Your Top 5 Voices

[Lar Naparka]

Not necessarily the best singing voices but the ones I most enjoy listening to.

Roy Orbison
Elvis
Eleanor McEvoy
Johnny Cash
Neil Diamond

[seafoid]

Listen to the song Joe...

Dylan's voice technically is that of a virtuoso - in terms of breath control and tone, there are not many to equal him. He used to joke in the 60s that he could hold his breath as long as Caruso (and he was only half-joking). He used his voice like an instrument, bending notes and changing the time sequence.

In his mid 70s period he gave three or four of the best vocal performances ever - I'm thinking "Forever Young", "Idiot Wind", "Oh Sister", "Simple Twist of Fate", "Hurricane" - actually a lot more than 3 or 4.

Now there is no denying that there is a quality of Dylan's voice that some find jarring (and impressionists always find it really easy to exaggerate the nasal tone) but other singers recognize just how good he was.

And finally, in terms of actually getting over the emotion of a song, even in his later years with his vocal chords shredded, it's hard to keep a dry eye when you hear something like the last verse of "Desolation Row" from his Unplugged Special in the mid 90s- "Well you asked how i was doing, was that some kind of joke?!" or all of "Not Dark Yet". Or just in terms of elder statesman warmth, the Bootleg series version of "Mississipi" is absolutely brilliant.

I could go on all night - put away your preconceptions, get your Spotify out and listen to the songs. Legend.

I didn't even mention the song I posted - that's the demo version of "Most of the time" - compare Dylan's unproduced voice and acoustic guitar to murky, soupy version Daniel Lanois produced for "Oh Mercy" - the difference is absolutely shocking - proof positive that a lot of producers just don't know how to record the man's voice.

I'm a fan of Dylan but his voice isn't brilliant. His voice fits in with the musical package he produces, but that's all.
A great voice stops you in your tracks, regardless of the musical style or genre. It does something
to your soul. Very few voices do that.

You said it. Those voices bring people places. YouTube is full of comments about this kind of feeling._In all the languages

Antony Hegarty  from Antony and the Johnsons has a voice like that.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=loNU4fVpO8E

[easytiger95]

Your on the wind Tiger, his singing is crap, you gotta hit a note before you start bending them ffs, Virtuoso .

He's a rubbish singer... no argument will make me feel that his singing to my ear is anything other than truely awful.

And I actually like his music, it does fit in nicely with the overall musical package he's trying to portray to the listener. I suppose you could compare him to Shane McGowan who I think is (TBF.. was) an amazing singer

You may not like his singing Joe - that's subjective. But saying his singing is crap and he is unable to hit a note is both not true and incredibly ignorant. Again, listen to the song I posted - you may not like the quality of his voice, but there's not a bum note in it.

Benny, I stand by the technical qualities of his voice and there are loads of studies on it breaking down the style, from the Woody Guthrie talking blues, to the proto rap speed freak phase, the clear "country" voice of "john Wesley Harding" and "Nashville Skyline", the Hebraic cantillations!!!! (I'm a Bobcat, so forgive me) of "Desire".

But the examples I gave above of are of those times that you were talking about when voice and ear and emotion chime - and Bob does it for me more than anyone else ever has.

[omaghjoe]

Your on the wind Tiger, his singing is crap, you gotta hit a note before you start bending them ffs, Virtuoso .

He's a rubbish singer... no argument will make me feel that his singing to my ear is anything other than truely awful.

And I actually like his music, it does fit in nicely with the overall musical package he's trying to portray to the listener. I suppose you could compare him to Shane McGowan who I think is (TBF.. was) an amazing singer

You may not like his singing Joe - that's subjective. But saying his singing is crap and he is unable to hit a note is both not true and incredibly ignorant. Again, listen to the song I posted - you may not like the quality of his voice, but there's not a bum note in it.

Benny, I stand by the technical qualities of his voice and there are loads of studies on it breaking down the style, from the Woody Guthrie talking blues, to the proto rap speed freak phase, the clear "country" voice of "john Wesley Harding" and "Nashville Skyline", the Hebraic cantillations!!!! (I'm a Bobcat, so forgive me) of "Desire".

