World of Weird Al Yankovic

weirdojace wrote:Unfortunately, it happens to many singers as they grow older, like Justin Bieber.

Awwww.... it's funny 'cause it's true.

Orthography Enthusiast wrote:I suspect that it's not so much strictly age-related, but more fatigue and weather/possible minor upper-respiratory-illness related. He's had a pretty heavy touring schedule.

On a tangentially related note, when I saw Al in Denver last summer I kept thinking to myself "Is it just me or does his voice just sound higher in person?" and I thought this might have had something to do with the altitude here in Colorado.

During the Scissors tour, especially during 2000, Al had some problems with voice strain; he also was ill during a number of the performances that year. That was a LUNATIC touring schedule, playing nearly 3-5 dates in a row with a couple of days off almost every week with just a few longer breaks, which gave Al time to do a few important things like propose to Suzanne. He occasionally left Pretty Fly for a Rabbi out of the medley then as it pushed him up to a c an octave above middle C. That's Placido Domingo territory up there.

A lot of singers lower keys of songs for tours, not just Al. Personally, I think that's very wise. A voice can be a pretty fragile instrument.

Cheers, Diva
remembering her days as a voice student

Aww i didnt know he propsed on break from touring. Was there some kind of announcement from him after or was it just something he just said somewhere. I was a fan at this time but it was really early in my fandom and i was not nearly as Al news savy as i am now

Has anyone noticed that his voice (or not just voice, but maybe expression/style of singing) seemed to have gone through a transition around the time that he changed his looks (hair, mustache, glasses)? When I listen to his albums, I feel like I hear some sort of "change" between Bad Hair Day and Running With Scissors, like maybe BHD is that transition period- listen to songs on Alapalooza and before, and RWS and after, and you can definitely hear a change. I like it, I think it sounds more mature and an improvement in his voice (not that there was anything wrong beforehand)- this is just an observation I had. Anyone agree in some form?

Yeah, I know what your talking about, his voice changed (for the better.)

On dropping the key of a song.... Metallica plays everything in a lower key now. Its not just age that factors into it, but the song itself sounds better live in a lower key.

Not neceassarily, with Metallica. James sounds horrible live with his low voice, always goin' "yeeeAAHHH" and stuff on classics like For Whom The Bell Tolls, Hit The Lights or Sanitarium, I find it ruins the vocals on the album recording. Just a bit unneccessary at times but I understand why they gotta do that, or that he does it 'cause he's bored of singing the same way he did in the 80's. But thats what people want to hear!

sternoinferno wrote:Has anyone noticed that his voice (or not just voice, but maybe expression/style of singing) seemed to have gone through a transition around the time that he changed his looks (hair, mustache, glasses)? When I listen to his albums, I feel like I hear some sort of "change" between Bad Hair Day and Running With Scissors, like maybe BHD is that transition period- listen to songs on Alapalooza and before, and RWS and after, and you can definitely hear a change. I like it, I think it sounds more mature and an improvement in his voice (not that there was anything wrong beforehand)- this is just an observation I had. Anyone agree in some form?

Al did mention getting singing lessons from Lisa Popeil. And yes, there is a definate point at which his voice got more mature. He got rid of the nasally young voice.

scottidog wrote:

sternoinferno wrote:Has anyone noticed that his voice (or not just voice, but maybe expression/style of singing) seemed to have gone through a transition around the time that he changed his looks (hair, mustache, glasses)? When I listen to his albums, I feel like I hear some sort of "change" between Bad Hair Day and Running With Scissors, like maybe BHD is that transition period- listen to songs on Alapalooza and before, and RWS and after, and you can definitely hear a change. I like it, I think it sounds more mature and an improvement in his voice (not that there was anything wrong beforehand)- this is just an observation I had. Anyone agree in some form?

Al did mention getting singing lessons from Lisa Popeil.

I thought that was in the early/mid 80s when he started touring lots, and found his voice wasn't trained for such constant singing.

scottidog wrote:Al did mention getting singing lessons from Lisa Popeil. And yes, there is a definate point at which his voice got more mature. He got rid of the nasally young voice.

Grom's right, the singing lessons from Lisa Popeil came earlier. To me it seemed as though he just gave himself permission to not always sing with the "comic" nasal voice. Not his voice maturing, but his self-image maybe.