#barbershop ballads

[gameraboy2]

Barbershop Ballads - The World Famous Sportsmen Quartet

[jelly-o630]

Listening to musical theatre is all fun and games until you find a musical that you’re pretty sure all of eight people have listened to and the only social media presence you can find for it is the creators themselves and the same 10 promotional images that every reviewer has and the only way you can talk about it is to trick (force) your friends and family to listen it to it

[everydaylouie]

had an idea for a barbershop quartet Hatsune Miku ballad.........

(lyrics below the cut!)

i have a voice

i’ll sing your tune

sing about the sun and stars and moon

but in the end

it’s up to you 

i sing your song

and that’s all that i ever do

every note

is made by you

what’s a blue haired, pigtailed girl to do

in the end

i make no sound

oh the songs i’d sing if you were not around!

i sing your song

all night long

never wrong

but i just sing along…

the tune is done

and I’m a star

i feel so close and yet so very far

in the end

it’s up to you

i sing your song

and that’s all I ever do

[jonathanmoya1955]

At the Barbershop

At the barbershop my hair sings The Ballad of Long Locks “Cut it off. I’m done with it. It gets in my way.” Thus, I’m kept alive with regular haircuts.

[tashacee]

OMG I saw your Chain doing karaoke post and if you write that I just NEED to see (read?) what all of them sound like individually. I personally headcanon that Wind is actually a wonderful singer, it's just that his 13 y/o voice keeps betraying him by cracking lol

Wind sings in a high voice, but it keeps cracking and breaking which is rough. That said, he secretly thinks that once his voice properly deepens, he'll be a regular Dean Martin

Wild has a HORRIBLE voice, even before the Calamity. Now, though, it's scratchy and strained and he DOES NOT CARE. He sings Sweet Home Kakariko on repeat.

Four does a barbershop quartet as the colours. It's pretty cool.

Hyrule, if it's a speaking Hyrule, is TERRIFIED of singing in public, but when he is convinced to he sings nice old folksongs

Legend sings ten minute long opera pieces and WILL make you listen to the whole thing

Time sings old ballads that sound boring and old fashioned but are actually FILTHY. Bless. He pretends not to know this.

Twilight will sing literally any (fantasy!)Queen song. You will never know which one before he starts. Honestly, neither does he.

Spirit sings old sea ballads from Wind's era, because they've become traditional by his era

Sky sings the ballad of the goddess cause he's in LURVVVVEEEE

Warriors sings marching songs. They're actually really fun!

[bumblingest-bee]

people love making posts about the emotional rollercoasters they get from putting their favorite musicals on shuffle but i think assassins has got to win. 70s love ballad. barbershop quartet about guns. man screaming about hamburgers and the futility of democracy. manic gospel tune. it is november 22nd 1963 and JFK has just landed in dallas texas. the 70s love ballad again

[bychertryntheatyr]

Möchte jemand eine Rasur? - Sweeney Todd

Anscheinend positioniert sich meine Oper Dortmund immer mehr als Musical Standort. Grund genug für mich dahin zu gehen. Noch vor der Saison eine kleine Teaserpostkarte bekommen und dann Samstag zur Premiere von Sweeney Todd. Hab ich davon schonmal gehört? Nope. Hab ich mir die Story durchgelesen? Nein?! Warum sollte ich? Das ist eine deutschsprachige Produktion. Den Plot werde ich schon verstehen.

Dies Loch trägt den Namen London. - What a dump!

Hinter dem halbtransparenten Vorhang mit dem Canaletto Blick auf die Themse und Ihre Brücken verbirgt sich die Bühne. Erst eine große Orgel, dann ein Schiffsdeck. Sweeny Todd, ehemals bekannt als Benjamin Barker, legt mit dem Schiffsjungen Anthony in London an. Was ein Scheißhaufen. Scheißhaufen, auch weil RIchter Turnip ihn durch List nach Australien verbannt und seine Frau ermordet und Tocher in Vormundschaft genommen hat. Wie wärs mit Rache?

Mögen Sie Pasteten? - Die schmecken ja schlimmer als die Pest.

Aber wo lässt sich Rache nehmen? Richtig! Über Londons schlechtesten Pasteten Laden. Das Bühnenbild hat sich nun von Schiffsdeck auf überdimensionierten Holzofen angehoben. Ohh ich liebe diese einfache Verwandlung nur durch hoch/runterfahren der Bühne. Mrs. Lovett versucht ihn von ihren Backkreationen zu überreden. Sweeney ist aber an dem Zimmer obendrüber interessiert. Nach einem Tausch Pastete gegen Zimmer ist der neue alte Barbershop eröffnet.

Bist du horny auf Johanna? Die ist erst 16?

Zurück zu Anthony. Er irrt durch London und kauf einen Vogel. "Den schönsten Singer hätte ich gerne" - "Die singen alle schön. Habse blind gemacht. 24/7 nur geträller" Der Vogel hat sofort Glück und wird dem Matrosen geklaut und umgebracht. Dennoch. Aus der Kohlentür beklagt Johanna (Du geile Sau!) ihr Leid bei Richter Turnip eingesperrt und sein Mündel (was ist dieses Wort bitte??) sein zu müssen. Naja das Mädchen ist ja schon hübsch und ich bin Matrose und Single. Die will ich heiraten! Koste es was es wolle.

