Quote:
I understand your point.|
Originally Posted by Bindweed
My assumption is that it's all due to Rock'n'Roll being imported from America!
 ... |
The Beatles often said some of their early influences were people like Buddy Holly, and many of the american blues people.
Keith Richards was an avid Robert Johnson fan.
But I don't think that is the thing with the accent/no accent dichotomy.
Generally the harsher corners of any speaking accent seem to have the tendency to go away when the singin' starts.
I know a lot of you are too young to really remember Jim Nabors (Gomer Pyle), or maybe to have ever heard him sing.
When he sang, there was no accent. Deep, clear, operatic.
But when he stopped, to talk to the show host, he dropped back instantly into his normal thick thick southern accent. He never lost that accent in his normal speech.
(Here's another where he sings and talks.)
But the main thing is that speech, and singing, happen in different centers of the brain.
There are people who can't string three words together without going into major stuttering, . . . but can sing all day, with no hint of a stutter.
Many people have to work hard at it to sing in their heavy accent.
.
Long live The Wurzels!
The wisdom of Shadowe: Ghostraptor: The Shadowe is wise ...; FFM: Shadowe is no longer wise.
; Techbot_Alpha: Also, what Shadowe said. It seems he is still somewhat wise 
; Bull Throttle: Shadowe was unwise in this instance...; Rock_Powerfist: in this instance Shadowe is wise.; Techbot_Alpha: Shadowe is very wise *nods*; Zortel: *Quotable line about Shadowe being wise goes here.*
Most of the UK stuff that reached the US is of the pop verity, and sounding American / mid Atlantic sells.
A awful lot of the UK indie stuff tends to be with sung with British accents (some the Yanks may know are The Smiths, Oasis, Blur and Arctic Monkeys), but it may be it's easier to sing with that kind of mid Atlantic twang which is why so many continental groups sing with that accent, whether in English or their own language.
You see, its 'cause here in Murka, everythings bigger and louder. So naturally, when anybody sings loud, they lose the inflection of their accent, sounding naturally Murkan. Also, because we're #1, USA, etc.
Quote:
Ah, but what about when they were the lesser know, german-lyriced techno band, 'Die Vurzels' ?|
Originally Posted by Shadowe
Long live The Wurzels!
|
Quote:
|
Originally Posted by Zwillinger
GG, I would tell you that "I am killing you with my mind", but I couldn't find an emoticon to properly express my sentiment.
|
Quote:
|
Originally Posted by Captain_Photon
NOTE: The Incarnate System is basically farming for IOs on a larger scale, and with more obtrusive lore.
 |
Quote:
*switches on minimalist drum track*|
Originally Posted by Techbot Alpha
Ah, but what about when they were the lesser know, german-lyriced techno band, 'Die Vurzels' ?
|
Ich habe einen nagelneuen Mähdrescher!
Ja ja ja!
(with thanks to Bablefish and Bill Baileys Kraftwerk "Das Hokey Kokey" sketch)
Quote:
If people need Simon Cowell to tell them what music to buy and thus what gets into the charts things are much worse then I thought.
|
Originally Posted by Techbot Alpha
It will also allow more evil into the charts than an Al Kieda suggestion box.
Have you *heard* some of the people singing who get all offended when he says 'You suck'? And then their pushy mothers come on, insulting him and saying he's wrong... Some people who think they are Gods gift to music need a good slapping. Honestly. /Opinion |
Quote:
Things are, indeed, much worse than you thought, though maybe not for that reason. It's a kind of Zen thing.|
Originally Posted by Roomy
If people need Simon Cowell to tell them what music to buy and thus what gets into the charts things are much worse then I thought.
|
However, Simon Cowell is to blame... for everything...
PS
Quote:
| and Bill Baileys Kraftwerk "Das Hokey Kokey" sketch |
Disclaimer: The above may be humerous, or at least may be an attempt at humour. Try reading it that way.
Posts are OOC unless noted to be IC, or in an IC thread.
