Backing vocalist

Last updated
One of the Wives, the backing vocalists for English singer Ebony Bones Ebony Bones backup performer.jpg
One of the Wives, the backing vocalists for English singer Ebony Bones

A backing vocalist is a singer who provides vocal harmony with the lead vocalist or other backing vocalists. A backing vocalist may also sing alone as a lead-in to the main vocalist's entry or to sing a counter-melody. Backing vocalists are used in a broad range of popular music, traditional music, and world music styles.

Contents

Solo artists may employ professional backing vocalists in studio recording sessions as well as during concerts. In many rock and metal bands (e.g., the power trio), the musicians doing backing vocals also play instruments, such as guitar, electric bass or keyboards. In Latin or Afro-Cuban groups, backing singers may play percussion instruments or shakers while singing. In some pop and hip-hop groups and in musical theater, they may be required to perform dance routines while singing through headset microphones.

Styles of background vocals vary according to the type of song and genre of music. In pop and country songs, backing vocalists may sing harmony to support the lead vocalist. In hardcore punk or rockabilly, other band members who play instruments may sing or shout backing vocals during the chorus (refrain) section of the songs.

Terminology

Alternative terms for backing vocalists include backing singer, backing vocals, additional vocals or, particularly in the United States and Canada, backup singer,background singer, or harmony. In a capella performances a backing vocalist can be said to be singing 'backapella'. [1]

Examples

While some bands use performers whose sole on-stage role is backing vocals, backing singers commonly have other roles. Two notable examples of band members who sang back-up are The Beach Boys and The Beatles. The Beach Boys were well known for their close vocal harmonies, occasionally with all five members singing at once such as "In My Room" and "Surfer Girl".

The Beatles were also known for their close style of vocal harmonies[ opinion ] – all of them sang both lead and backing vocals at some point, especially John Lennon and Paul McCartney, who frequently supported each other with harmonies, often with fellow Beatle George Harrison joining in. Ringo Starr, while not as prominent as a singer due to his distinctive voice, sings backing vocals in such tracks as "The Continuing Story of Bungalow Bill" and "Carry That Weight". Examples of three-part harmonies by Lennon, McCartney and Harrison include "Nowhere Man", "Because", "Day Tripper", and "This Boy". The members of Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young and Bee Gees each wrote songs, sang backup or lead vocals, and played various instruments in their performances and recordings.

Lead singers who record backing vocals

In the recording studio, some lead singers record their own backing vocals by overdubbing with a multitrack recording system, record their own backing vocals, then recording the lead part over them. Some lead vocalists prefer this approach because multiple parts recorded by the same singer blend well.

A famous example overdubbing is Freddie Mercury's multipart intro to Queen's "Bohemian Rhapsody". [2] Other artists who have recorded multitrack lead and backing vocals include Patrick Stump of Fall Out Boy, Tom DeLonge of Blink-182 and Angels and Airwaves, Wednesday 13 in his own band and Murderdolls, Ian Gillan of Deep Purple, Brendon Urie of Panic! at the Disco, Simon Le Bon of Duran Duran, and Brad Delp of Boston.

With the exception of a few songs on each album, Michael Jackson, Janet Jackson, Prince, Dan Fogelberg, Eddie Rabbitt, David Bowie, Harry Nilsson, and Richard Marx sing all of the background vocals for their songs. Robert Smith of the Cure sings his own backing vocals in the studio, and doesn't use backing vocalists when performing live.

Uncredited backing vocals

Prominent vocalists who provide backing vocals in other artists' recordings are often uncredited to avoid conflicts with their own recording agreements, and for other reasons. Examples include:

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">And Your Bird Can Sing</span> 1966 Beatles song

"And Your Bird Can Sing" is a song by the English rock band the Beatles. It was released on their 1966 album Revolver, apart from in the United States and Canada, where it instead appeared on Yesterday and Today. The song was written mainly by John Lennon and credited to Lennon–McCartney. The recording features an extended dual-guitar melody, played by George Harrison and Paul McCartney, which anticipated the harmonised guitar arrangements commonly used by Southern rock, hard rock and heavy metal bands.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">I Want You (She's So Heavy)</span> 1969 song by the Beatles

"I Want You (She's So Heavy)" is a song by the English rock band the Beatles, written by John Lennon and credited to Lennon–McCartney. The song closes side one of their 1969 album Abbey Road and features Billy Preston playing the organ. It was the first song recorded for the Abbey Road album but one of the last songs to be finished; the band gathered in the studio to mix the song on 20 August 1969, marking the final time that all four Beatles were together in the studio.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Oh! Darling</span> 1969 song by The Beatles

"Oh! Darling" is a song by the English rock band the Beatles, appearing as the fourth song on the 1969 album Abbey Road. It was composed by Paul McCartney. Its working title was "Oh! Darling ". Although not issued as a single in either the United Kingdom or the United States, a regional subsidiary of Capitol successfully edited it as a single in Central America, having "Maxwell's Silver Hammer" as its B-side. It was also issued as a single in Portugal. Apple Records released "Oh! Darling" in Japan with "Here Comes the Sun" in June 1970.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Carry That Weight</span> 1969 song by the Beatles

