Denny -- The Group's Strongest Vocalist?

[busy doin nothin]

My personal opinion, which is based strictly on who I most like to listen to, is pretty close to MBE's above.

Brian is my all-time favorite vocalist period, especially his "sweet" voice through the late 60s.  I love his voice so much that just hearing it in the mix say on the Deirdre chorus really kills me.  I cannot stand his singing post-1988, however.

Denny to me is a close second.  I never get tired of hearing him sing.  He just had such a special quality to his voice -- it was great in the early days, and though it changed, it stayed great through the late 70s.

I actually am not as big a fan of Carl as most.  Honestly, I would prefer to have given most of Carl's 1960s leads to either Brian or Dennis.  Carl's voice, especially when singing lead on someone else's song, just lacks a bit of soul for me.  My favorite Carl vocals are on his songs -- I Can Hear Music, Long Promised Road, Feel Flows, Trader.  But if it's a Brian- or Denny-composed song, I would have preferred Brian or Denny just sing it and not give it to Carl.  I love it when Brian's voice takes over the fade to GOK.  I love it that Carl let Denny sing Angel Come Home.  I prefer Denny's vocal of Only with You to Carl's.  Still and all, I rate Carl third.

I think Al is the best non-Wilson vocalist.  Help Me Rhonda was practically his first lead ever, and boy did he nail it.  He always sounds so clear, so on key, and like a nice person I would want to know.

I would put Blondie next, for Hold on Dear Brother, Leaving This Town, and Sail on Sailor (all incredible songs and vocals), plus what he added to other songs during his tenure.

Then Mike.  He did have some great vocals over the years and I love his bass as part of the blend, but this is a tough competition and too often his nose does "sound like it's on the critical list."

Ricky comes next for me, don't think he's a great singer -- liked his vocal on Here She Comes, but he seems to have been somewhat limited on vocals.

Bruce is the only Beach Boy whose voice I actively dislike.  It is okay in great moderation, like the fades of California Girls and GOK, but it's just too wimpy for me to stand.  I think his singing really detracts from Disney Girls -- if you listen to that song and close your eyes, you could believe it was Michael Jackson singing.

Don't have enough info on David Marks to rate him.

[Wirestone]

Dennis is the only one who could have had a career outside the Beach Boys based on his sound as a _solo_ singer.

Brian and Mike need the harmonies. Carl is brilliant but sometimes skirts blandness. Al has a limited emotional range. Dennis could put the entire content of the song across with a single vocal track, which is perhaps one reason he has the best solo album(s) of the group.

[Pinder's Gone To Kokomo And Back Again]

OK, how about this:  you could make a case for Dennis being the band's strongest ROCK vocalist.  There's evidence that both Carl and Brian envied his gruff tone and tried to coarsen their delivery from the mid '70s on.

I don't think Dennis was a consistent enough singer vocally to be called "strongest."  I do think he was really underrated though.  He had a really unique thing going on.  I remember being on the road playing Dennis' stuff for Stew (later a Tony Award winner) and his instant reaction was "so where was the manager that was there to tell this guy to go out on his own and make a million bucks."  Stew was a very savvy guy and no Beach Boys shipper.  That was his gut about Dennis.  So there ya go.

Word!

I tell ya, whenever I listen to Bambu I get these very vivid flashes in my head of Dennis playing "Schoolgirl" or "Constant Companion" on Midnight Special or Dick Clark: sitting at the piano backed by a huge band and killin it, and Dennis posters being on every "schoolgirl's" bedroom walls. These flashes are so vivid, I actually believe in some alternate universe Dennis is a huge huge solo star!!!!

Ahem, yes I am a lifelong musician who's dabbled in drugs!

Dennis had something none of the other Beach Boys really had. He had serious personality that came across vividly in his singing. He could blow as many notes as possible and this still came through loud and clear. Yes, Carl was a better singer (my favorite ever) but was the type to vanish into the vocal/song. His voice was pure magic for communicating the song and serving the entire situation. Dennis was a rock star, plain and simple. His voice just killed it and you knew you were listening to SOMEONE Beach Boy or not.

