Can someone explain this to me?

gene c · 01-20-2004, 08:03 PM

Why is it when I listen to an English band, such as The Rolling Stones, I can uderstand the lyrics pretty well but when they speak, such as Mick Jagger, I can't understand a word they say. Their accents are so thick in speach but are almost "Americanized" when they sing. This has been keeping me awake at night for years! Well, not really, but you know what I mean. A free ticket to Kezar Stadium to the first with an answer I'll accept! Gene

Henry Gale · 01-20-2004, 08:29 PM

Easy!

Mick (& Keith, Brian, etc.) learned speech from their British parents. But they learned to sing by listening to American recording artists; Chuck Berry, Muddy Waters, Robert Johnson, etc.

Jim

Where is Kezar Stadium?

EricSchulz · 01-20-2004, 08:41 PM

You want an even better example? Listen to the members of ABBA speak English...the guys are very fluent, but the girls are a bit uncomfortable with it. In fact, some of the VERY early ABBA songs were recorded with the girls singing the songs phonetically.

Grant B · 01-20-2004, 08:48 PM

The 49ers played there before the 'stick'; right down the street about 12 blocks. It held about 50k before they rebuilt it mainly for HS sports. It is located in golden gate park and the niners practiced there this year.
The stick is known as the place where a pitcher was blown off the mound; Kezar is the place where the officals didn't signal a touchdown till the reciever tapped the offical on the back to show he had the football. The fog rolled in and you couldn't see a foot in front of your face.
Most players complained about the seagulls sitting and shitting on their shoulders

gene c · 01-20-2004, 09:24 PM

Good thought Jim, but does this apply to all British bands? I can't think of one that sings in a british dialect. A few Aussie bands such as men at work have at least a noticable accent. I have heard of Japaneese groups that learn songs in English or German yet do not speak a word of either. Anyhow, lets give a few others a chance to respond before giving out the valuable prize! BTW, if you have seen "The Groove Tube" or was it "Kentucky Fried Movie", there was a skit where a sports caster announcing an up-coming game said "the winners will be given a tour of Kezar Stadium. The losers will be taken into the lockeroom and SHOT". Oh well. It was funny back then.

**HTF Ads**

MartinTeller · 01-20-2004, 09:39 PM

I can't think of one that sings in a british dialect.

Off the top of my head...

Roy Harper
The Kinks
The Clash
Herman's Hermits
Pet Shop Boys
Belle & Sebastian

Grant B · 01-20-2004, 09:49 PM

To add to the list
The Jam
Oasis

gene c · 01-20-2004, 11:13 PM

O.K. I'll give you the Herman's Hermits and maybe The Clash, but The Kinks accent isn't very strong to me. As for the rest, I'm an old-timer and don't know any of their stuff. I'm sure I would recognize some if I heard it, but I wouldn't know who sang them. Well Jim, it looks like you may be headed to Kezar! Exited? BTW, airfare, hotel, food, cab rides, tips, taxes, fee's (including hidden fee's)return airfare, shipping, handling, storage, excessive surcharges, and anything else you can think of are the sole responsibility of "the winner". Your mileage may very. You may have other rights which very from state to state (but not here). Void where prohibited. And you did remember to send in your $100 entrance fee right? Enjoy your "free tickets"!

John Watson · 01-21-2004, 12:54 AM

I've always considered that the very act of singing is a distortion of speech.

Sung words may be drawled, bent or twisted to suit rhythm, rhyme, etc.

So the singers native spoken language is rephrased when singing. Call it the phonetic phactor.

You'd recognize very wide differences in spoken accent from many regions of the US, or Canada, but not necessarily hear it in singing from the same regions.

I like it when you can get an accent twist in a song, like 99 Luftballons

gene c · 01-21-2004, 02:05 AM

Yes John, I agree that singing would change the form of the spoken word. I just can't believe how much it changes for some people/bands. When listening to them in song, every word seems crystal clear. Yet, when I hear them talk, even though the language is the same the result is totally different, and barely understandable. It justs seems really weird to me. Gene

Henry Gale · 01-21-2004, 02:41 AM

Quote:

Well Jim, it looks like you may be headed to Kezar! Exited?

gene c,

Of course I'm exited...

Please donate any prizes to the Diggers.

Jim

Mike Broadman · 01-21-2004, 09:11 AM

Most British punk bands sing with noticeable British accents.

The famous "classic" rock bands started off by basically imitating American blues.