"Carry That Weight" is a song by the English rock band the Beatles from their 1969 album Abbey Road. Written by Paul McCartney and credited to Lennon–McCartney, it is the seventh and penultimate song in the album's climactic side-two medley. It features unison vocals in the chorus from all four Beatles, a rarity in their songs. It is preceded by "Golden Slumbers" and segues into "The End".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dear Prudence</span> 1968 song by the Beatles

"Dear Prudence" is a song by the English rock band the Beatles from their 1968 double album The Beatles. The song was written by John Lennon and credited to the Lennon–McCartney partnership. Written in Rishikesh during the group's trip to India in early 1968, it was inspired by actress Mia Farrow's sister, Prudence Farrow, who became obsessive about meditating while practising with Maharishi Mahesh Yogi. Her designated partners on the meditation course, Lennon and George Harrison, attempted to coax Farrow out of her seclusion, which led to Lennon writing the song.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">I'm So Tired</span> 1968 song by the Beatles

"I'm So Tired" is a song by the English rock band the Beatles from their 1968 double album The Beatles. It was written and sung by John Lennon, though credited to Lennon–McCartney. Lennon wrote the song during the Beatles' stay in India about insomnia he was having due to constant meditation and because he missed Yoko Ono. The song was recorded in the same session as another White Album song, "The Continuing Story of Bungalow Bill".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">I Will</span> 1968 song by the Beatles

"I Will" is a song by the English rock band the Beatles, from their 1968 double album The Beatles. It was written by Paul McCartney and features him on lead vocal, guitar, and "vocal bass".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cry Baby Cry</span> 1968 song by the Beatles

"Cry Baby Cry" is a song by the English rock band the Beatles from their 1968 double album The Beatles. It was written by John Lennon and credited to the Lennon–McCartney partnership. The coda of the song is a short segment referred to as "Can You Take Me Back", written by Paul McCartney, which was actually an outtake from the "I Will" session.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Another Girl</span> Song by The Beatles

"Another Girl" is a song by the English rock band the Beatles from their 1965 album Help! and included in the film of the same title. The song was written by Paul McCartney and credited to the Lennon–McCartney partnership. The song is addressed to the singer's girlfriend, who is informed that the singer has found "another girl."

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Words of Love</span> 1957 single by Buddy Holly

"Words of Love" is a song written by Buddy Holly and released as a single in 1957.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">I Don't Want to Spoil the Party</span> 1964 single by the Beatles

"I Don't Want to Spoil the Party" is a song by the English rock band the Beatles, written by John Lennon and credited to Lennon–McCartney. It was released on the album Beatles for Sale in the United Kingdom in December 1964. "I Don't Want to Spoil the Party" was also released on the Beatles for Sale EP.

"Chains" is a rhythm and blues song written by husband-and-wife songwriting team Gerry Goffin and Carole King. It was a hit for the American girl group the Cookies in 1962 and for the English rock band the Beatles, who recorded the song for their debut album in 1963. King recorded a solo version of "Chains" for her 1980 album Pearls: Songs of Goffin and King.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Do You Want to Know a Secret</span> 1963 single by the Beatles

"Do You Want to Know a Secret" is a song by English rock band the Beatles from their 1963 album Please Please Me, sung by George Harrison. In the United States, it was the first top ten song to feature Harrison as a lead singer, reaching No. 2 on the Billboard chart in 1964 as a single released by Vee-Jay, VJ 587. In the UK, Billy J. Kramer released a cover of the song as his debut single, reaching No. 1 on the NME singles chart and No. 2 on the Record Retailer chart.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">There's a Place</span> 1963 song by the Beatles

"There's a Place" is a song by the English rock band the Beatles from their debut album, Please Please Me, released in March 1963. It was written primarily by John Lennon and credited to McCartney–Lennon. In the United States, the song was released in July 1963 on the group's first US LP, Introducing... The Beatles, later reissued in January 1964 as Beatlemania surged there. It was also issued as a non-album single in the US, in March 1964, as the B-side to "Twist and Shout", reaching number 74 in the Billboard Hot 100.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">I'll Get You</span> 1963 single by the Beatles

"I'll Get You" is a song by the English rock band the Beatles, written by John Lennon and Paul McCartney, and released by the Beatles as the B-side of their 1963 single "She Loves You". The song was initially titled "Get You in the End".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Good Night (Beatles song)</span> 1968 song by the Beatles

"Good Night" is a song by the English rock band the Beatles from their 1968 double album The Beatles. It was written by John Lennon and credited to Lennon–McCartney. The lead vocalist on the recording is Ringo Starr, who was the only Beatle to appear on the track. The music was provided by an orchestra arranged and conducted by George Martin. Written for Lennon's five-year-old son Julian, "Good Night" is the final song on the White Album.