Mike also had serious personality in his vocals, but it was of such a laid back nature (which I love) and didn't draw you in like Dennis. Mike had serious cool which made the surf and car stuff kill big time. This same cool could also translate into a wonderful calm which blessed such songs as "Meant For You" and "All I Wanna Do" big time. I absolutely love Mike as a singer. Him and Dennis were more alike than not vocally as in they were the two personalities vocally that jumped out at you. Like, when those guys sing about girls and cars, they seem to know what they're talking about and it works like magic. Even Dennis in the vocal harmony on that stuff seems to mean it in a big way.

Brian and Carl were absolutely awesome and we all know this.

Al might have the best voice actually technically. The man can hold a note like no one's business even to this day.

But I think, in a way, Dennis WAS the strongest vocalist, but in a way that's outside of The Beach Boys. Dennis had that thing that makes the best frontmen and the best rock stars. He coulda/shoulda been huge on his own.

[sherryluvsbrian]

I have always likened Dennis' voice to Tom Waits. Either you get it or you don't. For those who do "get it" it is rich and soulful. I would say, per Dennis, I prefer his 1975+ voice because he seemed to sing with ever ounce of love and feeling he could muster up, and it really comes through in the recordings.

I couldn't have said it better.

[sherryluvsbrian]

1 Carl
2 Brian
3 Dennis
4 mike
5 Al

My opinion.

You put Al on the bottom, are you serious? Al has always sounded great and still does; Carl was always the strongest vocalist always. Brian and Dennis were good through the mid 70s, Bruce has always sounded decent, and Mike well.... Age has definitely phased him but he still pretty much has the same nasally voice for the most part. 

My opinion. I only really liked the original beach boys. Bruce was ok.

[onkster]

I really love Denny's vocals--so soulful.

That said, one could make an "Endless Bummer" sequel boot comprised of nothing but scary live versions of "You Are So Beautiful".

[Chris Brown]

Jon, you articulated my feelings perfectly.  As great as the other guys were as singers, I'll take a Wilson vocal over them any day. 

From a technical perspective, I'd say Brian has to be considered the best of the bunch, given the immense versatility and range he had during his early to mid-60's peak.  He didn't quite have the soul or personality that Dennis' voice had, but he was damn close.  The fact that he could sing all their parts and make it sound like authentic Beach Boys still blows me away.

Carl had a better "rock" voice than Brian, and was a little more soulful.  He pulled off vocals that I don't think Brian or Dennis could have, and vice versa.   

I don't quite understand the Tom Waits/Dennis comparison (hearing Waits made me want to chop off my ears, an experience I don't plan on repeating), but as others have said, he sang with more feeling than anyone in the group, and was able to do it in a way that didn't sound forced or put on.  That's not easy to do, and although all the Wilson brothers had the ability, Dennis was able to put himself out there in a way that just moves you.  Plus as Jon said, he was much more important to the harmony sound than most people realize.  He was the almost-untraceable glue that held the blend together so seamlessly.

I don't want to sell Al or Mike short at all - Al had (and still has) a great range and could mimic Brian's amazing voice quite well back in the 60's.  And Mike's bass parts were just ridiculous.  As great as he was as a lead vocalist, his bass singing was where he did his best work.

[adamghost]

OK, how about this:  you could make a case for Dennis being the band's strongest ROCK vocalist.  There's evidence that both Carl and Brian envied his gruff tone and tried to coarsen their delivery from the mid '70s on.

I don't think Dennis was a consistent enough singer vocally to be called "strongest."  I do think he was really underrated though.  He had a really unique thing going on.  I remember being on the road playing Dennis' stuff for Stew (later a Tony Award winner) and his instant reaction was "so where was the manager that was there to tell this guy to go out on his own and make a million bucks."  Stew was a very savvy guy and no Beach Boys shipper.  That was his gut about Dennis.  So there ya go.

Word!

I tell ya, whenever I listen to Bambu I get these very vivid flashes in my head of Dennis playing "Schoolgirl" or "Constant Companion" on Midnight Special or Dick Clark: sitting at the piano backed by a huge band and killin it, and Dennis posters being on every "schoolgirl's" bedroom walls. These flashes are so vivid, I actually believe in some alternate universe Dennis is a huge huge solo star!!!!

Ahem, yes I am a lifelong musician who's dabbled in drugs!

