I just realized, Led Zeppelin had no backup singers

DM60

DM60

Well-known member
Not sure how many even thought about it. But I was sitting listening to a Zep tune and it dawned on me, unless I am wrong, no backup singers, the other band members never sang, Just Plant. I don't know any other band with that distinction.

Let me know if I am wrong, I am sure there are other bands, I just can't recall. Maybe Rush? Just thought that was an interesting revelation.
 
I can't help but think I've seen video of JPJ doing backing vocals, but I'm not gonna go look for any. I wouldn't doubt if he did, the man did everything else.

I'm sure there are bands out there with no backing vocals. Now you got me paying more attention to that. A year from now, I'm gonna come across a track and go, Oh hey....
 
Hmmmm.... seems like Jimmy Page did some BV's here and there. I'm not listening now.... but I'm thinking "Your Time Is Going To Come"? Tangerine maybe?

But yeah - I think for the most part Plant covered the vocals entirely on most of their catalogue.
 
ACDC, Deep Purple (before Converdale and Hughes), Bad Company, The Doors...I'm sure there are many more.

Some Led Zep songs, like "You're Time is Gonna Come" have 3 or 4 part harmonies, but I'm pretty sure that's all Plant. I might be wrong.
 
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Crazy realization but and pretty much true except for

Did Led Zeppelin have vocal harmonies?


There were harmonies on some Zeppelin songs,but they were primarily Plant double or triple tracked or very rarely someone else singing. That's one reason why the Sandy Denny harmonies on “The Battle of Evermore “ are so special - Zeppelin added another singer on to that ethereal track, which they almost never did.
 
^^^Would be nice if they provided some examples, TAE. As it is, it's still just a "It says so on the internet". :)
 
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I think most of the grunge and punk bands didn't have back vocals. I'm not familiar with most of those bands, but I'm pretty sure Pearl Jam and Nirvana, for example, just had one singer. I can't imagine The Sex Pistols doing a 3 part harmony. :D
 
And then there's Blue Oyster Cult where everybody except Alan Lanier sang on almost every album. I suppose there are others - Eagles and such but I remember being struck by the four lead vocalist thing way back. (BOC has come up a few times recently.)
 
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Random dude said:
^^^Would be nice if they provided some examples, TAE. As it is, it's still just a "It says so on the internet". :)
Click to expand...
I should have posted the link Here it is

A Hidden Vocal Talent

While Robert Plant was unequivocally the lead vocalist of Led Zeppelin, John Paul Jones’s vocal abilities should not be underestimated. He lent his voice to several tracks as a backing vocalist, contributing to the band’s rich vocal harmonies. Songs like “Thank You” and “No Quarter” bear witness to Jones’s vocal talents, adding depth and texture to the band’s repertoire.
 
On "The Ocean", Jones and Bonham do the harmony vocals on the acapella bit, according to the info on the Houses of the Holy album sleeve.
But really, there's very few Led Zeppelin songs that have backing vocals. They weren't that kind of band.
 
Nicky Simper and Jon Lord both did some harmony vocals with DP Mk1. Hush, is an obvious one. There are a few videos from that period that show them singing. There are some "harmony vocals" on DP Mk2 records, but they are just Gillian singing both parts. If you look at any of the old live DP Mk2 concert footage, there are no vocal mics for the other 4 guys, just Gillian. Once Coverdale and Hughes joined, they had lots of dual vocal parts. Burn is a perfect example. Watch the DP video from California Jam, Hughes and Coverdale harmonize on Smoke On The Water.

As for Zeppelin, Bonham does the harmony duties on No Quarter. Go to 2:15 of the Madison Sq Garden concert.

 
Nothing for another singer
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AC/DC
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I couldn't find anything on Rush. Geddy Lee hold it down solo
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Someone made a point about Nirvana, I am thinking Grohl is a pretty good singer. But whoever said it was right. Cobain flew solo.

It's weird, but I will be looking at bands who didn't use backing vocals. If you come up with more, post it.
 
ACDC seem to have mics for the other guys, but there are no back vocals in their tunes as far as harmonies go. Those mics are for their "Gang vocals" choruses that they all sing in unicent to give it a "gang" sound, like "Honey! What do you do for money!". No harmonies in ACDC.
 
TalismanRich said:
Nicky Simper and Jon Lord both did some harmony vocals with DP Mk1. Hush, is an obvious one. There are a few videos from that period that show them singing. There are some "harmony vocals" on DP Mk2 records, but they are just Gillian singing both parts. If you look at any of the old live DP Mk2 concert footage, there are no vocal mics for the other 4 guys, just Gillian. Once Coverdale and Hughes joined, they had lots of dual vocal parts. Burn is a perfect example. Watch the DP video from California Jam, Hughes and Coverdale harmonize on Smoke On The Water.

As for Zeppelin, Bonham does the harmony duties on No Quarter. Go to 2:15 of the Madison Sq Garden concert.

Click to expand...

Live, they had no choice for "No Quarter". Someone had to do it. But I'll bet anything that it's Plant doing both parts in the studio.

EDIT: Sorry, you're talking about "No Quarter", but I was thinking of "The Ocean" for some reason. I have no idea who sings the second part in "No Quarter" in the studio. It very well could be Bonzo. I'd still bet it's Plant, but I don't know for sure.

Coverdale and Hughes not only did harmonies together, but Hughes actually sang lead on complete verses. They went back and forth taking turns singing the verses on songs like "Hold On", and "Highball Shooter". Hughes even sings "Holy Man" by himself on "Stormbringer".
 
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