Der Italienische Joker verkauft eine Haartinktur aus Pisse und Tinte

Der Ofen ist nun ein Marktplatz. Pirellis Miracle Medicine wird angepriesen. Eine Wundertinktur preist Tobias in langem wallenden blonden Haar an. Sein Chef, der Italienische Joker himself, sucht Freiwillige. Leider kommt Sweeney vorbei und lässt den Schwindel auffliegen. Zeit für ein D D D Duell!! Ein Rasierduell zwischen Pirelli und Todd. Es kann nur einen besten Barbier geben. Zwei freiwillige und eine Ballade von Pirelli später setzt Sweeny einmal an und rasiert in Windeseile und ohne Schnitt. So gewinnt man ein Duell und neue Kundschaft in der Fleetstreet. Dies wird der Büttel Bamford des Richters sein.

Selfflagelation. Get shaved, get pussy.

Richter Turnip versucht sich aus dem Kopf zu treiben seine Zwangsadoption zu heiraten. Das muss ich mir auspeitschen, denkt er sich. Leider wird er dadurch zu horny und will Johanna dann doch heiraten. Zeit für einen frischen Bartschnitt. Da stehen die Ladys drauf. Da gabs doch so einen neuen Barbier in der Fleet Street?

In diesem Shop ist nun wieder unser Joker, ehh Tinkturenpanscher Pirelli. Natürlich pissig. Übrigens ist er gar kein Italiener. Sondern kommt aus Wien. Der Akzent ist eindeutig. Leider ist er zu übermütig und nennt Sweeney bei seinem echten Namen. Weil, er war damals sein Assistent. Darauf steht dann leider die Todesstrafe. Machste nichts. Ab in die Herdplatte? mit dir! Sweenys Laden ist ja über dem großen Ofen.

Zwischendrin gestehen sich Anthony und Johanna ihre Liebe. Sonntag hauen Sie ab und heiraten.

Was machen wir eigentlich mit der Leiche? - WIe wärs mit Pastete?

Turnip ist im Laden angekommen. Einmal alles ohne Schnitt bitte. Das lässt sich Todd nicht zweimal sagen und setzt zum finalen Schnitt a... "Hey, Chef. Kannich..." Anthony stürmt in den Laden rein und verhindert leider einen Mord. Turnip hat natürlich auch bemerkt, wie er haarscharf dem Messer entkommen ist und stürmt hinaus. Anyways Tony hat da diese Johanna kennen gelernt, die gefangen gehalten wird, will sie heiraten und sie erstmal im Laden verstecken.

Mrs. Lovett fragt nebenbei was denn jetzt mit dem toten Wiener gemacht werden soll? Nun, deine Pasteten schmecken eh nicht. Wie wäre es wir mischen die mit in die Füllung? Und wir verwandeln viele Berufe singend metaphorisch in kleine Meatpies.

Köstliche Pasteten kosten nicht viel Moneten

Wieder aller erwarten läuft der Pastetenladen nun wie Sau. Die gute Geheimzutat aus der ersten Etage. Sweeney ist in Mordlaune. Eigentlich jeder der es verdient, bekommt seine Rasur und den Tod. Oben anständig bei Petrus erscheinen, unten anständig zu Pastete verarbeitet werden. Was ein Traum! Außer für Tobias. Nachdem sein Chef spurlos verschwunden ist, arbeitet er nun als Helfer in Mrs. Lovetts Pie Shop. Wenn er nur wüsste. Tony sucht und findet seine und Todds Johanna in der örtlichen Irrenanstalt. (Gibt es da eigenltich ein besseres deutsches Wort für? Google hilft mir da auch nicht.) Er wird dort allerdings fast vom Büttel verhaftet.

Your obedient Servant, Sweeney Todd

Mrs. Lovett will nun mit Todd an die See ziehen. Die Toten, Pasteten und Tote in Pasteten hinter sich lassen. Aber erst muss der Richter sterben. Also wird Anthony zurück ins Asylum geschickt, sag du willst Haare für ne Perücke von den Irren da haben, klau Johanna und bring sie her. Danach schreibt Sweeney einen Brief an den Richter. "Yo, hab gehört deine Verlobte kommt in den Laden, willste die vielleicht zur Hochzeit abholen? Sorry wegen dem Mordversuch. Kussi!"

Vorher kommt aber der Büttel vorbei. Anscheinend stinkt es irgendwie menschlich aus der Bäckerei. Kannichmal durchlüften? Das gefällt Mrs. Lovett nicht. Wie unhuflich! Außerdem ist die Tür zur Backkammer abgeschlossen. Hab den Schlüssel oben liegen lassen. Mr. Todd kommt erst später wieder. Hehe. Aber es gibt eine kostenlose Rasur! In der Backkammer ist übrigens Tobias eingesperrt. Er hat leider Pirellis Geldbörse in ihrer Hand erkannt. Er ist da nun zur Sicherheitsverwahrung bis geklärt ist, was mit dem Wissenden von Pirellis Mord geschehen soll. Außerdem findet er in der Pastetenmasse Haare und Fingernägel. Wäre das nicht genug fällt ihm eine frische Leiche entgegen. Er flieht in die Kanalisation. Das bekommt Lovett mit. Da muss noch wer sterben...