But the examples I gave above of are of those times that you were talking about when voice and ear and emotion chime - and Bob does it for me more than anyone else ever has.

Chill out tiger as you say yourself we all have tastes which we are entitled to. My comments were in obvious jest at Bob Dylan "note bending" and being "virtuoso". I even put in a smilys ffs

[easytiger95]

Everything's cool with a smiley...

truely

[blewuporstuffed]

Eddie Vedder
Jeff Buckley
Lisa Hannigan
Tom Waits
Kurt Cobain

[Applesisapples]

Your on the wind Tiger, his singing is crap, you gotta hit a note before you start bending them ffs, Virtuoso .

He's a rubbish singer... no argument will make me feel that his singing to my ear is anything other than truely awful.

And I actually like his music, it does fit in nicely with the overall musical package he's trying to portray to the listener. I suppose you could compare him to Shane McGowan who I think is (TBF.. was) an amazing singer

Dylan is not a classic voice but tiger is right his voice particularly in the late 60's and 70's was a big part of his music and delivery, check out Nashville Skyline and John Wesley Harding for superb vocal performances.

[weareros]

Lisa Gerrard
John Lennon
Leonard Cohen
Roy Orbison
Emmylou Harris

[magpie seanie]

Everyone to cool to mention Bono? Well not me. Great voice no matter what you think of him.

[Billys Boots]

Black Francis/Frank Black
Mark E Smith
Nigel Blackwell
David Gedge
Bob Mould

[muppet]

Everyone to cool to mention Bono? Well not me. Great voice no matter what you think of him.

If a young Bono, Shane McGowan and Bob Dylan showed up at X-Factor auditions I am certain they wouldn't get through the auditions.

Which says it all really. Many people's view of a good voice seems to be influenced nowadays by that and similar programmes, which tend to focus on the Simon Cowell view of what a good voice is. But it should be more subjective.

Would Cowell give this guy a 2nd listen? Probably not imho: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E2VCwBzGdPM

Bono doesn't make my top 5, but he is still a standout voice. Think of the impact of his one line on Do they Know its Christmas. And that was in the company of top selling artists from that time. His voice has an amazing quality (passion?).

[omaghjoe]

Everyone to cool to mention Bono? Well not me. Great voice no matter what you think of him.

If a young Bono, Shane McGowan and Bob Dylan showed up at X-Factor auditions I am certain they wouldn't get through the auditions.

Which says it all really. Many people's view of a good voice seems to be influenced nowadays by that and similar programmes, which tend to focus on the Simon Cowell view of what a good voice is. But it should be more subjective.

Would Cowell give this guy a 2nd listen? Probably not imho: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E2VCwBzGdPM

Bono doesn't make my top 5, but he is still a standout voice. Think of the impact of his one line on Do they Know its Christmas. And that was in the company of top selling artists from that time. His voice has an amazing quality (passion?).

I think he a good singer and he defo got personality into his voice but there's far to many other singers that are way better, plus the fact he does have personality in his voice is a constant reminder that he's an arse.

But anyway if you listen to that original Band Aid the standout singer on that is George Micheal. Bono had a good line and he was the right man for the job but there is no way I'd have him anywhere near GM. I'd actually put Boy George ahead of Bono too and probably Tony Hadley and Simon LeBon as well

[omaghjoe]

Actually speaking of personality in their voice I had Dolly Parton on there the other day, fecking amazing singer..i might have have to extend my top 5 a bit further

[5 Sams]

Everyone to cool to mention Bono? Well not me. Great voice no matter what you think of him.

Totally agree Seánie..had a rattle at Clannad on Spotify tonight and I really think this is one of his finest...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b_klil_eOEY

spine tingling tune..

[Newbridge Exile]

In no particular order

Ray la montagne
Chris Cornell
Alison Krauss
Sean Keane
Sharleen Spiteri