Singing akin to Talking
November 6, 2017 11:41 AM Subscribe
Hey guys. Listening to my music tonight, I noticed many of my favourite artists are almost more talking than singing, though it's definitely not rapping either. What would you call this? Can you name some other musician's in the same vein?
I'm thinking of Modest Mouse, CAKE, and the Blow as some examples.
Best answer: Pavement
posted by spikeleemajortomdickandharryconnickjrmints at 12:00 PM on November 6, 2017 [2 favorites]
posted by spikeleemajortomdickandharryconnickjrmints at 12:00 PM on November 6, 2017 [2 favorites]
Best answer: I've always thought that Laurie Anderson's "Oh Superman" was an example of this taken to a very weird conclusion. Weird but awesome.
posted by Major Matt Mason Dixon at 12:02 PM on November 6, 2017 [2 favorites]
posted by Major Matt Mason Dixon at 12:02 PM on November 6, 2017 [2 favorites]
Lou Reed and everybody who wants to be Lou Reed
posted by sheldman at 12:02 PM on November 6, 2017 [8 favorites]
posted by sheldman at 12:02 PM on November 6, 2017 [8 favorites]
Best answer: Laurie Anderson, a lot, and to varying degrees of completeness:
• Babydoll • Let X=X • It Tango • Sharkey's Day • Beautiful Red Dress, etc.
posted by Spathe Cadet at 12:14 PM on November 6, 2017
• Babydoll • Let X=X • It Tango • Sharkey's Day • Beautiful Red Dress, etc.
posted by Spathe Cadet at 12:14 PM on November 6, 2017
Smog / Bill Callahan (Short Drive)
Silver Jews / Dave Berman (Smith & Jones Forever)
posted by thecaddy at 12:17 PM on November 6, 2017 [1 favorite]
Silver Jews / Dave Berman (Smith & Jones Forever)
posted by thecaddy at 12:17 PM on November 6, 2017 [1 favorite]
Best answer: Or this magical early-90s flashback from Meryn Cadell: The Sweater (which inspired Weezer's parallel sweater song, Undone)
posted by pseudostrabismus at 12:18 PM on November 6, 2017 [5 favorites]
posted by pseudostrabismus at 12:18 PM on November 6, 2017 [5 favorites]
Spreschgesang I always think of Fred Schneider from the B 52s.
posted by Trivia Newton John at 12:18 PM on November 6, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by Trivia Newton John at 12:18 PM on November 6, 2017 [1 favorite]
basically all of Mark E. Smith's vocals for The Fall
posted by cakelite at 12:28 PM on November 6, 2017 [3 favorites]
posted by cakelite at 12:28 PM on November 6, 2017 [3 favorites]
What would you call this?
I think of it as chanting, more of a cheerleader/carnival barker chant than a monastic one, though.
posted by soelo at 12:31 PM on November 6, 2017
I think of it as chanting, more of a cheerleader/carnival barker chant than a monastic one, though.
posted by soelo at 12:31 PM on November 6, 2017
Listener - Wooden Heart
The rest of that album (also called Wooden Heart) has songs in the same vein. Their other albums do as well, but this one in particular.
posted by sacrifix at 12:39 PM on November 6, 2017
The rest of that album (also called Wooden Heart) has songs in the same vein. Their other albums do as well, but this one in particular.
posted by sacrifix at 12:39 PM on November 6, 2017
Mike Doughty, formerly of Soul Coughing.
posted by Funeral march of an old jawbone at 12:47 PM on November 6, 2017 [4 favorites]
posted by Funeral march of an old jawbone at 12:47 PM on November 6, 2017 [4 favorites]
Courtney Barnet
posted by BAKERSFIELD! at 12:49 PM on November 6, 2017 [4 favorites]
posted by BAKERSFIELD! at 12:49 PM on November 6, 2017 [4 favorites]
Probably not quite the right term for the modern pop/rock type, but traditionally (in musicals) this style is called a patter song. Picture "Modern Major-General" or the salesmen on the train from The Music Man. Aside from that, I got nothin' but will be watching with interest as I enjoy this style too.
posted by dust.wind.dude at 12:59 PM on November 6, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by dust.wind.dude at 12:59 PM on November 6, 2017 [1 favorite]
Not exactly like CAKE et al, but the talking-singing thing... William Shatner (seriously, this is a fantastic album)
posted by snorkmaiden at 1:14 PM on November 6, 2017
posted by snorkmaiden at 1:14 PM on November 6, 2017
The Hold Steady
posted by spikeleemajortomdickandharryconnickjrmints at 1:36 PM on November 6, 2017 [2 favorites]
posted by spikeleemajortomdickandharryconnickjrmints at 1:36 PM on November 6, 2017 [2 favorites]
Best answer: Peaches (not linking because it's a bit NSFW at I'm at work)
posted by radioamy at 1:38 PM on November 6, 2017
posted by radioamy at 1:38 PM on November 6, 2017
Sprechstimme is kind of specific and usually only refers to classical music, I would have said. In the same vein, there's "parlando" which isn't quite as likely to refer to one particular period of music, but it's still mostly a classical music term.
posted by Smearcase at 1:39 PM on November 6, 2017
posted by Smearcase at 1:39 PM on November 6, 2017
Best answer: Seconding Listener - they describe themselves as a spoken-word rock band, and they're great. Catch them live if you can.
