Jump to content


Please note: You can easily log in to MPN using your Facebook account!

Worst background parts of all time...


Recommended Posts

...on an otherwise good song. I have to admit to not knowing the name of this song, but I'm sure someone can help me out. It says "Baby, I'll be there to shake (take?) your hand, baby, I'll be there to share the land..." etc. The background is this horrible quarter note monstrosity which repeats incessantly, going "Shake your hand, share the land..." Anyone agree, disagree, care to post your apathy towards the whole subject? Later, kc
Link to comment
Share on other sites



  • Replies 43
  • Created
  • Last Reply
[quote]Originally posted by coxnvox@aol.com: [b]...on an otherwise good song. I have to admit to not knowing the name of this song, but I'm sure someone can help me out. It says "Baby, I'll be there to shake (take?) your hand, baby, I'll be there to share the land..." etc. The background is this horrible quarter note monstrosity which repeats incessantly, going "Shake your hand, share the land..." Anyone agree, disagree, care to post your apathy towards the whole subject? Later, kc[/b][/quote]FYI, the tune is "Share The Land" by The Guess Who. The backing parts never bothered me. In fact, I couldn't have told you what they were without listening to the tune. FWIW, the tune was banned in the good ole USA when it came out because it was considered "communist". -- Rob
I have the mind of a criminal genius.....I keep it in the freezer next to mother.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm pretty sure you're talking about the Guess Who. I actually like them alot. No Sugar Tonight/New Mother Nature is one my favorites. Bad backgrounds? Hmmm, the Beach Boys badckgrounds can get old for me REAL quick.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hey kc, leave the Guess Who the hell alone. At least you can hear and understand what's going on in their music. How many songs have you heard that you can't figure out what the hell is going on, let alone that there are actually quarter notes in the song? Nearly every song in the last 15/20 years. Too much is hidden by distortion/flange/chorus & God only knows what else. Give me the Guess Who over nearly any band's music in this era.

 

Our Joint

 

"When you come slam bang up against trouble, it never looks half as bad if you face up to it." The Duke...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yeah, I like the Guess Who too. They were quite popular AM radio guys during the early 70s, and listening to their stuff (for the most part) brings back some great memories. As for bad backup parts...hmmm...I'll have to think on that one.
"Cisco Kid, was a friend of mine"
Link to comment
Share on other sites

[quote]Originally posted by d gauss: [b]umm, the drums on the stones' "can't always get what you want." -d. gauss[/b][/quote]funny, a stones tune was the first i thought of too. the tambourine on "time is on my side" is... well, [i]off[/i]. in the first verse, it's off by an eighth note at one point! it only bugs me because i like the tune a lot.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

[quote]Originally posted by Dak Lander: [b]Hey kc, leave the Guess Who the hell alone. At least you can hear and understand what's going on in their music...Give me the Guess Who over nearly any band's music in this era.[/b][/quote]Dak: LOL, yeah, I actually dig the tune a lot, especially the vox, which have quite a bit of soul...Listen to the song again though, and tell me that background part wasn't worked out in about 30 seconds in the studio... Best, kc
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Any background vox on a Genesis album prior to 1975 (Peter Gabriel era). Usually a feeble piping with lots of throaty hiss which barely hits the intended note. Couple the weak execution with Genesis' grandiose harmonies and you got a recipe for disaster. Often an unintended imitation of a dying bagpipe. And a lot of that BG vox was the drummer, Phil Collins. :eek: Loved that band .... hated that sound. Jerry
Link to comment
Share on other sites

[quote]Originally posted by gtrmac: [b]Anything that Noel Redding and Mitch Mitchell did on the Experience recordings.[/b][/quote]OK gtrmac I just cant let this one pass. Yeah, Redding, in particular, has spectactlarly failed at every attempt he's made to produce music since the Experience - and a few of the songs on those albums are a bit weak but... Have you got he same Axis and Electric Ladyland albums i do? I think the drumming on axis is great. Note the ending of the title track - much drum energy that mixes so well with Jimi's soaring lines. I think songs like Castles, Little Wing, Watchtower, Axis, are all great power trio pieces in which all the parts mutually re-enforce each other. Yes Mitch and Noel's talents pale next to Jimi's but the worst backup of all time? IMHO not even close. Do you want to take this opportunity to admit the error of your thinking ? ;)

Check out some tunes here:

http://www.garageband.com/artist/KenFava

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Ha! Well to be honest, I'm no Mitchell fan myself. It's not that I think he SUCKS or anything... but there's just something missing for me, there's a solidness, an authority that's lacking. No doubt he's got the chops, but pocket wise he always came off as kinda lost, to me. But anyhow I thought the topic of the thread was bad background VOCALS. Here's a funny one: for some reason I used to absolutely HATE the harmonies on the Beatles' "Drive My Car". Maybe it was because I was a kid and the dissonance bothered me, I don't know. Now, I think they're great, but it used to seriously bug me! Re: tambourine on "Time Is On My Side" - that was probably Phil Spector. :D --Lee
Link to comment
Share on other sites

[quote]Originally posted by coxnvox@aol.com: [b] [quote]Originally posted by Dak Lander: [b]Hey kc, leave the Guess Who the hell alone. At least you can hear and understand what's going on in their music...Give me the Guess Who over nearly any band's music in this era.[/b][/quote]Dak: LOL, yeah, I actually dig the tune a lot, especially the vox, which have quite a bit of soul...Listen to the song again though, and tell me that background part wasn't worked out in about 30 seconds in the studio... Best, kc[/b][/quote]Knowing what those guys were about, to a certain point, it wouldn't surprise me if that backup took less than 30 seconds. Cummins & Bachman were phenominal when it came to putting something together quickly. I'll have to dig through my old vinyl but there is actuall one song that I think pretty much stinks. If I can find it, I'll post the name. Late...