Quote:
Pants-wettingly hilarious.|
Quote:
|
His re-write of The Killers' "All these things that I've done" is quite chuckleworthy, too.
Hell, Bill Bailey, full-stop!
The wisdom of Shadowe: Ghostraptor: The Shadowe is wise ...; FFM: Shadowe is no longer wise.
; Techbot_Alpha: Also, what Shadowe said. It seems he is still somewhat wise ; Bull Throttle: Shadowe was unwise in this instance...; Rock_Powerfist: in this instance Shadowe is wise.; Techbot_Alpha: Shadowe is very wise *nods*; Zortel: *Quotable line about Shadowe being wise goes here.*
Quote:
|
Originally Posted by Westley
Some examples:
|
None of them sound american to me.
He will honor his words; he will definitely carry out his actions. What he promises he will fulfill. He does not care about his bodily self, putting his life and death aside to come forward for another's troubled besiegement. He does not boast about his ability, or shamelessly extol his own virtues. - Sima Qian.
Many New Zealand artists used to go to Australia after 'making it big' in NZ, then they'd try to break into the US or Europe after that. Now I've noticed that more rising NZ artists just head straight to the States. I'm firmly of the belief that it's all about the dollar. People buy stuff, it sounds like this, so if we wanna sell stuff we have to sound like that as well.
Anyone who met me at HeroCon 08 can tell you that the New Zealand accent is noticable, there's no way it would just 'disappear' when singing, it's deliberate.
K5K - The Killbot 5000
A Spanner In The Works Part One, ArcID: 336662, A Spanner In The Works Part Two, ArcID: 336665, Enter Japes, ArcID: 96001
In The Darkness Creeping, ArcID: 347709, When Dimensions Collide, ArcID: 412416.
Quote:
Awesome, when the failed experiment is nothing but a footnote in history, our sole contribution will be an accent influence... its something I guess????
|
Originally Posted by Alasdair
Though they are undoubtedly much less popular, things opera, traditional folk songs and choral elements of classical pieces (all of which I love) are examples to the contrary.
Since a lot of contemporary musical styles can trace their origins to the United States the accent has carried over when those styles are embraced by other cultures. I think, ultimately, the accent suits the music. |
------->"Sic Semper Tyrannis"<-------
Quote:
Just watched the Killers routine over the weekend, thanks to Channel 4 showing Tinselworm.|
Originally Posted by Shadowe
Pants-wettingly hilarious.
His re-write of The Killers' "All these things that I've done" is quite chuckleworthy, too. Hell, Bill Bailey, full-stop! |
"I've got Ham but I'm not a Hamster"
I hope the Killers play one of the BBC broadcast festivals next year, just so I can see if the crowd do as Bill bids them. His Deliverence jam with a full Indian band was brilliant too.
I saw Part Troll over here in Dublin a few years back. His "Powercut during a U2 Concert" routine went down well
BTW, has anyone seen the Cheryl Cole Laurial adverts? I mean, here is an example of why singing in your native accent would be a bad thing. Hell's Teeth! I'm actually a Geordie and I can't understand what she's saying half the time! I'm guessing that our American cousins will either never see this advert, or she'll be dubbed into something comprehensible.
At least she doesn't sound that bad when singing. 
Disclaimer: The above may be humerous, or at least may be an attempt at humour. Try reading it that way.
Posts are OOC unless noted to be IC, or in an IC thread.
Quote:
|
Originally Posted by Bindweed
My assumption is that it's all due to Rock'n'Roll being imported from America!
|
I now have an answer that I'm satisfied with. The more I think about it, the more it makes sense that people would in "in the style" of the music that they are listening to.
Thank you everyone.
Quote:
|
Originally Posted by Westley
....when you sing? This is something that I've always noticed for years, but just thought to actually ask some foreigners.... when Brits, Aussies, and even some from a non-English speaking background sing, they often times "lose" their accent and "sound American".
