Nutrocker Posted January 9, 2013 Share Posted January 9, 2013 (edited) As anybody who's heard recordings of the 1977 tour knows, John Paul Jones (aided on some dates by John Bonham) sang the Sandy Denny sections of "Battle Of Evermore". It seems to be a somewhat controversial choice... What are yer thoughts on Jonesy's vocals? Like 'em, hate 'em, indifferent? They shoulda got somebody else? (an option I've heard a few times over the years- but in that case, who?) Cast yer vote... (FWIW I seem to flip between 'I can live with them' and 'they shoulda got somebody else'...I'm not sure anybody could do justice to SD's original vocal on the studio track, but any port in a storm, as they say) Edited January 9, 2013 by Nutrocker Quote Link to post Share on other sites
sickagain98 Posted January 9, 2013 Share Posted January 9, 2013 Er... Well they were better than no backing vocals at all. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Nutrocker Posted January 9, 2013 Author Share Posted January 9, 2013 Er... Well they were better than no backing vocals at all. This is true This poll is actually a spinoff of a question I raised in the ongoing discussion of the new May 25/30 '77 Landover soundboards, where John Bonham can also be heard singing along... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Led Dirigible Posted January 9, 2013 Share Posted January 9, 2013 They should have gotten someone else. I'll give Jonesy credit for trying his best, but his backing vocals weren't very good. It is implausible for them to hire a backup singer for just one song, so maybe Bonzo could have done them? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Nutrocker Posted January 9, 2013 Author Share Posted January 9, 2013 ...Just in case anyone hasn't heard it, here's "Battle Of Evermore" from the '77 tour: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xpO_kI_aVeM&playnext=1&list=PLF9B7AB0294B335AD&feature=results_main Quote Link to post Share on other sites
fishhead Posted January 9, 2013 Share Posted January 9, 2013 If they could do it all over again, i think it would have been cool to have a female singer (either known or not) in each town sing with them on that one. Logistically it may have been a pain but it could have been done with a couple of talent scouts out across the land......JPJ, God love him, stinks, and that is no fault of his own. Sandy Denny left some pretty big shoes to fill. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
jb126 Posted January 9, 2013 Share Posted January 9, 2013 I had never heard the shows with both JPJ and JB singing on "Battle of Evermore". I think it's worse than JPJ alone! I like listening to the shows, e.g. Destroyer where it's just JPJ singing the responses. For me it's not good, but funny and cute. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
bamf4k Posted January 9, 2013 Share Posted January 9, 2013 ...Just in case anyone hasn't heard it, here's "Battle Of Evermore" from the '77 tour: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xpO_kI_aVeM&playnext=1&list=PLF9B7AB0294B335AD&feature=results_main Hey, thanks for using my video as the example! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
LedZebedee Posted January 9, 2013 Share Posted January 9, 2013 When there is no one else good old Jonesy will do it! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mielazul Posted January 9, 2013 Share Posted January 9, 2013 "This song reflects...an evening in England, some 700 years ago." That's how Rob introduced BoE on Destroyer, and I always imagined it that way...around a campfire, of course. With that in mind, I think Jonesy's less-than-perfect vocals somehow become appropriate...adding a nice English touch to the proceedings (some nights were better than others, though). Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Ross62 Posted January 10, 2013 Share Posted January 10, 2013 Can't stand 'em. Jonesy shouldn't sing.As genius as he is with all of his other musical talents he can't be good at everything. Other examples exist of his efforts with TCV too. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Nutrocker Posted January 10, 2013 Author Share Posted January 10, 2013 Hey, thanks for using my video as the example! Had to use somebody's, bam, and yer's was the best example! When there is no one else good old Jonesy will do it! John Paul Jones has actually said as much. "This song reflects...an evening in England, some 700 years ago." That's how Rob introduced BoE on Destroyer, and I always imagined it that way...around a campfire, of course. With that in mind, I think Jonesy's less-than-perfect vocals somehow become appropriate...adding a nice English touch to the proceedings (some nights were better than others, though). Ever heard any Fairport Convention (Sandy Denny's old band)? Quintessential British Folk-Rock. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
bamf4k Posted January 10, 2013 Share Posted January 10, 2013 (edited) Had to use somebody's, bam, and yer's was the best example! Thanks, feel free to use them in any other situation. Also, I no longer upload things to that channel, my new channel is called Randy Butternubs: http://www.youtube.c...7w?feature=mhee Edited January 10, 2013 by bamf4k Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mielazul Posted January 10, 2013 Share Posted January 10, 2013 I've heard some Fairport Convention, but it was a while ago, so I just went to youtube and picked something at random - One More Chance. Sandy's singing was beautiful. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Rock Historian Posted January 10, 2013 Share Posted January 10, 2013 Well, "Ice fishing at night" is much better..... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mielazul Posted January 10, 2013 Share Posted January 10, 2013 Well, "Ice fishing at night" is much better..... I'll check it out - thanks for the tip. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Glyn Posted January 10, 2013 Share Posted January 10, 2013 I actually like his vocals on "Battle of Evermore." I cannot stand JPJ's vocals on his solo music however. The god damn harmonizer on Plant's vocals is one of the worst things I've ever head. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