"Come Go With Me" is a song written by C. E. Quick, an original member of the American doo-wop vocal group the Del-Vikings. The song was originally recorded by The Del-Vikings in 1956 but not released until July 1957 on the Luniverse LP "Come Go With The Del Vikings". The final version was released in the second week of January 1957 and was led by Gus Backus. When Joe Averbach, the owner of Fee Bee Records couldn't handle the demand, he signed with Dot Records in late January 1957; the song became a hit, peaking at No. 5 on the US Billboard Top 100 Pop Charts. It also reached No. 2 on the R&B chart.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Golden Slumbers</span> 1969 song by the Beatles

"Golden Slumbers" is a song by the English rock band the Beatles from their 1969 album Abbey Road. Written by Paul McCartney and credited to Lennon–McCartney, it is the sixth song of the album's climactic B-side medley. The song is followed by "Carry That Weight" and begins the progression that leads to the end of the album. The two songs were recorded together as a single piece, and both contain strings and brass arranged and scored by producer George Martin.

"Must Do Something About It" is a song credited to Paul and Linda McCartney that first appeared on the Wings 1976 album Wings at the Speed of Sound.

References

  1. ↑ Back Pocket.
  2. ↑ McAlpine, Fraser (10 October 2015). "10 Things You May Not Know About Queen's 'Bohemian Rhapsody'". BBC America . Retrieved 16 May 2017.
  3. ↑ Talevski, Nick (7 April 2010). Rock Obituaries: Knocking On Heaven's Door. Omnibus Press. p. 31. ISBN   9780857121172 . Retrieved 28 August 2018– via Google Books.
  4. ↑ Talevski, p.535
  5. ↑ Everett, Walter (31 March 1999). The Beatles As Musicians: Revolver through the Anthology. Oxford University Press. p. 129. ISBN   9780199880935 . Retrieved 28 August 2018– via Google Books.
  6. ↑ "Mellow Yellow". Donovan Unofficial. Archived from the original on 5 March 2016. Retrieved 26 July 2014.
  7. ↑ "Top 500". Smooth Radio. Archived from the original on 10 April 2015. Retrieved 2 September 2016.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  8. ↑ Sweeting, Adam. Andrew Gold obituary. The Guardian . June 6, 2011. Retrieved September 15, 2011.
  9. ↑ "Never Let Her Slip Away". Johnnie Walker's Sounds of the 70s . BBC Radio 2. 5 Feb 2012.
  10. ↑ O'Neal, Sean. R.I.P. Andrew Gold, songwriter of "Lonely Boy" and The Golden Girls theme. The A.V. Club . June 6, 2011. Retrieved August 14, 2013.
  11. ↑ Singer/Songwriter Andrew Gold Dies. Contactmusic. June 6, 2011. Retrieved September 15, 2011.
  12. ↑ Drive with Russell Woolf; Andrew Gold – Lonely Boy Archived 2013-03-10 at the Wayback Machine . Australian Broadcasting Corporation. June 16, 2011. Retrieved August 14, 2013.
  13. ↑ "Jonathan Richman and the Modern Lovers". Warr.org. Retrieved 27 July 2017.
  14. ↑ Halstead, Craig; Cadman, Chris (28 August 2018). Michael Jackson the Solo Years. Authors On Line Ltd. p. 58. ISBN   9780755200917 . Retrieved 28 August 2018– via Google Books.
  15. ↑ "Bad Blood Music Video". OVGuide. Archived from the original on 23 August 2017. Retrieved 27 July 2017.
  16. ↑ Frampton, Scott. "What's Playing in Patti LaBelle's Ear?". Oprah.com. Harpo Productions, Inc. Retrieved 2017-12-30.
  17. ↑ Ramirez, Erika. "Usher's 'Confessions' at 10: An Oral History with Lil Jon, Jermaine Dupri & More". Billboard.com. Retrieved March 22, 2014.
  18. ↑ "Revisiting the Overlooked Debut Album from Tamar Braxton, "Tamar" from 2000". Youknowigotsoul.com. You Know I Got Soul. Retrieved 2015-12-13.
  19. ↑ "Class Of '88: GUY". Allhiphop.com. 21 July 2008. Retrieved 2015-04-15.
  20. ↑ Phillips, Noel (16 July 2013). "EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW: STOKLEY WILLIAMS SPEAKS ON PRODUCING WALE'S "THE GIFTED" LP". Respect-mag.com. Retrieved 2015-05-06.
  21. ↑ Whitener, Connie. "5 things you did not know about Eric Roberson". Axs.com. AXS. Retrieved 2016-02-18.
  22. ↑ "ВИЖ "Най-добрата" на Андреа - Попфолк - Signal.bg". Signal.bg. Archived from the original on 1 July 2015. Retrieved 27 July 2017.
  23. ↑ Goodman, Jessica. "Ariana Grande reveals Jamie Foxx's vocals are featured on 'Focus'". Ew.com. Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved 2015-12-08.
  24. ↑ Daw, Robbie (15 July 2015). "Calvin Harris & Disciples' "How Deep Is Your Love": Listen To The Full Song". Idolator . Retrieved 17 July 2015.
  25. ↑ "Best Songs We Heard This Week: Jeremih, The 1975, Alan Walker + More". Popcrush.com.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.