Ohhh I LOVE Shirley Jones's voice!! Having heard that she can't sing so well anymore though, I decided against going to see 42nd Street. I don't want to hear her struggling, although I've never seen her live before, so it's tempting...
And Andrea Bocelli is inconsistent. How he became a popular classical singer is beyond me. He's sub-par.
Have I ever shown you my Shattered Dreams box? It's in my Disappointment Closet. - Marge Simpson
Forgiven, Joizey. I suppose he's more screaming than singing on that song anyway. Maybe I'm just weird, but I love his voice no matter what. No... I take that back. I AM weird. Oh Raul...
MJW's voice in Hairspray kills me. And I'd mistakenly thought maybe it was just her character voice that was bad and then I saw her sing in that god-awful made for tv movie she did and I realized, nope, her voice is just plain annoying.
And Ethel Merman...I shrudder at the sound of her singing.
The little girl who played Annie on Broadway a few years ago, Brittney something or other, her voice was annoying as all get out too. Her pronucation of certain words and her delivery of lines irked me.
Frances Rufelle as Eponine on the OBC cast recording of Les Miz made me cringe with how whiny her voice was.
Ooh, I can't believe I forgot Mastrantonio on Man of La Mancha! Thanks, ShbrtAlley. Her performance of "It's All the Same" is incredibly grating. I'm getting a headache just thinking about it.
"Frances Rufelle as Eponine on the OBC cast recording of Les Miz made me cringe with how whiny her voice was."
I *hate* her Eponine!! She drives me nuts! Speaking of bad Eponines, has anyone heard the Complete Symphonic Recording with Kaho Shimada (sp?). I want to throw things when she sings. That vibratto...that whininess...*shudder*
I don't know who it is, but I have a CD of a few of the major songs from Les Miz and the girl they have singing "On My Own" bothers the heck out of me. She sounds REALLY pop-ish and like totally (in my opinion) RUINS the song...sometimes it is just PAINFUL to listen to. ugh.
As long as we're on the subject of bad Les Mis singers, here's another one: Ricky Martin as Marius. He completely wrecked all his songs. And I totally second Mandy Patinkin. Go check out Forbidden Broadway's 20th anniversary CD to hear "his" rendition of "Somewhat Overindulgent." Beautiful.
That Anthony Rapp has made his name in musicals is proof that anyone can. UGH! And Nathan Lane!! Stop!!! So annoying! Ann Reinking (whose speaking voice I kind of love) does no favors for Chicago. Virtually all the others mentioned I have no problem with....even Patinkin is all right when he stays in his lower register.
"Impossible is just a big word thrown around by small men who find it easier to live in the world they've been given than to explore the power they have to change it. Impossible is not a fact. It's an opinion. Impossible is not a declaration. It's a dare. Impossible is potential. Impossible is temporary. Impossible is nothing.”
~ Muhammad Ali
OMG. How can I forget the one singer I despise.......Mandy Patinkin. Good actor, HORRIBLE HORRIBLE HORRIBLE singer. Sounds like someone has a permanent firm grasp on his crotch. Always high pitched and breathy.
"They're eating her and then they're going to eat me. OH MY GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOD!!!!" -Troll 2
Sometimes I just wonder what the big fuss is about Betty Buckley. She sounds like she's constantly forcing her tone, and just grates the nerves. I know I'll be stoned for it, but I am happy to hear Glenn Close singing on the Sunset recording. I don't want to imagine how Buckley might have brayed it.
Another irritating voice: Michael McElroy. Too nasal...and that's coming from a Cheno fan!!!
I have to agree with MusicPos2 about Cheno. Just because she plays an irritating character doesn't mean that her voice is always that way. You should just hear her singing of "Glitter and be Gay" from Candide. It's a whole other voice with such accuracy, technique and beauty!
Updated On: 7/13/04 at 12:20 AM
Sarah Brightman. One review I read of one of her albums described her voice as "a kitten stuck in a dryer."
"Impossible is just a big word thrown around by small men who find it easier to live in the world they've been given than to explore the power they have to change it. Impossible is not a fact. It's an opinion. Impossible is not a declaration. It's a dare. Impossible is potential. Impossible is temporary. Impossible is nothing.”
~ Muhammad Ali
The Sarah Brightman bashing must end!! She is the god and she is bringing a new solo show to Broadway that will run for 2,000 years!! Did anyone actually see her last tour?
I didn't read all four pages of responses... ha sanyone mentioned Jodi Benson on the OCR or Crazy for You? Yikes! When she holds those long notes in "I Got Rhythm" she sounds like a cat in heat!
I much prefer Karen Ziemba in the role (I saw her do it four times, twice on tour and twice on Broadway), and I thank the lord for bootleg audio and video tapes!
I don't mind Sarah Brightmans voice - its her inability to ACT that I can't stand - someone can have the most wonderfully perfect vocal quality - great training and/or natural gift - but if they can't act what the lyrics mean -then its just more noise to me. For example - I love to listen to Audra McDonald sing - but I'm not so sure I'd agree with the statement about her healthy belt. To me, it seems she doesn't take enough chances - I want to hear her tear it up - not often - but once in a while would be nice. Linda Eder is another of my least favorite singers - she has such a great instrument - but has absolutely nothing going on behind her eyes when she sings - she just looks like a deer in the headlights - and that, I find, is impossible to watch. Give me an Actor who sings, anyday, over a Singer who acts.
"I don't really get the ending,all i can go with is when after several months,Judith saw Pat sang,and later she kissed him on the toilet,after that the story back to where Pat went down from the stage after he'd sung,and he went to the italian lady.I just don't get it,what Judith exatcly meant when he kissed Pat that she had seen,and did Pat end up together with The Italian Lady?Please help me,thank u very much!"
Quote from someone on IMDB in reference to a movie he/she didn't understand. Such grammar!
Yes, Jon, I mentioned Jodi Benson earlier, but it can't hurt to have it said again.
And yes to what you said about Ziemba - I didn't see her in that role, but I can only imagine she belted hell out of those songs. Unfortunately I saw the wrong Polly.
Have I ever shown you my Shattered Dreams box? It's in my Disappointment Closet. - Marge Simpson
To me - there is nothing worse then what I and my friends like to refer to as the Disney Princess voice - that nasal belt - very unbecomming sound on any young woman.
"I don't really get the ending,all i can go with is when after several months,Judith saw Pat sang,and later she kissed him on the toilet,after that the story back to where Pat went down from the stage after he'd sung,and he went to the italian lady.I just don't get it,what Judith exatcly meant when he kissed Pat that she had seen,and did Pat end up together with The Italian Lady?Please help me,thank u very much!"
Quote from someone on IMDB in reference to a movie he/she didn't understand. Such grammar!