Songs that have great VOCAL melodies
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Category: Progressive Music Lounges
Forum Name: Prog Recommendations/Featured albums
Forum Description: Make or seek recommendations and discuss specific prog albums
URL: http://www.progarchives.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=117826
Printed Date: July 29 2025 at 08:55
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Topic: Songs that have great VOCAL melodies
Posted By: ClosetothSupperBrick
Subject: Songs that have great VOCAL melodies
Date Posted: November 20 2018 at 15:04
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I would like some (preferably) song and album (which are acceptable, but I have less time to devote to them) suggestions with this topic's title as criteria. Background: I am a singer myself, so I love vocalists who can show their talent off, and blend with/enhance the actual instruments of the song, but I hate when a really good song instrumentally is ruined by bad vocals/unmemorable vocal melodies. Please refrain from mentioning the well-known vocal-talented bands (Yes, Genesis, Kansas, even VDGG who is one of my favs despite varying opinions), and I would like 70s bands' songs, as you might tell from my username. Thank you in advance, as I am 18, and grateful that the people who lived through those glory years, and who have the memory to provide these young ears with the obscure, yet still amazing, music, are willing to be a resource for great recommendations! A couple I would like to nominate, which I found on my own: "Beautiful Scarlet" - Rare Bird "Don't Make Me Cry" - Tonton Macoute "Sorrow" - Lucifer's Friend" "Autumn" - Twenty Sixty-Six and Then |
Replies:
Posted By: Hrychu
Date Posted: November 20 2018 at 15:07
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Roine Stolt - Humanizzimo. Phenomenal vocal melodies!!! ------------- 
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Posted By: Icarium
Date Posted: November 20 2018 at 15:27
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My top three A Turn of a Friendly Card - Alan Parsons Project. Many to Many - Genesis Black Hole Sun - Soundgarden -------------  
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Posted By: Chaser
Date Posted: November 20 2018 at 16:24
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It depends what you like, but have you listened to any of Gentle Giant's multi-part vocal harmonies? If not, then I would recommend: "On Reflection" from the album "Free Hand" "Knots" from the album "Octopus" ------------- Songs cast a light on you |
Posted By: dwill123
Date Posted: November 20 2018 at 16:24
Posted By: twosteves
Date Posted: November 20 2018 at 16:40
^^ oh I love Again Mad Man Moon Genesis
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Posted By: Lewian
Date Posted: November 20 2018 at 17:15
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Sorry this doesn't really fit the bill because chances are you know that lady already and it's not 70s, but... in the world of great vocal melodies there is simply no better. |
Posted By: omphaloskepsis
Date Posted: November 20 2018 at 17:50
Posted By: AFlowerKingCrimson
Date Posted: November 20 2018 at 18:08
Finally someone mentioned Moon Safari. 
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Posted By: The Dark Elf
Date Posted: November 20 2018 at 18:38
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1970s? Beautifully melodic harmonies? Here's something vaguely proggy from a couple of old farts.... ------------- ...a vigorous circular motion hitherto unknown to the people of this area, but destined to take the place of the mud shark in your mythology... |
Posted By: cstack3
Date Posted: November 20 2018 at 18:55
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I'm a huge fan of Queen's earliest work, check this song from Queen II! ------------- I am not a Robot, I'm a FREE MAN!! |
Posted By: TCat
Date Posted: November 20 2018 at 20:34
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I'm sure there are a lot of them I will think about later, but one of my favorite vocal performances is on "Nevermore" by U.K. This is a well know band in prog circles, and I'm not sure if you have been exposed to them before, but U.K. consisted of Bill Bruford (Yes, King Crimson), John Wetton (King Crimson, Asia), Alan Holdsworth (soloist), Eddie Jobson (Roxy Music, Jethro Tull and many others). Definitely a band you should check out if you haven't already. ------------- https://ibb.co/8x0xjR0" rel="nofollow">  |
Posted By: Dellinger
Date Posted: November 20 2018 at 21:25
| OK, no Yes, nor Renaissance, I guess you already know them too. But how about Banco del Mutuo Soccorso, with Francesco Di Giacomo on vocals. |
Posted By: AFlowerKingCrimson
Date Posted: November 20 2018 at 21:33
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[I'm a huge fan of Queen's earliest work, check this song from Queen II!] Queen? Now, there's a band you don't hear much about these days.  |
Posted By: cstack3
Date Posted: November 20 2018 at 21:58
Well, not much from the first two albums!! I'm not a big fan of their later work, i.e. Fat Bottom Girls etc. Their earliest work rocked very hard and was quite prog-related. Oh yeah, there is a movie out or something I guess.  ------------- I am not a Robot, I'm a FREE MAN!! |
AFlowerKingCrimson wrote:Posted By: moshkito
Date Posted: November 20 2018 at 22:13
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Hi, Capability Brown -- their second album with the long cut, specially. AND, just recently heard "Moon Safari" ... and boyyyyy, was it ever a flash for me ... beautiful stuff.