Backe backe Kuchen, der Bäcker hat..

Anthony ist wieder mit Johanna da. Und geht wieder eine Kutsche organisieren. Da kommt eine Bettlerin hinein, bisher nur Beiwerk und erkennt Sweeney. Super, noch mehr die mich erkennen, dann musst du leider auch sterben, sagt er und sie fällt die Klappe in den Keller hinunter. Da kommt schon der Richter rein. Johanna ist jeden Moment da, noch eine kurze Rasur? Jetzt bloß nicht das Messer... BENJAMIN BARKEEEERR!?!?!?! *schnitt* Hast du grad den Richter? Johanna hätte sich vllt nicht als Matrose verkleiden sollen, klar dass ihr Dad sie nicht erkennt und nun töten wi.. Wer schreit da unten? Lovett ist etwas mit den Leichen überfordert. Die Bettlerin in den Ofen? Aber Sweeney erkennt plötzlich seine Frau. Du sagstest Sie sei Tod? Ich hab grad meine totgeglaubte Frau umgebracht? Du gehst jetzt mal schön in den Ofen und denkst drüber nach was du getan hast. Da stürmt von hinten Tobias geistesabwesend aus der Kanalisation und schlitzt nun Todd selber die Kehle auf.

Alle Tod. Alle zu Pastete verarbeiten. Vorhang.

[gellavonhamster]

Was tagged by the wonderful @lesamis to list five songs i currently listen to, then tag ten more people:

Griftwood by Ghost - I’m obsessed with how it sounds like 80s rock while being released what, last year? Also, apparently it’s about corrupt clergymen, which goes nicely with The Borgias, which I’m currently watching 

Paris by Patrick Wolf - I remembered this song when mentally outlining a fic (yeah, I’m trying to write again, fingers crossed it works out - last time I wrote something was two years ago). It’s unrelated to the story lyrically - as it often happens to me with songs in English, I misremembered/ misinterpreted the lyrics - but I think some of the general mood is seeping into the story

Polo A Tierra by Danna Paola, Skinny Happy, Yera - look, I could’ve made this list just reggaeton from start to finish, because that’s what I mostly listen to these days, but I feel like that would make me looked down on here on tumblr dot com :D Still, had to include at least one for fairness’ sake     

Dragostea Din Tei by Feuerschwanz - I still don’t know how it came to pass that one of my favourite bands of last year looks like a DnD party and makes folk metal covers of pop songs, but these guys rock, and I would love to see them live

Ария Берена (The Aria of Beren) from Lay of Leithian Rock Opera - there’s a new barbershop near my work that is called Beren Barbershop, so naturally I’ve been making jokes about how they need to open a Luthien Beauty Parlor next door, and then I remembered this musical exists (and with English subtitles, btw, if anyone’s interested). This is my favourite song from it - I love how desperate and defiant it sounds, and it’s fun to sing along.

Tagging (if you want to answer, of course): @katecaru, @piascleavage, @nabatute, @lilietsblog, @balkan-ballad, @virginian-wolfsnake, @afoxnamedmulder, @jennathearcher, @calamity-bean, and @artemideaddams

[fizzingwizard]

I was never a Gleek, never even watched Glee but this stuff is so friggin wild to me:

Lea Michele and Idina Menzel singing a sentimental ballad version of "Poker Face"

an all boys' high school whose favorite pastime is impromptu quasi-barbershop chorus renditions of Kelly Clarkson and Katy Perry

characters bursting out in tears whenever someone sings something emotional, by which I mean a normal pop song, and storming out of the room, which appears to happen on the regular

interrupting the best part of Living on a Prayer to sing a different song instead, for some outrageous reason. like some songs mix well others do NOT need editing

entire Gospel choirs singing backup from within the walls I guess

just how much of the show is actors playing high schoolers sitting still with no lines, pretending to have their lives changed by the vocals of other actors also playing high schoolers as they belt pop songs at each other???

and the utterly transcendent "Justin Bieber's 'Baby' is an anthem of our generation"

[jules-has-notes]

2017 Napa Valley A Cappella Extravaganza — VoicePlay live performances

VoicePlay on stage in Napa — photo by Haley Olson

Three years after their previous appearance, VoicePlay returned to northern California as the professional headliners for the annual high school and collegiate vocal festival in Yountville.

.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by J.None 🧈🎶 🎙📝🎬🎹🎸📽🤣 (@itsjnone)

J.None was excited to hit the road with the guys after performing with them at Disney World for the previous two months.

.

When you're singing for other a cappella singers, it's hard to go wrong with a little musical theater. VoicePlay has plenty of Broadway material in their repertoire, and this was the most recent addition at the time.