 

Our Joint

 

"When you come slam bang up against trouble, it never looks half as bad if you face up to it." The Duke...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

[quote]Originally posted by Kendrix: [b] [quote]Originally posted by gtrmac: [b]Anything that Noel Redding and Mitch Mitchell did on the Experience recordings.[/b][/quote]OK gtrmac I just cant let this one pass. Yeah, Redding, in particular, has spectactlarly failed at every attempt he's made to produce music since the Experience - and a few of the songs on those albums are a bit weak but... Have you got he same Axis and Electric Ladyland albums i do? I think the drumming on axis is great. Note the ending of the title track - much drum energy that mixes so well with Jimi's soaring lines. I think songs like Castles, Little Wing, Watchtower, Axis, are all great power trio pieces in which all the parts mutually re-enforce each other. Yes Mitch and Noel's talents pale next to Jimi's but the worst backup of all time? IMHO not even close. Do you want to take this opportunity to admit the error of your thinking ? ;) [/b][/quote]My guess is that gtrmac meant background vocals only? If so, I'm right there with ya. I dunno who did Hendrix' background vox, but most of it was atrocious!
None more black.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

[quote]Originally posted by Dak Lander: [QBKnowing what those guys were about, to a certain point, it wouldn't surprise me if that backup took less than 30 seconds. Cummins & Bachman were phenominal when it came to putting something together quickly.[/QB][/quote]True, except that Randy had quit the band before the making of the Share The Land album. -- Rob
I have the mind of a criminal genius.....I keep it in the freezer next to mother.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

[quote][b]My guess is that gtrmac meant background vocals only? If so, I'm right there with ya. I dunno who did Hendrix' background vox, but most of it was atrocious![/b][/quote]Look through old books at the circus attractions...ever notice how the Giant is always photographed with the Midget, and he's probably wearing vertical stripes while the Midget is wearing some kind of plaid? Ever wonder why Dan Quayle was in the act? :D -Bobro
Link to comment
Share on other sites

There's one sampled voice, one note, repeating every four bars or so throughout Elvis Costello's song When I Was Cruel, the title track to his fine new album. It's woman's voice, sonically interesting little snippet. She appears to be singing "one," or something that sounds like it. It goes on for six minutes. Great song, but the repeated sample drives me crazy.
Check out the Sweet Clementines CD at bandcamp
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm sure I'll take some heat for this, but...the background vocals from any Van Halen tune. Just horrible stuff.

In an effort to improve the responsiveness of e-mail for everyone, the e-mail servers will be out of service.

We are hopeful that this change will improve the performance of e-mail.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

[quote]Originally posted by rog951: [b] [quote]Originally posted by Kendrix: [b] [quote]Originally posted by gtrmac: [b]Anything that Noel Redding and Mitch Mitchell did on the Experience recordings.[/b][/quote]OK gtrmac I just cant let this one pass. Yeah, Redding, in particular, has spectactlarly failed at every attempt he's made to produce music since the Experience - and a few of the songs on those albums are a bit weak but... Have you got he same Axis and Electric Ladyland albums i do? I think the drumming on axis is great. Note the ending of the title track - much drum energy that mixes so well with Jimi's soaring lines. I think songs like Castles, Little Wing, Watchtower, Axis, are all great power trio pieces in which all the parts mutually re-enforce each other. Yes Mitch and Noel's talents pale next to Jimi's but the worst backup of all time? IMHO not even close. Do you want to take this opportunity to admit the error of your thinking ? ;) [/b][/quote]My guess is that gtrmac meant background vocals only? If so, I'm right there with ya. I dunno who did Hendrix' background vox, but most of it was atrocious![/b][/quote]Nevermind. :D If Backup vocals were the subject I'd have to agree with gtrmac. Redding and Mitchell's vocals are on par with Keith Richards.. if you know what I mean.

Check out some tunes here:

http://www.garageband.com/artist/KenFava

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Oh yeah, another song that popped into my head is that "Stay" by Lisa Loeb. MAN, talk about overdoing it! To me, they took what shoulda been a beautiful song and ruined it with the background vocal treatment. Too much going on back there, and it gets worse as the song progresses...
None more black.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Speaking of too much background vox, the song "I'm like a bird" by what's her face is totally out of control towards the end of the tune. It sounds like they have 5-8 different parts going on at the same time :eek: .
Link to comment
Share on other sites

[quote]Originally posted by Lee Flier: [b]Re: tambourine on "Time Is On My Side" - that was probably Phil Spector. :D [/b][/quote]oh, that must be the "wall of sound" everyone's talking about. ;) :rolleyes: i always kinda liked the van halen background vocals ("chained!!")- which song in particular sucks? sorry, i know this isn't the "disagree with people's worst backgrounds" thread...
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

×
×
  • Create New...