# What I didn't know about the singers of these songs. **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 21, 2011, 10:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-i-didnt-know-about-the-singers-of-these-songs/568506 "2011-01-21T22:45:06Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![AppallingGael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b9bd4f/32.png) [@AppallingGael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AppallingGael)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2011, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-i-didnt-know-about-the-singers-of-these-songs/568506/61 "2011-01-23T00:27:55Z")
> [@monstro](#): > > For bizarro twist, I always thought a man did the vocals for [this popular 80s song](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z55cQEe38TM). Can you guess what man I’m talking about? Michael Jackson. ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2011, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-i-didnt-know-about-the-singers-of-these-songs/568506/62 "2011-01-23T00:53:54Z")
> [@Tengu](#): > > I knew _exactly_ what song this was gonna be… Really? I thought it was going to be [this.](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D6cfM7yQMwo) 😛 ---
**Author:** ![jasonh300](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/46a35a/32.png) [@jasonh300](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jasonh300)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2011, 1:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-i-didnt-know-about-the-singers-of-these-songs/568506/63 "2011-01-23T01:08:55Z")
> [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](#): > > [Not an Eddie Kendrick lookalike](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HhSjwU8gEsI) That picture looks like Richard Simmons. ---
**Author:** ![multimediac17](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/839c29/32.png) [@multimediac17](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/multimediac17)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2011, 1:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-i-didnt-know-about-the-singers-of-these-songs/568506/64 "2011-01-23T01:11:22Z")
> [@Kolga](#): > > That’s…kinda weird, because to me there is no way that Madonna sounds black. She sounded like a typical 80s white suburban teeny-bopper. On ‘[Everybody](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BHkphh3NJaA)’, which was never a hit outside of the club scene, her voice is a little bit deeper and throatier than the high-pitched vocals she’d become known for with her next few singles like ‘Material Girl’, ‘Lucky Star’ and ‘Holiday’. I still don’t really think she sounds black and I kinda don’t get it either, but I suppose I can believe it, especially since nobody knew what she looked like. ---
**Author:** ![monstro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba9def/32.png) [@monstro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/monstro)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2011, 1:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-i-didnt-know-about-the-singers-of-these-songs/568506/65 "2011-01-23T01:13:17Z")
> [@AppallingGael](#): > > Michael Jackson. For guessing the correct answer, you get…a brand new car! \ ---
**Author:** ![Horatio\_Hellpop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Horatio\_Hellpop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatio_Hellpop)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2011, 1:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-i-didnt-know-about-the-singers-of-these-songs/568506/66 "2011-01-23T01:24:43Z")
I never followed Christina Aguilera’s career very closely. When I first heard “Candyman” in a cell phone ad, I thought it was a black woman singing it. ---
**Author:** ![Nobody](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/94ad74/32.png) [@Nobody](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nobody)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2011, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-i-didnt-know-about-the-singers-of-these-songs/568506/67 "2011-01-23T01:49:25Z")
> [@Mister\_Rik](#): > > [Black (and Canadian)](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OeJ9Nvzp8VY) Wow, I never heard that song before but I really like it. I’ll have to check out more of her work. As for me, I’ve known for a while now, but when it first came out, and for a long time afterwords, I thought that [this song](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TY41o-iZStI) was sung by a woman. ---
**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2011, 2:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-i-didnt-know-about-the-singers-of-these-songs/568506/68 "2011-01-23T02:18:52Z")
I had been hearing this song for _decades_ before I learned that the singer was [not a dude](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZsO1hwixdZ8&feature=related). (even though the lyrics should have clued me in) mmm ---
**Author:** ![Lamia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Lamia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamia)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2011, 3:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-i-didnt-know-about-the-singers-of-these-songs/568506/69 "2011-01-23T03:09:50Z")
> [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](#): > > I had been hearing this song for _decades_ before I learned that the singer was > > [not a dude](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZsO1hwixdZ8&feature=related). > > (even though the lyrics should have clued me in) I used to think the same thing. I think it actually would make sense performed by a man with the original lyrics – it’s mostly an admiring description of Venus in the third person, and the first person lines in the chorus (“I’m your Venus…”) could be taken as the male admirer quoting Venus. BTW, I’ve never seen that video before, and it amused me greatly. 🙂 It’s _sooooo_ Sixties, it almost seems like a parody. ---
**Author:** ![Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/earl_snake-hips_tucker/32/3269_2.png) [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earl_Snake-Hips_Tucker)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2011, 4:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-i-didnt-know-about-the-singers-of-these-songs/568506/70 "2011-01-23T04:03:20Z")
> [@jasonh300](#): > > That picture looks like Richard Simmons. True, but before I ever saw him, Eddie Kendrick was the person I was picturing. Code-speak for “tall, skinny, afroed, American, Black,” instead of “short, skinny, afroed, Brit, white.” ---
