I can't think of a pithy name for this.

The following blog was inspired by a text conversation I had with a friend regarding an album called Ben Folds Presents: University A Cappella!, an album of Ben Folds and Ben Folds Five songs performed by American university a cappella groups. For the most part the songs are excellent and I recommend you should check it out. But anyway...

There are some songs on there where the lead vocal line is over-sung. Now, one could argue that on a CD of a cappella songs that over-singing is a ludicrous thing to complain about but I think it isn't; especially when the vocals on the original songs aren't sung in that style. Yes, the group is adding there own take to the song but don't go nuts with it! Some singers, not just on the album in question, over sing. Simply because they were in charts when I was growing up I'm specifically going to looking at Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera, Destiny's Child, the Spice Girls and the rest of that crowd. They warble. There's no other way of putting it. They never seem to hit the notes, they just sort of dance around them vocally.

I have two theories on this. First, most of their songs have no melody. Second, and this may be a bit controversial, I reckon it's because they aren't involved in the writing and production of their songs. If you take KT Tunstall for example she writes her own stuff, plays on it and has an idea of how it's going to sound at the end of it all. Britney Spears doesn't. Maybe, by over-singing on her tracks she's trying to make up for her lack of involvement by performing the song in such a way that says "Yes, I may not be very involved with this whole process, but I CAN sing."

Now, I'm not calling into question anyone's ability to sing. Spears et al can sing. But they don't have to prove they can by shoving their vocal chords in my face at the end of every line. In groups, I've already mentioned Destiny's Child and the Spice Girls, maybe they are all subconsciously fighting with each other to prove who the best singer is; I don't know.

The other thing is that pop music seems to call for this style of vocal performance these days, maybe because so many people do it because they think that's the way to sing. It's just expected that singers should be able to do this. You don't get it that much in actual bands; the Kaiser Chiefs don't warble. But maybe that goes back to my theory that they are more involved in the whole thing. They don't need to justify there reasons for being played on the radio or appearing on television because you can hear the work that's gone into their stuff (I'm not talking specifically about the Kaiser Chiefs here).

I have a long held belief that I thought of while writing an essay in college, but it does fit into many branches of life. Just because you can do something doesn't mean you have to. I can play stuff on my drum kit that I have never been able to fit into a musical context. Because it won't sound good or will detract from the rest of the song - or both in some cases - I don't use it. And again, just because you can do that shaky not-quite-hitting-the-note-thing doesn't mean you have to do it at the end of every phrase. If it fits whatever you're singing then fine, more power to you. Don't do it to prove to people how good you are. Some of the best singers I enjoy listening to or that I know don't do it.

If you've made it this far then well done. I have never been good at writing my arguments down and I could chase myself in circles with this topic. Give me someone to talk to and I can really make myself clear, so I apologize for the disjointed feel of - well - all my blogs really.

EDIT: I've just re-read this and I have really picked on female performers. These singers are people that I have found overly guilty of what I'm talking about so they just came into my head while I was searching for examples. Males singers can be just as guilty. Paging Will Young...