Dennis had something none of the other Beach Boys really had. He had serious personality that came across vividly in his singing. He could blow as many notes as possible and this still came through loud and clear. Yes, Carl was a better singer (my favorite ever) but was the type to vanish into the vocal/song. His voice was pure magic for communicating the song and serving the entire situation. Dennis was a rock star, plain and simple. His voice just killed it and you knew you were listening to SOMEONE Beach Boy or not.

Mike also had serious personality in his vocals, but it was of such a laid back nature (which I love) and didn't draw you in like Dennis. Mike had serious cool which made the surf and car stuff kill big time. This same cool could also translate into a wonderful calm which blessed such songs as "Meant For You" and "All I Wanna Do" big time. I absolutely love Mike as a singer. Him and Dennis were more alike than not vocally as in they were the two personalities vocally that jumped out at you. Like, when those guys sing about girls and cars, they seem to know what they're talking about and it works like magic. Even Dennis in the vocal harmony on that stuff seems to mean it in a big way.

Brian and Carl were absolutely awesome and we all know this.

Al might have the best voice actually technically. The man can hold a note like no one's business even to this day.

But I think, in a way, Dennis WAS the strongest vocalist, but in a way that's outside of The Beach Boys. Dennis had that thing that makes the best frontmen and the best rock stars. He coulda/shoulda been huge on his own.

I think Dennis had the talent and the charisma.  He just didn't have the ambition.  You have to be a little bit of an asshole to be a successful solo star, or else have really good management being an asshole for you.  There's a reason why Mike Love, despite being the least talented in many ways, was the last guy left standing in the Beach Boys.  He had that little bit of asshole you need to push through and come out on top.  Dennis, bless him, didn't have that.  He had his opening in '77 and backed off.  He wanted too much to be a part of the band and didn't want to rock the boat and take on that kind of responsibility.  Can't say as I blame him, though I think it was probably a mistake.  Had a different support system been in place, maybe it would have been different, but even so, it's hard to see how Dennis' fate would have gone down any other way.

[Bean Bag]

does anyone mind if I post in pink?

Yes, all the Wilson's including Mike Love's vocals are excellent and very unique.  I would agree that Brian's sound, tone, technique -- in general, his vocals -- were the best overall during his 61-67 prime.

But...once Brian was sidelined, Denny's voice really rises to the top.  First time I heard that, I thought:  "where has that been?"  It wasn't "better" -- but it was the way out.

So by "strongest vocalists" I think I mean that quite literally.  I think that's why his solo career seems the most lost to us, or me.  I especially like when Carl shows up on Bambu.  That's how it should have been.  Them two would have been just fine.  Mike's type of ego got in the way of his sincerity on occasion.  But when Mike was on, there's no other vocalist I'd want on those passages.


There is something I really like in Brian's late 70's and...maybe early 80's vocals though.  It's weird a lot...but...Brian is always fascinating.


EDIT:  No more pink!   

[oldsurferdude]

1 Carl
2 Brian
3 Dennis
4 mike
5 Al

My opinion.

C,B,A,D,M(almost a tie C & B)

[Pinder's Gone To Kokomo And Back Again]

Mike in last!!! How shocking 

But I'm with you post Holland regarding Mike. That nasal thing just got soooooo bad!

[sherryluvsbrian]

1 Carl
2 Brian
3 Dennis
4 mike
5 Al

My opinion.

C,B,A,D,M(almost a tie C & B)

 

[Emdeeh]

does anyone mind if I post in pink?

Yes, I do. I use the brick theme on this mb, which has a yellow background (much easier on aging eyes than the standard theme). Needless to say, pink isn't legible.

As for the topic at hand, Carl wins my vote for overall best vocalist in the BBs. But this is a group chock full of great vocalists, so I'm not ranking them otherwise -- love 'em all. To cite a couple, tho: Denny, imho, is the most emotional singer of the lot. And since he seems to be getting 'short' shrift here, Mr. Jardine deserves props for the warmth and versatility of his vocals.

[tpesky]

I think strongest is presenting the biggest discussion issue...when I think STRONG voice I think who commands a lead the best and takes over.  Carl is first, then Brian till the early 70's it's close between Dennis and Al I would give Dennis the edge through about 74 and then Al because his voice is so clear, then Mike, then Bruce. Mike's voice while unique and perfect for certain songs is really quite thin (I would consider that a contrast to strong) and limited.

