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- Joni Mitchell--Listen to "Big Yellow Taxi." So-named, because
you could probably drive one through the space in her vocal oscillations.
NOTE: Try not to confuse Joni's vibrato with her glissando, the thrilling (or
irritating) journey she makes from a half step or whole step below, up to the
note she intended hitting the whole time. Like when she sings "parking lah-ah-
ah-ah-h-h-h-h-h-t."
- Warren Zevon--Certainly the most heroic vibrato in rock, the likes of
which haven't been heard anywhere since the Spartans defended Thermopalye. I
defy you to listen to "Roland the Headless Thompson Gunner" without being so
filled with sang-froid that you immediately purchase a ticket to the Congo and
search out the nearest bloody fray.
- Roy -- Of course. Warm, beautiful, emotionally intense, and yes,
operatic, Orbison is the vibrato against which all others are measured.
Though not perhaps enough to make this listener cry, it certainly sounds
like it's making him cry. A word which, not suprisingly, appears throughout his
oeuvre.
- The Brothers Gibb -- Speaking of "Words": the Bee Gees song of that title is
virtually a novelty track designed to highlight the vibrato effects
of these contemporary castrati.
- Jack Bruce -- Perhaps the most inexplicably excited vocalist in rock
is also one of the most oscillation-prone. The "Live Cream II" version
of "Tales of Brave Ulysses" features a sliding approach to the melody line
that is probably the vocal equivalent of the fretless bass Bruce played.
Although it certainly sounds pretentious of me to make that correlation.
- Tiny Tim -- Has to get the nod here, and not just because he recently went
over to the other side. After all, he may have gone to the other side a few
times while he was here. Fade away and oscillate.
- Richard Harris -- "The sweet green icing's flowing down." Not technically a
singer, of course. In fact, not a singer in any sense. To put it another way,
Rex Harrison has nothing to worry about.
- Burton Cummings (Guess Who) -- You probably won't want to confirm
this yourself, because the work of this Canadian band is so excruciating.
Immortalized by Lester Bangs (who I am citing only for the credibility it gives
me) in a famous review of their live album. The album is now out of print, the
review is not, which tells you something. Seems Bangs was shocked that Cummings
would improvise the words "American bitch" at the end of "American Woman." Of
course, Lester completely missed the point: how warm, beautiful and emotionally
intense Cumming's vibrato was.
- Little Richard -- Well, what can you say, except thank God you've never
actually had to have a conversation with the man.
- Joe South -- The song was "The Games People Play." The time was thirty
years ago. Mentioned only because I can't think of anyone else
to round out my top ten list.
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