Rock and Roll accents

[Caravan Ray]

From this thread:

By the way, why is it that I can hardly understand you guys from that part of the world when you talk, but you sing so clear? The only accent I hear is when you say "bahstids" .

Yes - that is something I have often wondered about. Is it because rock'nroll is an American medium that we all take on American accents when singing it? Or is there a sort of "rock and roll" accent that has sort of evolved? It is most noticable to me when I hear Scottish singers (hi StueyM!) When talking - they sound like they are trying to gargle a mouthful of sand - but their singing accents are the same as mine.

It is something I often have to think consciously about when writing - "do I sing this as I would say it?...or change the vowel sound? It is an unfortunate fact of life that the Australian accent is basically a series of mangled and flattened vowels (some say developed by trying to speak without actually opening the mouth, thus minimising the risk of swallowing flies). There are some Australian singers, mainly country singers (ie John Williamson) who seem to go to any lengths to avoid any "American" type sounds in their songs - resulting in quite a lot of unpleasant nasally sounds, particularly at the end of lines on extended notes.

My main issues come with the broad "a" sound we use. Where Ameicans say "ass", "glass", "bastard" etc. - I say "arse", glarse" and "barhstid". In the song you mention - obviously my natural accent is appropriate because of the nature of the song. But I often play very "American-style" music like surf-rock and sixties-style pop - where switching to American pronunciations seems more appropriate. (Think of the Rolling Stones' "You Can't Always Get What You Want" - I'm sure Mick Jagger would never pronounce the word "can't" in speech the same way he sings it)

Do English fighters find yourselves with the same dilemna?

[Sober]

How about singers who seem to create ridiculous accents of their own? The Ramones, CCR, Pearl Jam, Creed, and Danzig come to mind immediately.

[WesDavis]

I've often wondered about the thing with people singing in the same accent no matter where they are, too. For instance, there's this German girl I really like whose voice sounds very American except in certain instances, and I honestly didn't realize you weren't American, Caravan Ray, for a while(even though it says it in your dang info). But just going by the music, it really is hard to tell sometimes. I don't have a country accent when I'm talking at all, but when I sing I often sound like a country singer, and it bothers me, but I have to really think about it to get rid of it.

I think there really is this sort of rock accent that's been developed over the years, though. Not many people talk like that. What I really hate is the accent that's being used in a lot of the music today, as in the case of Fall Out Boy. Those guys annoy the HELL out of me.

[Sober]

Eh, I say man is a product of his musical environment. If all you listen to is American rock, you'll probably sound like an American rock singer. I used to struggle with the bullshit Irish accent I sang with because all I listened to was Tommy Makem and the Clancy Brothers.

Of course, you'll always have people fabricating bullshit accents to define their sound/be assholes.

[Bjam]

I have a hybrid accent when speaking. To Americans it sounds English, to English it sounds American. Who knows. But I say "ahhhh" instead of "aaaah", so I sound more British than American most of the time.

It completely depends on what I'm singing as to what accent I use. If I'm doing classical/opera/choral music I usually sound much more English because of the vowel sounds you make when singing classical pieces. (When you sing 'ee', like 'Sweeney', your mouth shouldn't be wide showing all your teeth, it should be in an 'o' shape and your lips should sort of pursed; it sounds weird, but it works[although you look damn stupid doing it]).

But then when I'm singing contemporary stuff, be it jazz/Broadway/pop/rock, I usually sound more American. I think because the music is a lot lazier(for lack of a better word). There usually isn't an exact structure(note-wise), and there are usually lots of slides, and it's just... lazier sounding. It's also a very easily copied sound of music (if you're singing a cover, you're more likely to imitate the singer in the original song). So I guess for more contemporary stuff, because that's what you're often listening to, you just copy the sound that's been produced. And the States have some of the most famous rock and roll bands, so you're more keen to copy their sound.

Or something like that.

(Also, Caravan Ray: My mum's fallen in love with John Williamson's 'Home Among The Gum Trees' and now she won't stop singing in an Australian accent. Jesus Christ.)

[Phil. Redmon.]

Do you guys really call your siginificant others your "defacto?"

That is the coolest thing I ever read just now!

I am interested in the J$ opinion on the matter of r&r accentry.

Side Note: Tim Armstrong of Rancid (and, yeah, I guess, Op Ivy) is the undisputed king of the made up rock accent.

[Billy's Little Trip]

Side Note: Tim Armstrong of Rancid (and, yeah, I guess, Op Ivy) is the undisputed king of the made up rock accent.

...and Billy Joe of Green Day. I thought Greed Day was a British band the first time I heard them.

By the way Ray, thanks for spelling out how you say "barhstid". Just reading it out loud makes me sound like a boomerang chucker.