Technical Voice is different, has to do with hitting notes and pitches. I would say Carl, Al, Brian, Bruce, Mike, Dennis

Soulful: Carl and Dennis are pretty darn close then Brian, Mike, Al, Bruce.

Range: It's tough: Brian, Al, Carl, Bruce, Dennis,( pre 74), Mike

Personal preference: Carl, Al, Brian, Mike, Dennis, Bruce

[Pinder's Gone To Kokomo And Back Again]

Mike is just Mike. He simply DOES Mike, IS Mike. He's never tried to be the world's greatest singer, but he does the best Mike Love he can always. He also knows his place in the Beach Boys harmony blend and when he's in that zone he's amazing. On leads, he's just Mike. He has a unique voice that IS the Beach Boys in many respects.

[Quincy]

Yeah, I'd have to agree Denny nailed it during the seventies, but I'd go with Bri and Mike earlier, at least during the heyday. Never have and likely never will understand people's love of Carl's voice. To me he always sounds kinda mealy-mouthed, like maybe he's chewing a hamburger while singing. Carl started to sound better in the eighties to these ears, but maybe that's just compared to Denny, Bri, and Mike who all kinda lost it around then (though Mike is sounding better these days).

  Steamboat..think he had fries with that hamburg

[the captain]

"Strongest vocalist" can mean a lot of different things, of course. And in terms of simple gymnastic ability, you've got to rank Dennis pretty far down the list. That said, as plenty of you have said, he could be a very endearing and convincing performer, which means quite a lot in pop music (or all music, even). I think Dennis was also a wonderful blender in the harmony context. Anyone who has ever sung in groups knows there are singers who are great as leads but don't blend well; Dennis was not that at all, his voice not only finding its parts but really filling out the sound. There is subtlety and nuance to that skill. However, Dennis tends to be among my least favorite singers in the group--with the caveats that a) it is a group of singers I like a lot, including him, and b) the specific material in question always shades my selections.

[Cam Mott]

I think I agree that they all were "strongest" by some measure and their various strengths were used to best advantage.

[Joshilyn Hoisington]

I think I agree that they all were "strongest" by some measure and their various strengths were used to best advantage.

Sort of like a cricket side, you have your spin bowlers, your fast bowlers, your batsmen, etc, etc--you don't expect a Shane Warne to get a century.  Nor do you expect Dennis to sing a cherubic, floated high harmony.

[TdHabib]

I think I agree that they all were "strongest" by some measure and their various strengths were used to best advantage.

A very good point, Brian took Dennis, who was perhaps not the strongest vocalist in pitch and accuracy and used his voice as a key part to what makes the BB harmony so beautiful, chilling and gives it the bollocks. And it my opinion, it was that experience that gave Dennis the experience to become such a superb lead vocalist from I'd say 1969-1977, probably his best vocal era. Not that his vocals on "Do You Wanna Dance" or the "Girls on the Beach" middle eight aren't superb, but his lead vocals on the Sunflower stuff, "Sound of Free," POB, "Cuddle Up" and a lot else have an intensity, passion and beauty that were second only to BW in his prime. Carl had the best technical voice by miles, but only when he was completely dialed in did he put in the passion his other brothers did in their prime. All of this is my ears talking.

[Magic Transistor Radio]

Brian - strength: Great range, and pitch perfect, best falsetto in pop music, best in ballad's, strong  in some up beat numbers
         - weakness: Lacks emotion, especially after 1968 or so, with a few exceptions

Dennis - strength: Raw and emotional, great performing singer, can do hard rock and ballad's
            - weakness: Not the prettiest voice, especially after 1974 or so, could go flat at times

Carl - strength: Greatest all around voice, great on ballad's and sound's beautiful even in the up beat rockers, he made a horrible song sound good.
       - weakness: All though he showed he could sing up beat 'r&b' type songs, he wasn't as strong on hard rock songs

Mike - strength: unique and catchy rock lead voice, and a nice ballad voice, great bass voice
        - weakness: Often lacks emotion, nasal lead got annoying by the late 70s.

