Is Mike Love a good singer?

[hypehat]

Something I wrote whilst wrecked in the Country Love thread got me to thinking....


I know Mike is effective singing I Get Around, That's Not Me, and other songs. He works in The Beach Boys, on a lot of material. He's a fine bass singer - you'd have to be, with the parts Brian deals you. In those respects, he's an amazing singer.

And yet listening to the gospel - sort song on Country Love made me think, is Mike Love actually any good as a singer of words? Maybe I'm answering my own question when I make the distinction of him singing, IDK, Dance Dance Dance before the horrifying mental image I have of of Mike Love singing gospel music, or I Can't Stop Loving You, or any great songs without totally ruining them....

I just wondered what you all thought. And I'm trying not to troll 

[Wirestone]

Mike's voice is like his lyrics, IMO. He's very good on a somewhat limited range of material.

At various points, Mike has shown flashed of other voices -- like "All I Want to Do" (the rocker, not the spacey one). He also can do a nice whispered croon, as revealed on "Kokomo" and "Cool Head, Warm Heart." So I suspect he had a bit more range than we know. Sadly, he's really toured a lot of the range and power out of his voice, so I'm not sure how much he has left (not that this is unusual for 70-year-old rock singers).

In terms of the nasal leads he's known for, Mike is not exactly an objectively great singer. He's distinctive, yes, and Brian knew precisely how to use him to great effect. Let's put it this way -- Mike Love is the best possible singer for "California Girls." No one else could sing that song the way he could. He wouldn't work on God Only Knows, particularly. Or a lot of other groups' material. But who else could make "California Girls" what it is?

[runnersdialzero]

Mike is a great bass vocalist outright.

As a lead vocalist, he's one of those guys that had limitations and learned to work well with those limitations, sometimes despite them. Guy got pretty good come the time of "California Girls", and as the 60s went on he got even better. Sounds great on stuff like "All I Want To Do", "Big Sur", "Meant For You", "All I Wanna Do", "Add Some Music To Your Day", etc. etc. etc. etc. etc.

In conclusion, yeah, I think he is. There were certainly better singers within the band, but I wouldn't have had anyone but him sing those songs.

[JohnMill]

I would say Mike Love is a good singer just based on the fact that I'm sure more than once all of us have imitated him while singing Beach Boys songs.  To me that is the hallmark of a good singer in that he is influential enough that when people are singing his songs they alter their own voice to sing with his own vocal inflections.  As for that bass, wow out of this world!

[Alan Smith]

Mike Love is a great singer. 

Sure there are technically better singers, but Mike has really left his mark on the world of popular music.

He's definitely original - no-one sings like Mike, although a lot of people kinda want to. 

And, as some of other posters have alluded, I can't think of anyone else singing those songs to as great effect as Mike.

Perhaps he peaked on "All this is that", or the early version of "Big Sur", that could be more about the biz than the art.

[Magic Transistor Radio]

Mike Love has a unique voice within the Beach Boys. Unless you are familiar with the band, it is easy to think that Help Me, Rhonda, Wouldn't it Be Nice and Darlin were the same singer. Or that Be Here in the Morning and Break Away have one lead singer. But Mike's lead's are very obvious. Outside of I Know There's an Answer where he sounds similar to Al and Brian.

I think the cocky snarl in a Mike lead is unique in the rock n roll world. Plus he shows some diversity in ballads like All I Wanna Do, Everyone's in Love with You and Sumahama.

[onkster]

I'm not a big fan of Mike's quotations, speeches, etc., but as a singer...

...just listen to that long tag to Vegetables. That's some GREAT singing.

[Nicko1234]

Yeah, Mike was an excellent singer as others have said.

I think that from the late 70s onwards though many of his best vocal efforts were on outside projects though. Either his solo stuff or the Celebration albums. His worst vocal efforts were mainly with the BBs or Adrian Baker when he didn't have anyone to crack the whip and get him to tone down the nasality.

[Andrew G. Doe]

Play "Kiss Me, Baby" and your question is answered.

[stack-o-tracks]

I would say Mike Love is a good singer just based on the fact that I'm sure more than once all of us have imitated him while singing Beach Boys songs.  To me that is the hallmark of a good singer in that he is influential enough that when people are singing his songs they alter their own voice to sing with his own vocal inflections.  As for that bass, wow out of this world!

It's too bad we all don't have Al to plug our noses while imitating Mike.

[stack-o-tracks]

Also, I think Mike Love will go down as "the dancer," not "the singer."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XkW4Egnk23k

[adam78]

Yeah, he's an awesome singer, with a range that is lower than most. His bass parts are almost unmatchable in modern pop, but a lot of his lead vocals are out of the comfort zone of his range. Thats not to say I don't like him. His little squeeks and hiccups when he's singing notes that obviously aren't natural to his vocal range are part of his charm I reckon.

[Jaspy]

Mike Love is not only a good, talented singer, but he has an unique voice with recognition factor.
If you hear him on a new song you never heard before, you know, that's Mike. The public knows, that's the Beach Boys!

