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The yeah yeah yeahs...

Bryan Burnett | 19:45 UK time, Thursday, 20 January 2011

Have you ever wanted to stand around a mic singing 'she's leaving' as Gladys Knight belts out Midnight Train To Georgia? Are you an expert oooh-er and aaah-er? And are you the kind of person who is quite happy to stand in the background and let someone else take the spotlight? Friday's theme should suit you then. I'll be asking 'what song have you always wanted to sing backing vocals for?' It'll be a good excuse to get some classic soul on and let's not forget all those lush vocal harmonies of the Nashville sound in the '60s. I always wanted to do the 'walk-a-walk-a-walk' on Just A Closer Walk With Thee. Let me know what yours is...

Comments

  • Comment number 1.

    Wilson Pickett - 'Mustang Sally'

  • Comment number 2.

    Roide Sally Roide

    The Commitments

  • Comment number 3.

    I do love 'Faithless' by Scritti Poliiti. The backing vocals are wonderful and I do try to hit the right notes...with varying degrees of success...I will keep on practising though.

  • Comment number 4.

    Waiting on the worms - Pink Floyd from the album The Wall

    Bet it's not even considered...!!!

    DC

  • Comment number 5.

    At 8:18pm on 20 Jan 2011, Scotch Git wrote:

    I`ve always been up for a bit of `Da-diddley-qua-qua`, me.


  • Comment number 6.

    I'd also like to be one of the guys who shouts "Out Brothers, Out" in the Strawbs Part of the Union

    DC

  • Comment number 7.

    well this will astonish Norrie, but I watched Bruce doing the Seeger sessions on telly last week and I have to say, annoying as it is to have a song of only one line, I can also see what fun the band and singers were having. I expect it's endorphins or something

    so

    Jacob's Ladder - Bruce Springsteen (the Seeger sessions)


    Oh Happy Day - the Edwin Hawkins Singers


  • Comment number 8.

    #5 I always reckoned him to be more of a Wimoweh actually

  • Comment number 9.

    #8 Prefer watching those Seeger sessions than listening to them but have to admit I've been singing Pay Me my Money Down all week.

  • Comment number 10.

    oops #9 refers to #7

  • Comment number 11.

    #9 yes, I know what you mean Paolo, I listened just now and wasn't sure I was doing the right thing putting it down as a suggestion.

    City of New Orleans - Arlo Guthrie

  • Comment number 12.

    Hang on till I tighten my belt a couple of notches

    Float on / The Floaters

  • Comment number 13.

    Roll Away The Stone – Mott The Hoople
    Tumbling Dice – The Rolling Stones
    Girl – The Beatles
    You’re So Good To Me – The Beach Boys
    Respect – Aretha Franklin

  • Comment number 14.

    FRIDAY

    Singing the backing to this is like spinning plates. Stressful in the extreme but if you get it right it's a bit like Graham Norton's solo rendition of Bohemian Rhapsody on Father Ted. There's an opportunity to catch your breath halfway through when the string section are doing their thang.

    'For You' - Judie Tzuke

    The high notes remain a constant challenge. No, I don't want to reach them that badly...

    >8-D




  • Comment number 15.

    #7 #9 "Blown away"

  • Comment number 16.

    The Best of Everything - Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers

    Knocking on Heaven's Door - Bob Dylan

  • Comment number 17.

    #14

    For the benefit of any bloggers who are not familiar with the character of

    >8-D

  • Comment number 18.

    My backing vocal skills would be on a par with the late Bobby Farrell. That said I'd love to have been one of the Kings backing singers...

    Elvis - walk a mile in my shoes

    Maybe I could do a kid on baritone thing

    Jackson Browne - my problem is you ( Sweet Pea Atkinson)

    Or fake high pitch by borrowing Adams speedos

    Jackson Browne - Stay (David lindley)

  • Comment number 19.

    #13 Glen ~ was that Lyndsey DePaul on Roll Away The Stone?

  • Comment number 20.

    never been able to resist the urge to join in backing Sue (Glover) and Sunny (Leslie) ...

