The awesome vocal harmonies thread.

Bucket

I've been increasingly paying attention to the vocals in the music I listen to, and I've always loved a good vocal harmony. Obviously the vocal melodies themselves are the important bit, but sometimes an extra voice or two just makes it all so much better and takes that melody somewhere different. Not to mention awesome multitracked parts with loads of voices. Here are some favourites:

Alice in Chains's stuff is full of harmonies between Layne Staley and Jerry Cantrell - this track being a good example. Not to mention that Layne is probably my favourite lead singer ever:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AZCgkgHjkfU

The Feeling have some corking harmonies in this track - the section that begins at 2:30 with all the multitracked voices is particularly great. I just stumbled upon a video of them performing an acoustic version and not only were all the harmony parts there, they were all dead on. Fucking great band.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F15rYabbgC4

This track from Ginger Wildheart's latest project. The bit about 3 minutes in, when it's just vocals...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AOpEwo4dU94

Not cool to admit I like this (my dad played it to me, blame him), but oh my god the harmonies. Amazing.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x1W6-ErrHls

System of a Down have freaking awesome harmonies - see 2:50 for details:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CSvFpBOe8eY

Then this - Fleetwood Mac are another good band for this sort of thing, this bit at 2:00 is particularly awesome IMO. Only quite small but I love it - Stevie Nicks's part, panned to the left and quite low in the mix. Don't know why, just love it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p6Fdm3-dnr0

Then there's Jellyfish, oh my god.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ecGvCf3USeU

Only one extra voice but the line at 1:52 is great:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kB_vc-K_lEU

This acoustic cover of a Badfinger track:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EgOFkG_XsXk

There had to be some Queen on here - I love the way the heavily layered backing vocals alternate between a call-and-response with Freddie's leads and actually harmonising with him, it's brilliant.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cYQm1Fn5VD0

Always liked this too - difficult to find vocals in this track which aren't layered, they're great harmonies too

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kDJTikGGi7o

Finally - 10cc.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mqIsmKA6jx4

Over to you - your favourites?

stickyfiddle

Baskery. Absolutely the best harmonies I've ever heard. Always perfect live too.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b6HtFXZwLHU

Simon & Garfunkel, obviously. Still got it after how many years? I'd pay a really large amount if they tour again.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L-JQ1q-13Ek

Ridiculously country, but John Denver had some brilliant harmonies in some of his stuff. Emmylou Harris on this one. Harmonies kick in from 1:00 ish

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R1a_QBSGO_w

And you can't talk harmonies without talking Beatles... Right through from beginning of their career to the end:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3MHkgwA8t-g

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PavjZt3n0Rw

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ATbvvMY14GQ

Deadman

There's loads I could mention, however the very best I've witnessed live was Eddie Vedder performing Pearl Jam's ARC. He overlays his voice until he's achieved a massive range of individual vocals all working in harmony with one another, I think it's superb:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=maVKTZchxiA

equalsql

Goldilox by King's X.

Just the most amazing vocal harmonies, probably the best I've ever heard from any rock band:

Laura Mvula's 'Green Garden' is impressive..

And finally the awesome For Real singing 'You Don't Know Nothing'  superb accapella!

NPP

5Royales and Neville Brothers are two names from a different era that come to mind

viz

Neville Brothers - YES!! Love Yellow Moon. Also Sista Sista by Beverley Knight - forward wind to 2:40!!

ICBM

Anything by ABBA.

… at least that the boys didn't sing on .

Kebabkid

Abba, oh yes.

Jellyfish - absolutely!

Earth Wind & Fire

The Eagles - they've still got it!

The Doobies and Michael McDonald's band

The Beach Boys

Dixie Chicks

 

roundthebend

Check out Swedish Prog Rock band, Moon Safari. They played here in Peterborough and I went along with a mate. They're pretty damn good musicians but having 5 or 6 vocalists harmonising is quite an achievement at the same time.

guitarfishbay

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sExlr1F2PQs

dchwhite

I love the B-52s - they're rather good at this sort of thing.

JohnPerry

Fleet Foxes every time.

One of many here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DrQRS40OKNE

bertie

ICBM, Kebab and Mr white   win so far  -  and  love it or hate it most country (as opposed to c&w) has great harmony content, its pretty much 'part of what defines it'

working out and laying down harmonies, is pretty much a lot of what mrs bert does in her 'day job'

EricTheWeary

I seem to have stumbled across a lot of Crosby, Stills and Nash recently and their 3 part harmony is very distinctive.

Lot of credit to the recently departed Phil Everly and brother Don for mixing up sweet harmonies with a rock and roll beat. They were definitely a big influence on the Beatles, CSN and the Beach Boys amongst others.

ThePrettyDamned

Gilmour 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ooPTpZPu7to

I love some of the System of a Down harmonies.  

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fFLm6zYGXmY

fretmeister

http://collider.com/wp-content/uploads/bee-gees-GD5791397.jpg

/thread.

chrispy108

What an awesome thread! I need to have a think.

freakboy1610

+1 for The Everly Brothers who did after all invent vocal harmonies!


One of my personal faves is this;

sinbaadi

Easy to list Beach Boys songs, but I've always loved the ghostly harmonies on Chicago's "Wishing You Were Here", on which I think 3 Beach Boys contributed backing vocals.  

Possibly my favourite Chicago track.

johnnyurq

Anyone said The Eagles yet?

NPP

and then there's also this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BbNg5_Jtd8k

(in particular from 1:45)

and this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5xaausoIX8o