Who has/had the most high-pitched vocals in music?

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Only natural vocals, no processed Ween or Prince stuff. Are we talking Minnie Riperton or Left Eye here?

― @d@ml (nordicskilla), Saturday, 10 January 2004 18:31 (twenty-two years ago)

mariah carey.

― jel -- (jel), Saturday, 10 January 2004 18:33 (twenty-two years ago)

or that bloke from rush, or one of the bee gees.

― jel -- (jel), Saturday, 10 January 2004 18:35 (twenty-two years ago)

Tiny Tim.

― bnw (bnw), Saturday, 10 January 2004 18:45 (twenty-two years ago)

What about that guy from Nitro? Out-Fucking-Rageous.

― Jeff Sumner (Jeff Sumner), Saturday, 10 January 2004 18:48 (twenty-two years ago)

Perhaps Klaus Nomi or Jimmy Somerville.

― Nom De Plume (Nom De Plume), Saturday, 10 January 2004 18:49 (twenty-two years ago)

Lady Stush or Diamanda Galás.

― The Lex (The Lex), Saturday, 10 January 2004 18:50 (twenty-two years ago)

Nitro for sure. I've been on a Nuclear Assault kick so how about John "You'll Die Of The Plague" Connelly.

― Johnny Badlees (crispssssss), Saturday, 10 January 2004 18:58 (twenty-two years ago)

The 2 male vocalists that I can think of are david surkamp from pavlov's dog, who sounds like geddy lee would if you played a rush 33 at 45, and the guy who sings on more than a feeling by boston - brad delpy perhaps? - there's this great bit where he hits this ludicrous high note, then goes one higher, just to show off, I think.

― Pashmina (Pashmina), Saturday, 10 January 2004 19:08 (twenty-two years ago)

My favorite vocalist who I'm unable to sing along with because he goes too high is Russell Mael (of Sparks, tho' he mostly gets really high on their 70s records).

― Yoda Ono, Saturday, 10 January 2004 19:51 (twenty-two years ago)

Don't any of you believe in a thing called love?

― nate detritus (natedetritus), Saturday, 10 January 2004 19:52 (twenty-two years ago)

"If you leave me now, you'll take away the biggest part of me..."

My ears don't register what follows.

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Saturday, 10 January 2004 19:56 (twenty-two years ago)

Don't any of you believe in a thing called love?

No.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Saturday, 10 January 2004 20:05 (twenty-two years ago)

Dammit Ned, my hateX0r's in overdrive and you're behind the steering wheel

― nate detritus (natedetritus), Saturday, 10 January 2004 20:11 (twenty-two years ago)

Woo!

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Saturday, 10 January 2004 20:12 (twenty-two years ago)

Curtis Mayfield, if only because he has no lower register to contrast it against.

― Joseph McCombs, Saturday, 10 January 2004 20:14 (twenty-two years ago)

Janet Kay maybe?

For a single note rather than a prolonged style, the one Ari Up reaches on the fade-out of "Newtown" must take some beating.

― Stewart Osborne (Stewart Osborne), Saturday, 10 January 2004 20:22 (twenty-two years ago)

"My favorite vocalist who I'm unable to sing along with because he goes too high is Russell Mael (of Sparks, tho' he mostly gets really high on their 70s records). "
- Actually my girlfriend was so convinced he was a she I had to play her "Something for the girl with everything" numerous times until she was convinced.

― Jim Janse, Saturday, 10 January 2004 20:24 (twenty-two years ago)

Did the photographs not help?

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Saturday, 10 January 2004 20:26 (twenty-two years ago)

For men, we're talking about countertenors; the main example I can think of is a gospel medly Chanticleer does with four countertenors where the top guy goes up to (I think) soprano high C.

For female vocalists, it's all about the Queen of the Night aria from Mozart's "The Magic Flute", which goes up to the F above high soprano C. The highest pop/soul singer I've heard is Mariah Carey, who hits some ridiculous note while doubling the keyboard riff in "Dream Lover" (it's something like the A above soprano high C).

