The Girlish Screech Of Diana Ross

[RanRan79]

So I was listening to Taana Gardner's "Heartbeat" and I thought "Hmm, this might have been a good choice for a Ross single". [[I've come to amend that opinion, though not dismiss it entirely.) I decided to look the song up on wiki because I was curious about how successful the song was. [[I remember it being a big skating song for the older kids and adults at the rink back in the 80s.) There was a review in the Village Voice for the song and in describing Taana's voice the author wrote "...Taana, who'd combine the melodic dislocations of Esther Phillips and the girlish screech of Diana Ross if she had the technical control of either...". I read that and thought that was an interesting way of describing Diana's voice.

So my question to the forum is how would you describe Ross' voice? And "indescribable" is not a valid answer.

[Bluebrock]

So I was listening to Taana Gardner's "Heartbeat" and I thought "Hmm, this might have been a good choice for a Ross single". [[I've come to amend that opinion, though not dismiss it entirely.) I decided to look the song up on wiki because I was curious about how successful the song was. [[I remember it being a big skating song for the older kids and adults at the rink back in the 80s.) There was a review in the Village Voice for the song and in describing Taana's voice the author wrote "...Taana, who'd combine the melodic dislocations of Esther Phillips and the girlish screech of Diana Ross if she had the technical control of either...". I read that and thought that was an interesting way of describing Diana's voice.

So my question to the forum is how would you describe Ross' voice? And "indescribable" is not a valid answer.

Cool, sexy and sultry.

[rovereab]

I'd add "emotional" to Bluerock's list.

[jobucats]

All of the above [[cool, sexy, sultry, emotional) and very lyrical [[by that I mean, her style reflects the lyric so well).

[Jimi LaLumia]

screeching all the way to the bank, bay-beeeee.. love Miss Ross!

[Roberta75]

Soothing and lovely. A real pretty voice imo.

[vgalindo]

Smooth, sexy, sultry and emotional. Very pretty.

[midnightman]

Cool, calm, soothing, sensual and sophisticated is how I describe it.

[kenneth]

I think in the past Diane would have been described as a "song stylist." Although she never had a big voice, she could certainly sing soulfully when she wanted to. To me, her gifts lay in being more of an understated singer with what I hear as the female equivalent of what they refer to in men sometimes as a "light tenor."

I remember one article about her which stated something like "She gets as much expression out of her pauses for breath as from her vocals." I think that's right. She's a great interpreter of songs, a great actress/singer. I think the best examples of her voice is when she seems to be kind of fighting to be heard [[such as on "Love Hangover" or "One More Chance" which was discussed in another thread recently) which gives her voice a "desperate" and dramatic quality, but doesn't get drowned in the mix [[as she seems to on "Livin', Lovin', Givin')."

[marv2]

So I was listening to Taana Gardner's "Heartbeat" and I thought "Hmm, this might have been a good choice for a Ross single". [[I've come to amend that opinion, though not dismiss it entirely.) I decided to look the song up on wiki because I was curious about how successful the song was. [[I remember it being a big skating song for the older kids and adults at the rink back in the 80s.) There was a review in the Village Voice for the song and in describing Taana's voice the author wrote "...Taana, who'd combine the melodic dislocations of Esther Phillips and the girlish screech of Diana Ross if she had the technical control of either...". I read that and thought that was an interesting way of describing Diana's voice.

So my question to the forum is how would you describe Ross' voice? And "indescribable" is not a valid answer.

That was a big hit when I was in college. I saw Taana Gardner perform "Heartbeat" in club in Queens one night. She was very pregnant but did a good LONG version of the song.

[RanRan79]

Interesting responses everybody!!

[RanRan79]

I think in the past Diane would have been described as a "song stylist." Although she never had a big voice, she could certainly sing soulfully when she wanted to. To me, her gifts lay in being more of an understated singer with what I hear as the female equivalent of what they refer to in men sometimes as a "light tenor."

I remember one article about her which stated something like "She gets as much expression out of her pauses for breath as from her vocals." I think that's right. She's a great interpreter of songs, a great actress/singer. I think the best examples of her voice is when she seems to be kind of fighting to be heard [[such as on "Love Hangover" or "One More Chance" which was discussed in another thread recently) which gives her voice a "desperate" and dramatic quality, but doesn't get drowned in the mix [[as she seems to on "Livin', Lovin', Givin')."

Kenneth I found this definition of Song Stylist online: A song stylist is a singer who "interprets" the original melody and lyrics to a song in a personal fashion and if any improvisation takes place it involves that singer performing verses with rhythmic and melodic variation.

Of course this is just one definition, but I think it fits Ross to some degree. Her ability to interpret a song is exceptional IMO. I think even going back to the early Supremes days with Barbara, Diana's voice conveyed a certain amount of drama, which of course she was able to perfect as the years progressed. Perhaps that's my favorite part of her voice and interpreting skills...the dramatics.

[TomatoTom123]

... probably wouldnt go for ‘girlish screech’