Why is this? Do any of you know? Is it by accident, or is it planned? Do they "sound American" on purpose to sell more records in America, or is it just the way the voice changes when the sounds are elongated? Some examples: Brits Irish Aussies Heck even the RUSSIANS sound American when singing English: Tatu And most of these people have pretty THICK accents when speaking... So, can ANYONE answer to me why this happens? |
Dont know if it was said or not but, people that studder dont studder when they sing either. Jerry Reed for instance. Cool huh.
The points raised about Rock and Roll, Soul, Jazz and Blues are pretty good ones.
Also the exposure to American music/films in other countries is generally quite a lot. I used to live with a Swedish woman who had a very American accent when she spoke because she got acclimatised to speaking English watching a lot of American films.
I had a friend at school who had a nice voice but insisted on singing in a nasal American accent. His reason being that a lot of bands he liked sang like that. So imitation is another factor.
I think musicals and, more specifically, musical singing has a lot to do with it too - a music teacher friend told me that American English vowels are generally more open than British English vowels which helps with voice production. Also, a lot of musicals are American! (Oklahoma! Carousel, Annie, Wicked - to name but four).
And finally, have you ever tried singing a Country & Western song with a British English accent? I have a couple of Shawn Colvin CDs (okay, not technically C&W but she is from the South!) and she did a fantastic cover of You're Gonna Make Me Lonesome When You Go - it sounds a lot better with an American (Country) accent than a British one.
Oh and Kate Bush - very British accent. And occasionally Australian, Irish and I may be mistaken but I'm sure she did a song with a Jamaican accent once...
Quote:
|
Originally Posted by Bindweed
My assumption is that it's all due to Rock'n'Roll being imported from America!
Deep in the mists of time, Johnny Kidd and Roger Daltrey are the first names who spring to mind when I try and think of English rock singers who have an "English Rock Voice" - punk/new wave re-established English accents as rock vocals later, but I think it's probably a style/trend thing. The English pop and rock industry aped the likes of Elvis, Pat Boone et al in the early sixties (Cliff Richard started as one of the many "British Elvis" types, and Adam Faith's early career was based on impersonating Buddy Holly's vocal style, for example). People like Jagger and Lennon are kind of mid-Atlantic, I guess, which is only to be expected, given their influences, which also explains why Ray Davies and Steve Marriot could sing like Americans on bluesy/rock songs, but slip into very English on non-traditional numbers. From your examples, Westley, I'd probably go with the Corrs and ONJ drawing their style from Country, and the Bee Gees started out in the tradition of US vocal harmony groups. U2 have always aspired to be stadium rockers, but Bono and Elton John have both become much more "TransAtlantic" in their phrasing and accent as they've become older and settled more snugly into the American genre. It's all a part of the homogenization of mainstream rock and pop. The "MOR"ing of international pop has an American accent, I'm afraid - it's what the Spice Girls were told to do when they were created, and it's just gone on and on from there. English used to be a common accent for rock and pop (Noddy Holder! Suggs! Ian Dury!) but is much less so in the mainstream now, not least because these days Simon Cowell has everyone singing power ballads, which means likes of Leona Lewis and Alexandra Burke all have to sound like Mariah Carey  |
Bit selective old son. Tommy Steele sounded terribly English when he was copying Bill Haley's style and went even more cockney after he drew a line under the rock 'n' roll stuff.
The OP forgets to mention one thing: Much of the American accent is heavily influenced by the influx of other accents - and Irish is one of the biggest influences on that (as it is in the UK) so therefore there's a kind of double edged force for change there.
Accents also change over time - listen to old newsreels and you'll notice a much stronger divide between English and American accents - although regional accents can still be very strong - there's definitely a convergence brought on largely by American TV and film culture.
Thelonious Monk
Why Do You Guys Sound... 11-04-2009 05:29 AM Singing sounds the same, not American. Answer this why do Americans think everything is about them???
lolAntiAmericanism!
I made the post because people sound like ME and my friends when they are singing. If they SOUNDED British or Australian, there would be no reason for the thread. If they didn't sound like those around me, then I would not have MADE the thread. It's not all about "Americans".
