I'm definitely not a singer myself. I'm wondering how hard can it be to sing a Stones song if you are a professional singer ?

Well, the easy ones are perhaps the slow ones. The only tune I've ever heard that tops Jagger's performance is Wild Horses by Norah Jones ( forget the ugly fat English frump Susan Broiler).

Think most of the Stones songs are not that difficult to sing as most of them hasn't high or low notes

__________________________

It's maybe more about the feel Mick puts into those little notes in their songs that counts. He's one of the best, if not the best, to put feel into notes and words! He has one of the most distinctive voices ever.

Been Stoned since 1964 and still am!

Lenny Kravitz says:
I sometimes talk to people who sing perfectly in a technical sense who don't understand Mick Jagger. But what he does is so complex: His sense of pitch and melody is really sophisticated. His vocals are stunning, flawless in their own kind of perfection. There are certain songs where he just becomes a different person. Take "Angie": I've never heard that tone from him since, and it wasn't there before. And I love when he sings falsetto, like on "Emotional Rescue" or "Fool to Cry."

I like him best when he's singing super-raw. When I co-produced "God Gave Me Everything" [for Goddess in the Doorway], he did what he thought would be a scratch vocal. He barely knew the lyric — he was reading off a piece of paper. There were no stops, just one take. Bam! It ended up being the vocal we used on the record.

Mick is a disciplined artist, completely dedicated to his craft. His voice has changed somewhat and has a different texture, but it's stronger now. One time the Stones were on tour, and during a two-week break Mick and I went on vacation in the Bahamas. We'd hang out during the day, go to the beach, shop at the market, cook dinner, drink wine. In the evening he would go to the bottom floor of the place where we were staying and put on a Rolling Stones soundcheck tape — just the band playing songs without him singing. He would stay down there, dancing and singing to keep himself in shape. Your voice is like a muscle. If you're on the road and you stop for two weeks and then go back to do a show, you're going to get hoarse. So he was down there every night practicing. As a result, at 65 years of age, he's stronger than ever.

The beauty of that experience was sitting in a living room hearing "Brown Sugar" and "Satisfaction" live through the floor. That was my entertainment every night. It was very surreal.

NICOS: I think it there is more "parameters" than singing high or low notes.
Think about replacing Jagger with someone else; could you imagine Tom Jones, Clapton, James Hetfield, ... in front of Watts & Co ?

Bob Dylan isn't Caruso as an example, but what Mick does is extraordinary. Most everyone I know appreciates other artists covering Stones songs, but I never hear them say they prefer the singing(or music for that matter) over the Stones version.

Quote
Wowbagger
NICOS: I think it there is more "parameters" than singing high or low notes.
Think about replacing Jagger with someone else; could you imagine Tom Jones, Clapton, James Hetfield, ... in front of Watts & Co ?

I know, nobody can replace Mick's voice, I just want to say that the tuning isn't that difficult , there are plenty of singers in the past that can't sing there greatest hits because they can't reache the high notes anymore.

Think you can not sings this kind of songs anymore if you are 60+

[www.veoh.com]

__________________________

It's pretty hard actually. Ever hear people trying to do Karaoke Stones songs? Even most seasoned singers have a problem with the phrasing.

Trainarollin: Right on the spot. Everyone can do a beatles song, bit not a stones.

I tinkered with "Love is Strong" for Karaoke, even doing the harmonica parts. The first part is easy until you get to the articulation where it comes across as yelling. It's a sexy song when you wear the right hat.

I think the singer's job is almost that of an actor. The singer needs to convince the listener the lyrics being sung and the emotions conveyed are sincere. After that, it doesn't matter to me at least how technically accomplished the singer is. Mick Jagger is one of those who combines all thoese elements very well. Not just any Tom, Dick or Harry can do what he and other singers/performers of his caliber do.

It's not so much the notes, because live that's not exactly important. What is though is doing it for 2 hours every night...

Jagger has balls like no one else. Not talking about the biology here, but the sheer nerve the man has. That is where his singing comes from IMO.

I can not imagine ANYONE else singing Rolling Stones songs other than Mick Jagger. I've heard some good singers sound horrendous Let's Spend the Night Together by Bowine being one that comes to mind!

Quote
Wowbagger
I'm definitely not a singer myself. I'm wondering how hard can it be to sing a Stones song if you are a professional singer ?

