This Is This

First of all, you’ve got to have the right kind of voice for the backing vocals to work. REM’s Mike Mills breathy tenor goes so perfectly with Michael Stipe’s nasally soul that it’s unreal. Listen to Near Wild Heaven or It’s The End Of The World As We Know It and you’ll see.

But I gress (a word I invented, just then, meaning to make too fine a point of it and lose the bigger post):

Gladys Knight and the Pips - Midnight Train To Georgia
This kind of does the call and answer thing, but it works. The people in the Pips pipe in with a performance that compliments the singer and actually makes you hear the words better. Listen to it and it sounds like you’re listening to a conversation. In fact, if you just took the Pips part it would sound like someone at the station having a conversation on their mobile.

“Too much for a man, he couldn’t take it.
…
He said he’s going -going back to find.
…
Leaving on a midnight train.
…
Whenever he takes that ride, guess who’s gonna be right by his side?
…
I know you will…
…
-his and hers alone.
…
Dreaming. A superstar, but he didn’t get far.
…
Dreams don’t always come true, uh huh, no, uh huh Ooh, ooh, ooh ooh Woo, woo, woo.
…
I know you will!
…
Leaving on a midnight train to Georgia!
…
Live in his world.
…
It’s his and hers alone!
…
I’ve got to go.
…
I’ve got to go!”

The Bee Gees - How Deep Is Your Love?
Nothing Pips the pips, but close harmonies alone (The Beach Boys) don’t a v good b vox track make. In How Deep Is Your Love, Barry (or is it Robin?) sings the title line and Maurice (or is it Barry?) and the other one (hang on, which is the one who died) just sing it over again and again, using italics.

Robin: “Hang on, this isn’t working…”

Barry: “What now…”

Robin: “Well I’m going ‘How deep is your love? How deep is your love…’ and Maurice here is going ‘How deep is your love? HOW deep is your love?’ It sounds stupid.”

Maurice: “Aw, wrack off Robo. Your way sounds rubbish. If it were up to you we’d be The Bee Gees.”

Robin: “Look mate, it’s better than The Bee Gees.”

Barry: “Look, I’ve got a duet with Barbara Striesand to do in 15 minutes and I’m not going to have this argument again. Sing it the way Robin did. Honestly, I should have stuck with barbershop.”

Maurice: “Ah, speaking of barbershop, mate…”

Barry: “Right! That’s it. Fuck right off!!! I’m the sexy one, you guys are pinhead drongos and the world knows it.”

The Pixies - Debaser
Frank Black: “Right. Now in the chorus I’m going to do a lot of screaming.You know, ‘I am une chien Andalusia’ that kind of thing.”

Pixies: “Meaning?”

Frank Black: “It’s French. It means ‘I am a dog Andalusia.’ Good, eh?”

Pixies: “What’s Andalusia?”

Frank Black: “It’s an area in northern Spain. Ever been?”

Pixies stare back at Frank Black blankly and shake their heads.

Frank Black: “Oh you must. It’s very Moorish.” (snort)

This goes over their heads, as things often do with Pixies.

Frank Black: “Anyway, Kim, I want you to say ‘debaser’ in the chorus, OK?”

Kim Deal: “What’s the key?”

Frank Black: “No, just say it. Like you’re talking.”

Kim Deal: “Debaser.”

Frank Black: “I love it. That’s perfect. Oh man, if this doesn’t get us onto Top of the Pops I don’t know what will.”

Also on This Is This
Colleague: I think it’s disgraceful. I heard that on the way in and I was so angry I texted both Radios Four and Five.
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This entry was posted on Wednesday, January 4th, 2006 at 8:32 am. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed, or leave a comment yourself.