Details:

title: Seasons of Love

original performers: cast of Rent (1996)

written by: Jonathan Larson

arranged by: VoicePlay & AJ Rafael

performance date: 28 January 2017

My favorite bits:

J.None's smooth timbre on the opening lines

the way they seamlessly pass the lead vocals around (But why doesn't Layne get a turn? 😞)

that momentary silence before they start the first chorus

when the rhythm section really kicks in 🥁🎸

Earl's crystal clear high tone on the second verse

that jazzy harmonized riff from Eli, J, and Earl

the layers of sound in the final chorus

such a lovely ending chord

Trivia:

As Geoff mentions in the intro, the guys had recorded this song as a collaboration with AJ Rafael in October, and the video premiered on his YouTube channel a couple weeks before this performance.

.

VoicePlay refuse to be confined to any one genre of music. They've tackled everything from barbershop to hard rock, country to sea shanties, pop ballads to orchestral pieces. So why not revisit the rap hits of their youth?

Details:

title: Aca Top 10 – Old School Rap

original songs / performers: "La-Di-Da-Di" by Slick Rick & Doug E. Fresh; [0:16] "Going Back to Cali" by LL Cool J; [0:32] "Push It" by Salt-n-Pepa; [0:56] "Parents Just Don’t Understand" by DJ Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince; [1:09] "Bust A Move" by Young MC; [1:32] "It's Tricky" by Run-DMC; [1:49] "Just A Friend" by Biz Markie; [2:12] "Ice Ice Baby" by Vanilla Ice; [2:21] "The Humpty Dance" by Digital Underground; [2:44] "Rapper's Delight" by the Sugarhill Gang; [3:10] "Walk This Way" by Run-DMC & Aerosmith

written by: "La-Di-Da-Di" by Douglas "Doug E. Fresh" Davis & Richard "Slick Rick" Walters; "Going Back to Cali" by Rick Rubin & James "LL Cool J" Smith; "Push It" by Hurby "Luv Bug" Azor & Ray Davies; "Parents Just Don’t Understand" by Pete Harris, Will "Fresh Prince" Smith, Jeffrey "DJ Jazzy Jeff" Townes; "Bust A Move" by Marvin "Young MC" Young, Matt Dike, & Michael Ross; "It's Tricky" by Joseph "Rev. Run" Simmons, Darryl "DMC" McDaniels, Doug Fieger, & Berton Averre; "Just A Friend" by Marcel "Biz Markie" Hall; "Ice Ice Baby" by Robert "Vanilla Ice" Van Winkle, Mario Johnson, Queen, & David Bowie; "The Humpty Dance" by Earl Humphrey, Gregory "Shock G" Jacobs, & George Clinton; "Rapper's Delight" by Bernard Edwards, Nile Rodgers, Sylvia Robinson, Henry "Big Bank Hank" Jackson, Michael "Wonder Mike" Wright, Guy "Master Gee" O'Brien, Curtis "Grandmaster Caz" Brown, & William Hankshaw; "Walk This Way" by Joseph "Rev. Run" Simmons, Darryl "DMC" McDaniels, Steven Tyler, & Joe Perry

arranged by: Geoff Castellucci

performance date: 28 January 2017

My favorite bits:

Layne kicking things off with some old school beatboxing

Earl recreating the breathy part in "Push It"

Eli handling the scratching in the back during "Parents"

the middle three busting some lowkey moves as the lyrics instruct them to do

everybody bouncing to the beat during "Tricky"

Geoff continuing the "Ice Ice Baby" bass line under "The Humpty Dance" after the other guys leave him hanging

Eli showing off some slides in "Rapper's Delight"

J's little wave in response to the "hello" in the lyrics

the record skip effect at the end of "Walk This Way"

Trivia:

The guys originally recorded this countdown live in the studio, where they could do as many takes as they wanted. It's even more impressive seeing them perform it in front of an audience.

.

This video is missing the very beginning because the fan who recorded it got over-excited about them actually performing the song live. But how could they possibly resist singing the theme to one of the most beloved TV shows set in San Francisco when they were just north the city itself?

Details:

title: Everywhere You Look

original performers: Carly Rae Jepsen & Butch Walker for Fuller House (2016)

written by: Jesse Frederick, Bennett Salvay, & Jeff Franklin for Full House (1987)

arranged by: Layne Stein

performance date: 28 January 2017

My favorite bits:

the bouncy descending bass line leading into the chorus

Eli and J grooving along to their own harmonies

Earl's scooping crescendo as a transition into the second verse

the call and response of ♫ "never go away" ♫ "like the Olsen twins" ♫ 👭

that quick crisp diction of the ♫ "how do you know… " ♫ section

hearing a few audience members shout "Hey!" in time with the guys

that big coordinated descending riff at the end

Trivia:

This song was the second entry in VoicePlay's PartWork series, performed entirely by multiple versions of Earl and Layne.

.

Additional photos

.