Quote:
To be fair, if you think that (for example) the Spice Girls (which were listed as examples) sound like you and your friends, then you and your friends do not have particularly strong accents and you're singing in a 'generic English language speaker' manner. The fact that you state they sound American, does indicate an insular attitude, perhaps with little experience of the rest of the world. i.e. It was asking for that comment, really. |
Originally Posted by Westley
I made the post because people sound like ME and my friends when they are singing. If they SOUNDED British or Australian, there would be no reason for the thread. If they didn't sound like those around me, then I would not have MADE the thread. It's not all about "Americans".
|
Now, you don't get so many English (nation, not language) singers who actually do sound like American singers these days. I'm talking about American singers where you can really hear American intonation and some accent. In practice, everyone just sounds like they were manufactured in a small factory, probably somewhere in India, where the labour is cheap.
Disclaimer: The above may be humerous, or at least may be an attempt at humour. Try reading it that way.
Posts are OOC unless noted to be IC, or in an IC thread.
Quote:
That's exactly how we sing AND speak. With "no accent". Not everyone in America sounds like a New Yorker, a Minnesotan (yah dontcha know) or a Texan (Ah tell yu wut!).| then you and your friends do not have particularly strong accents and you're singing in a 'generic English language speaker' manner |
Some of us speak "plainly" with a boring non-accent that can't really be parodied. And THAT is what I'm talking about.
Um....
Probably best to drop this now. Ta ta.
Disclaimer: The above may be humerous, or at least may be an attempt at humour. Try reading it that way.
Posts are OOC unless noted to be IC, or in an IC thread.
Quote:
I have NEVER (yes, never, ever, EVER) heard an American that I couldn't identify as an American from their native accent. (I do not claim to actually be able to differentiate between an American accent and a Canadian accent. Sorry. But I can spot a Geordie, Scouser or Yorkshire accent from a mile off!)|
Originally Posted by Westley
That's exactly how we sing AND speak. With "no accent". Not everyone in America sounds like a New Yorker, a Minnesotan (yah dontcha know) or a Texan (Ah tell yu wut!).
Some of us speak "plainly" with a boring non-accent that can't really be parodied. And THAT is what I'm talking about. |
The only (widely known) American that I consider to have ever come close to pulling off an English accent is James Marsters - and even that's not perfect. On the other hand, Hugh Laurie as House apparently does an amazing American accent.
Now, I consider a bland South-of-England accent to be "normal", so every American I've ever heard has an accent. Hell, everyone has an accent of some sort or another, compared to other English-speaking countries/regions. It just happens that to clearly enunciate when singing, tone becomes more important than accent, so the accent gets reduced.
To each person, the only way someone else can be considered to "not have an accent" is if you can imitate that person in your natural speaking voice. I can sing like The Wurzels, if I want to. And talk like them, too, but it's not obvious that it's me talking. They have a strong accent, and part of their singing style was to emphasise it. Modern "pop" artists destroy their personal variety in an attempt towards mass appeal, so they all sound the same. But I wouldn't say they sound "American" any more than I would say that they sound "British" - they're just singing.
The wisdom of Shadowe: Ghostraptor: The Shadowe is wise ...; FFM: Shadowe is no longer wise.
; Techbot_Alpha: Also, what Shadowe said. It seems he is still somewhat wise ; Bull Throttle: Shadowe was unwise in this instance...; Rock_Powerfist: in this instance Shadowe is wise.; Techbot_Alpha: Shadowe is very wise *nods*; Zortel: *Quotable line about Shadowe being wise goes here.*
HA! I just took an online quiz which is pretty fun. Here are my results:
""You have a Midland accent" is just another way of saying "you don't have an accent." You probably are from the Midland (Pennsylvania, southern Ohio, southern Indiana, southern Illinois, and Missouri) but then for all we know you could be from Florida or Charleston or one of those big southern cities like Atlanta or Dallas. You have a good voice for TV and radio."
Heeeeeeeeee! ^______^;