I talk the way you guys sing, but when I sing, I seem to sound the way you talk, kind of. For instance, I've noticed I don't pronounce the letter R very hard.
Example: "You are my love" I sing it, "You ahhh my love" OR "You and me forever will be" I sing it, " You and may forevahh will be". It comes natural to me that way, but when I hear it, I don't care for it. Could it be that Euro music was my first influence?

[mkilly]

I used to struggle with the bullshit Irish accent I sang with because all I listened to was Tommy Makem and the Clancy Brothers.

hahahaha i'm glad you came clean on this.

[j$]

I am interested in the J$ opinion on the matter of r&r accentry.

It amazes me certain American SFers really can not tell the difference between an Australian and an English accent. unfortunately some of them still feel the need to say 'hey Denyer - dumb englisher' or 'Mc Heapey - drop theAustralian accent'. That annoys me - not the igorance, but the assumption of being correct.

Though, in my limited experience the cultural differences between Americans, Australians and British people run a helluva lot deeper than accents, and that is reflected in the music, and responses to it, made by different people on SF. This is why I don't win more often of course, nothing to do with quality of music

Personally - my favourite singers all have ridiculous over-pronounced accents - Ari Up, Mick Jones, Dan Treacy, Colin Newman, Charlotte Gainsbourg (although she sings in English) etc etc - it may be I like them because I too sing with an unintentionally over-pronounced accent. it may be I sing unintentionally with an over-pronounced accent to emulate them. I am not sure - a bit of both probably.

Does that answer any of the question? probably not!

[drë]

But I say "ahhhh" instead of "aaaah", so I sound more British than American most of the time.

ahhhh thanks for clearing that up. or should i say
aaaah thanks for clearing that up.

[Leaf]

It amazes me certain ENGLISH SFers really can not tell the difference between an AMERICAN and a CANADIAN accent. unfortunately some of them still feel the need to say 'hey MELVIN - dumb AMERICAN' or 'McGrimace - drop the CANADIAN accent'. That annoys me - not the igorance, but the assumption of being correct.

Though, in my limited experience the cultural differences between CANADIANS, AMERICANS and MEXICAN people run a helluva lot deeper than accents, and that is reflected in the music, and responses to it, made by different people on SF. This is why I don't win more often of course, nothing to do with quality of music

Personally - my favourite singers all have ridiculous over-pronounced accents - JOHNNY CASHPOINT, SMALLTOWN MIKE, DESHEAD, KEN, SPUD, BJAM (although she sings in English) etc etc - it may be I like them because I too sing with an unintentionally over-pronounced accent. it may be I sing unintentionally with an over-pronounced accent to emulate them. I am not sure - a bit of both probably.

Does that answer any of the question? probably not!


*I am the Mencia of songfight.

[Reist]

I've definitely been working on a cool accent for music in the past weeks, even though I had not seen this thread yet.

[Justincombustion]

"Perhaps I picked up a slight accent when I was in London a few whiffins past...."

[Caravan Ray]

(Also, Caravan Ray: My mum's fallen in love with John Williamson's 'Home Among The Gum Trees' and now she won't stop singing in an Australian accent. Jesus Christ.)

AAAARRGHHH! She has been possessed by The Hat People!!! FOR THE LOVE OF GOD...GET OUT OF THE HOUSE....NOW!!!! Nothing can save her...OH THE HUMANITY!...

[Smalltown Mike]

... a bunch of stuff ...

Leaf, you are funny. F'real.

And Sober, if you're going to say even one silly thing about the Ramones, then you really must be only 21.

[Bjam]

(Also, Caravan Ray: My mum's fallen in love with John Williamson's 'Home Among The Gum Trees' and now she won't stop singing in an Australian accent. Jesus Christ.)

AAAARRGHHH! She has been possessed by The Hat People!!! FOR THE LOVE OF GOD...GET OUT OF THE HOUSE....NOW!!!! Nothing can save her...OH THE HUMANITY!...

Hehe. I've been hearing the song every morning in the car on the way to school. If there's something I don't need to hear at 6:45am it's Australians singing rather cheerily.

[jack]

how come canadians always say "eh" but you never see them write it. eh?

[j$]

would-be amazing humour ...

except no-one expressed an interest in your opinion

[Billy's Little Trip]

how come canadians always say "eh" but you never see them write it. eh?

whoa dude! you just bleeew my mind.

[Leaf]

would-be amazing humour ...

except no-one expressed an interest in your opinion

I guess that just re-enforces the Mencia remark.

[Freddielove]

Andale!

What's his face from the Decemberists sounds like he sings with an affected English accent.

Also there's a whole group of Enlgish singers that sound like American RnB over the years, Style Council, Lisa Stanfield, Everything but the Girl, singer from Weekend Players, Joss Stone.... Lot of soul over there.

[Egg]

On the Decemberists note, when they cover Kate Bush, the lead vocals girl sings with a bit of a British affectation too... and come to think of it, those really high female vocals in English-language songs usually sound slightly British. A contrapositive to the rock and roll accent.