Before they flew out of San Francisco the next day, J.None took a side trip to meet up with a friend, see a bit of the city, and get some fresh air.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by J.None 🧈🎶 🎙📝🎬🎹🎸📽🤣 (@itsjnone)

[krispyweiss]

Lyle Lovett and His Large Band at Rose Music Center at the Heights, Huber Heights, Ohio, July 26, 2023

It was 90 degrees at 7:45 in the evening of July 26 when Lyle Lovett and His Large Band took the stage dressed in black-tie formal wear and turned up the heat further as they declared, “It’s a Naked Party.”

“We’re happy for this cool weather” Lovett said later in the evening without irony, noting he lives in Texas, where a crushing heat wave has lingered for weeks.

Acclamation notwithstanding, clothing-optional might have been the way to go. But Lovett - who also performed “Pants is Overrated,” inspired by his kids’ refusal to get dressed - and his band were hosting a soiree.

After the aural nudity, Lovett and his three singers exited the stage to leave the remaining 11 members - four pieces of brass; acoustic, electric and pedal steel guitars; Jim Cox’s piano; Stuart Duncan’s violin; and the rhythm section of Leland Sklar and Russ Kunkel, who employed sticks, brushes, mallets and his hands during the show - to strut their big-band stuff on “The Blues Walk,” the only instrumental of the evening.

The band was back at full strength as Lovett threw his head back and held notes for inhuman lengths on a purely country-and-western reading of “Stand by Your Man.”

And so it went for two-and-three-quarters hours at Rose Music Center in suburban Dayton, Ohio, as Lovett and his multi-genre band played comedic soul on “She’s No Lady,” ballroom balladry on “Are We Dancing,” blues on “Pig Meat Man,” gospel on the hand-clapping, choir-singing “Church” and virtually every other style of American music as ragtime, Dixieland, bluegrass and more popped up across the band’s many improvisational interludes.

Less witty than usual, Lovett instead dedicated his between-song banter to speaking with his onstage compatriots and detailing their musical backgrounds. He repeatedly remarked on how lucky is is to play with them. And he is correct.

With 15 players and singers on stage at any given time, train wrecks might be expected. But these are big-shot studio and touring musicians - and in the case of the horn section, college professors of music - and their execution was flawless. This is how steel-guitar comes to sound right at home inside big-band jazz. It’s the reason six-string, fiddle, steel and vocal showcases can fit inside a song like the swaggering “My Baby Don’t Tolerate” and not come off as self-indulgent. And it’s why the seven piece that performed the Chieftains’ arrangement of “Don’t Let Your Deal Go Down” packed every bit of power as did the full ensemble that had the audience shaking it in the proverbial steam bath on “That’s Right (You’re Not from Texas).”

Lovett is a musical chameleon and a craftsman committed to quality. So, despite often playing small houses, selling fewer than half of the Rose’s 4,200 seats and proving on such tender ballads as “12th of June” and “The Queen of Know,” that the core band is capable of breathtakingly gorgeous three- and four-part harmony, he spends heavily on salaries so fans may delight in his choir’s bass-to-gospel, doo-wop-to-barbershop stylings.

Grade card: Lyle Lovett and His Large Band at Rose Music Center - 7/26/23

See more photos on Sound Bites’ Facebook page.

7/27/23

[silenthillmutual]

@go-go-devil tagged me to list my five fave song covers.

i'll admit my taste is a little basic, though i'd like to say one of my co-workers has recently been listening to a cover that gives me absolute whiplash. not being in the same room, i don't know who the artist is, but it's a girl singing a very generic-sounding ballad cover... of blink-182's dammit. having listened my fair share of blink-182 growing up i am, uh, not a fan of this cover, but i felt it needed to be noted.

now, for my top 5:

istanbul (not constantinople), covered by they might be giants

hurt, covered by johnny cash

i'm a marionette, covered by ghost

the barbershop quartet cover of god only knows from bioshock: infinite (pretty much the only thing i enjoyed in this game was the music)

always on my mind, covered by mary elizabeth mcglynn for silent hill: shattered memories (the soundtrack that prompted me to get into silent hill, funny enough)

i'm not sure who all to tag! @udurghsigil and @gamerism and @doomednarrative and @caainhurst maybe? also if you feel up for it have fun and steal this from me, i'd love to hear more music :]

[deep-hearts-core]

(tonight we're gonna party like it's) 1999

god damn i haven't done one of these in a while. its charlotte nilsson time baybee

Lithuania REAL SHAME about this staging. it's a nice song and aiste has a great voice clearly but she doesn't have the right kind of stage presence for this. the dancing around that she was doing didn't feel right for this genre, it was discordant and distracting. also the pink lighting didn't work. if i could go back in time and fix this i'd tell the lithuanian delegation to keep the camera close on her upper body at all times.

Belgium nice song nice voice well staged but she's too damn quiet. i can't really hear her. especially at the beginning. sad bc i have no other complaints about this one except for maybe "is that guy blowing into a horseshoe crab?".

Spain she's a good singer so it's a shame about that dress. also, the verses are kind of boring and i only really enjoy the chorus. also, i keep misremembering this song as having the tune of a bosnian song called "zena svijetom upravlja" or something like that that a friend of mine submitted to a tumblr fancontest forever ago. also also, did i mention that dress? distracting.

