Author:** ![DonLogan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/51bf81/32.png) [@DonLogan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DonLogan)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2012, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-greatest-rock-and-roll-singer/626183/77 "2012-06-30T15:48:03Z")
> [@denquixote](#): > > I had a feeling this would not work. First of all, the idea is to identify someone you saw, not see who has the best reputation. Second I disagree that Freddie mercury sang R & R. but I guess that is where the debates would begin. Make a list of eligible singers and put it up as a poll. ---
**Author:** ![BrotherCadfael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@BrotherCadfael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrotherCadfael)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2012, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-greatest-rock-and-roll-singer/626183/78 "2012-06-30T17:16:54Z")
I think I’d call everything prior to the British Invasion as Rock & Roll, and everything after as Rock. The British Invasion itself was neither one nor the other - or perhaps a bit of both. ---
**Author:** ![Quintas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/48db29/32.png) [@Quintas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quintas)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2012, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-greatest-rock-and-roll-singer/626183/79 "2012-06-30T17:26:38Z")
> [@denquixote](#): > > I am hoping to limit the range to those who might have started their careers prior to 1970 :rolleyes: [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-greatest-rock-and-roll-singer/626183.md?page=3)