Random question about the B-52's

littlecricket2 · #1 07-14-2005, 05:11 PM

I noticed in the "bands you like but probably shouldn't" thread that several of us like the B-52's. I only have Time Capsule, which I bought recently on impulse, and I really like their unique and so-dorky-it's-cool sound!

I have a question though: The two female singers, Cindy Wilson and Kate Pierson (sp?) blend so well together that I cannot distinguish their voices at all. Whenever one woman sings alone, I cannot tell which one is singing. I just can't tell their voices apart. If someone came out and said, "ok, on the albums, only one of them was singing all the female parts and we just wanted to make it look like we had two female singers" I would totally believe them.

Does anyone else feel the same way? Or can anyone direct me to songs that feature just one or the other on vocals so I can figure out what each of them sounds like? I know this is a weird thing to be obsessed about but it's kinda driving me bonkers,

.

StevieNicksEO17 · #2 07-14-2005, 05:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by littlecricket2

I noticed in the "bands you like but probably shouldn't" thread that several of us like the B-52's. I only have Time Capsule, which I bought recently on impulse, and I really like their unique and so-dorky-it's-cool sound!

I have a question though: The two female singers, Cindy Wilson and Kate Pierson (sp?) blend so well together that I cannot distinguish their voices at all. Whenever one woman sings alone, I cannot tell which one is singing. I just can't tell their voices apart. If someone came out and said, "ok, on the albums, only one of them was singing all the female parts and we just wanted to make it look like we had two female singers" I would totally believe them.

Does anyone else feel the same way? Or can anyone direct me to songs that feature just one or the other on vocals so I can figure out what each of them sounds like? I know this is a weird thing to be obsessed about but it's kinda driving me bonkers,

.

You know, you asked me this in the car and I totally never noticed it until you said something. But yeah, you can't tell them apart at all!

**mylittledemon** · #3 07-14-2005, 05:59 PM

Yeah that had that dual harmony thing going...

LiquidBlue5000 · #4 07-14-2005, 06:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by littlecricket2

Does anyone else feel the same way? Or can anyone direct me to songs that feature just one or the other on vocals so I can figure out what each of them sounds like? I know this is a weird thing to be obsessed about but it's kinda driving me bonkers,

.

they do sound very very similar, but if you listen carefully, you can tell them apart... Kate, imo, has the better voice...

trackaghost · #5 07-14-2005, 06:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LiquidBlue5000

they do sound very very similar, but if you listen carefully, you can tell them apart... Kate, imo, has the better voice...

Yep she does.
I LOVE their harmonies though. Particularly on the track Roam.

littlecricket2 · #6 07-14-2005, 07:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by trackaghost

Yep she does.
I LOVE their harmonies though. Particularly on the track Roam.

Hmm...everyone thinks Kate has the better voice! (Well, "everyone," meaning two people, heh.) Interesting. I love their voices on "Roam" as well! Which one of the women sang with REM on "Shiny Happy People Holding Hands?" To me, that voice sounds like all of the female voices that were ever on any B-52's song, LOL. Kate is the redhead and Cindy is the blonde, right?

trackaghost · #7 07-14-2005, 07:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by littlecricket2

Hmm...everyone thinks Kate has the better voice! (Well, "everyone," meaning two people, heh.) Interesting. I love their voices on "Roam" as well! Which one of the women sang with REM on "Shiny Happy People Holding Hands?" To me, that voice sounds like all of the female voices that were ever on any B-52's song, LOL. Kate is the redhead and Cindy is the blonde, right?

