The Definitive Vocal Credits Thread...

[adamghost]

I don't like arguing with AGD either, but I still don't buy that that line is not Brian.  Unfortunately, I don't have the mp3 of the song to go back and refer to, so I can't back that up with anything more than my memory.  However, doesn't one of the "rescue me rescue you" lines immediately precede Alan's 2nd verse lead vocal?  And aren't the quality of the two vocal lines substantially different?

[Andrew G. Doe]

Listen to the percadella mix - it's much more obvious there. FWIW I thought it was Brian too until I heard that.

[adamghost]

Listen to the percadella mix - it's much more obvious there. FWIW I thought it was Brian too until I heard that.

I don't have that mix...is it possible that that mix uses a different vocal track?

[Andrew G. Doe]

Not that I can tell.

[edit] - just checked - same vocals tracks. And it's definitely Alan. Great bass vocal from Mike, too.

[SloopJohnB]

Not that I can tell.

[edit] - just checked - same vocals tracks. And it's definitely Alan. Great bass vocal from Mike, too.

Great bass vocal by Mike indeed, but I'm still not convinced that it's Al. 

[southbay]

Not that I can tell.

[edit] - just checked - same vocals tracks. And it's definitely Alan. Great bass vocal from Mike, too.

Still convinced it's Brian.  Can't somebody (Les Chan?) just ask Al.  Of course, if he thinks Honkin' Down the Highway was never recorded...

Great bass vocal by Mike indeed, but I'm still not convinced that it's Al. 

I still think it's Brian...

[adamghost]

Huh.

Well, I really like Brian's vocal on the rest of the song, anyway.

[adamghost]

Alan Boyd is a troublemaker.  I was ready to drop this and he saw the thread and emailed me the percadella mix of "Rock 'n' Roll to the Rescue," with an enigmatic comment to the effect of not taking a position either way.

Listening with headphones and the volume up...the line recurs three times, the first at 1:12 is panned left, the latter two centered.  It appears to be two tracks, loosely doubled.  With all due respect to AGD, I just don't see how anyone gets that these are Al.  Here's my case:

(1)  The left channel vocal track carries over from the first chorus.  The "cue" of "rescue" is under pitch as if it's sung through the nose.  Brian.
(2)  The grit in the vocal on "said."  Low, gravelly, right where Brian sings it.  Now visualize Al singing.  Al definitely has grit, but it usually higher in his range.  At that spot in his range he tended to sing clear and with a little vibrato.  Brian.  Listen to Al's vocal come in right after (singing just a half step up from the prior line, no less).  It's got a totally different quality.
(3) 2nd chorus.  Now we're panned center, but the vocal still carries over from the chorus.  You can hear the vocal go under at on "scue" "you" and "scue" again, especially on "you."  Typical of someone with nose issues going to hit a tenor note on a "ew" sound.  Brian.
(4) Grit at "and" and "it."  I could imagine Al singing the "it" this way, but not with this much baritone.  Brian.
(5)  Third chorus.  Same issues as 2nd chorus.  Brian.
(6)  Third time through.  Listen to the slight lisp on "I said."  I defy anyone to listen to those two lines and tell me that's not the post-'83 Brian vocal affectation that we've come to know so well.  Case closed, Brian.
(7)  The double is OK, but a little sloppy all the way through.  Al did not have problems in this part of his range in '86.  No reason for it to be this loose unless it was Brian.  Or unless someone else in the band doubled him.

Brian, Brian, Brian.  Yes, possibly someone other than him in the band doubled him (although it doesn't sound like it to me).  Brian, I say!

[tpesky]

Adam, Tremendous research!  I feel like it could be Brian on 1 and 3, but # 2 does sound more like Al.  The debate goes on

[Jonas]

 

[adamghost]

I wondered about the second vocal at first, too.  But on second listen it sounded to me that it was just a tighter track and placed differently in the mix (center).  Those two factors would make it sound clearer and probably more like Al.  I don't hear the actual quality of the voices being that different.

