Lately i have seen different musiccritics mention that George Michael is the best white 'soul' singer ever. They are wrong, in my opinion.

This 'award' should go to Van Morrison. Alltough he has covered a broad scope of musical styles: traditional R&B, Jazz, soul, funk, folk and country, its his VOICE that is always his most powerfull feature. It just says SOUL.

I mean, anyone who doesnt get moved by his singing on tracks like Steppin'out Queen, Listen to the lion or Raglan Road has a heart of stone.

Well err, I was just about to say George Michael. Listening to 'My Mother Had A Brother' the other day on random on my iPod on the way home from work actually stopped me in my tracks. I love his voice so much.

didn't we already have one or two of these threads last week?

Of the past:
Michael McDonald
Lisa Stansfield
Teena Marie
Taylor Dayne
Boy George (he really does have a soulful voice, if he will just stay off that crack)

Now:
Robin Thicke

I see.. lol

Tastes differ, i guess, George Michael sure isnt a bad singer, but he is on the 'smooth' side, trying to sound fluent in his singing, while someone like Van Morrison is on the 'rough' side, belting out his feelings, and not necessarily busy with trying to sound 'smooth'. Personally i prefer the last.

I think you can compare those two with Marvin Gaye and Ray Charles. The first going for a kind of smooth, fluent 'beauty', the latter going for a more pure, raw expression.

Nonetheless, Marvin Gaye is still a better singer then George Michael. My main problem with George is that he sounds to 'clean', to eager to satisfy himselve and the listener.

Hall from Hall and Oates

missfee said:

Here we go again.

Sorry, misfee

But i am not following this forum constantly, so i didnt noticed that.

IMO, the names you bring up, are trying very hard to sound 'soulfull', but they are not really expressing their soul in the end. I mean, Taylor Dayne? Lisa Stansfield? Boy george? common, thats nonsense.

Give me a David Hidalgo (Los lobos, not white, but mexican-american) or Lyle Lovett (white, Texan) anytime, but not those kind of phonies youre listing.

Janis Joplin<---now that was a white soul sista without a doubt who left us too soon;her sound was bluesy, gritty,sang deep within her soul. Just take a look at these videos.

http://vids.myspace.com/i...1521676271

http://vids.myspace.com/i...1861494708

Then you have....

Tina Marie
Johnny Lang
Amy Winehouse
John Mayer
Michael McDonald (someone already mentioned him above though)
[Edited 3/2/07 14:16pm]
[Edited 3/2/07 14:19pm]

Riverpoet31 said:

well you are posting on a public site which is a forum..right? well you are asking the opinions of others. if you think the artists i named are trash, then hey that's your opinion. more power to you, but if you were a real adult, you wouldn't "belittle" other's choices or opinions. Also, i wasn't trying to be smart when I stated that there other threads like your's on here last week, but since you took it that way, then i feel the sorriest for you. Thank god i don't give a damn what other people think, or I would be so lost...

you have a great day

doegx said:

yup him too, i forgot all about Hall and Oates...

I'd say George Michael, Annie Lenox and Elvis Presley are some of my favorites. I'd really love to say Bowie as well, and though I love most of his songs in that style, I rarely get the impression that he's infusing them with actual soul, rather than just playing vocal dress-up with them.

Riverpoet31 said:

he's a perfectionist who rerecords everything until there isn't a mistake.

missfee, i dont 'belittle' other ones opinions, i just express myselve, like you do.

And in my opinion the names you are listing arent really singing from the soul.

Tastes differ, it seems some 'adults' here have to deal with that.

well, ehuff, that doesnt sound very 'soulfull' to me: an perfectionist rerecording that much to take out 'the mistakes'.

I mean, understanding of 'soul' also has a lot to do with understanding that life is never perfect, always in motion, flaws and mistakes are part of life, and to be honest, people who don't deny that show 'character'.

As i said, George is someone on the 'smooth' side, you can hear it in his music, you can also see it in his tightly shaved and coffuired face, he might have the ability to be soulfull, but he spoils that by trying to come over very 'smooth'.

missfee said:

Daryl Hall is AWESOME! I love his voice!

Rick Astley.

Mariah Carey

Does Freddie Mercury count? His voice was dripping with soul and emotion. He's one of the best singers, period.
[Edited 3/2/07 14:45pm]

Bob Dylan's the greatest soul singer. Listen to Blood On The Tracks and tell me I'm wrong. He has more soul in his little toe than George Michael or Darryl Hall can dream of.

beret1022 said:

She's half white, I think.

Tessa said:

YES!!!! I saw her in concert, and that woman has got SO much soul. She's absolutely incredible.
[Edited 3/2/07 14:43pm]

Riverpoet31 said:

that's a problem you find with almost all music in the last 20-30 years though. everything is a bit too slick for its own good.

No such thing.

i'd say annie lennox or janis joplin.

if it were 1975 i'd say david bowie.

i think darryl hall is a really underrated "blue eyed soul" singer, even though he's kinda famous for it...he gets lumped in as 80s pop cheese, but the early stuff is really soulful. i've always liked his voice.

Anx said:

I think the covers album Hall and Oates did a few years ago show that he still has the soul, you are right he is lumped in as 80s cheese

Riverpoet31 said:

he's a gay man. he's always going to look good when he knows he's going to be seen. now his candid tabloid shots are another story.

beret1022 said:

She's not white...her father was a Dark-skinned Black Venezuelan and mother white.

This is easy: Teena Marie. The best white soul sista ever.

As far as men. It would have to be either Boz Scaggs or Bobby Caldwell.

2elijah said:[quote]

beret1022 said:

no you didn't! She has as black as Halle or Tiger woods, she's just light skinned.

Riverpoet31 said:

Sounds like you need to listen to more Marvin Gaye. That man could do pure and raw just as easily as smooth and beautiful... sometimes even in the same song!