------------- Music is not just for listening ... it is for LIVING ... you got to feel it to know what's it about! Not being told! www.pedrosena.com |
Posted By: rogerthat
Date Posted: November 21 2018 at 00:07
| If you haven't heard Renaissance, then that. And I know you said 70s but Iamthemorning is well worth a try. All live instruments and not metal either, especially the album Lighthouse. |
Posted By: UMUR
Date Posted: November 21 2018 at 00:07
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Almost anything by Genesis . I can recommend: "Burning Rope" from "...and Then There Were Three (1978)" or "Blood on the Rooftops" from "Wind and Wuthering (1976)" as two brilliant examples. ------------- http://www.metalmusicarchives.com/" rel="nofollow - Metal Music Archives https://rateyourmusic.com/~UMUR" rel="nofollow - UMUR on RYM |
Posted By: someone_else
Date Posted: November 21 2018 at 01:01
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Great vocal melodies? Then you cannot pass Gentle Giant:
At your service... ------------- 
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Posted By: Frenetic Zetetic
Date Posted: November 21 2018 at 02:37
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Home by The Sea - Genesis immediately comes to mind. ------------- "I am so prog, I listen to concept albums on shuffle." -KMac2021 |
Posted By: CaP
Date Posted: November 21 2018 at 04:44
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Area - Cometa Rossa www.youtube.com/watch?v=AdinKtm0Ark
------------- E per tutti il dolore degli altri è un dolore a metà |
Posted By: Logan
Date Posted: November 21 2018 at 05:53
^ Adore Area.
I like the songs that you've listed. Beggars Opera's https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m4l4GJJlMPY" rel="nofollow - "Silver Peacock" comes to my mind. An album that springs to my mind is Khan's Space Shanty. I'll nominate https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CVpg91SZxHk" rel="nofollow - "Hollow Stone" as a representative from it. And while from the 60s (close enough to 70s) Colosseum. Will go with https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yK1pqGL8XTA" rel="nofollow - "Butty's Blues" I'm no vocalist, but when I think of great vocal vocal melodies, I often think of Prog Folk. So I'll mention Linda Perhacs' https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z9VbJmbtMW8" rel="nofollow - "Parallelograms" , and while maybe not a Prog Folk artist, Nick Drakes' https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=idcaRTg4-fM" rel="nofollow - "Riverman" (which may be my favourite song of all time, but I suspect that the vocals would not be strong enough for you). For Folk, More akin musically to the bluesiness of what you've listed, I do think that Jan Dukes de Grey's https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EmTWLfclik0" rel="nofollow - Sun Symphonica is awesome, but vocally may leave something to be desired, and you may think really off-base. :) |
Posted By: ForestFriend
Date Posted: November 21 2018 at 08:38
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I'm sure everyone knows them, but King Crimson has some great vocal melodies. One of the things that makes them great is amidst all the experimentation, there's actually a really nice song going on most of the time. Just listen to songs like Epitaph, The Court Of The Crimson King, Exiles, Lady Of The Dancing Water, Starless... The list could go on but those come to the top of my head first. ------------- https://borealkinship.bandcamp.com/releases" rel="nofollow - My prog band - Boreal Kinship |
Posted By: Manuel
Date Posted: November 21 2018 at 08:48
Great song. I was actually going t suggest the whole "Queen II" album, since the vocals are magnificent in every song.