[Val]

Mike Love is a great singer and a great frontman.  I agree with Jaspy and Andrew.  My one of my ever-favourite Mike Love vocals is "Kiss Me Baby". Just listen to his range...

[Craig Boyd]

As others have pointed out Mike has a very unique voice and nobody sounds like him, that's my definition of a "great singer" whereas a good singer can be anyone that has a decent range and technical abilities. It goes for anything really, some people can play a million notes a second on a guitar but it doesn't make them a great guitarist, it's all about individuality I suppose.

Also have a listen to other bands from the early 60's that had the same sort of style as the Beach Boys, the lead vocals sound kinda dated today but you listen to any of the Beach Boys songs from back then like Surfin' USA, I Get Around, Fun Fun Fun etc. and it still sounds fresh. That's the part of Mikes singing that people overlook I think. I often wonder what Surf City would've sounded like with Mike in his prime singing it rather than Jan & Dean.

[Cam Mott]

I wish Brian would have let Mike use his natural voice more like on Devoted To You.

[Magic Transistor Radio]

For anyone that points to his voice going down hill after the mid 70s, I say, how about most of the Beach Boys voices?

[cablegeddon]

I don't want to make a grand statement but this is my impression:

Mike Love is underrated among the BB fanbase. His strenght as a singer is that he is has the most recognizable voice in the band and that his performances always are enjoyable. IMHO he's also the second best songwriter in the band. When he writes a great song like Big sur, Kokomo or Summer in Paradise he is a better songwriter than Dennis or Carl at their best. Obviously ML isn't very consistent with his songwriting.

[Nicko1234]

I don't want to make a grand statement but this is my impression:

Mike Love is underrated among the BB fanbase. His strenght as a singer is that he is has the most recognizable voice in the band and that his performances always are enjoyable. IMHO he's also the second best songwriter in the band. When he writes a great song like Big sur, Kokomo or Summer in Paradise he is a better songwriter than Dennis or Carl at their best. Obviously ML isn't very consistent with his songwriting.

The writing of Mike, on the one hand, and Carl and Dennis on the other doesn't compare. Mike was the strongest lyricist in the band (and later sometimes the weakest) whereas Carl and Dennis were obviously more writers of music. The sad thing, to me at least, is that when Brian pulled back that Mike didn't find a new songwriting partner. When he wrote Don't Run Away, Sound of Free, Only With You, Pacific Ocean Blue etc. he showed that he could co-write good songs with other writers.

[Paulos]

I don't want to make a grand statement but this is my impression:

Mike Love is underrated among the BB fanbase. His strenght as a singer is that he is has the most recognizable voice in the band and that his performances always are enjoyable. IMHO he's also the second best songwriter in the band. When he writes a great song like Big sur, Kokomo or Summer in Paradise he is a better songwriter than Dennis or Carl at their best. Obviously ML isn't very consistent with his songwriting.

All hail Cablegeddon, the King of ridiculous statements! We can now add the above to the 'mono Smile sessions ruined the Beach Boys legacy' and 'Our Prayer is the standard thing any given vocal group would throw together'

Summer In Paradise & Kokomo are better songs than Long Promised Road, Feel Flows, Trader, Where I Belong, Cuddle Up, Forever, Baby Blue, River Song etc? Give me a friggin break!

[Runaways]

his best singing voice for me was on the quiet tunes.  at that point i looove his voice.  Songs like meant for you, all i wanna do, original big sur.  It's really smooth and pretty awesome.  Then rock n roll music came out and it's like nooooooooooooooooooooooooooo.


i'll also add that i think the original Big Sur is a tune i like more than any carl song.  But mike doesn't come close to dennis. 

[Ron]

He's of course a great bass singer, and he's capable of singing very well "All I Wanna Do" stands out to me.  However, most of the parts he was given didn't require a tecnically 'good' singer, his biggest gift was Swagger.  For instance; his voice, tone, and arrogance adds a lot to a song like "409"

"...Well; I saved My Pennies and I Saved My Dimes...."

Nice Swag on that song.  I think he did his part in the band, and did it very well. 

[Ron]

Gotta add again: "Kokomo" is great in every way.  EVERY way, I can't believe the hate Mike gets for that.  Brian Wilson knows Kokomo is great, that lets me know I'm not crazy.  The lyrics are as good as anything they ever did, certainly as good as "Good Vibrations", the production is dated of course, but the vocals are sublime, some of their best ever.  "Oooh I wanna Take Ya" is the same as "She's Givin' Me Excitations", but nobody complains about Good Vibrations.  It's alright for Van Dyke to make up words but Mike's an idiot for it.  Okay.

[Mike's Beard]

I consider Mike a good singer 'till he nasals it up , then I have to grit my teeth somewhat.

[pixletwin]

I consider Mike a good singer 'till he nasals it up , then I have to grit my teeth somewhat.

Yes.

When Mike sweetens his vocals (like on Meant For You) he is really every bit as a good as an expressive singer as Carl or Brian, imo.