AFL vocals
 

Noticed it already a while back, but I cant really explain it.

Did you notice that Meat never sings the original notes of the first AFL lines? He sings them much deeper than on the album. if you´d say that´s due to the fact that his voice has changed over the years, that might be right, but the fact is, that I have never heard a "proper" version of that part, not even in clips from 93 or 94, when he definitely would have been able to sing the notes, as he did it on the album too.

Any explanations?

I guess it probably is that his voice has changed over the past ten years...also, the higher notes are higher to pitch, so when you're singing it live with just one shot and getting it right I'd imagine it's easier and more comfortable to start a song in your "natural" range (not to say that the beginning of AFL is out of Meat's range, before anyone has a go!! )...otherwise, not a clue!

It's a difficult song to sing for a start, especially for it's length.

As for the original notes I don't think there are many that are able to hit exactly the same notes live as they do in the studio, mainly cause live is a one take deal whereas in the studio you get a lot of chances to get it right.

Also when singing live, most singers will ask the band to take the song down about half a tone in order to hit the right notes. My singing teacher advise me of this on numerous occasions that it helps with possible the wear and tear of the voice and can also make the song come off better as well.

Absolutely - years ago when I was at school I was asked to sing in a show and they gave me a song in which the first note was a top D, which for me is high, and it was awful. It wasn't out of my range but I had no time at all to start lower and build up to it, and I fluffed it!!!

The album version is in the key of D, and the live version in the key of C, which is a whole tone lower. In fact, quite a lot of the songs have had their keys changed over the years:

Bat - Album F, live E
2 Out of 3 - Album A, live G
Took the Words - Album A, live G
Paradise - Album D, live C
All Revved Up - Album A, live G


Most of the others are in the original key.

This isn't knocking Meat's voice at all. He can hardly be expected to sing all these extremely difficult songs for thirty years without changing something.

I don't know much about keys and singing stuff but it all sounds good to me still so :shrug:

Since the 2005 tour Meat has raised Took The Words back up to the key of A, the same key as it was on the album. On the subject of Anything For Love, they could've done many takes in the studio to get it right and the vocals might've been altered in the production (not by pitching or speeding up the tape but possibly by increasing the treble. Not completly sure though.) Meat's voice is quite high-pitched on Bat 2, almost like a more mature version of the voice on Bat 1. Lowering the key a whole tone down live does reduce the wear and tear.

On a bit of a side note, I've sang AFL before in mini-Meat Tribute-concerts for family and friends and for me it's more comfortable to sing it in the key of C, tried rehearsing it in the original key but it's too wear and tear (I'm not trained.) I do most of the Meat songs in their live keys rather than studio keys but that's not the point. Just giving an example of how lowering keys of songs makes it more comfortable to sing.

Yeah but this live key transition stuff has happened since 77. I get the feeling it's Jim who tries to push things as high as possible on the albums (see Bad for Good). Meat's "Surf's Up" is lower and also "Left in the Dark" is in Bb on WTTN. Many others are the same. I don't think Meat's done AFL in D live ever.
Meat's even claimed (on this site) that his voice was sped up on Bat 1 ! But I fail to hear anything obvious.

As far as Meat's voice goes. I certainly think he sounded "the deepest" during the 1993-4 tour. But that has nothing to do with keys, just the texture of his voice back then.

Left In The Dark is in B on WTTN. that's a semi-tone down from the 1981 version. Surf's Up on the Bad For Good Album is in G - I don't think Meat could EVER have sung it in that key. His version is three semitones lower, in E.

Also, Out Of The Frying Pan was in C back in '81, and was brought down to A for Bat II.

Makes it easier for me to sing a long to as well :lol::lol:

I hear what you mean with Meat's voice. He's not a singer, Everytime he goes up to perform his song, melodically and with actions arise. He does it all differently. So if he's not a singer, how can you expect him to sing the same everytime ;)

I like the touch he did with 2004, for the MSO DVD. A Real Showman

You know something I never caught on to that thanks for the heads up

Please, Someone could explain me what is the meaning of A,B,C.... keys?
And. one point of view:
I only hate the falldown of tone in all verses. Is something that hapen since six or seven years in lives perfomances.
I think he must finish the verses like original songs of studio.
Do you really understand me?
....Sorry, but my english is a little poor...:roll:

I understand what you mean but at the same time I think people go to gigs to here something different to the studio version of songs.

I think Anything for love is a tough song to get right live, the live around the world version being my fav. At the same time i watched the today show performance on the naked wire recently and thought that his performance of anything for love that day was the strongest i've heard it in a long while.

In regard to the dropping of half a tone, it might explain a little why i didn't like the end of blind as a bat at the Royal variety performance when the mic went life. If you're used to singing a song in a certain key live, it can be hard to adjust.

Yep i totally agree, i personally thought AFL was the strongest performance of the night regardless of the arrangment.And i certainly want to hear something different at concerts, i can sit and listen to the cd version all day long if i want so i wouldnt be happy to hear the exact same thing at a concert. One of the reasons Meat commands such a following for his shows is for his live performances, it's a show not just someone singing to ya ;) I have a couple of friends who would never buy or listen to Meat at home but love going to his shows.


Unfortunately i felt the same. My fella didnt know he was miming the song but when the mic went on he was quick to point it out to me :(

Of course I want a live performance to be different from the album version, buzt I dont think, that the key of the song is a major factor in that.

If it means he is comfortable (in confidence and physically) to get on with other aspects then i think it is ;) but no not just the changing of key in itself would make any difference

I really couldn't care less what keys the songs are in live - I'd rather listen to Meat sing a song in a key in which he's comfortable and can do well than hear him struggle through in a key that's too high that will damage his voice

...anyone else struggling here?! It's one of those things that I know in my own head and can't seem to put into sentences that make any sense!

I am one of those who wouldn't know a B from a D. All i do know is i have seen quiet a few performer's live and although they sound like the album they don't give anything like the kind of show Meat gives.
I really don't care what key he sing's in i just know when i come away from a Meat Loaf concert i am totally overwhelmed which i never have felt from any other artist.
Interesting thread though.

Ok ok.:mrgreen:
and, Nobody else can explain it?:-P

actually, from RAH to today, Meat has recovered his great powerfull voice, and his best perfomances since ..... 90's
Dont' you think?

The only half decent sentence I can come up with (in regards the explaining keys topic anyway! ) is that the key determines which sharps and flats you play/sing...eg, if you're in the key of G you'd play a different set of sharps and flats than if you were in the key of A and so on...

...that make any sense?!?!

more or less, thanks;)

Same here GeordieLoaf, on both counts... I don't know one key from another.. and as for caring what key Meat sings in.. as long as he's singing, is all that I care about. :D

J.

haha sorry man. That's why I don't speak much. Uhm... All I'm saying is that Meat never sings same way twice... Very respectable if you ask me. But that's a trait I like.

much like no one signs their name the same way twice, i wouldn't expect anyone to say something or sing something exactly the same way twice.

As for Meats voice, some of the songs on Bat III particualrly In the land of the pig, he sounds really good.

In regards to his live voice, I haven't seen him since 1999, but i've seen a couple of things on You Tube recently, Only when i feel & some of RAH, sound quality wasn't great but you could make out Meat's vocals and they didn't seem to come off that well.

That said he got more right then wrong on the MSO dvd, although ended nearly every song with a long high note got a little annoying.