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Posted By: Pelata
Date Posted: November 21 2018 at 08:59
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Great posts!! Some of my faves: Someone Else - Queensryche The Wall - Kansas Shesmovedon - Porcupine Tree In Your Eyes - Peter Gabriel Ripples - Genesis |
Posted By: Argo2112
Date Posted: November 21 2018 at 09:21
| Carpet of the Sun or Ocean Gypsy - Renaissance |
Posted By: Manuel
Date Posted: November 21 2018 at 09:53
| I forgot mentioning Uriah Heep. From "Look at Yourself" on, they had great vocals, specially during the David Byron era. Some songs that come to mind are Tears in My Eyes, Seven Stars, Sweet Lorraine, The Magician Birthday and many others. |
Posted By: SteveG
Date Posted: November 21 2018 at 09:58
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Just about any Renaissance song starting with Northern Lights. ------------- This message was brought to you by a proud supporter of the Deep State. |
Posted By: Fischman
Date Posted: November 21 2018 at 10:09
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The vocal melodies that readily spring to mind come from: Transatlantic - Duel with the Devil Dream Theater - Surrounded (or anything from Images and Words for that matter) a second for Kansas - The Wall (or most anything from Leftoverture) Fates Warning - We Only Say Goodbye (or most anything from Parallels) Asia - Bury Me in Willow Jethro Tull - Rainbow Blues, Black Sunday Rush - Manhattan Project And while I'm not a Beatle fan, I have to throw in the very cool vocal melody from Got to Get You Into My Life
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Posted By: wiz_d_kidd
Date Posted: November 21 2018 at 10:39
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These make my knees wobble every time I listen to them... Once Upon the Sea of Blissful Awareness / Tales of the Inexpressible / Shpongle Le Gardien / Novo Sub Sole / NIL Both are female singers. The latter is in French.
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Posted By: Argo2112
Date Posted: November 21 2018 at 11:07
It's true, The combination of Annie's voice & Betty Thatcher's lyrics is pure magic!
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Posted By: GrafHaarschnitt
Date Posted: November 21 2018 at 12:00
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VdGG - Everything peter hammil made. Magma - Wurdah Itah.. live the women choir parts mostly but the others aren´t too bad either. Oh and its incredible fun trying Arbeit Macht Frei from Area. Or other area yoddlings. Their melodies are brilliant. Italian Prog in general is a very good place to search for great vocal melodies.. Palepoli... |
Posted By: miamiscot
Date Posted: November 21 2018 at 14:50
| And You And I |
Posted By: Chaser
Date Posted: November 21 2018 at 15:28
Agree, wonderful vocals, but the OP specifically excluded Yes ------------- Songs cast a light on you |
Posted By: Dellinger
Date Posted: November 21 2018 at 21:17
Indeed, Iamthemorning is beautiful for great vocal molodies. |
Posted By: Icarium
Date Posted: November 22 2018 at 08:17
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Rush - Subdivisions, amomg Geddys more heart felt vocal melodies -------------
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Posted By: The Dark Elf
Date Posted: November 22 2018 at 08:48
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So many Tull songs have exquisite melodies.... ------------- ...a vigorous circular motion hitherto unknown to the people of this area, but destined to take the place of the mud shark in your mythology... |
Posted By: octopus-4
Date Posted: November 22 2018 at 11:06
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Salmon Boots - Uberband  ------------- I stand with Roger Waters, I stand with Joan Baez, I stand with Victor Jara, I stand with Woody Guthrie. Music is revolution |
Posted By: jamesbaldwin
Date Posted: November 22 2018 at 13:41
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Wonderful vocal melody: The Weaver's Answer - The Family (Entertainment) Happyness Is a Warm Gun - Beatles, John Lennon (White Album) In The End - Peter Hammill (Chameleon) |