    "good for your body, good for your soul ... "
    "never too young, never too old ..."

    'The Golden Age of Rock and Roll' ... Mott

    Glam it up GIO ...

  • Comment number 21.

    #15 great suggestion, Julie :0)!!

    It Could All get Blown Away - Jeff Healey Band

  • Comment number 22.

    want a master class in backing vocals? 'Sweet ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ Alabama' ... Lynyrd Skynyrd

    pity the band never met the 3 women (Cassie Gaines, Jo Billingsley and Leslie Hawkins, a.k.a. The Honkettes) who sang on this ... they were recorded separately.

  • Comment number 23.

    Tim & Gareth backing David Brent on 'Freelove Freeway' ...

  • Comment number 24.

    Well, Gaie beat me to the Edwin Hawkins Singers - years ago I went to see The London Gospel Community Choir in the Arches and although I'm not religious at all, the spirit really moved me. I'm tempted to ask for Andrae Crouch & The Disciples and 'Jesus Is Lord' but this might be too lord praising to be acceptable to the ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ, so we'll just need to go for the better known poppy gospel.. and for some of these i turn into henrietta...

    Operator - Manhattan Transfer

    That's The Way God Planned It - Billy Preston

    State Of Independence - Donna Summer


    Satisfied Ce Lo Green fabulous record - good show opener

    The subject of James Carr came up this week when Senga asked if there was ever a better singer than Otis Redding. I would have loved to have done backing vocals on the utterly fantastic

    The Dark End Of The Street - James Carr

    others are

    When You're Young And In Love - the Marvelettes

    Cosmic Thing - The B52's
    mental sing-a-long, great fun

    Trenchtown Rock - Bob Marley ( from 'Live')

    Tired Of Being Alone - Al Green

    Wild World - Jimmy Cliff

    Can I Get A Witness - Marvin Gaye

    Diamonds On The Soles Of Her Shoes - Paul Simon

    Sledgehammer - Peter Gabriel

    Movin On Up - Primal scream

    Don't Leave Me This Way - Thelma Houston

    Short People - Randy Newman

    A Place In the Sun - Stevie Wonder

    Satellite Of Love - Lou Reed

    What A Fool Believes - The Doobie Brothers

    You Can't Always Get What You Want - The Rolling Stones

    Give Peace A Chance - Plastic Ono Band

    Hey Jude - The Beatles

    I'm In A Different World - The Four Tops


    That'll Do

    regardez - youse

    henri

  • Comment number 25.

    but seriously ...

    Merry Clayton on The Stones 'Gimme Shelter'. (bijou!)

    Sinead O'Connor backing Jah Wobble on 'Visions of You' (simply amazing)

    Neil Young's ghostly harmonies on Emmylou Harris' 'Wrecking Ball'

    Martha WainWright on Snow Patrol's 'Set the Fire to the Third Bar'

    Linda Ronstadt backing Neil Young on 'Heart of Gold'

    The Pips on 'Midnight Train to Georgia'






  • Comment number 26.

    Rumour had it that the cousin of the late great John Martyn was the backing singer who did the Heeeeeeyyyyyy on Leonard Cohen's That's no way to say goodbye

    At least that's what she told us when she was a student....


    Very convincing rendition she did too!


    DC

  • Comment number 27.

    #19

    I believe she's got her invite.

  • Comment number 28.

    I'll second
    For You / Judie Tzuke
    It's about time it was on.

    If I get Float On / Floaters played can it be in the first half hour as I will be alone in the car at that point....after I doublecheck there's no cracks in the windscreen.

    Also the only Boy George song I've ever liked with the superb Helen Terry on backing vocals
    That's the way (I'm only trying to help you)/ Culture Club

    And finally
    There's a ghost in my house / R Dean Taylor
    Jack in the box / Moments


  • Comment number 29.

    Paolo, if that's the one where the bears come home and catch goldilocks then it gets my vote too!