Well, the easy ones are perhaps the slow ones. The only tune I've ever heard that tops Jagger's performance is Wild Horses by Norah Jones ( forget the ugly fat English frump Susan Broiler).

Ugly, fat and a frump maybe but she definitely ain't English...

Stray Cat Blues - Sound Garden
SFTD - Brian Ferry
Think - Chris farlow
Ruby Tuessday = Malenie

To name a few

__________________________

Mick is one of a kind, the mid range of his voice will punch through steel, no more powerful vocalist in rock. Lenny Kravitz comments are very interesting, now we know why, he practices his arse off, just like every great artist LOL !

No frump - she's a sweetie that lady.

its tough because mick sings almost entirely without harmony, and outside of the melody. Also, he's usually just shouting

OLDKR

Quote
Wowbagger
I'm definitely not a singer myself. I'm wondering how hard can it be to sing a Stones song if you are a professional singer ?

Great thread -- thank you! Sometimes I forget how amazing a singer Mick is, or just take him for granted. I think many of us do. And that isn't fair. He is so damn good. I agree with all above, his phrasing, his timing, his middle range, his balls (and apparently there is an anatomical basis, according to Keith - lol) his falsetto, his being an actor becoming different characters in his songs, and a STELLAR interpreter.

I get fed up with Mick because he seems in the past 20 years to be SO focused on performing and shouting, for the most part, rather than the enormous subtlety he brought to his earlier work/craft/art. And in the past his machismo was natural and unforced and in later years it's just seemed he's trying too hard - like the fellow doth protest too much methinks.

I wish Mick would issue a solo album (or better yet - a dream I know - a Stones album) that would be pared down, contemplative, emotionally honest, reflective, and allow himself to be how he is at 65. I would love to hear what his voice is really like now, with some new characters, perspectives, wisdom, humor, disillusionment even. And his harp playing. And Keith, to be able to play acoustic well. Maybe not 100% all-out highly produced high-volume rockers, but songs that rock and groove in a new way.

Thanks again for posting about Mick's voice. It's really cool to remember how incredibly matchless he is. As other have said: nobody sounds like Mick.

ooooooooooooo

doubledoor, great story from Lenny Kravitz. Can you imagine hearing Mick Jagger singing in your basement!!??! DAMN!

Great post Swiss as always....................

Especially this one "I would love to hear what his voice is really like now, with some new characters, perspectives, wisdom, humor, disillusionment even"

__________________________

Rod Stewart- his version 'Street Fighting Man" was pretty good. I'd like to hear Rod do "As Tears Go By" "Wild Horses" or "Just My Imagination".
Rod would do a nice job on these songs IMO.

I think nobody is able to sing a stones song like Jagger himself. Axl Rose trials for instance were a wreck.

And how to sing Start me up is a mistery.

And... (blues purist you will lambaste me...) the way Mick sings the blues is one of the most authentic and genuine I have heard.

Quote
NICOS
Think most of the Stones songs are not that difficult to sing as most of them hasn't high or low notes

But to sing like Jagger?

Quote
Amsterdamned

Quote
NICOS
Think most of the Stones songs are not that difficult to sing as most of them hasn't high or low notes

But to sing like Jagger?

That is a different question not possible IMO ...the question was Stones songs

__________________________

A skinny white guy from England should NOT be able to interpret blues, soul and R&B and sing rock n roll the way Mick does. He is very under appreciated as a vocalist. I've heard some people say he can't sing and those people do not know what they are talking about. His phrasing and falsetto and tempo are all pretty amazing. Yes I've been to shows on nights where he did not sound that good and then I've seen him blow the roof of the place he is one of a kind!

If anybody ever tells you Mick can't sing, play them "Satisfaction" or "Get Off My Cloud" and then say "YOU do that! Note for note! Do what he does! You can't do it and you never will unless you're as extraordinary talent as he is." Sure, he's shouting rather than singing, but just try and shout like that and hit the notes. It's damn near impossible.

jagger is the best,he sings in diffrent keys and lots style too.
so mick should keep on goin and show how its done.

Jagger's the singer for the Rolling Stones
and that's all there is about it...can't be replaced....



ROCKMAN

And first of all a frontman,me myself am singing stones songs for about 30 years with some bands and at the same time playin the guitar-harmonica-slideguitar-It,s a hell of a job,but even in a studio (Recordings) when you can concentrate on the vocalparts itt,s very difficult to come close by MJ.But for me it,s only a hobby.