Posted By: kenethlevine
Date Posted: November 22 2018 at 19:21
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I always think of this beauty by Kerrs Pink, even if the vocals are no very strong. One of my favorite melodies |
Posted By: cstack3
Date Posted: November 22 2018 at 19:28
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Ian Gillian from Deep Purple had some amazing vocal performances. Some of my favorite work by him was on "Jesus Christ Superstar." What pipes! ------------- I am not a Robot, I'm a FREE MAN!! |
Posted By: Dellinger
Date Posted: November 22 2018 at 21:25
| One particular song. Histoires Sans Paroles, from Harmonium. It's instrumental, but it's got some really beautiful wordless vocalisations. |
Posted By: Dellinger
Date Posted: November 22 2018 at 21:25
| The final segment of the fourth track on Mike Oldfield's Incantations album. |
Posted By: Skybird
Date Posted: November 23 2018 at 06:41
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70's, with a prominent vocalist, perfectly married to the instrumental section, and not one of the usual suspects? Hold my beer. :-) Banco has already been mentioned I think, but, if you're ready for some goosebumps, grab nice headphones and turn off the lights and your phone. Banco, album "Darwin!", track "750.000 Anni Fa... L'Amore", 1972: Anything by PFM from that era also! For instance, Premiata Forneria Marconi, album "Per Un Amico", track "Appena Un Po", 1972: To complete the RPI trifecta, something by Le Orme: album "Uomo Di Pezza", track "Figure Di Cartone", 1972: Now, to cleanse your palate from all that sugary, beautiful RPI, some Zeuhl. Something restrained to start with. Magma, album "Attahk", track "Nono", 1978 (live version of 2005, because why not): One Eskaton track to close things off. Eskaton, album "Ardeur", track "Attente", 1980 (there's a longer, slower version in their previous album, 4 Visions, that is easier to find): Now I realize that you mentioned being a vocalist yourself; if you wanted to learn these and sing them, it might difficult without knowing Italian or French... :-/ Kobaïan's your best bet, then. ;-) Outside of the 70's, I'm surprised no one mentioned Pure Reason Revolution, Anubis, or even Dead Can Dance, for that matter. Not all singers in prog are bad! (source: subjective, anecdotal evidence of a prog enthusiast with 0 musical training whatsoever).
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Posted By: moshkito
Date Posted: November 23 2018 at 06:55
I'm not sure that MAGMA's work (any of it) is about "melodies" at all. ------------- Music is not just for listening ... it is for LIVING ... you got to feel it to know what's it about! Not being told! www.pedrosena.com |
Posted By: Skybird
Date Posted: November 23 2018 at 07:03
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Just remembered one of the biggest "slap in the face" I received, musically speaking. That was live in Orthez (France), in 2003, when Ange performed. I'm not into Ange specifically, that was the fourth act or so of a long day of festival (started with Seven Reizh and ended with Pendragon!), so my wife and I decided to take a step back and listen with one ear only. Except that the Descamps son, Tristan, at some point, had a solo song. Piano and voice only, reprising a 1968 Polnareff song, "Le bal des Laze". Let's say he got our attention quickly... Here's a video of another performance of this song. |
Posted By: Dellinger
Date Posted: November 23 2018 at 19:41
| I was just listening to Museo Rosenbach's Zarathrustra, and, even though I wouldn't say it's got a particularly great singer (not bad either at all, though), past half the song there's some really wonderful vocal melodies... once again, not so much the voice, but the melody sung. |
Posted By: verslibre
Date Posted: November 23 2018 at 20:07
I concur. ------------- https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_ipg=50&_sop=1&_rdc=1&_ssn=musicosm" rel="nofollow - eBay |
Posted By: dwill123
Date Posted: November 24 2018 at 04:58
Posted By: Quinino
Date Posted: November 24 2018 at 05:29
Wow, that comes from way ago but surely rings a bell - and Yvone Elliman, if I remember well, was terrific too.
