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Forums > Music: Non-Prince > What do you think of jimi hendrix's singing voice?
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Thread started 03/09/18 4:57pm

lonelyalien

What do you think of jimi hendrix's singing voice?

I know jimi hated his own singing voice its well documented he didnt like people watching him when he was laying down vocals I dont understand why though I think his voice is brilliant he might not have a massive range but its so expressive and really gets over his emotions which is the whole point.

I'm just like everybody else I need love.....and water.
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Reply #1 posted 03/09/18 7:22pm

purplethunder3
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His voice was perfect for his music...even if it wasn't the best in the biz.

"Music gives a soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination and life to everything." --Plato

https://youtu.be/CVwv9LZMah0
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Reply #2 posted 03/10/18 10:59am

BlueLantern

I have never understood why his voice is considered by some as his weak axe ; for me too, his voice was perfect for his kind of music, and one of the best voices of the musical landscape of the time ; his voice completed very well his guitar playing.

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Reply #3 posted 03/10/18 12:39pm

Dasein

One of the best pop vocals of all time is Hendrix's "Have You Ever Been (To Electric Ladyland)".

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Reply #4 posted 03/10/18 1:02pm

COMPUTERBLUE19
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His voice was perfect for what he wanted to do. I personally love the urgency in his vocals on Machine Gun and Hear My Train A Comin (from the JHE box set).
"Old man's gotta be the old man. Fish has got to be the fish."
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Reply #5 posted 03/10/18 1:45pm

NorthC

lonelyalien said:

I know jimi hated his own singing voice its well documented he didnt like people watching him when he was laying down vocals I dont understand why though I think his voice is brilliant he might not have a massive range but its so expressive and really gets over his emotions which is the whole point.


Prince didn't want anyone around when he recorded his vocals, so Jimi wasn't alone in his shyness,.. On stage, it was a different matter. Prince was much more comfortable as a singer, because he didn't rely on the guitar only... No way Jimi would ever have been able to pull off Do Me Baby or Still Waiting... Jimi was more comfortable as a guitar player. I guess he really never thought of himself as a singer, even after he heard and came to love Bob Dylan, who also wasn't thought of as a "beautiful" singer either.
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Reply #6 posted 03/10/18 1:59pm

Hamad

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Jimi's voice reminds me of George Clinton's assesment of his own voice. Something to the effect of "I may not sing well, but my voice has character".

Every saint has a past, and every sinner has a future...

Twitter: https://twitter.com/QLH82
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Reply #7 posted 03/10/18 3:51pm

JoeyC

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Jimi had a cool singing voice. It fit perfectly for the type of music that he played. And it was distinct.

Also, i always thought that Jimi's voice and Bootsy Collins voice sounded somewhat similar. You know, like on record, when they do that talking singing kinda thing.

Rest in Peace Bettie Boo. See u soon.
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Reply #8 posted 03/10/18 4:56pm

Hamad

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JoeyC said:

Jimi had a cool singing voice. It fit perfectly for the type of music that he played. And it was distinct.

Also, i always thought that Jimi's voice and Bootsy Collins voice sounded somewhat similar. You know, like on record, when they do that talking singing kinda thing.

Bootsy sounded like he was mimicking Jimi's speaking voice here:

Every saint has a past, and every sinner has a future...

Twitter: https://twitter.com/QLH82
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Reply #9 posted 03/10/18 5:19pm

SPYZFAN1

I've always loved the texture and grainy-ness of Jimi's voice...His vocals on the song "Have You Ever Been (To Electric Ladyland?) is one of his best. You can hear the Isley Bros/Curtis Mayfield influence in that one.

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Reply #10 posted 03/11/18 7:06am

funkaholic1972

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I know some people have a problem with Jimi's singing abilities, but I love his voice and like others said, it fits his music very well. heart

RIP Prince: thank U 4 a funky Time...
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Reply #11 posted 03/11/18 2:31pm

KoolEaze

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He had a very unique voice and style of singing as far as I´m concerned but technically he wasn´t that great.

Then again, I´ve never cared about great voices, and I like a lot of terrible singers, their songs and their voices, so what do I know? lol

" I´d rather be a stank ass hoe because I´m not stupid. Oh my goodness! I got more drugs! I´m always funny dude...I´m hilarious! Are we gonna smoke?"
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Reply #12 posted 03/11/18 4:17pm

mynameisnotsus
an

Now, I'm not listening to Jimi for the vocals but as has been said they were perfect for his music and he definitely had his own character.
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Reply #13 posted 03/11/18 5:47pm

Hamad

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KoolEaze said:

He had a very unique voice and style of singing as far as I´m concerned but technically he wasn´t that great.

Then again, I´ve never cared about great voices, and I like a lot of terrible singers, their songs and their voices, so what do I know? lol

I wouldn't sell myself short if I were you, because you're definitly right. There are so many song stylists who had much limited vocal range than most of their peers, yet possessed such expressive & disntictive voices. Jimi is definitly among that caliber, you instantly recongized his voice and the way he conveys the lyrics & the emotions to the listener.

Every saint has a past, and every sinner has a future...

Twitter: https://twitter.com/QLH82
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Reply #14 posted 03/12/18 7:25am

RJOrion

JoeyC said:

Jimi had a cool singing voice. It fit perfectly for the type of music that he played. And it was distinct.