Croatia love the "ah-ah-ah-ah"s in the chorus. favorite thing about this song. (maybe because that's what's familiar because that's the thing that everyone puts in the fourth place compilation recap vids or whatever). she looks nice in that dress i guess but something feels kind of off with the staging. i can definitely tell that this followed immediately after dana international. there's something in the way she's moving that's making it clear she's trying to imitate dana in some way.

UK i love this one!! love a girl band, the main singer is really good, and those silver outfits are great. that "say it again, say yeah" is the most catchy/memorable line i've heard so far tonight that i hadn't already seen in a recap video. unfortunately one of the girls was a little pitchy in the high harmonies and that got on my nerves a little.

Slovenia i mean i don't love it but there's nothing to hate about it really. she sounds good. nice classic eurovision ballad.

Turkey this is every turkish entry ever, right? it's not bad really it's just not my speed. i spent most of my time watching this thinking about danish barbershop quartet the clementones and admiring the stage, because this year's stage is cool. more on that later.

Norway ngl kind of disappointed? the dance routine was good, i guess? idk it's not my kind of song and he wasn't great vocally. and that shirt wsa sort of. a choice. didn't work imo.

Denmark you can always count on denmark to do a good happy duet with a guitar. love this. if they hadn't fucked up that very last note this would have been absolutely perfect to me. <3

France like if that song "free fallin'" got eurovision'd.

Netherlands early dutch country is also every eurovision song that follows it for the next like 5-6 years, more at 10! nah but it's alright. and she's pretty, which helps. the song started before she started singing and i was like "?? this is gonna be so good?" and then i remembered it was the netherlands and my expectations instantly went medium. lol.

Poland great belt on this man. not like a literal belt but like his voice near the end when he's belting his high notes, that's good. good tone. song's ok i guess.

Iceland this song slams and i fucking love it in studio but the staging was... a little too over the top, tbh?

Cyprus her voice isn't a good fit. the slow start goes on for just a little too long and she's just kind of shrill.

Sweden it's good, i can see why it won, but her outfit is just so MUCH. i hope it was a candidate for barbara dex. the eyeshadow. the flesh colored fabric underneath the pretend crop top. no thank you charlotte.

Portugal not bad. rui bandeira is kind of a guy who looks like a girl who looks like a boy iykwim. idk it kinda sounds like all the other ones.

Ireland this song is too low for them and it does funny things to their tone quality. too much vibrato.

Austria she's cute, i like the guitar line, this is very radio-friendly and american in a way that allowed me to like... yes tune out but not tune all the way out and just kind of vibe.

Israel it is a sign of how brainpoisoned i have become that i saw a quartet of guys on the stage and thought, "ah yes, the guy in the different shirt is the lead, he has the tenor and the bass on either side of him, and the other guy is the bari". i'm in hell. good song though. i mean i guess. why is it happy birthday?

Malta their harmonies aren't really locking. given, i have a much higher bar for that these days due to the aforementioned brainpoison, but still, some of these chords are heinous. also the song is just sort of not good.

Germany song is alright except for the bridge which is unnecessarily cheesy. i mean, even for the thing that it is, which is a eurovision song.

Bosnia & Herz d... dino merlin? idk this one is weird, they're like conjugating french verbs or something and also this one was muted in the video archive i had and the dino merlin official youtube upload had terrible audio quality so i feel like i can't really judge it

Estonia the onstage aesthetic vibe of this is beautiful, and i like the song, too. it's a shame that it's not a good vocal fit for evelin. a clear precursor to randajad and good use of the stage too.

My top 23 1)Denmark 2)Estonia 3)Portugal 4)Iceland 5)Sweden 6)Austria 7)Belgium 8)Poland 9)Israel 10)Germany 11)UK 12)Slovenia 13)Spain 14)Croatia 15)Ireland 16)Turkey 17)Netherlands 18)Lithuania 19)Cyprus 20)France 21)Norway 22)Bosnia 23)Malta

shoutouts again to my friend rachel's prefsorter, because we can't always have gerbear

Miscellaneous commentary the little cgi tour of europe at the beginning was cute. but also very funny because of how squished together and contiguous everything was. lmao @ the host greeting the "distinguished guests" and everyone there in nice clothes. like wow the contest has changed in 20 years obsessed with these postcards btw. cartoon eve fully tits out. jesus represented as a hot guy in a suit. joseph and his brothers singing in barbershop harmony. the baby moses video game. priceless recaps are so short? i already have a hard time remembering how each song goes but like the recap snippets help absolutely not at all lol at the sun prop. it was a really excellent stage, honestly, a lot of contestants were able to use it really well, but after last year's debacle i just kept giggling whenever i saw the thing move. overall like...it's hard to judge the songs in this era, it's hard to rank them, because really i don't like most of them? like they just aren't really my style. i feel like for many of the 90s rankings the margins between songs are going to be very thin and i'm going to have trouble remembering a lot. i don't listen to a lot of 90s music so it's like... ok? sure? do i even know if this is good? no i don't!

