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Thread: what are your thoughts on accented singing?

  1. #1
    Senior Member jiang bao's Avatar
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    Default what are your thoughts on accented singing?

    I mean heavily accented singing. Like the one I posted below (used mandarin pronunciations for certain words and hybrid sounds for others)

    Not only mandarin speaker in Cantonese, but also like Cantonese accent in mandarin or Japanese or English, or another accent in another language.

    I guess it would only come into play if it’s in a language you are fluent in. I think the guy in this file is pretty good, but I find heavy the accent a little distracting so I couldn’t really get into the song.


    http://s16.wo99.com/userdir12/144362...0007802491.mp3
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    Moderator Ken Cheng's Avatar
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    The weird thing about accents is they tend to disappear when singing.

    Think about all the British and Australian rock stars who've come and gone during the past 40+ years. All of them speak with variations of the British accent, but when they *sing*, they sound positively American. Go figure.

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    Senior Member jadebunny9's Avatar
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    The link isn't working. =\

    I agree with Ken. With singing, sometimes it's very hard to detect any accents.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Ken Cheng View Post
    The weird thing about accents is they tend to disappear when singing.

    Think about all the British and Australian rock stars who've come and gone during the past 40+ years. All of them speak with variations of the British accent, but when they *sing*, they sound positively American. Go figure.
    Many of them model themselves on what they consider to be the "right" rock sound. Others keep their regional accents, although some of them, like the Beatles' Scouse, may be mistaken for affecting Americanism. And I've heard quite a few British bands with very strong British regional accents. Eg. The Jam and Madness sound very distinctively London, while Super Furry Animals are so Welsh as to be almost incomprehensible (and are incomprehensible to me when they actually sing in Welsh).

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    Senior Member jiang bao's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by jadebunny9 View Post
    The link isn't working. =\

    I agree with Ken. With singing, sometimes it's very hard to detect any accents.
    Hm, the link's working for me. I just clicked on it, and the "save as" or "open" dialogue box popped up. I am using firefox. May the server was busy at the time? try again?
    What are you fighting for? Just mix them into pissing beef balls, stupid.
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    Moderator Ken Cheng's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by pannonian View Post
    Many of them model themselves on what they consider to be the "right" rock sound. Others keep their regional accents, although some of them, like the Beatles' Scouse, may be mistaken for affecting Americanism.
    Scouse sounds like no variation of American English with which I'm familiar, but in Britain, it's regarded as analogous to how "Southern American English" sounds to Americans (i.e. the "hick" or "redneck" variation of the accent).

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    Quote Originally Posted by Ken Cheng View Post
    Scouse sounds like no variation of American English with which I'm familiar, but in Britain, it's regarded as analogous to how "Southern American English" sounds to Americans (i.e. the "hick" or "redneck" variation of the accent).
    The likeness was commented on by the Beatles themselves, who were asked why they'd adopted American accents when singing. Someone (might have been Lennon) replied that this was their speaking accent. Incidentally, in one of the anthology outtakes, Lennon can be heard announcing "Fer the Benefit of Mr. Kuht" in a very thick parody of a Lancastrian accent.

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    Senior Member KeongJai's Avatar
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    It's hard to pick up on accents of singers. But it's easy to pick up mispronounciations which is what I think you guys are referring to. Mispronounciations annoy me to no end.

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    Quote Originally Posted by KeongJai View Post
    It's hard to pick up on accents of singers. But it's easy to pick up mispronounciations which is what I think you guys are referring to. Mispronounciations annoy me to no end.
    accent = mispronunciation, it's the same thing. Alot of idol shows in other countries have contestant sings english, and let just say it's really not up to par as far as language pronunciation.

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    Moderator Ken Cheng's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by pannonian View Post
    The likeness was commented on by the Beatles themselves, who were asked why they'd adopted American accents when singing. Someone (might have been Lennon) replied that this was their speaking accent. Incidentally, in one of the anthology outtakes, Lennon can be heard announcing "Fer the Benefit of Mr. Kuht" in a very thick parody of a Lancastrian accent.
    I always thought it was hilarious when Lennon went up on stage in front of massive screaming crowds of teenagers and would then proceed to speak nonsense to them in some Germanic-sounding fake language.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Ken Cheng View Post
    The weird thing about accents is they tend to disappear when singing...Think about all the British and Australian rock stars who've come and gone during the past 40+ years. All of them speak with variations of the British accent, but when they *sing*, they sound positively American. Go figure.
    Yea, and it's a real pity because British & Australian accents are hot! I love when singers like Alex Turner (Arctic Monkeys) really accentuate their accents. I think it might also be because all singers modify their vowels to attain a more desirable sound. I disagree that they "sound positively American" though...most Brit/Aus singers leave at least a hint of their accent, especially during live performances.

    My preferences for singing accents and speaking accents tend to be rather similar. i.e. Aussie, Kiwi, English, Irish accents are sexy, American (and Canadian, though I'm still convinced that doesn't exist) accent I'm neutral towards, and almost everything else is a turn off (especially most Asian accents).

    e.g.
    sexy accent - "I've Just Seen a Face"
    this is my favourite Beatles song, and my friends who are Beatles fans hate me for saying this, but I like Jim Sturgess's version (from Across the Universe) better...and no, it's not just because Jim Sturgess is hot

    not-so-sexy accent - "Brown Eyes"
    hebe's rendition (from SHE)

    Quote Originally Posted by warlock110 View Post
    accent = mispronunciation, it's the same thing. Alot of idol shows in other countries have contestant sings english, and let just say it's really not up to par as far as language pronunciation.
    Not really...the standards for pronunciation are really arbitrary.
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    Senior Member Lucky_Doraemon's Avatar
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    Kaiser Chiefs, Arctic Monkeys keep their accents. So i'm guessing the indie-rock bunch then since pop is just american accents.

    Most mainstream Korean songs with people singing "english" is heavily accented. As with most Japanese songs with bits of english thrown in for good measure.

    People say they love British and Australian accents but sometimes a song could sound weird because British pronounciation emphasises on the letters.
    Last edited by Lucky_Doraemon; 12-04-08 at 05:07 PM.
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    Senior Member Canuck21's Avatar
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    Damon Albarn from Blur does sometime keep his British accent.
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    Quote Originally Posted by Canuck21 View Post
    Damon Albarn from Blur does sometime keep his British accent.
    He sings with an Essex accent, even when singing in French.

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    Senior Member Qin_Shu_Bao's Avatar
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    Good for themed compilations for universal enjoyment (like the Olympics EMI Glory CD), but otherwise native languages embroadering songs are recommended.

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