There was a time in the early sixties when some popular male vocalists almost seemed to whine their lyrics, which were sometimes, though not always, whiney as well. Maybe they (or their producers) were trying to distinguish themselves from contemporaries such as Elvis Presley, Chuck Berry, and Ray Charles. Or maybe they thought they were channeling Frankie Valli (they weren't). I have no idea how or why the fad began, or exactly when it ended (which might have had something to do with the Beatles and the Stones, or Dylan). Some of the material was still really good; some really isn't. Once you've heard it, the vocal style is, well, memorable. Here are a few examples.
Yes, I know this was originally a Cannonball Adderly instrumental, and the British flags in the background are absurd for a garage band from Chicago (The Buckinghams took their name from a fountain in Grant Park):
Did I mention that some of the material isn't very good? It's pretty understandable that I couldn't find live clip of this turkey.
I did find a live clip of this one, which reaches peak whining at 0:20
Can't get much whinier than thus one does at about 1:54
I wonder if some of these songs are a reaction to the beginnings of the women’s liberation movement? At the same time I wonder how much of the lyrics were driven by the industry itself rather than artistic expression?
Posted by: Robert Clarke | February 24, 2024 at 01:06 PM
Some good songa here but you've stumped me on this category. What makes them whiny (or whinging as the Brits would say): singing syle, lyrics, both, neither?
Do these fit into the whiny category & if so, why?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_2hXBf1DakE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F21m0R8zE1A
Posted by: Bill Bunton | February 24, 2024 at 06:32 PM
I think he is using "whining" like "producing or emitting a prolonged, high-pitched sound."
Doesn't apply to, e.g., "Hungry" "Mercy Mercy Mercy" ... etc.
Moreover, not every falsetto is "whining" ...
Posted by: anon | February 26, 2024 at 06:23 PM