(For musical reference, "soprano high C" = C two octaves above middle C.)

― Dan Perry (Dan Perry), Saturday, 10 January 2004 20:29 (twenty-two years ago)

How about Junior Murvin?

― nate detritus (natedetritus), Saturday, 10 January 2004 20:43 (twenty-two years ago)

There should actually be a visual representation of this somewhere - with the lowest notes also. I'm thinking along the lines of those comparative mountain height geographic charts with Everest and the Marianas Trench.

― Kim (Kim), Saturday, 10 January 2004 21:04 (twenty-two years ago)

Yuma Sumac.

― Andrew L (Andrew L), Saturday, 10 January 2004 21:50 (twenty-two years ago)

Consistently high: either a J-popper or someone in Cardiacs.

― dleone (dleone), Saturday, 10 January 2004 22:01 (twenty-two years ago)

Aaron/Gene Ween actually does sing that high-pitched in concert, btw.

― nickalicious (nickalicious), Sunday, 11 January 2004 00:03 (twenty-two years ago)

That guy from the Darkness can sing pretty high.

― o. nate (onate), Sunday, 11 January 2004 00:14 (twenty-two years ago)

that song where it goes 'la-la-la-la-la, la-la-la-la-la, la-la-la-la-laaaa-la-la-la-laaaah, do-de-dootin-do-dooo dfjghkljfghfbhjlkgbldfjkbgfjklf... [insanely high pitched woman vocal]'.

this song was used in brass eye in the strip where the man in a nappy hit the ginger woman (who ws singing the song, whilst hugging a tree branch) with a space hopper.

― cozen (Cozen), Sunday, 11 January 2004 00:18 (twenty-two years ago)

Minnie Riperton, Cozen, is yer woman.

― Nick Southall (Nick Southall), Sunday, 11 January 2004 00:51 (twenty-two years ago)

Jimmy Somerville aka Bronski Beat

― tipustiger, Sunday, 11 January 2004 01:59 (twenty-two years ago)

Brian "Renaldo and the Loaf" Poole.

― Christine 'Green Leafy Dragon' Indigo (cindigo), Sunday, 11 January 2004 02:11 (twenty-two years ago)

The drummer in Queen, whateverhisnamewas, on the first few albums, he was pretty scary high.

― Ian Grey (Ian_G), Sunday, 11 January 2004 02:17 (twenty-two years ago)

singer of vindictives

― roxymuzak, Sunday, 11 January 2004 02:26 (twenty-two years ago)

either pinky or perky

― bahktin, Sunday, 11 January 2004 02:28 (twenty-two years ago)

minnie ripperton

― Ian Grey (Ian_G), Sunday, 11 January 2004 03:20 (twenty-two years ago)

--Brian "Renaldo and the Loaf" Poole.---

I second this

walk energetically in rubber dungarees!
weigh engineers in refined dolphins!
these are some meaning of W.E.I.R.D.!

I'd also nominate Hope Nicholls from Sugarsmack, her voice is very rad

― lone nut, Sunday, 11 January 2004 04:42 (twenty-two years ago)

the guy who sang for confessor. about 2 octaves higher than gedde lee, all the time.

― el sabor de gene (yournullfame), Sunday, 11 January 2004 07:01 (twenty-two years ago)

Another vote for Minnie Riperton.

Plus, Geddy Lee, Jon Anderson, and the singer from a '70s American band called Pavlov's Dog. I've never seen the latter referenced on ILM, but someone pointed them out to me once, and I found some MP3s. If you like the aforementioned proggers, they're well worth checking out (in the "odd not necessarily good" sense).

― David A. (Davant), Sunday, 11 January 2004 07:39 (twenty-two years ago)

Judas Priest's Rob Halford can hit pretty high notes when he wants to (cf. "Run Of The Mill," "Dreamer Deceiver," "Sinner," etc.).

― Kent Burt (lingereffect), Sunday, 11 January 2004 18:16 (twenty-two years ago)

DAAAAAAAAAAANCIIINNG.... WITH TEEEAAARS IN MY EYYYEEES!!!!