[pixletwin]

I will vote with Adam on this one. I say its Brian as well.

[Andrew G. Doe]

Me still say Alan.

[SloopJohnB]

I guess we'll have to go for a "Brian or Alan" credit on that one then... 

[Jonas]

Then again, I wouldnt really trust someone who couldnt tell that the original God Only Knows was spliced in a newer version...

[SloopJohnB]

Then again, I wouldnt really trust someone who couldnt tell that the original God Only Knows was spliced in a newer version...

That's exactly what I was thinking without daring saying it 

[Andrew G. Doe]

Then again, I wouldnt really trust someone who couldnt tell that the original God Only Knows was spliced in a newer version...

I asked someone who would know, and he said not. 

[SloopJohnB]

Then again, I wouldnt really trust someone who couldnt tell that the original God Only Knows was spliced in a newer version...

I asked someone who would know, and he said not. 

...And he was talking about the released version, not about the 30-second promo video.

[Andrew G. Doe]

Consider Alan's vocal on "I Do Love You" - that sound like you've ever heard him before ?

[SloopJohnB]

Well, it's unmistakably Alan. Not his usual "sound", but easily recognizable nevertheless. And that isn't the case on Rock & Roll To The Rescue, at least in my opinion.

[adamghost]

I say per my post about a million years ago, we credit it to Maurice Gibb.

[Jay]

My vote is that it's Brian. 

[Jonas]

after listening to it a bunch of times, im gonna go with alan...and some parts that were tagged as mike, i wanna go with brian on them...

[smile-holland]

Now, I don't whether or not this is something to be ashamed of, but my BBs collection stops at 85. I have Still Cruisin' on vinyl, but no vinyl player.

Can someone give me the info on:

Happy Ending
Rock and Roll To The Rescue
Make It Big
Still Cruisin'
In My Car

And anything else from the 1986 to 1990 period - I'm confident about Kokomo, California Dreamin', Somewhere Near Japan and Island Girl. Thanks. I don't need line-by-line breakdowns, unless it's totally necessary, just the way I've been doing it lo these many months. AGD?

Thanks.

to get back to this list....Happy Endings...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lYxAqHIff2g

I could give it a try...but the next couple of days I don't ahave a lot of time for this...so if anyone cares to help out on this...

As for In My Car: almost solely Brian with a little help on the refrain by Carl (I think)

lead and bv's: Brian
When I'm behind the wheel
Horses of gas and steel
The highway is my home
In fiberglass and chrome

Fantasy car shiny Corvette
Let's take a ride you can't forget
Come on pretty lady ride with me

lead Carl, bv's: Brian
In my car
I'm captain of my destiny
In my car
Pretty babe come cruise with me
Come for a drive
And we'll arrive
Feelin' alive

lead and bv's: Brian
I'm master of my fate
When I accelerate
My new Vette is my throne
When on the road we roam we roam we roam roam

Cruisin' like we're in a dream
Feelin' like we're still sixteen
Being a part of the great American scene

lead Carl, bv's: Brian
In my car
I'm captain of my destiny
In my car
Pretty babe come cruise with me
Come for a drive
And we'll arrive
Feelin' alive

lead and bv's: Brian
Cruise cruise cruise with me baby
Now move move up in the stratosphere
Zoom zoom zoom with me darlin' now
We're still cruisin' after all these
Cruisin' after all these years

lead and bv's: Brian
Wind blowing in my hair
I feel like a millionaire
Radio is blasting strong
We're breaking out in song

Blazing trails both near and far
Park my car behind a star
Life is full of possibilities

lead Carl, bv's: Brian
In my car
I'm captain of my destiny
In my car
Oh pretty babe come cruise with me
Come for a drive
And we'll arrive
Feelin' alive

In my car
I'm captain of my destiny
In my car
Oh pretty babe come cruise with me

[SloopJohnB]

I think Al shares the lead on the choruses (except the first one, where Carl does the lead alone)