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Posted By: noni
Date Posted: November 24 2018 at 05:39
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Peter Nichols - IQ
Seventh House
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Posted By: noni
Date Posted: November 24 2018 at 05:40
Love this band
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Posted By: Logan
Date Posted: November 24 2018 at 06:50
| Skybird, I think that those are all awesome choices. |
Posted By: micky
Date Posted: November 24 2018 at 07:33
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so many great ones.. but got to give up.. and baby.. you bet you I would in a NY minute for either of them.. for these two. both non prog artists who guested on prog albums and both completely blew me away.. so much so that one inspired me to drop my 20 odd year dope sobriety when we met and she offered me a joint... that I was later inspired to explore their work as artists on their own. Great stuff.. and what voices... Shara Worden  Cheyenne Mize ------------- The Pedro and Micky Experience - When one no longer requires psychotropics to trip |
Posted By: GrafHaarschnitt
Date Posted: November 25 2018 at 06:37
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I am not quite sure how to react on that, cause I am not sure where you´re coming from. They may be very staccato like melodies often but not only. Especially wurdah itah is melodious as all hell and there are beautiful melodic parts.. like ima suri dondai everywhere over their musical body. |
Posted By: GrafHaarschnitt
Date Posted: November 25 2018 at 06:39
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Also magma has a lot of nice rich dischordant (I am not quite sure about the english term, correct me if you want) and chromatic melodies |
Posted By: GrafHaarschnitt
Date Posted: November 25 2018 at 06:43
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Also and you cant deny that. The heavy use of different vocal chants (in a language that was built to be musical) gives the more or less two tone variation sections a whole new richness. The overtones built their own brilliant melodies. |
Posted By: GrafHaarschnitt
Date Posted: November 25 2018 at 07:12
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Slightly more conventional recommendation:
If you cant play it. Its Trittico from Melos from Cervello. Try höyry-kones huono parturi, kala and the last one laina ajalla. Or what I absolutely adore recently: haikara - Manala the singing in the beginning I have to admit. I prefer slow melodies with a rhythmic twist. Am gonna think about Magma again. You sparked a fire in me pedro. But I think I am gonna stay with my opinion bout overtone melodies. |
Posted By: Rednight
Date Posted: December 11 2018 at 12:38
------------- "It just has none of the qualities of your work that I find interesting. Abandon [?] it." - Eno |
Posted By: Rednight
Date Posted: December 11 2018 at 12:40
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Oh, yeah. Can Utility and the Coastliners. ------------- "It just has none of the qualities of your work that I find interesting. Abandon [?] it." - Eno |
Posted By: dr wu23
Date Posted: December 11 2018 at 14:34
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Just about anything on all of the earlier Moody Blues albums......and I also think that Wilson has a great ear for melodies ...especially Lazarus on Deadwing. ------------- One does nothing yet nothing is left undone. Haquin |
Posted By: Prog-jester
Date Posted: December 19 2018 at 17:03
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Tool, The Mars Volta, Dredg?.. Anyway, some faves of mine. Very emotional, very underrated: very subtle, very underrated as well: very classy, very underrated again: |
Posted By: Atavachron
Date Posted: December 19 2018 at 17:36
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F9GPCGLR5Xw" rel="nofollow - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F9GPCGLR5Xw ------------- "Too often we enjoy the comfort of opinion without the discomfort of thought." -- John F. Kennedy |
Posted By: Raff
Date Posted: December 19 2018 at 17:53
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"Canto IV' is a wonderful song, and anything sung by Matthew Parmenter (who is a very cool guy) deserves a listen, or preferably more than one. In terms of classic prog, I'd say that anything sung by Greg Lake is bound to have a great vocal melody. A particular favourite of mine is the beginning of "Trilogy", when he sings almost a cappella.
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