― Eisbär (llamasfur), Sunday, 11 January 2004 19:17 (twenty-two years ago)

i was a boy soprano, probably not the best or highest, but i've heard many descants that seemed higher and purer than the opera singers who're supposedly breaking glasses

― george gosset (gegoss), Sunday, 11 January 2004 20:05 (twenty-two years ago)

well i remember them as being very pure and high, but i was an impressionable 'tweener, so i can't quite remember -- it seemed astonishing at the time

― george gosset (gegoss), Sunday, 11 January 2004 20:07 (twenty-two years ago)

No Danielson Family? No Mercyful Fate?

― Phil (phil), Sunday, 11 January 2004 20:32 (twenty-two years ago)

--Brian "Renaldo and the Loaf" Poole.---

I second this

Strangest thing about it is that that high voice comes out of a guy with a beard and a potbelly.

― Christine 'Green Leafy Dragon' Indigo (cindigo), Monday, 12 January 2004 00:17 (twenty-two years ago)

I don't think Geddy Lee sings that high register-wise actually, I think the timbre of his voice is deceptively thin, making it sound higher pitched than it actually is.

― nickalicious (nickalicious), Monday, 12 January 2004 00:22 (twenty-two years ago)

--Strangest thing about it is that that high voice comes out of a guy with a beard and a potbelly.--

He's either addicted to helium or he's a castrati.

get it...helium. balloon. hah

― lone nut, Monday, 12 January 2004 02:02 (twenty-two years ago)

http://www.vh1.com/shared/media/images/sn_legacy/sonicnet/assetmedia/bands/images/150111_1340.jpg

Mr Rob Halford himself.He does look like Gary Numan in that picture doesn't he?

"Victiiiiim of Chaaaaaa---aaaa-nngeeeess" has some very, very high notes as doe other songs on the same album, as Kent Burt already mentioned; and on his Halford album, Crucible, 'Handing Out Bullets' has even higher ones! But of course, female vocalists like Minnie Ripperton go even higher.

I think it's important to distinguish falsetto from high pitched head voice here. Most of us can sing fairly high in falsetto; Rob Halford and other metal vocalists sing in the more powerful and hard to reach 'head voice', which is full throttle, involves a certain way of directing air from the lungs, and often seems to require breaking a kind of psychological barrier (if what I've read is true).

― the music mole (colin s barrow), Monday, 12 January 2004 02:18 (twenty-two years ago)

Rob Halford hits a very high note:

http://www.noiserecords.com/bilder/halford2.jpg

― the music mole (colin s barrow), Monday, 12 January 2004 02:28 (twenty-two years ago)

mimi from hugo largo.

― gygax! (gygax!), Monday, 12 January 2004 02:36 (twenty-two years ago)

Aaron Neville. Or is that falsetto?

― Debito (Debito), Monday, 12 January 2004 02:49 (twenty-two years ago)

Mariah Carey, and I HATE her for it.

Justin diced with danger on this topic too.

― Barima (Barima), Monday, 12 January 2004 03:05 (twenty-two years ago)

Gotta be Yma Sumac. (To my knowledge, I've never heard Mariah Carey, tho I probably have, actually.)

― Scott Bloomfield, Monday, 12 January 2004 04:35 (twenty-two years ago)

three months pass...

Mariah Carey, can't be disputed....Listen to Anytime You Need A Friend the remixed version where she scats and then hits those high notes at the end. It is way higher than Minnie Riperton's remarkable "Loving You"

― brandon, Friday, 16 April 2004 17:03 (twenty-two years ago)

Minnie Riperton's "Loving You" makes me want to drown whole continents in molten lava. And her daughter is the least-funny performer on SNL.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Friday, 16 April 2004 17:33 (twenty-two years ago)

Minnie Riperton's "Loving You" makes me want to drown whole continents in molten lava.

You h-have this power?