Also, i always thought that Jimi's voice and Bootsy Collins voice sounded somewhat similar. You know, like on record, when they do that talking singing kinda thing.




most definitely Bootsy sang like, and sounded like Jimi Hendrix... at times, they were both (George Clinton, too) ancestors of the rap MC... delivering lyrics in almost spoken word/chant cadence sometimes...Jimi Hendrix may not have liked his own voice, but the man could sang...
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Reply #15 posted 03/12/18 9:52am

lonelyalien

Ive always thought phil lynott had an incredibly similar tone and phrasing to jimi.

I'm just like everybody else I need love.....and water.
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Reply #16 posted 03/12/18 10:08am

RJOrion

lonelyalien said:

Ive always thought phil lynott had an incredibly similar tone and phrasing to jimi.




yep, him too...a little bit...

*listens to "Boys Are Back In Town"* cool
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Reply #17 posted 03/12/18 11:45am

lonelyalien

RJOrion said:

lonelyalien said:

Ive always thought phil lynott had an incredibly similar tone and phrasing to jimi.

yep, him too...a little bit... *listens to "Boys Are Back In Town"* cool

Great song.

I'm just like everybody else I need love.....and water.
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Reply #18 posted 03/13/18 2:31am

mediumdry

JoeyC said:

Jimi had a cool singing voice. It fit perfectly for the type of music that he played. And it was distinct.

Also, i always thought that Jimi's voice and Bootsy Collins voice sounded somewhat similar. You know, like on record, when they do that talking singing kinda thing.

.

The whole Bootsy character came from him doing impressions of Jimi. It was considered funny and used on Be My Beach. Later on, the entire Bootsy and the Rubber Band schtick was based on that. It's well documented.

.

As to Jimi's voice? I like it, much more than all that noodling during all too ordinary blues jams. (compare the awesome Voodoo Child (slight return) to the boring and meandering Voodoo Chile) He made some amazing songs, but production values and blues make it hard to enjoy his entire body of work for me.

Paisley Park is in your heart - Love Is Here!
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Reply #19 posted 03/14/18 12:53pm

bobzilla77

Think about the vocal on Foxey Lady for a minute. Just that "YEAH!" that ends the guitar solo is a totally convincing vocal performance. There's no artifical anything in it. "Here I come baby... comin' to GIT YA!" Goosebumps.

.

Maybe he didn't put as much thought into it as his guitar playing and didn't think it was his big accomplishment, but he was just such a natural. I never wish he had somebody else singing, that's for sure.

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Reply #20 posted 03/14/18 2:50pm

djThunderfunk

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RJOrion said:

JoeyC said:

Jimi had a cool singing voice. It fit perfectly for the type of music that he played. And it was distinct.

Also, i always thought that Jimi's voice and Bootsy Collins voice sounded somewhat similar. You know, like on record, when they do that talking singing kinda thing.

most definitely Bootsy sang like, and sounded like Jimi Hendrix... at times, they were both (George Clinton, too) ancestors of the rap MC... delivering lyrics in almost spoken word/chant cadence sometimes...Jimi Hendrix may not have liked his own voice, but the man could sang...


I had the iPod on shuffle the other day, it landed on Jimi (don't remember which song), the wife thought it was Bootsy, when I corrected her she asked why Jimi was singing like Bootsy... doh!

I set her straight, but, I guess now I need a good divorce lawyer. lol JK of course. wink


Liberty > Authority
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Reply #21 posted 03/16/18 10:41am

mediumdry

djThunderfunk said:

I had the iPod on shuffle the other day, it landed on Jimi (don't remember which song), the wife thought it was Bootsy, when I corrected her she asked why Jimi was singing like Bootsy... doh!

I set her straight, but, I guess now I need a good divorce lawyer. lol JK of course. wink

.

Knows Jimi, knows Bootsy... if you let her go, I'm sure there's a line of suitors! smile

Paisley Park is in your heart - Love Is Here!
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Reply #22 posted 03/16/18 9:26pm

Goddess4Real

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I love Jim's voice because it was so poetic nod IMO this is one of his best vocal performance......the classic The Wind Cries Mary (live in Stockholm 1967)

Keep Calm & Listen To Prince
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Reply #23 posted 03/16/18 9:47pm

JoeyC

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djThunderfunk said:

RJOrion said:

JoeyC said: most definitely Bootsy sang like, and sounded like Jimi Hendrix... at times, they were both (George Clinton, too) ancestors of the rap MC... delivering lyrics in almost spoken word/chant cadence sometimes...Jimi Hendrix may not have liked his own voice, but the man could sang...


I had the iPod on shuffle the other day, it landed on Jimi (don't remember which song), the wife thought it was Bootsy, when I corrected her she asked why Jimi was singing like Bootsy... doh!

I set her straight, but, I guess now I need a good divorce lawyer. lol JK of course. wink


biggrin thumbs up!

Rest in Peace Bettie Boo. See u soon.
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Reply #24 posted 03/17/18 12:56am

novabrkr

Perfect for his music.

"When Doves Cry" hardly ever sounds good when sung by someone else than Prince. The covers of it are pretty damn bad. The same goes for a lot of Jimi's songs.

Jimi wrote good melodies. His hooks are catchy, but sophisticated. Good songwriters are seldom "belters".

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Reply #25 posted 03/17/18 10:40am

Romeoblu

Like many others have said perfect for his music.

Buddy Miles Vocals on Band of Gypsy's don't sound as fitting. I wish it were just Jimi, especially on who knows.
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Forums > Music: Non-Prince > What do you think of jimi hendrix's singing voice?