You know, like the guitar is tuned a bit out, or the piano is off compared to the rest of the instruments? Could you list any hit rock songs that are out of tune?

I don't mean singers singin out of key, cuz we'd be here all day listing that shit.

I'll have to start listening for it.

Aretha Franklin's "Live in Paris" album.
The bass is out of tune the whole concert.
/peace Manki

^^ that's what I'm talkin' bout

Manki rules!!!

lenny kravitz are you gonna go my way have a part that is out of tune

sonic youth

Aw man! Honestly, I've heard a few songs where there's something noticeably out of tune! I'll have to see if I can remember, but there are some good ones, this is a great thread idea! But I think usually it's older stuff that that happens with, because they don't let an album out there these days without it being practically perfect. It's kind of annoying.
[Edited 11/7/06 11:31am]

half the songs from Lewis Taylor.
Mary J blige

The bass line (played by Lennon) on the Beatles' The Long And Winding Road is out of tune.

Graycap23 said:

you really can't stand her, can you

Correct me if i'm wrong, I do remember reading a version of Jimi's "Little Wing" being out of tune..... .....WHEW!! .... "ouchie"

PricelessHo said:

When she is in tune she is cool.....otherwise it's NOISE.

Definitely the guitar solo in 'Yellow Ledbetter' by Pearl Jam (as well as 80% of Eddie Vedder's warbling). PJ fans I know think this is such a deep, meaningful song and I'm like, what lazy stoner crap

Rudy said:

Stax said:

A lot of Beatles' songs, especially their early stuff, sound out of tune to me. I don't mind though. It adds to their charm IMO.

The White Stripes--Apple Blossom, when the piano comes in it's way out of tune

Jimi Hendrix--Band of Gypsys, at about 3:20 on Who Knows, it sounds like Jimi Breaks a string and goes way out of tune

Prince--Hot Thing, the bass is part of the opening beat is in a lower key than the rest of the music

Cher's vocals on Half Breed are begging for a cough drop, but I think the scratchiness is half of the charm of the song

thekidsgirl said:

Half Breed is bangin'!

The best example of this, to me, is the guitar intro to the song "Ziggy Stardust". It's definately one of my favorite intro's EVER. But, Ronson's guitar is way out of tune.

minneapolisgenius said:

I love the Hofner bass but I always got the impression that intonation on the thing was more "implied" than actual

Rudy said:

yeah, a lot of beatle bass sounds not quite on pitch, especially the higher notes (Polythene Pam, perhaps) that would be affected by intonation problems the most

I read an article recently about how McCartney's guitars had never been touched by techs, and they were in horrible condition, some of them even unplayable

blackguitaristz said:

Oh yeah, I know!
I just listened to it about 6 times

I love that song

NDRU said:

Yeah, add She Came In Through the Bathroom Window and Sexy Sadie to the list then. I love the out of tune piano on the latter.

For some reason, I really like out of tune pianos in rock/pop songs of long ago. Now out of tune singing? That's not as easy on my ears. Except for Morrissey.
[Edited 11/7/06 13:37pm]

minneapolisgenius said:

Apple Blossom has that Beatles sound, maybe the out of tune piano was on purpose

definitely much easier to forgive an out of tune instrument than the vocals

I think there's other bass examples, like She's So Heavy, if I remember right...damn the whole of Abbey Road it's looking like!
[Edited 11/7/06 14:00pm]

NDRU said:

I keep thinking of more as well.

I'll always remember my mom, from way back when I was little, saying she couldn't stand the Beatles because they alwways played and sang out of tune. I've recently been getting her to warm up to them though.

double consonants edits?
[Edited 11/8/06 5:33am]

Intro to Roxanne by the Police starts out flat then slides into tune a few seconds in. Trippy and cool...

The bassline to The Boss by James Brown is a bit off but doesn't prevent the tune being an absolute banger though!


_

Shakira. Her voice is always out of tune.

Dolores O´riordan, the same.

The solo on led zeppelin's 'HEARTBREAKER'.

jimmy listened to the tape back and knew the guitar wasn't tuned right. He planned on doing ot over with a composed guitar piece but never got round to it due to hectic schedules.

Graycap23 said:

Yeah, I've heard her go way off before... Also, when Erika Badu (Erica Wright) came out, I talked 2 an engineer who told me they used 2 call her "Erika Badnote".

as good as I think my ear is, I don't think I would notice if I was listening to something out of tune. I did notice on some of the smashing pumpkins live stuff, the guitars slip out of tune, even through the distortion you can tell, but that happens live you know. I think jimi would even go out of tune, but the way he played he could tune back and bend the notes so you don't notice.