― N. (nickdastoor), Friday, 16 April 2004 17:35 (twenty-two years ago)

Alex, do I know you well enough to make endless jokes about you being the whitest man on Earth without you getting upset?

― VengaDan Perry (Dan Perry), Friday, 16 April 2004 17:48 (twenty-two years ago)

I love "Loving You" and "A Huge Ever Growing Pulsating Brain That Rules From The Centre of the Ultraworld" and I want to date Minnie Ripperton's daughter, but yeah, she's not the funniest person on SNL...

― Spencer Chow (spencermfi), Friday, 16 April 2004 17:55 (twenty-two years ago)

Alex, do I know you well enough to make endless jokes about you being the whitest man on Earth without you getting upset?

I can handle those sorts of slurs with aplomb. Is Minnie Ripperton's cloying mewl the epitome of soulful blackness then? If so, no thanks.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Friday, 16 April 2004 18:07 (twenty-two years ago)

I love "loving you".

― RJG (RJG), Friday, 16 April 2004 18:09 (twenty-two years ago)

Aw.

― Paul in Santa Cruz (Paul in Santa Cruz), Friday, 16 April 2004 19:59 (twenty-two years ago)

Don't know if her high notes are the absolute highest, but for her ability to hit them accurately in concert, Cleo Laine deserves a mention.

― Paul in Santa Cruz (Paul in Santa Cruz), Friday, 16 April 2004 20:02 (twenty-two years ago)

I agree with Norman and the person who clearly doesn't read posts who later claimed no one mentioned Pavlov's Dog, that David Surkamp must be the highest male singer.

― Martin Skidmore (Martin Skidmore), Friday, 16 April 2004 20:33 (twenty-two years ago)

And her daughter is the least-funny performer on SNL.

*befuddled* Well there's a bit of trivia I've missed.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Friday, 16 April 2004 23:44 (twenty-two years ago)

Mya Rudolph is Minnie Ripperton's daughter.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Friday, 16 April 2004 23:47 (twenty-two years ago)

(Keep in mind I had no idea of anyone named Maya Rudolph until I started googling just now. I didn't even know she had anything to do with the Rentals, apparently.)

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Friday, 16 April 2004 23:48 (twenty-two years ago)

She had something to do with the Rentals? As in "Friends of P"?

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Saturday, 17 April 2004 00:40 (twenty-two years ago)

That's why I say apparently! A couple of the websites I saw alleged she was a member of a time.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Saturday, 17 April 2004 00:41 (twenty-two years ago)

I just heard a TaTu cover of the Smiths. One of those girls had a pretty high voice. Then again, it probably was altered by a computer or something.

― Aja (aja), Saturday, 17 April 2004 00:43 (twenty-two years ago)

Steven Tyler got up to the ionosphere in Dream On.

― jim wentworth (wench), Saturday, 17 April 2004 01:07 (twenty-two years ago)

two years pass...

It has to be Mariah Carey...Her highest note is a G#7 which is higher than the highest note that any of the singers mentioned here have hit. Also...She is capable of going even higher...I believe she hit a B7 once. So...I sat MARIAH!! (lol)

― Hector Miranda, Saturday, 22 April 2006 04:00 (twenty years ago)

Well, if we're talking in music, and not just (Western) music as the topic seems to have dictated thus far, some of the counter-frequencies in Tuvan throat singing are pretty piercing...

― Myke. (Myke Weiskopf), Saturday, 22 April 2006 04:56 (twenty years ago)

Would be either Carey or Riperton.

Who is the most high-pitched male? Michael Jackson? Leo Sayer? Jimmy Sommerville?

― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Saturday, 22 April 2006 07:38 (twenty years ago)

bruce dickinson?
whitney houston?

― m0stly clean (m0stly clean), Saturday, 22 April 2006 14:23 (twenty years ago)

None of those men come near David Surkamp. I couldn't identify a note as Hector does just above, but I'd be interested to know what he hits on, for instance, the big notes in 'Julia'.

