To me, Keith singing always sounds amateurish and messy - yet spontaneous, fresh and therefore oddly moving.

But the funny thing is that I think he's neither amateurish, nor messy - nor spontaneous! I distinctly hear a well-read singer, very musical, whose models seem to be the later Billie Holiday. Clever ritardando, interesting variations and so on. He even borders on pompous in his insistance for embroidering every phrase.

His sophistication, however, gets wasted by his terible, terrible croaking voice.
Case in point: the version of This Place is Empty from Buenos Aires, oh dear - when he takes the higher octave on the last verses, toneless breathless screams. Good intention, but terrible deed - and yet- oddly moving, don't you think?

Paradoxe: if Keith was just doing nonsense (as he unfortunately does on Happy) he would simply be dreadful, not moving. If he had a great voice to match his intentions, he'd probably be annoyingly over the top.

But perhaps he has just enough artistry to give charm to his croaking voice? The two neutralise each other and eventually come out reversed, as natural, fragile and sweet.

Very interesting post Oliver!!!!

When i hear him sing during a concert it isn't indeed beatifull but to me it has it's charm. Friends of mine who went to a concert couldn't understand it that someone who can't really sing anymore live, at least to the standards of Jagger or any other lead vocalist, still can sing two songs before a huuuuge crowd every night and "gets away with it". I love it but i think that's mainly because i'm a huge stones fan.

His singing on records on the other hand is completely different story. I love his "old" soulfull voice on ballads. Some people here are getting tired of his ballads but not me. I think his voice isn't good enough anymore for rockers but for those ballads it's absolutely awesome!

Cheers,
Wuudy

He has good days and bad is my opinion, and on a bad day he simply lacks the basic ability to "carry a tune". I watched the Rio show on AOL, and although I was watching on my Vaio laptop and hence the sound was coming through those awful little built in speakers - I could make out that he actually carried off "This place is Empty" really well. For me, that's an example of about the best Keith can do these days, which will do just fine for me.

"Ritartando".. Keith would get a kick out of that one LOL.
But I agree with the adjctive 'pompous' at times. One would not normally associate Keith with that type of attitude but I hear it too. His idols are obviously way up there. The Greatest. As it should be. Keith is one of the greats and has been with all of them. So he aims high. But the biology of it all only hands him those wasted pipes. He uses them well. But IMO he did way better on his solo albums when he carried the entire album. On Stonesalbums he coasts today. "Losing my Touch" to me is Keith at his worst. Not that the song is bad. It is Keith being lazy and just goinghthrough the motions because he knows he can get by.
Make no Mistake" was Keith using what he has to the best.

"...no longer shall you trudge 'cross my peaceful mind."

actually, he's a better singer in the sense of being "in tune" than MJ....remember he was a choir boy as a youth.

True, but unfortunately this has been somewhat negated by the fact that he's been regularly loaded as an adult!

Agree with much of the above. On his day, he can carry a ballad pretty well

I think Keith is one of the best rock singers. It's never dull to listen to him, it's always honest feeling there. He's so bloody good!

Come on. Keith has perfect intonation! And lots of emotion. A beautiful tone too. His crackly voice is nice. It fits in with his his looks.

On ABB at the beginning of "this place is empty" his voice is deep and extremely warm and sensual.Yeah he's good at singing ballads.

Although I love all Keith, I tend to prefer when he singing in the higher range, like when he's backing Mick up on say, Loving Cup, or Mixed Emotions. Additionally, I tend to prefer him singing songs that have a faster tempo, like Conection, it seems to fit his voice better. That all being said, Make No Mistake is neither of those two, and probably one of his best.


Additionally, I absolutely love watching him sing SOTE in R&R Circus. He looks so shy and insecure about singing in front of people. Sometimes I wish he would get that quality back.


Wasn't looking too good, but I was feeling real well.

Agree with your taste re. Keith's voice, Cindy, but sadly we've got to take it as past time. Keith's backing vocals on Exile are his best, his work on the harmonies is extremely good, ppssible thanks to Gram Parsons' country lessons: Torn And Frayed, Loving Cup, most of the album showcases great harmonies. But imagining Keith singing the harmonies on Casino Boogie nowadays is a nightmare

[There'll be no wedding today...]

I believe him when he sings.

Sadly, I think that glorious upper-nasal whine that gracefully backed MJs vocals on Exile is long lost to Jack Daniels and cigarettes.

He was easily the best backup singer in rock!

I do really like his current voice as well, particularly on ballads.

Ross





Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2006-03-03 00:03 by Ross.

ahh, found it! i'd apologise for dredging up this venerable thread,
but if the good Otonneau is around ... can i coax you into talking more to me about the qualities of Keith's vocals?
either out here in public or by email, whichever you prefer - and i'll make fresh popcorn. :E

I think it very much depends on if he has a good day or not.
I love his voice on records, live it can be very ragged, to put it that way. But I was very positively surprised by his version of I Got The Silver from Oakland, give it a listen!
Here is the link: [www.sendspace.com]
Thanks to Lickskeith!


Belgrade-Bucharest-Budapest-Brno

Mick's voice has not changed so much over the years,
but one wouldn't recognize the original "connection"-
Keith with the actual let's say "this place is emty"-
Keith.
I must burn me a funny "singalong with Keith"-CD and
start a little journey through time , space - and voice(s).
Was "connection" the first song to feature Keith singing
a part? I am not sure.

>> "singalong with Keith" <<

singing along with Mick is & always has been a lot easier than singing along with Keith.
i don't mean anything remotely like a value judgement - their voices are both brilliant at different things,
but Keith's using his voice in ways that are harder for most people to approximate.

I think the best example of "Keefsing" is The Worst. Or maybe Hurricane - I love the gravely almost bluesman type music

Love the version of Thru and Thru on Rarities.


Look me up in the yellow payyyyjuhhhh.

Look me up under sur-visss-sezzzzzz.

Now I got those f*ckin bluuuuuuuuuuuuoooooozze.

It's a shame that Keith was'nt given any real lead vocals prior to the fags and booze affecting his vocal chords. You Got The Silver and his part on Something Happend To Me Yesterday and Salt Of The Earth are all we habe unfortunately.

Love Happy from Love You Live, great snarl and venom in his voice.

I was confusing his vocals on "connection"
with "something happened to me yesterday".
Did he sing parts on the original "connection"?
Only backing-vocals, no?

Connection is a duet.

Loads of great vocals.

Slipping Away
The Worst
How can I stop

A singer of great feeling and emotion

He's just a f*ckin' genius. Nuff said ;^)

I just recently saw the Boston 1993 Keith and the E,Winos show,his vocals are awesome on that DVD.
Today I just wish he didn;t stop playing while he was singing so much,but I still like his spot,and in relation to another thread Ronnie carries Keith threw his set,playing wise that is....

Coming Down Again

it's called "character".......something that Keith Richards has in abundance.........you're born with it or you're not

Thanks, LK, that's just right.

character in abundance is putting it mildly -
plus there's the fact that the cat's got music for blood ...



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2006-11-15 20:21 by with sssoul.

thanks for posting YGTS from Oakland! I was there and did not realize how good Keith's vocals were on this until hearing the recording.
My favorite from 40 Flicks is Thru and Thru. Keith totally nails that vocal.