Online Magazine Article: 3 Rock vocal performances that will go down in history

Publication: WhatCulture.com

Because some songs just wouldn’t be as great without that vocal.

Can you imagine Gorillaz without the animated characters? Or The Rolling Stones - '(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction’ without that guitar riff?

It’s the same with a lead vocal, and in rock that is usually the most significant, memorable, distinctive feature of a great song! The type of song that will go down in history, the type that crosses over to listeners of other genres, the type you can’t get out of your head.

Some of the greatest songs of all time would not be the same without them first coming out of the mouth of a gifted vocalist and just like a night out in a karaoke bar, these 3 songs without these vocals, just wouldn’t be the same.

It was hard to narrow down such a broad genre that contains some of the greatest vocal performances of all time, but here are 3 great ones that have stood the test of time.


3. Aerosmith and Run-D.M.C., ‘Walk This Way’

Now, this is a controversial one considering half the song is recorded by Run-D.M.C, a hip-hop group, but this is the version I'm sticking to. This vocal collaboration brought rap to a new audience and according to some YouTube comments could have been one of the beautiful things Martin Luther King dreamt of in his speech of unity! Not only did it remind people just how talented Aerosmith were, it opened doors for Run DMC.

Lead singer of Aerosmith Steven Tyler, who wrote the original lyrics, already
had a rapid-fire style in the original version but in this version, he still allows
his vocal attack shines through from his “1,2,3,4 count at the start and again
in each chorus. It is weaved in simultaneously with Joe Perry’s distinguishing
guitar part.

Rappers Joseph "Run" Simmons and Darryl "D.M.C." McDaniels bounced off
each other in their verses but remained united which is very fitting given
that this song played a huge part in uniting rap and rock. While they did not
know what Tyler was saying when they first listened to the original song,
according to the D.M.C. autobiography, the conviction in their vocal
performance delivery transitioned seamlessly into Tyler’s chorus.

2. Survivor, ‘Eye of the Tiger’
Risin’ up to the challenge of their rivals is the legendary ‘Eye of the Tiger’ by
Survivor. With just a single vocal line in the song, led by Dave Bickler, the
story of Rocky is told. With the slashing of the chords mimicking the punches of an on-screen boxer and the dead string riff keeping the pace, Bickler’s vocals are there to add that edge, that grit and that fight...