― Martin Skidmore (Martin Skidmore), Saturday, 22 April 2006 14:42 (twenty years ago)

"well what about the voice of geddy lee, how did it get so high, i wonder if he speaks like an ordinary guy"

― odtron5000, Saturday, 22 April 2006 16:51 (twenty years ago)

Mado Robin

― John Justen (johnjusten), Saturday, 22 April 2006 17:08 (twenty years ago)

Dieter Bohlen

― Siegbran (eofor), Sunday, 23 April 2006 16:22 (twenty years ago)

Frankie Valli had a very helium pitched and odd timbred voice on those old Four Seasons records.

― Earl Nash (earlnash), Sunday, 23 April 2006 18:44 (twenty years ago)

Don't any of you believe in a thing called love?

Yes. I believe Justin Hawkins sings higher than Brad Delp, so in terms of male rock singers, he might be the winner.

― billstevejim (billstevejim), Sunday, 23 April 2006 21:10 (twenty years ago)

The first black metal album by Fleurety had vocals so high pitched the guy permanently destroyed his voice.

― dog latin (dog latin), Sunday, 23 April 2006 22:55 (twenty years ago)

Again, I insist:
ihttp://www.davids-music.co.uk/acatalog/SumacVoiceofthex.jpg
Sounded like a theremin much of the time!

― Myonga Von Bontee (Myonga Von Bontee), Monday, 24 April 2006 05:48 (twenty years ago)

Martyn Jaques from the Tiger Lillies has an awesomely shrill falsetto. Their soundtrack (with the Kronos Quartet) to the stage version of Shock Headed Peter is really thrillingly good.

― holojames (holojames), Monday, 24 April 2006 10:19 (twenty years ago)

The point about Jackson and Sayer (not Sommerville though) is that is their natural voice. They don't do falsetto and they don't scream. Their voices are that high-pitched.

― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Monday, 24 April 2006 11:42 (twenty years ago)

six years pass...

Jamie McDermott of The Irrepressables, channelling Jimmy Sommerville:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AEh9pN9bHkI

― Me So Hormetic (Sanpaku), Monday, 8 April 2013 00:22 (thirteen years ago)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AEh9pN9bHkI

― Me So Hormetic (Sanpaku), Monday, 8 April 2013 00:23 (thirteen years ago)

If that is the highest note she can sing, then Yma Sumac, the Peruvian legend, can hit a higher note.

I love Yma. I always try to get people into her whenever I can, though it is a task. But I usually avoid recommending her more pop tunes (she did a lot of them) because, though they are great, I think her more 'art songs' are way more impressive and full of beauty and sadness at the same time (an Andean theme she borrowed from Peruvian folk music). A lot of casual English-speakers hear her 'mambo'/'pop' stuff and brush it off as trite.

Listen to this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1KprLT-JxPY

I have this on record. It's pretty amazing.

― c21m50nh3x460n, Monday, 8 April 2013 00:36 (thirteen years ago)

Yma Sumac is listed as going up to C#7; Mado Robin allegedly sang a D7 live in concert

― relentless technosexuality (DJP), Monday, 8 April 2013 01:50 (thirteen years ago)

Any stats for Mariah?

― Sir Lord Baltimora (Myonga Vön Bontee), Monday, 8 April 2013 02:05 (thirteen years ago)

only cite I've seen is G#7

― relentless technosexuality (DJP), Monday, 8 April 2013 02:28 (thirteen years ago)

Mado Robin allegedly sang a D7 live in concert

haha legendary

― flopson, Monday, 8 April 2013 02:30 (thirteen years ago)

That Yma Sumac clip is fantastic!

― EveningStar (Sund4r), Monday, 8 April 2013 02:36 (thirteen years ago)

Mado robin is a super badass. Her Lakme is all time.

― My Chemical Romance did 9/11 (jjjusten), Monday, 8 April 2013 02:45 (thirteen years ago)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4AyFzZIwc-w

― mox twelve, Monday, 8 April 2013 05:03 (thirteen years ago)

Have people mentioned Yma Sumac and Minnie Ripperton yet?

