NPR: Making the Perfect Mix Tape: Falsetto

Making the Perfect Mix Tape: Falsetto

So I've begun working on my next podcast -- how to make the perfect mix tape. For this topic I interviewed Glenn Tilbrook and Chris Difford of the band Squeeze.

Over the years I've gone from making the generic eclectic mix to trying to group songs together with a similar theme. Lately, the group MGMT has been stuck in my head, particularly their song Electric Feel.

The vocals are sung so high that it's hard to believe the singer isn't a woman. This got me thinking about the fact that there are so many great songs where the guy is singing in falsetto. Isn't it crazy? I mean, if you heard a guy just talking with a high-pitched voice you'd think he was an eunuch -- but in a song, completely acceptable.

I decided then for this entry I'd write out my playlist for a falsetto mix tape. Searching around the web I found another list of falsetto faves. It included some good albeit obvious ones like the Bee Gees. But it includes Prince, who's also on my list -- it seems sacrilegious not to have him.

So here's what would make my mix tape of songs by high-pitched crooner dudes.

1) Prince: Kiss
2) Radiohead: Ideoteque
3) Israel kamakawiwo'ole: Somewhere over the Rainbow
4) Extreme: More than Words (yes, there is a falsetto part in it)
5) Justin Timberlake: Rock Your Body (while Michael Jackson has some great falsetto, I have mixed feelings about him these days so I'm choosing a song by his protege instead)
6) Maroon Five: Sunday Morning
7) Wayne Newton (aka Mr. Las Vegas): Danke Schoen
8) U2: Lemon
9) Brett Dennen: Desert Sunrise (Is this even falsetto or does the guy just have a high pitched voice?)
10) Smokey Robinson and the Miracles: Tears of a Clown
11) Culture Club: Karma Chameleon (I couldn't leave out Boy George!)
14) Johnny Nash: I Can See Clearly
15 Air: Surfing on a Rocket

I'll be posting more in my podcast next week. In the meantime, if you're really into that last song by the band Air check out a story I did about them on Day to Day.

10:34 AM ET | 08-28-2008 | permalink

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I've often been surprised to find out that a high voiced singer was a man. Thanks for your list of songs.

Sent by alice snyder | 5:32 PM ET | 08-29-2008

I can't believe you left Frankie Valli off the falsetto list. He is a favorite of mine.

Sent by herb | 9:17 PM ET | 09-01-2008

How is it even possible that you left "I believe in the thing called love" from The Darkness? I think you need to re-evaluate your list.

Sent by Dirk | 9:29 PM ET | 09-06-2008

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