[learnhowtocreatemusic]

Beginner's Guide to Singing Harmonies: Easy Steps to Learn Vocal Harmony

Singing harmonies adds depth, emotion, and richness to any song, creating a more dynamic and captivating vocal performance. If you're new to singing harmonies, don’t worry! This guide will take you through the basics, helping you understand and practice vocal harmony with easy steps.

What is Vocal Harmony?

Vocal harmony occurs when two or more different notes are sung simultaneously, creating a pleasing and balanced sound. In a typical harmony, one singer sings the main melody, while others sing notes that complement the melody, usually a third or fifth above or below.

Step 1: **Understand the Basics of Intervals**

Harmony is all about intervals��� the distance between two notes. The most common intervals used in harmony are **thirds** and **fifths**. For example, if the melody note is C, a third above is E, and a fifth above is G.

- **Tip**: Use a piano or online tool to play simple intervals like thirds and fifths. Get comfortable hearing how these intervals sound against the melody.

Step 2: **Start with Simple Songs**

The best way to start learning harmonies is by choosing simple, familiar songs. Pick a song with a clear melody and limited vocal range, as it’ll be easier to find and follow harmonies.

- **Tip**: Nursery rhymes or simple folk songs are great for beginners. Once you’ve mastered basic harmony, you can move on to more complex genres.

Step 3: **Sing Along to Harmonized Tracks**

Listening to songs that already have harmonies will help you understand how they work in context. Some genres, like gospel, barbershop, and country music, often feature clear vocal harmonies. Sing along to these songs and try to identify the harmony parts.

- **Tip**: Pay attention to backing vocals in popular songs. Many times, harmony parts are already built into the track, and you can practice following along.

Step 4: **Learn to Sing in Thirds**

Singing a harmony a third above or below the melody is one of the easiest and most common approaches. To practice, play a melody on a piano or instrument and then sing the note that is a third above or below it.

- **Tip**: For example, if the melody note is C, sing E for a third above or A for a third below. Practicing scales in thirds can help train your ear.

Step 5: **Use Harmony Apps and Tools**

Technology can be a great asset when learning vocal harmony. There are apps and software available that help you isolate harmonies in songs or teach you how to harmonize.

- **Apps to Try**: **Harmony Helper** and **Chordify** are popular apps that assist singers in finding and practicing harmony parts.

Step 6: **Practice with a Friend or a Recording**

Once you're comfortable with basic harmonies, try singing with a friend or using a recording of yourself. Sing the melody while your friend sings the harmony (or vice versa), and practice staying in your vocal lane without slipping into each other’s notes.

- **Tip**: Recording yourself singing different parts of a harmony and playing them together can be a helpful way to understand how harmonies fit together.

Step 7: **Listen Actively to Harmonies**

Listening to how professional singers use harmony is an excellent way to build your skill. Pay attention to where harmonies come in during the song, how they support the melody, and whether they move in parallel or contrary motion.

- **Genres to Explore**: Listen to gospel choirs, pop ballads, a cappella groups, and even rock bands like **The Beatles** or **Queen**, who were known for their creative harmonies.

Step 8: **Experiment with Simple Chords**

Once you’re familiar with intervals, experiment with singing basic chords. Chords consist of three or more notes played simultaneously (e.g., the root, third, and fifth). Practice harmonizing over chords by singing the different chord tones.

- **Tip**: Start with triads (three-note chords) like C major (C-E-G). Sing each note in the triad to build a more complex harmony.

Step 9: **Train Your Ear**

Developing a strong ear is crucial for harmonizing. Training your ear will help you recognize harmonies more quickly and sing in tune. Use ear-training exercises, such as interval recognition or chord identification, to sharpen your listening skills.

- **Tip**: Singing along with scales and focusing on staying in pitch as you harmonize will strengthen your ear over time.

Conclusion

Singing harmonies might seem tricky at first, but with consistent practice and a step-by-step approach, it becomes much easier. Start by learning basic intervals and singing along to harmonized tracks, then move on to practicing with others or using harmony apps. With patience, you’ll develop the ear and technique needed to sing beautiful vocal harmonies. Keep practicing, and soon you'll be able to effortlessly blend your voice with others to create rich, layered vocal performances!

[allthemusic]

Week ending: 28 April

Back to Paris, for a bit of glamour, and then a track from the band with possibly the most 1950s name ever? I don't know, I think I'm excited for this batch of songs!

Under the Bridges of Paris - Eartha Kitt (peaked at Number 7)

It's the same song it was when Dean Martin sang it, so I'm not getting too excited here. It was fine, but a bit nothing-y. That said, I know Eartha Kitt is a bit of a legend and played Yzma in Emperor's New Groove. So I've got some hopes that it'll be different to Dean's version.

And the opening bars seem to confirm that. We've got a faster, more prominent instrumental bit, with heavy use of an accordion and some plinky glockenspiel bits. To be honest, it sounds a bit cheaper, and I don't love how prominent the accordion is, but it differentiates both versions from each other, I guess?

