unaccompanied men singing without repeating themselves?
February 22, 2019 8:23 PM Subscribe
I just heard The Cruel Wars by The Dreadnoughts. I love (1) that it's unaccompanied men's voices and (2) the lyrics are through-...written? Every line is novel. I don't have to sit through the chorus eight times. What songs or genres have these two properties of (1) unaccompanied men (2) not repeating themselves? Bonus points for recordings featuring men with deep voices.
Home Free -
Helplessly Hoping
My Church (ok, that's a little more repetitious, but those voices, that bass)
How's that for a deep voice?
posted by BoscosMom at 10:05 PM on February 22, 2019
Helplessly Hoping
My Church (ok, that's a little more repetitious, but those voices, that bass)
How's that for a deep voice?
posted by BoscosMom at 10:05 PM on February 22, 2019
I’m partial to the Spooky Men’s Chorale. Start with ‘We are not a Men’s Group’.
posted by archy at 10:08 PM on February 22, 2019
posted by archy at 10:08 PM on February 22, 2019
... On reflection, I would clarify: there is repetition of lines/phrases - but not in the classic ‘chorus comes around again’ sense.
posted by archy at 10:15 PM on February 22, 2019
posted by archy at 10:15 PM on February 22, 2019
Coope Boyes and Simpson
Jerusalem Revisited
posted by zamboni at 2:52 AM on February 23, 2019 [1 favorite]
Jerusalem Revisited
posted by zamboni at 2:52 AM on February 23, 2019 [1 favorite]
You'll find the unique verse format in some work songs, especially sea shanties and military cadences. They're designed for doing repetitive rhythmic work so they don't follow the verse chorus verse format and sometimes each verse is unique. African American work songs often integrated a repeated chorus into a call and response format - I'm not sure if that's outside of what you're looking for.
If you want to look around, The Mudcat Cafe has lyrics of traditional songs - search for shanty, for example.
posted by Candleman at 7:59 AM on February 23, 2019 [1 favorite]
If you want to look around, The Mudcat Cafe has lyrics of traditional songs - search for shanty, for example.
posted by Candleman at 7:59 AM on February 23, 2019 [1 favorite]
'Rise and Fall of The City of Mahagonny' by Brecht & Weill has some men's vocal ensemble pieces in it. Undeniably interesting lyrics. It's composed of different styles, so sometimes a chorus or refrain appears, but it's not the emphasis. 'O Heavenly Salvation' covered by The Persuasions is one of the songs, but they adapt it into a gospel style. (It has a kind of refrain, but they sing it differently the second time, if that helps).
Ladysmith Black Mambazo comes to mind for men's vocal ensembles in general.
Bit of a challenge to avoid refrains altogether.
posted by ovvl at 10:12 AM on February 23, 2019 [2 favorites]
Ladysmith Black Mambazo comes to mind for men's vocal ensembles in general.
Bit of a challenge to avoid refrains altogether.
posted by ovvl at 10:12 AM on February 23, 2019 [2 favorites]
Story V from clipping.'s 2016 album Splendor and Misery is just lovely. There's a one-line chorus, not every verse.
Also, try The Worst Things by mefi's own chococat.
posted by Pallas Athena at 2:44 PM on February 23, 2019
Also, try The Worst Things by mefi's own chococat.
posted by Pallas Athena at 2:44 PM on February 23, 2019
This thread is closed to new comments.
Every line is novel: Eh, not so much
Men with deep voices: check
O, Do Not Forsake Me by They Might Be Giants
posted by ejs at 9:38 PM on February 22, 2019 [1 favorite]