― Mark G, Monday, 8 April 2013 09:27 (thirteen years ago)

Marc Almond on Yma Sumac: http://youtu.be/v7UlVeYvL5s?t=1m42s

― Doctor Madame Frances Experimento, LLC", Monday, 8 April 2013 13:57 (thirteen years ago)

lol Mark

― relentless technosexuality (DJP), Monday, 8 April 2013 13:58 (thirteen years ago)

Rachelle Ferrel goes up to some of most incredible notes I've ever heard, and holds them, and they have real shape up to a certain point (then they go off into crazyland and it's like listening to a heavy metal hypershredder at the far end of the fretboard) -

http://youtu.be/QdXQlE-NXKU

from a blog dedicated to the whole question

Mariah cannot touch Rachelle imo

― not feeling those lighters (underrated aerosmith bootlegs I have owned), Monday, 8 April 2013 14:10 (thirteen years ago)

I take that back that's my anti-Mariah bias showing. Rachelle's highest is Eb7 for 29 seconds Mariah's is G#7 for 18 seconds. You win again Mariah

― not feeling those lighters (underrated aerosmith bootlegs I have owned), Monday, 8 April 2013 14:14 (thirteen years ago)

Rachelle Ferrel is total beastmode

― relentless technosexuality (DJP), Monday, 8 April 2013 14:17 (thirteen years ago)

holy shit, so I got the name Georgia Brown off of that blog and apparently she sang a G10

― relentless technosexuality (DJP), Monday, 8 April 2013 14:19 (thirteen years ago)

man, it has to be minnie

http://youtu.be/4BN39MkOGl0

nobody can beat the note she hits at 2:08

― cock chirea, Monday, 8 April 2013 15:01 (thirteen years ago)

holy shit, so I got the name Georgia Brown off of that blog and apparently she sang a G10

I don't know if I believe this is possible considering a G10 is > 25000 Hz. How powerfully can someone sing a note whose fundamental is well outside the range of human hearing?

― Heyman (crüt), Monday, 8 April 2013 15:06 (thirteen years ago)

woof

― Mark G, Monday, 8 April 2013 15:08 (thirteen years ago)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZQS_2QmruX0

there are a couple of B7s in there and a C7

― relentless technosexuality (DJP), Monday, 8 April 2013 15:10 (thirteen years ago)

three B7s, two C7s (I'm listening to it as I post, lol)

― relentless technosexuality (DJP), Monday, 8 April 2013 15:10 (thirteen years ago)

haha and a D7

― relentless technosexuality (DJP), Monday, 8 April 2013 15:10 (thirteen years ago)

and a D#7

and an E7

this is fucking insane

― relentless technosexuality (DJP), Monday, 8 April 2013 15:11 (thirteen years ago)

and... a G8

I mean I can't even

― relentless technosexuality (DJP), Monday, 8 April 2013 15:12 (thirteen years ago)

you can actually tell a D7 from a D#7 by ear? wow

― cock chirea, Monday, 8 April 2013 15:13 (thirteen years ago)

idk, rachelle ferrel is off pitch in 80% of the vid DJP linked. not sure what we are on about here.

― cock chirea, Monday, 8 April 2013 15:14 (thirteen years ago)

it helps that the notes in the Georgia Brown video are labeled

last note in the video is a G#8

also I'm not aero and I didn't watch his video, I was just thinking about the Rachelle Farrel album I have and how ridiculously badass it is

― relentless technosexuality (DJP), Monday, 8 April 2013 15:15 (thirteen years ago)

okay listening to the Rachelle Ferrell video and the first few examples are amazing and then a few pop up where she's off

the ones where she's on are fucking incredible tho

― relentless technosexuality (DJP), Monday, 8 April 2013 15:19 (thirteen years ago)

not a high note song but this is incredible and why Rachelle Farrell is the answer:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8hK-2LTlVWg

― relentless technosexuality (DJP), Monday, 8 April 2013 15:20 (thirteen years ago)

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