Also seconding Courtney Barnett - Elevator Operator and Pedestrian At Best are just incredible songs and I love her so much.
LCD Soundsystem, especially things like North American Scum and Daft Punk Is Playing At My House
Kurt Vile - he's done an album with Courtney Barnett, and has a similar vocal style - Pretty Pimpin' is a great solo track; Over Everything is the lead single from their joint album and is also ace.
posted by parm at 1:58 PM on November 6, 2017 [1 favorite]
Also seconding Courtney Barnett - Elevator Operator and Pedestrian At Best are just incredible songs and I love her so much.
LCD Soundsystem, especially things like North American Scum and Daft Punk Is Playing At My House
Kurt Vile - he's done an album with Courtney Barnett, and has a similar vocal style - Pretty Pimpin' is a great solo track; Over Everything is the lead single from their joint album and is also ace.
posted by parm at 1:58 PM on November 6, 2017 [1 favorite]
G. Love often does the not-quite-singing-but-not-really-rapping-either thing.
posted by Funeral march of an old jawbone at 2:00 PM on November 6, 2017
posted by Funeral march of an old jawbone at 2:00 PM on November 6, 2017
I first heard this called "spinging" (i.e. halfway between speaking and singing) back in the 90s sometime. I feel like it might have been a Sassy (the magazine) locution, but I'm not positive of that. This question mentions that term too.
posted by jocelmeow at 2:02 PM on November 6, 2017
posted by jocelmeow at 2:02 PM on November 6, 2017
Best answer: Talking Heads - Once in a Lifetime
posted by Serene Empress Dork at 2:21 PM on November 6, 2017
posted by Serene Empress Dork at 2:21 PM on November 6, 2017
From the land of musical theatre, Carol Burnett doing Sondheim's "Not Getting Married Today" is a true delight.
posted by pseudostrabismus at 3:55 PM on November 6, 2017
posted by pseudostrabismus at 3:55 PM on November 6, 2017
There are some Clash songs that might fit the bill:
Red Angel Dragnet
Broadway
The Right Profile
Come to think of it, Joe Strummer does a lot of this talk-singing (although the main vocals on Red Angel Dragnet are by Paul Simonon).
posted by The Card Cheat at 4:18 PM on November 6, 2017 [1 favorite]
Red Angel Dragnet
Broadway
The Right Profile
Come to think of it, Joe Strummer does a lot of this talk-singing (although the main vocals on Red Angel Dragnet are by Paul Simonon).
posted by The Card Cheat at 4:18 PM on November 6, 2017 [1 favorite]
My favorite song in this vein is the Tragically Hip's So Hard Done By
" Interesting and sophisticated
Refusing to be celebrated
It's a monumental big screen kiss
It's so deep it's meaningless…"
posted by hoodrich at 4:32 PM on November 6, 2017
" Interesting and sophisticated
Refusing to be celebrated
It's a monumental big screen kiss
It's so deep it's meaningless…"
posted by hoodrich at 4:32 PM on November 6, 2017
OMC, more or less one hit wonders (in the US) with How Bizarre.
posted by SquidLips at 6:03 PM on November 6, 2017
posted by SquidLips at 6:03 PM on November 6, 2017
Dave Alvin's version of "Highway 61 Revisited" seems like a good example of this kind of thing.
posted by Lexica at 8:04 PM on November 6, 2017
posted by Lexica at 8:04 PM on November 6, 2017
Best answer: Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds - Dig Lazarus Dig. The chorus is sung, but the verses are mainly spoken.
posted by bendy at 9:27 PM on November 6, 2017
posted by bendy at 9:27 PM on November 6, 2017
Bright Eyes - When The President Talks to God
posted by madonna of the unloved at 2:53 AM on November 7, 2017
posted by madonna of the unloved at 2:53 AM on November 7, 2017
Ought does this a lot.
Life Without Buildings comes to mind as well.
posted by Sonny Jim at 5:32 AM on November 11, 2017
Life Without Buildings comes to mind as well.
posted by Sonny Jim at 5:32 AM on November 11, 2017
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posted by mkb at 11:49 AM on November 6, 2017