Listen to life of the party, alphabet street, 1999(the original) etc. etc..Why do ya think Prince gets these no talent tricks(Carmen E also)to sing the choruses? They seem to all have the same tonal quality as well.Discuss.

leopold said:

They are not Rosie or Chaka but it all works. All of those songs you named are hits. YOu probably dont need the biggest and best pipes to deliver some backing lines that have the kind of feel that Prince wanted.

Some music is actually helped by list than perfect vocals. Check anything from Mick Jagger, Bob Dylan, or Jimi Hendrix. Those guys could really sing and they were lead vocals of the classics that no one can touch regardless of the technical singing skills. Miles Davis showed how less then perfect terchnique could be more effective than a wide range of technical trumpet playing chops.

IN the 80s, those new wave chick voices were it so 1999 and the Vanity 6 album worked and have endured.

funkynewpower said:

Exactly. Backing vocals don't have to have strong voices. Listen to the background vocals on the song "1999." That's a good example of voices that aren't that great coming together as whole and sounding just like what Prince wants. Ditto for "Take Me With U." Apples has no talent as singer, but Prince was able to make her vocals work.

God Bless Boni and may she rest in peace, but her voice sounded like someone was skinning a cat to me.

Jill Jones and Vanity are still my faves