Al - strength: Strong pitch perfect voice, great for soft folk songs
    - weakness: lacks emotion, somewhat annoying on up beat leads

Bruce - strength: Very strong for slow songs, great pitch
          - weakness: A bit loungey for pop/rock music

Blondie - strength: Great rock, lots of soul, great emotion
             - weakness: Not always pitch perfect

Ricky - strength: I really like him on Here She Comes
         - weakness: Haven't heard enough of him to really say
         

[adamghost]

Brian - strength: Great range, and pitch perfect, best falsetto in pop music, best in ballad's, strong  in some up beat numbers
         - weakness: Lacks emotion, especially after 1968 or so, with a few exceptions

Dennis - strength: Raw and emotional, great performing singer, can do hard rock and ballad's
            - weakness: Not the prettiest voice, especially after 1974 or so, could go flat at times

Carl - strength: Greatest all around voice, great on ballad's and sound's beautiful even in the up beat rockers, he made a horrible song sound good.
       - weakness: All though he showed he could sing up beat 'r&b' type songs, he wasn't as strong on hard rock songs

Mike - strength: unique and catchy rock lead voice, and a nice ballad voice, great bass voice
        - weakness: Often lacks emotion, nasal lead got annoying by the late 70s.

Al - strength: Strong pitch perfect voice, great for soft folk songs
    - weakness: lacks emotion, somewhat annoying on up beat leads

Bruce - strength: Very strong for slow songs, great pitch
          - weakness: A bit loungey for pop/rock music

Blondie - strength: Great rock, lots of soul, great emotion
             - weakness: Not always pitch perfect

Ricky - strength: I really like him on Here She Comes
         - weakness: Haven't heard enough of him to really say
          

I would go along with this except to say towards the end, when Carl got huskier, he became a really GREAT soul-rock singer.  His "Sail On Sailor" from the '90s is spine-tingling.  It's sort of moot, though, because he didn't record much in that era.

I was looking at the above thing about who had the biggest range.  I was thinking that Carl ought to outrank Al in that department, but on reflection, Al could almost certainly sing lower than Carl, and that counts.  So I think saying Al had more range than Carl is probably about right.

That said, what's the highest note anyone ever hit on a BBs record?  I believe it might be the high harmony to "domino" at 1:15 on the BBs version of "Surf's Up."  I don't have a guitar handy to check the note, but it's north of my own range, which puts it up around G5.  Of course, it might be sped up, but I don't hear that it is.  That one's Carl (or...listening again...is it Bruce ??)...anyone got a higher one?

[adamghost]

OK, I got curious and checked...that note is A5.  Son of a bitch, that's a high note.

The more I think about it, I'm thinking that note is Bruce and not Carl...someone out there probably knows for sure, based on something Desper said or something.  Anyway, thoughts on this and other tortuous high notes in BBs land?

Two that strangle me are the "top of the WORLD..." on "Catch A Wave" and Bruce's last "na na na na" at the end of "Good Vibrations."  I don't know what the notes are, but they're pretty frickin' high.  Some of the block harmonies around the SUNFLOWER era top out pretty high, though they may be sped up....

You could make the argument that Bruce had the greatest overall range based on his earlier work.  "Shut 'em DOWN" on "Hey Little Cobra" sounds pretty silly with Bruce singing baritone, but he hit the notes fine (apparently with his head in a bucket!).  And I don't recall if there was any studio trickery involved on this particular track, but his insane "The Hamptons" is one of many ridiculously high vocal turns from the Bruce & Terry/Rip Chords era.

[Magic Transistor Radio]

How could anyone argue against Brian having the biggest range? His high harmonies, plus he could sing bass like Mike on some songs.

I don't know what an A5 is. I believe the high note on Surf's Up is an F. Unless there is a harmony above it that I missed.

[Chris Brown]

How could anyone argue against Brian having the biggest range? His high harmonies, plus he could sing bass like Mike on some songs.

I don't know what an A5 is. I believe the high note on Surf's Up is an F. Unless there is a harmony above it that I missed.

Yep, the highest note of the melody is an F (on "domino") and A5 is a third above it.  Really damn high.  By way of comparison, that high "na na na" part in Good Vibrations gets up to a G, just below the A5 in Surf's Up.