Wild Honey is the hardest song to sing in the world.

[Cabinessenceking]

Ya, I've tried billion pluss times trying to sing it exactly at the same key Carl did on the original, i made my backing track and backing vocals without too much hassle and all and that lead is freaking impossible. Has anyone here dared try it exactly like he did? My vocal chords break down and die like with no other song. and holy sh*t that last 'sweet' in the bridge section. HOLY MOTHER OF GOD HOW CAN MORTAL MAN REACH THAT?
respect for Carl vocal abilities went up considerably, despite it already being at God/JESUSBUDHHA lvl
Rant over.

ps. by singing it, I mean like in a real groovy soulful way, not just hitting the notes vocally.

[FatherOfTheMan Sr101]

I actually love singing this song, I actually do really well with "yelling songs" I have a few on my next album!

[gfac22]

I'll add Darlin' to the list, too.  I never even attempt to sing that or Wild Honey, they're ridiculous.  Nobody will ever be able to do them as well as Carl.

[Gertie J.]

even Carl couldn't top himself later.

[shelter]

Too be honest, I think the song was a little bit too hard to sing for Carl as well. You can clearly hear that he struggles to reach the high notes. And even though he makes it, that does make it a somewhat uncomfortable listen.

[Rocker]

It is hard to sing. I tried it when my band covered "Wild honey" for the project of this forum. Carl did a great job but part of why it sounds so great (apart from his very strong singing) is that he was still very young and his voice high pitched. His delivery at the mid 70s Madison Square Garden shows wasn't as good imo

[Al Jardine: Pick Up Artist]

hey would you mind uploading your backing track somewhere if it's cool? :3

[Aegir]

I have a hard time even singing along to it. The whole album is full of Carl straining his voice but that's what makes it so awesome.

[halblaineisgood]

.

[Gertie J.]

don't kid.

[halblaineisgood]

.

[Loaf]

I have a hard time even singing along to it. The whole album is full of Carl straining his voice but that's what makes it so awesome.

Same here. Doesn't stop me singing along though if i'm on my own.

[Wah Wah Wah Ooooo]

Agree with thread title and that's probably why Carl and Blondie both sounded like crap singing it. It's a cool little rocker, but the lead vocals on the studio and live versions I've heard are horrendous.  Easily Carl's worst vocal. Strained, nasally yelling. 

[SonicVolcano]

He did nail the live versions of those 1967 concerts, as far as I recall. Maybe not as great as the studio cut, but definitely worth listening to.

[Shady]

I'm sure Carl loved recording that song, getting to rock out on such a funky song

[Rocker]

hey would you mind uploading your backing track somewhere if it's cool? :3

I don't have the backing track at hand. But you can listen to the finished version on our old myspace site:

http://www.myspace.com/orangewhipband

[SMiLE Brian]

Blondie's version is unbearable to listen to in my opinion.

[SonicVolcano]

Blondie's version is unbearable to listen to in my opinion.

I wonder why Carl didn't sing it in those days. To spare his voice maybe?

The London 1972 version is a bit shabby, but I heard another version which was pretty good.

[CarlTheVoice]

It's easy for me but then I am a woman! I disagree with the comments that WH is Carl's worst vocal and that it's strained. I love it for the fact that you can tell he's singing his heart out! The parts that might sound strained to others just sound full of emotion for me. Carl's voice at this time was amazing, full of soul. The breaking of his voice at the end doesn't sound poor, it just adds magic to the song for me.

[The 4th Wilson Bro.]

It's easy for me but then I am a woman! I disagree with the comments that WH is Carl's worst vocal and that it's strained. I love it for the fact that you can tell he's singing his heart out! The parts that might sound strained to others just sound full of emotion for me. Carl's voice at this time was amazing, full of soul. The breaking of his voice at the end doesn't sound poor, it just adds magic to the song for me.

You're right, CTV, for disagreeing with the post that called WH "Carl's worst vocal."  Carl Wilson did a great job on that record, and I say 'so what' if he had to strain somewhat to reach the highest notes.  There might be one (guy) in 1,000 who could pull off that song, but Carl did it and sounded great.  Among his "rocking" leads, it's one of my favorites.

[Lonely Summer]

I've worked with musicians that wanna put all the songs in different keys, but I have a bit of a hangup about that, being strictly an ear musician, I have to do them in the original keys. Wild Honey is, as ML would say, a muthaf***er to sing in the original key. Darlin' is challenging, but on a good day i can do it decently.

[wantsomecorn]

Could this have been why Wild Honey wasn't included on the 50th Reunion Tour?

[hypehat]

Because it would have required a mad bastard like Carl Wilson, 1967, coke in his veins, or Blondie Chaplin, 1972 coke in his veins to sing? I think it's too soulful for the current group.



Charitably, Darian could have done. He lacks those white hot high notes now, I think, but he sings a fine Darlin'.

[♩♬🐸 Billy C ♯♫♩🐇]

Blondie's version is unbearable to listen to in my opinion.

You know what? I don't like it either. It's too 'screechy' and IMHO is his worst vocal that I've heard.

[schiaffino]

I think Wouldn't It Be Nice is the hardest song to sing in the world.

Agree, that's a tough one!