    Henri, sorry to steal a couple of your artists - tho it's hard not to :-)

    It's Ok - Ce Lo Green, I didn't know there were any backing vocals on this til I heard it this morning, barely there, and maybe that's the way it should be....

    ...on the other hand my all time favourite is the "oooooh" that comes after the "shadoobedah" in Rock Lobster, how the girls get that quivery quality is beyond me! The Oooh - Aaahs are pretty good too!

    Paul from Ayr

  • Comment number 30.

    - Grace Slick - With the Pointer Sisters

  • Comment number 31.

    Walk Away Renee - the Four Tops

  • Comment number 32.

    Often vilified on the Blog... Seldom played on GIO apart from '90125' tracks (you know the one!) Excellent musicianship, even better harmonies...

    Survival or Time and a Word would do but please get I've Seen All Good People on!

    If you've only have 90125 in the archive then I'll settle for Leave It (acapella)

    Come on, get YES on!





    Keep it Prog!

  • Comment number 33.

    #6

    Swap you that for being (one of the guys) shouting Out Demons Out on Edgar Broughton Band - Out Demons Out.

    While it's absolutely great (and I will suggest a few), I'm glad we're suggesting lots of alternatives to DooWop.

  • Comment number 34.

    Drop the dead donkey, I've thought of a better one.

    It's better to have and don't need than to need and don't have / Don Covay

  • Comment number 35.


    "SOCK IT TO ME! SOCK IT TO ME! SOCK IT TO ME! SOCK IT TO ME! SOCK IT TO ME! SOCK IT TO ME! SOCK IT TO ME! SOCK IT TO ME!"

    #13 - Massive support for Glen Miller! My favourite place to sing along is in the car and when Aretha comes on the volume goes all the way up!

    Respect - Aretha Franklin

    Try singing "SOCK IT TO ME!" at the top of your voice 8 times in 4 seconds! It takes a while to get it right! LOL!

    ;o)

  • Comment number 36.

    Danny Wilson - 'The Second Summer of Love'

    Great record, nice to clap your hands along to ☺

  • Comment number 37.

    I can't sing, but I'd happily become a Pip or a Dap King:

    Midnight train to Georrgia - Gladys kinight and the Pips
    100 days, 100 nights - Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings.

    More to follow

    Joe
    Linlithgow

  • Comment number 38.

    #37 Arrrrrrrrrr

    Be it thaat time of yearrrrrr again? Orrrr be that jus a typo? Arrrrr...

  • Comment number 39.

  • Comment number 40.

    #22

    Kene Gelly,

    They were recorded separately, but it wasn't The Honkettes.

    The ladies you hear on 'Sweet ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ Alabama' are Merry Clayton, Clydie King and Sherlie Matthews.

    Following the success of the single the band liked the idea of female backing singers, so after Cassie, Leslie and Jo Jo performed backing vocals on 'Double Trouble' and 'Cry for the Bad Man' in late 1975 they were invited to record and tour with Skynyrd full-time in early 1976.

    Incidentally, guitarist Steve Gaines was invited to audition for Lynyrd Skynyrd on his sister Cassie's recommendation. The siblings were, alas, among those killed in the plane crash.


    P.S. Paolo, you should be taking notes.

    >8-D

  • Comment number 41.

    SYMPATHY FOR THE DEVIL from GET YER YA-YA’S OUT! by THE ROLLING STONES (ooh! whooh!) Everyone joins in on this one.

    WE SING HALLELUJAH from I WANT TO SEE THE BRIGHT LIGHTS TONIGHT by RICHARD (& LINDA) THOMPSON OBE who is appearing at The Royal Concert Hall on Tuesday night

  • Comment number 42.

    I Am The Walrus - The Beatles - With The Mike Sammes Singers

  • Comment number 43.

    #32 Madmac, I thought you were going away for the weekend with the lads. In which case you'll be giving the Wild Rover lalldy while we get to singalonga Yes???


    Oh No!

  • Comment number 44.

    THEME:

    It's reached the stage where even I'm not absolutely sure if we've done this theme before...
    Incongruous tune and lyrics e.g. 'Iceberg' by 10CC...dark lyrics but a really jaunty tune.
    There must be lots of songs like that.