SweetLittleBaby Posted January 10, 2013 Share Posted January 10, 2013 I had never heard the shows with both JPJ and JB singing on "Battle of Evermore". I think it's worse than JPJ alone! I like listening to the shows, e.g. Destroyer where it's just JPJ singing the responses. For me it's not good, but funny and cute. I thought that was Jimmy signing with JPJ. Anyway, good or bad, there was something cute about it. It was actually quite charming. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
slave to zep Posted January 10, 2013 Share Posted January 10, 2013 i can't understand why they didn't get a female singer to tour with them. they were huge stars at the time, and i am sure any number of young up and coming singers would have done it at the drop of a hat. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Nutrocker Posted January 10, 2013 Author Share Posted January 10, 2013 (edited) i can't understand why they didn't get a female singer to tour with them. they were huge stars at the time, and i am sure any number of young up and coming singers would have done it at the drop of a hat. Nevermind up and coming, I reckon somebody like Joni Mitchell or Stevie Nicks would have done well (to name but two suggestions for the part I've heard thrown about over the years) But yer right, slave, I'm sure it would have been easy to find a female singer -even a variety of them- to sing the Sandy Denny part. For that matter, I believe Ms Denny herself was still alive in '77- why not just ask her? Compare with the different female singers The Rolling Stones had to sing the female parts in "Gimmie Shelter" during their recent 50th Anniversary concerts (not that I'd want to hear, say, Lady Gaga singing "Battle Of Evermore" ) Edited January 10, 2013 by Nutrocker Quote Link to post Share on other sites
slave to zep Posted January 10, 2013 Share Posted January 10, 2013 Nevermind up and coming, I reckon somebody like Joni Mitchell or Stevie Nicks would have done well (to name but two suggestions for the part I've heard thrown about over the years) But yer right, slave, I'm sure it would have been easy to find a female singer -even a variety of them- to sing the Sandy Denny part. For that matter, I believe Ms Denny herself was still alive in '77- why not just ask her? Compare with the different female singers The Rolling Stones had to sing the female parts in "Gimmie Shelter" during their recent 50th Anniversary concerts (not that I'd want to hear, say, Lady Gaga singing "Battle Of Evermore" ) i think it would have been better to get an unknown singe/singers to do the whole tours with them. someone like stevie nicks ( i love her, btw ), would have been wanting to put their own stamp on the song, and probably not want to tour and only do the one song. even 2 or 3 songs wouldn't be enough. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Rock Historian Posted January 10, 2013 Share Posted January 10, 2013 (edited) i can't understand why they didn't get a female singer to tour with them. they were huge stars at the time, and i am sure any number of young up and coming singers would have done it at the drop of a hat. Why would they get a female singer to tour with them, for one or two songs (that applies to the recordings) ? Makes no sense to do that...... Battle of Evermore is the only Zep song with a female backing vocalist. Wouldn't that be a waste of time, energy and money? Who would really care. It would have also totally changed the dynamic of the band onstage and what they were about in the first place (if the person was used in a variety of songs other than Evermore) ..making them more of a "vocal harmonizing act"...See Krauss and Plant, Fleetwood Mac, Journey, Styx, Three Dog Night, Supertramp, etc for info. Thank God they didn't do that. It wouldn't be Led Zeppelin Edited January 10, 2013 by Rock Historian Quote Link to post Share on other sites
slave to zep Posted January 10, 2013 Share Posted January 10, 2013 Why would they get a female singer to tour with them, for one or two songs (that applies to the recordings) ? Makes no sense to do that...... Battle of Evermore is the only Zep song with a female backing vocalist. Wouldn't that be a waste of time, energy and money? Who would really care. It would have also totally changed the dynamic of the band onstage and what they were about in the first place (if the person was used in a variety of songs other than Evermore) ..making them more of a "vocal harmonizing act"...See Krauss and Plant, Fleetwood Mac, Journey, Styx, Three Dog Night, Supertramp, etc for info. Thank God they didn't do that. It wouldn't be Led Zeppelin as i said before, i think any number of unknown singers would be more than happy to tour and only sing the one song! that is why i also said a famous singer would not be interested in doing it. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Rock Historian Posted January 10, 2013 Share Posted January 10, 2013 as i said before, i think any number of unknown singers would be more than happy to tour and only sing the one song! that is why i also said a famous singer would not be interested in doing it. Either way, what would be the point though? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Texas Melanie Posted January 10, 2013 Share Posted January 10, 2013 What about Maggie Bell? They knew her well and she was on their label. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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