Kate sang on Shiny Happy People

And, yes she's the redhead

littlecricket2 · #8 07-14-2005, 07:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by trackaghost

Kate sang on Shiny Happy People

And, yes she's the redhead

Ok, then here's my next observation: on the track "Love Shack," when Cindy yells "Tin roof! Rusted!" or whatever that lyric is, her speaking (yelling) voice sounds like Kate's singing voice. So that makes things way confusing. Does anyone know of any tracks where only Cindy is singing, since now I know where to find Kate's voice?

golddustwoman77 · #9 07-14-2005, 09:15 PM

If I really listen on the song "Deadbeat Club," I can tell the difference between them, but it is very slight.

littlecricket2 · #10 07-14-2005, 09:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by golddustwoman77

If I really listen on the song "Deadbeat Club," I can tell the difference between them, but it is very slight.

Hmmm...I will have to give that song another listen. I think Cindy left the band briefly to have a baby girl, and I think she also has been working on some solo projects (or maybe not solo, but side projects that don't have much to do w/ the B-52's). I bet there's something out there w/ just her voice on it, without Kate's.

Out of the two women, does anyone think one has a higher voice than the other or anything like that?

LiquidBlue5000 · #11 07-14-2005, 09:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by littlecricket2

Out of the two women, does anyone think one has a higher voice than the other or anything like that?

Kate has the higher voice... and a better range

amber · #12 07-14-2005, 09:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LiquidBlue5000

Kate has the higher voice... and a better range

Ha, I was going to say Kate has the lower, richer voice. Hmmm....

LiquidBlue5000 · #13 07-14-2005, 09:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by amber

Ha, I was going to say Kate has the lower, richer voice. Hmmm....

richer, yes... lower?? nah

Street Angel · #14 07-16-2005, 10:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by littlecricket2

Does anyone know of any tracks where only Cindy is singing, since now I know where to find Kate's voice?

There are several album tracks where you can hear Kate's or Cindy's solo vocals. Listen to the "Mesopotomia" EP (Cindy on "Loveland", Kate on "Deep Sleep") or the "Bouncing Off The Satellites" album (Cindy on "Ain't It A Shame", Kate on "Housework") for some examples. You can also hear Kate singing ALL the female vocal parts on the "Good Stuff" album - which should give you a good idea of Kate's vocal sound (and therefore, to distinguish it from Cindy's vocals)

Quote:

Originally Posted by littlecricket2

I think Cindy left the band briefly to have a baby girl, and I think she also has been working on some solo projects (or maybe not solo, but side projects that don't have much to do w/ the B-52's). I bet there's something out there w/ just her voice on it, without Kate's.

That's right. Cindy temporarily left the band after the world tour for "Cosmic Thing" to have a baby (early 90's) and the band carried on without her on the "Good Stuff" album. By the time the B-52's released "Time Capsule" Cindy had returned. She had a side project over the last few years called the Cindy Wilson Band, where she and her husband played along with some other musicians, doing club gigs etc. As far as I know they never released an album. There were some MP3's available on her website to listen to, but now that the B-52's are going to release a new album soon, the C.W. Band seems to have been put on ice and unfortunately, the MP3's seem to have gone as well.

littlecricket2 · #15 07-17-2005, 11:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Street Angel

There are several album tracks where you can hear Kate's or Cindy's solo vocals. Listen to the "Mesopotomia" EP (Cindy on "Loveland", Kate on "Deep Sleep") or the "Bouncing Off The Satellites" album (Cindy on "Ain't It A Shame", Kate on "Housework") for some examples. You can also hear Kate singing ALL the female vocal parts on the "Good Stuff" album - which should give you a good idea of Kate's vocal sound (and therefore, to distinguish it from Cindy's vocals)

That's right. Cindy temporarily left the band after the world tour for "Cosmic Thing" to have a baby (early 90's) and the band carried on without her on the "Good Stuff" album. By the time the B-52's released "Time Capsule" Cindy had returned. She had a side project over the last few years called the Cindy Wilson Band, where she and her husband played along with some other musicians, doing club gigs etc. As far as I know they never released an album. There were some MP3's available on her website to listen to, but now that the B-52's are going to release a new album soon, the C.W. Band seems to have been put on ice and unfortunately, the MP3's seem to have gone as well.

Thanks so much for all the info!