And then all is forgiven, because Eartha is singing in French! And she's kept the original, low-key spicy lyrics, all about people having romantic trysts under bridges. Eartha's French is good, too, with a slightly old-timey quavery Snow White voice. It's lovely, if a bit of a throw-back, especially with the very enunciated "oooo" sounds later on.

We spend the rest of the song switching oddly from language to language, smoothly and randomly enough that I didn't notice it on the first listen-through. It was only when I came to type up a lyric that I realised it was no longer French. At some points it's even changing mid-line, like when Eartha sings that Je veux apporter all my love. She makes it work, but it's a choice, for sure.

And then there's the husky, almost whispered lines scattered throughout, as Eartha sighs in your ear lines like Quel rendez-vous and oh chéri. It's seductive - definitely the extra French gives this song a sexiness that Dean's softer, more romantic version lacked. The potential saucy implication of lines like Under the bridges of Paris with you / I'd make your dreams come true were subtext in Dean's version, but Eartha makes them full-blown text, and I don't hate it.

Earth Angel - The Crew Cuts (4)

We got to doo-wop! I'd vaguely heard of this song, so I knew that I could probably expect something rock and roll-adjacent, but I still found myself really appreciating the rock and roll chord progressions and vaguely Everly Brother-ish voices.

It's not originally a Crew Cuts song, but rather a song by an American band, likewise with an excellent name, the Penguins, a doo-wop ensemble managed by a guy by the also excellent name of Dootsie Williams, who wrote the track. And then the Crew Cuts, a white Candian quartet, covered it, bringing it to the UK charts.

It's a cute song, exactly the sort of doo-wop silliness you'd expect, and mostly it repeats the chorus, as the Crew Cuts repeat: Earth angel, earth angel / Will you be mine? / My darling dear / Love you all the time / I'm just a fool / A fool in love with you. Sweet but nothing-y lyrics at their finest. The Crew Cuts are serenading and wooing a lovely lady, and love is making them into fools.

One of the verses genuinely doesn't make any literal sense to me, which might be a first in this project? Or can you tell me what it means when they sing about how I hoped and I pray that someday / I'll be the vision of your happiness? I get it, they want to make their angel happy. But it's a really awkward locution.

That's all making me sound like I don't like the song, but I really do. I think for me the stand-out elements are all in the performance and texture of it. From the boo-wa-ba backing in the opening, to the piano noodling around in the background, to the tight barbershop harmonies and the little "doo-do-doo-do-do" bits.

Plus it's an unmistakably rock and roll-inflected tune, which possibly makes it our first rock and roll ballad? We've had straight-up rockers, but this is rock and roll's venture - at least in the UK charts - into a new, softer, more sentimental mode. It's maybe a reach, but I'd even say that this kind of tune's almost the ur-super-pre-prototype for the power ballad.

Apparently a whole bunch of other people liked the song, either way. The list of people who've covered this song is a mile long, and it's been used in all sort of films, including Back to the Future. So there's that.

Two good songs today, or at least interesting ones. Both sounded like very little else that we've heard so far, in a good way. I think my favourite is the one that sounds more like the future, though.

Favourite song of the bunch: Earth Angel.

[lboogie1906]

Myron Lavell Avant (born April 26, 1978) mononymously known as Avant, is an R&B singer. He is known for his songs “Separated”, “Read Your Mind”, and “Makin’ Good Love”. He has produced three Platinum-selling albums. He has released 15 singles and 7 albums.

He was born in Cleveland, the youngest of five siblings.

He began writing songs at the age of 14. He released his debut single “Separated” in 2000. The single created a buzz and was played on the radio. In 2000, he released his debut album, My Thoughts, which sold more than 1.3 million copies in the US and 4.4 million worldwide. His debut album featured a remake with fellow R&B singer Keke Wyatt of the 1983 René & Angela ballad “My First Love”. It reached the top 5 of the R&B chart. He released his second album, Ecstasy, in 2002. It featured another of his top ten hits, “Makin’ Good Love”. His third album, Private Room, was released in 2003, and reached number four on Billboard’s R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart. A track from the album, “Read Your Mind”, was ranked 13th on the Hot 100. A remix featuring Snoop Dogg appeared on the promotional vinyl and was released on September 30, 2003.

In 2006, he released his fourth album Director, which topped the R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart and debuted at #4 on the Billboard 200. Its lead single, “When It Hurts”, reached #91 on the Hot 100.

He was featured in the remix of Lloyd Banks’ song “Karma” from the 2004 album The Hunger for More. He made a cameo appearance in BarberShop 2: Back in Business.

In 2009, he collaborated with Maze on a cover of “Joy and Pain” as a tribute to the band for an album called Silky Soul Music: An All-Star Tribute to Maze Featuring Frankie Beverly.

His self-titled fifth album, Avant, was released on December 9, 2008. He released his sixth studio album The Letter (formerly titled Wake Up) on December 21, 2010. His eighth album The VIII was released on September 25, 2015.

In 2019, he returned with the single “Not Gone Lose” and signed a label deal to release the album Can We Fall in Love, which was released in July 2020. #africanhistory365 #africanexcellence