US fans - can you tell Christine is English?

Ulpian · #1 01-06-2013, 02:24 PM

I was interested to read that Christine thought you could tell from her singing voice that she was English. I'm not sure I could. I always, hearing her songs before I knew much about her, assumed she was American. Can US fans tell that she is not from your neck of the woods?

I always think of "English" singers, like Bowie, David Gilmour or Syd Barrett, who sung in their own accent - be it Cockney or Cut-Glass - but Christine has generally always, to my ear, had if not a generic American singing voice, then certainly a heavily mid-Atlantic one.

Incidentally, as a kid I was never sure where the band came from. My parents had TITN on cd in the 80s and, seeing Mick who I think looks pretty celtic, and knowing that the word 'Mac' formed part of the name, assumed they were all Scots. I may have confused them with Deacon Blue at that stage!

FierySequences · #2 01-06-2013, 02:38 PM

nice post. Generally, I think I can tell, but that is only b/c I know she's English.
Certain songs over others I think it is more noticable.

Funny story, back when "Everywhere" was released on the radio (I already had the album) My sister said that FM had a new single. I asked "which one, describe it to me". She said "I don't know....the one the guy sings".

Ulpian · #3 01-06-2013, 06:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FierySequences

nice post. Generally, I think I can tell, but that is only b/c I know she's English.
Certain songs over others I think it is more noticable.

Funny story, back when "Everywhere" was released on the radio (I already had the album) My sister said that FM had a new single. I asked "which one, describe it to me". She said "I don't know....the one the guy sings".

On Everywhere?! Ha! She does have a husky voice, but on that track she is singing pretty high notes and sounds very feminine.

I think on YMLF you can hear her Birmingham accent on the word "wonderful", particularly so on The Dance version; there is a very nice, flat vowel there!

WildHearted · #4 01-06-2013, 06:34 PM

The first time I heard Songbird (before I was a fan of the band or knew anything about them) I thought it was sung by a guy.

Generally, she sounds pretty neutral when she sings, I think. Only on certain songs (YMLF, for example) does her accent really stand out. Otherwise only slightly if at all.

FierySequences · #5 01-06-2013, 07:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ulpian

On Everywhere?! Ha! She does have a husky voice, but on that track she is singing pretty high notes and sounds very feminine.
I think on YMLF you can hear her Birmingham accent on the word "wonderful", particularly so on The Dance version; there is a very nice, flat vowel there!

Yes, I agree...keep in mind this was the late 80's and I think my sister was used to the high alto male singers like Steve Perry and Axl Rose on Sweet Child of Mine. Only explanation I can think of.

I will have a listen again to hear her proper anunciation(sp) on YMLF (one of my faves!)

FierySequences · #6 01-06-2013, 07:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WildHearted

The first time I heard Songbird (before I was a fan of the band or knew anything about them) I thought it was sung by a guy.

.

Have you heard Duncan Shiek's version of Songbird from the Rumours tribute album? He sounds amazing, almost better than the original

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wxDRNirlc1U

MacShadowsBall · #7 01-06-2013, 09:27 PM

When I got into the Mac 3 years ago, I had no idea Christine was British/English. To me she doesn't sound that way when she sings. The first time I heard Christine talk my brain got so confused! I was like huh, what, eh, who is this!?!

...and I'm an American from the South...

**mylittledemon** · #8 01-06-2013, 10:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ulpian

Can US fans tell that she is not from your neck of the woods?

I knew she was a Brit right off the bat hearing her talk on "The Dance." I can see that you might not pick up on that if you'd only heard her singing voice though.

fairydust75 · #9 01-08-2013, 08:49 PM

I usually can not tell where a singer is from by their singing voice alone. Once I know or think about it, I begin to pick up on the traces of their speaking voice dialect. After that Ican't hear anything but their speaking accent.

So my answer is yes.

bombaysaffires · #10 01-08-2013, 10:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FierySequences

Have you heard Duncan Shiek's version of Songbird from the Rumours tribute album? He sounds amazing, almost better than the original

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wxDRNirlc1U

Thanks for posting, I had not heard this version before.

Willie Nelson's version is quite good... much peppier and upbeat than the original, a real radio-friendly pop production which was interesting.

Found a link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0oyRV_eE3Qw

bombaysaffires · #11 01-08-2013, 10:03 PM

youtube sent me to this link of another version of Songbird... not my fave. YMMV

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oIMlnJI4iAQ

FierySequences · #12 01-09-2013, 12:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bombaysaffires

Thanks for posting, I had not heard this version before.

Willie Nelson's version is quite good... much peppier and upbeat than the original, a real radio-friendly pop production which was interesting.

Found a link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0oyRV_eE3Qw

TY for posting that! I saw him in concert with Dylan and John Mellencamp a few summers ago...there wasn't a song I didn't recognize or know. He truely is a gifted songwriter and musician.

I had no idea he favored the Mac...hell, he may have even sold them some Mary J back in the day.

ironman_01701 · #13 01-09-2013, 08:54 AM

I adjusted Chris Song Bird with a lower pitch of 10%. She sounds like a male, but you can tell (I believe) she's English when she sings "and the song bird knows the score" (about 1:35 and 2:35). She has a clear and pronounced native English voice, not a slurred word in her song.

Click on the picture:
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aleuzzi · #14 01-09-2013, 02:40 PM

Christine sounds like a male on songbird? What?

Maybe some of the live versions (ie: Tusk tour doc) but certainly not on record. Really?

I hear her British lilt on certain words, such as "been" (she pronounces it like "bean") on "Friend" or the line "you better not" on "One in a Million." Mostly you hear it, as another poster said, in the flattening of the vowels, especially with certain "o" sounds.

WildHearted · #15 01-09-2013, 04:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by aleuzzi

Christine sounds like a male on songbird? What?

Maybe some of the live versions (ie: Tusk tour doc) but certainly not on record. Really?

I hear her British lilt on certain words, such as "been" (she pronounces it like "bean") on "Friend" or the line "you better not" on "One in a Million." Mostly you hear it, as another poster said, in the flattening of the vowels, especially with certain "o" sounds.

I didn't mean it as an insult, it's honestly what I thought upon first listen. I knew nothing of the band and only heard a very short snippet of it on iTunes. I guess I had been listening to a lot of those counter-tenor 70s/80s guys like Steve Perry so I just assumed it was also a guy.