  • Comment number 45.

    Backing for 'Love Will Keep Us Together" - Captain and Tenille is good.

  • Comment number 46.

    Hey Girl Don't Bother Me - The Tams

    Just working on my crossover steps as I type.

  • Comment number 47.

    #43

    Aw Gaie I'm cut tae the quick... Yip it's all true but we do have a strong element of fit lasses also!

    'Wild Rover???' Na! However, I will be listening whilst driving and for the record I've left my Oliver Reed phase behind me LOL.

    All we are saying, is give YES a chance!

    Have a good weekend ya'll!

  • Comment number 48.

    #44

    I think there was a happy song, miserable lyrics idea about last year - but I don't think it was done - maybe it was just a debate on the blog... anyway, The Happening by The Supremes is like that. For decades I thought it celebrated sixties optimism, but the lyric reveals good old fashioned misery....( I think). or do I not get it..

    regardez vous

    henri

  • Comment number 49.

    #47 OK, Madmac, have a great weekend - and if you're lucky you might see a brockenspectre, such as I saw yesterday on, believe it or not - the Greenock Cut.

    Still wish Rick Wakeman would get his hair cut or at least give it a wash.

  • Comment number 50.

    Chic - 'Le Freak'

    All together now:
    Aaahh freak out!
    Le freak, c'est Chic

  • Comment number 51.

    Move Away Jimmy Blue: Del Amitri (Just can't help singin' 'mooooove away' all the way through the second half... on me lonesome, in the car of course!!)

    And of very course...

    Scarborough Fair/Canticle: Simon and Garfukel (Where you never know whether to sing along with Art doing 'Scarborough Fair' or Paul doing 'Canticle'... quite unique!!

  • Comment number 52.

    'Happy Jack' - The Who (lap lap lap lap)

  • Comment number 53.

    Always Loved the backing vocals on Transformer with Bowie, Ronson and Thunderthighs..

    Lou Reed - I'm So Free

  • Comment number 54.

    Good shout Norrie!

  • Comment number 55.

    If I had a hammer - Nanci Griifth
    What can I say - Boz Scaggs
    This old heart of mine - Isley Brothers
    Working my way back to you - the Detroit Spinners

    Joe
    Linlithgow

  • Comment number 56.

    #40

    OK SG ... I bow with thanks ...

    must learn to qualify any google search accordingly
    must learn to qualify any google search accordingly
    must learn to qualify any google search accordingly
    must learn to qualify any google search accordingly
    must learn to qualify any goo ................ x 100



  • Comment number 57.

    The Tralala days are over? Not for me!Ever since I got Laura Nyro and Labelle's scintillating celebration of Doo Wop and early 60s girl groups"It's Gonna Take A Miracle"(Hello Senga!)I cant resist "Sha la la ing" along to say,The Shirelles "Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow"or the Doo Wop classic by the Fleetwoods "Come Softly To Me".Or maybe Laura and Labelle's cover of the Shirelles "I Met Him on a Sunday, a two minute symphony of oohs, aahs and the funkiest fingersnapping you ever heard.Any one of these will have me hollering along, Bryan.Cheers Willie Barke

  • Comment number 58.


    adding my support for #7 "Oh Happy Day"

    and suggesting practically anything by The Beach Boys but maybe

    "Sloop John B"
    or,
    "Good Vibrations"

  • Comment number 59.

    #56

    KG,

    Ignore me. It's the O.C.D.















    obsessively compulsively disorderly git

    >8-D

  • Comment number 60.

    Baby I Need Your Loving - Gene Pitney

  • Comment number 61.

    So who's up for writing oor ain version o' Bryan o' Shanter?

  • Comment number 62.

    When Chapman Roger leaves the street

  • Comment number 63.

    And couthy bloggers, bloggers meet

  • Comment number 64.

    When Januar days are wearin late,
    And Henri Hannah shuts the gate
    We think o' that single lang Scots mile

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