**Author:** ![Flutterby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Flutterby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flutterby)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2011, 4:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-i-didnt-know-about-the-singers-of-these-songs/568506/71 "2011-01-23T04:23:08Z")
> [@Biggirl](#): > > For more current music, I didn’t know the rapper here is [Asian.](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w4s6H4ku6ZY&ob=av3el) That I didn’t know, I’m wondering if my friend (who has a love/hate thing with that song) knows… > [@](#): > > And I still cannot believe she’s not from [Lawn Guyland.](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iP6XpLQM2Cs&ob=av3el) I thought she was black! > [@Eats\_Crayons](#): > > When I was a kid, they played [“The One That You Love”](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0rpAknig1WQ) by Air Supply on the radio a lot. I thought the singer was a woman and in my head she looked vaguely like Anne Murray. Listen, but close your eyes and picture Anne Murray. Does it not sort of fit? Mmm kinda, but having grown up with a Mom who was a fan of Anne Murray I couldn’t mistake him for her. ---
**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2011, 4:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-i-didnt-know-about-the-singers-of-these-songs/568506/72 "2011-01-23T04:34:14Z")
> [@Lamia](#): > > I used to think the same thing. I think it actually would make sense performed by a man with the original lyrics – it’s mostly an admiring description of Venus in the third person, and the first person lines in the chorus (“I’m your Venus…”) could be taken as the male admirer quoting Venus. > > BTW, I’ve never seen that video before, and it amused me greatly. 🙂 It’s _sooooo_ Sixties, it almost seems like a parody. And does anyone have less rhythm than that lead singer? Sheesh! mmm ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2011, 4:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-i-didnt-know-about-the-singers-of-these-songs/568506/73 "2011-01-23T04:56:05Z")
> [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](#): > > I had been hearing this song for _decades_ before I learned that the singer was > > [not a dude](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZsO1hwixdZ8&feature=related). > > (even though the lyrics should have clued me in) > mmm Oh, my god! I never knew!! ---
**Author:** ![NetTrekker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nettrekker/32/2909_2.png) [@NetTrekker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NetTrekker)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2011, 5:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-i-didnt-know-about-the-singers-of-these-songs/568506/74 "2011-01-23T05:08:41Z")
Not black: [![]( " - YouTube") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-zu0p7xWLoU) (with no music videos back in the 70’s, always pictured them as an all-black band) Not an American, Not a womanizer (not sure which is more surprising): [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/iirCj3D1WSU/hqdefault.jpg "Tom Jones itw on TV-am - Part 2 - 1987") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iirCj3D1WSU) ---
**Author:** ![rolandgunslinger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/cdc98d/32.png) [@rolandgunslinger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rolandgunslinger)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2011, 5:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-i-didnt-know-about-the-singers-of-these-songs/568506/75 "2011-01-23T05:15:46Z")
Not a woman: [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v31wwyteRqo](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v31wwyteRqo) ---
**Author:** ![Argent\_Towers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e8c25b/32.png) [@Argent\_Towers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Argent_Towers)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2011, 5:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-i-didnt-know-about-the-singers-of-these-songs/568506/76 "2011-01-23T05:44:27Z")
> [@NetTrekker](#): > > Not an American, Not a womanizer (not sure which is more surprising): > [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iirCj3D1WSU](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iirCj3D1WSU) ??? > [@](#): > > Jones has remained married to his wife Linda for over 50 years, despite his many well publicised infidelities. His philandering once led Linda to beat him black and blue. She snapped after reading about one infidelity in a newspaper. She punched and kicked him, but Jones did not fight back: “I took it,” Jones said.[51] > > Jones has had affairs with such well-known women as Mary Wilson of The Supremes, former Miss World Marjorie Wallace and Cassandra Peterson, better known as Elvira, Mistress of the Dark. Peterson claims that she lost her virginity to Jones.[52] > > One affair resulted in the birth of a son. In October 1987, while on tour in America, Jones had a brief relationship with model Katherine Berkery. Three months later, Berkery discovered that she was pregnant. After a lengthy fight and DNA testing, an American court ruled in 1989 that Jones was the boy’s father. He flatly denied paternity for 20 years, but he finally admitted it in 2008. However, he made no suggestion that he wanted to meet his son, Jonathan Berkery.[53][54] ---
**Author:** ![monstro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba9def/32.png) [@monstro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/monstro)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2011, 5:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-i-didnt-know-about-the-singers-of-these-songs/568506/77 "2011-01-23T05:47:19Z")
One of the best dance songs of all time, but singer is not a [woman](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WB0pEtKAmmk&feature=related). Oh yeah, the Neverending story man threw me for a major loop when I found out too. It must be something about electronica! ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2011, 5:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-i-didnt-know-about-the-singers-of-these-songs/568506/78 "2011-01-23T05:55:40Z")
Two singers who are very well known but who I think sound “black” when you first hear them: [Bill Medley](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r8hjtFq3vE0) and [Boy George](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c9MdW8RISCI) ---
**Author:** ![Nobody](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/94ad74/32.png) [@Nobody](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nobody)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2011, 7:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-i-didnt-know-about-the-singers-of-these-songs/568506/79 "2011-01-23T07:54:40Z")
Boy George sounds black? I don’t hear it. ---
**Author:** ![kjbrasda](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/74df32/32.png) [@kjbrasda](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kjbrasda)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2011, 8:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-i-didnt-know-about-the-singers-of-these-songs/568506/80 "2011-01-23T08:20:25Z")
Not [Roy Orbison](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MtsmuVA0m7c) as I thought for years. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-i-didnt-know-about-the-singers-of-these-songs/568506.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-i-didnt-know-about-the-singers-of-these-songs/568506.md?page=5)