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Women that Men Choose to Listen To, The Independent

http://www.independent.ie/regionals/...-29642225.html

Shea Tomkins – 08 October 2013

WHILE the songbird that is Sinead O'Connor and Wrecking Ball performer Miley Cyrus were volleying verbal insensitivities at each other via the insult-on-tap facility that is Twitter last week, I happened upon a little gem of a programme that was airing on TG4.

It was a documentary charting the life of Dusty Springfield (Mary O'Brien) and neatly wrapped up in the confines of an hour her rise to stardom, struggles with sexuality, submission to a reported drug and alcohol addiction, her re-emergence to popular acclaim in the late 1980s, and finally her death, through cancer, in 1999.

Watching Dusty performing on the small screen got me thinking about female vocalists and prompted a conversation with my male peers (I'm sure the ladies would have very different ideas) which led to me carrying out a poll to see which lady vocalists 'the lads' felt deserved a place in the upper echelons of popular music history. The responses were many and varied. I whittled it down to a top ten, with the results as follows. And there's not a Whigfield to be seen!

10) Rita Coolidge: An American singer/songwriter that transcended boundaries to score hits on the pop, country, adult contemporary and jazz charts, it was this husky-voiced singer's loved-up performance with Kris Kristofferson (they were married for seven years) on the Old Grey Whistle Test, in 1972, when they sang Help Me Make it Through the Night that lives long in the memory. A You Tube treat.

9) Stevie Nicks: As a member of Fleetwood Mac and as a solo artist, Nicks has sold over 140 million albums worldwide and for many men is the undisputed 'Queen of Rock and Roll'. Her tempestuous relationship with songwriting partner Lindsey Buckingham added to the sizzling magic of many Fleetwood Mac releases.

8) Laura Marling. A product of the London folk scene, Marling won Best Female Solo Artist at the 2011 Brits Awards and has a career in its infancy.

7) Lisa Hannigan: This Dubliner began her musical journey as a member of Damien Rice's band before embarking on a solo career in 2007. Hugely popular on the contemporary Irish music scene.

6) Karen Carpenter: The first name to be mentioned twice in our poll, her 'beautifully clear voice' has a soothing effect on the ears even if the sound of Carpenters' records often comes in for criticism as being 'sickly sweet'.

5) Mary Black. Back in the day when cars had tape players, I knew a man that loved long-distance travelling just so he could listen to Mary's delightful tones over and over again. She has a special place in many Irishmen's hearts.

4) Aretha Franklin: Ranked number one in Rolling Stone's Greatest Singers of All Time poll, you just have to start listing her hits to understand why is she is recognised as the 'Queen of Soul'.

3) Kate Bush: Her mother was a Daly from Dungarvan, County Waterford, and Kate's talents hailed from another stratosphere. Her unique styles mean she will forever have a devoted following.

2) Dusty Springfield: The woman whose ashes are spread over the Cliffs of Moher. A truly wonderful voice and 'rumour has it' Adele has been approached to play her in an upcoming biopic.

1) Sinead O'Connor: Few will deny that Sinead O'Connor not only ranks among the best female vocalists that this country has ever produced, the lads are in agreement that she is possibly the best.

The video to Nothing Compares 2U has been in the news recently, and is one of the most wonderful five minutes of pop music in history – one of those rare things that you remember seeing for the first time.

Sinead, then, deserves her place at the top of the 'women men like to listen to' chart. Further thoughts would be welcomed at [email protected]