people who sound like they belong to a different race

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okay trying to organize a teaching lesson about race and compiling a list of tracks from people who don't sound like one might expect. ie the bloc party's lead singer might not "sound" black, so maybe this will get kids to reconsider assumptions etc. either way, any tracks that come to mind (any race will do).

― sanchito, Thursday, 5 May 2005 00:27 (twenty-one years ago)

You mean like when Billy Lee Riley sings, "The little green men taught me how to do the bop?"

― Rickey Wright (Rrrickey), Thursday, 5 May 2005 00:29 (twenty-one years ago)

More assumption and culture than genetics here, but Janis Joplin?

― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Thursday, 5 May 2005 00:29 (twenty-one years ago)

'Cause, you know, he doesn't sound green.

xpost

― Rickey Wright (Rrrickey), Thursday, 5 May 2005 00:30 (twenty-one years ago)

I was shocked when I first saw Rick Astley and he was a pasty white dude.

― joygoat (joygoat), Thursday, 5 May 2005 00:30 (twenty-one years ago)

karen dalton!

― tonight is what it means to be young (Jody Beth Rosen), Thursday, 5 May 2005 00:31 (twenty-one years ago)

uh... Joss Stone?

― The Brainwasher (Twilight), Thursday, 5 May 2005 00:33 (twenty-one years ago)

woah - is joss stone not white?

― j blount (papa la bas), Thursday, 5 May 2005 00:33 (twenty-one years ago)

The Young Gods never sounded stereotypically "Swiss" to me. They rarely sang about chocolate and they hardly ever yodeled.

― scott seward (scott seward), Thursday, 5 May 2005 00:34 (twenty-one years ago)

Good point scott. Also, I cannot believe Travis are Scottish. I mean, they don't play bagpipes, they don't wear kilts, and I have never seen them throwing logs in their videos.

― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Thursday, 5 May 2005 00:35 (twenty-one years ago)

Los Lobos always "sounded" a little "Mexican" to me, but they are from California!

― scott seward (scott seward), Thursday, 5 May 2005 00:36 (twenty-one years ago)

freddie mercury always sounded more tasmanian than tanzanian to me.

― j blount (papa la bas), Thursday, 5 May 2005 00:37 (twenty-one years ago)

good point re: los lobos.

― j blount (papa la bas), Thursday, 5 May 2005 00:37 (twenty-one years ago)

Mr. Bulsara was from Zanzibar, wasn't he?

― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Thursday, 5 May 2005 00:37 (twenty-one years ago)

i don't ever remember abba singing about lutefisk, or a-ha (or mayhem!) singing about thor heyerdahl (or lutefisk).

― Eisbär (llamasfur), Thursday, 5 May 2005 00:38 (twenty-one years ago)

Swedes know nothing about lutefisk.

― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Thursday, 5 May 2005 00:39 (twenty-one years ago)

pitbull sounds a lil cuban to me but actually he's from miami!

― j blount (papa la bas), Thursday, 5 May 2005 00:40 (twenty-one years ago)

a lot of my faveorite swedish metal bands sound like they are from florida. but they are from sweden! oh, i could go on all nite.

― scott seward (scott seward), Thursday, 5 May 2005 00:41 (twenty-one years ago)

jacques brel owns this thread.

― j blount (papa la bas), Thursday, 5 May 2005 00:41 (twenty-one years ago)

i know! a belgian guy who sounds french!

― tonight is what it means to be young (Jody Beth Rosen), Thursday, 5 May 2005 00:42 (twenty-one years ago)

don't let his brown skin fool you!

― j blount (papa la bas), Thursday, 5 May 2005 00:42 (twenty-one years ago)

wait, some of these are nationalities. how many races are there again? java man, piltdown man, bjork, i think i'm missing one.

― scott seward (scott seward), Thursday, 5 May 2005 00:42 (twenty-one years ago)

Bush claimed they were from the UK. Of course, they lied about that. They were from Seattle, no doubt.

― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Thursday, 5 May 2005 00:42 (twenty-one years ago)

or a dutch guy who sounds flemish!

― Eisbär (llamasfur), Thursday, 5 May 2005 00:43 (twenty-one years ago)

bush were from seattle but sounded like they were from san diego!

― j blount (papa la bas), Thursday, 5 May 2005 00:44 (twenty-one years ago)

You're going down, Blount.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Thursday, 5 May 2005 00:45 (twenty-one years ago)

teena marie

― mitch dub (ano ano), Thursday, 5 May 2005 00:47 (twenty-one years ago)

Steve Winwood
Steve Marriot ("My skin is white... but my soul is black")

― Cunga (Cunga), Thursday, 5 May 2005 00:48 (twenty-one years ago)

Beefheart.

― Curious George (Bat Chain Puller) (Rock Hardy), Thursday, 5 May 2005 00:48 (twenty-one years ago)

ray charles was blind - but you'd never know it by listening to him! he totally sounds like he can see! had us fooled!

― j blount (papa la bas), Thursday, 5 May 2005 00:50 (twenty-one years ago)

ronnie milsap on the other hand sounds blind. and is!

― j blount (papa la bas), Thursday, 5 May 2005 00:50 (twenty-one years ago)

What I want more out of life are more mute singers and blind painters.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Thursday, 5 May 2005 00:51 (twenty-one years ago)

john denver sang like a pilot but actually he was a sailor!

― j blount (papa la bas), Thursday, 5 May 2005 00:51 (twenty-one years ago)

ok i've crossed a line maybe

― j blount (papa la bas), Thursday, 5 May 2005 00:51 (twenty-one years ago)

If you could hear me right now, I sound black - FerShizzle!

― space2k (space2k), Thursday, 5 May 2005 00:53 (twenty-one years ago)

Sun Ra looked human - but wasn't...

― space2k (space2k), Thursday, 5 May 2005 00:54 (twenty-one years ago)

sun ra sounded like a raggett but actually he was a blount!

― j blount (papa la bas), Thursday, 5 May 2005 00:54 (twenty-one years ago)

Queensrÿche were from Seattle, but sounded like they were from a studio in Los Angeles.

― Eisbär (llamasfur), Thursday, 5 May 2005 00:55 (twenty-one years ago)

Listening to The Archies' "Sugar Sugar", I am quite amazed how they sound completely like human beings, in spite of actually being toons.

― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Thursday, 5 May 2005 00:56 (twenty-one years ago)

they were human toons jackass!

― j blount (papa la bas), Thursday, 5 May 2005 00:58 (twenty-one years ago)

neil young rarely sounds like a royal canadian mountie would sound if a royal canadian mountie sang about hating people from the south.

― scott seward (scott seward), Thursday, 5 May 2005 00:59 (twenty-one years ago)

You don't sound like you're from Martha's Vineyard ya landlubber. Grr, grr!

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Thursday, 5 May 2005 01:00 (twenty-one years ago)

it is kinda a shame the banana splits had to go uncle tom on us and anthropomorphise their sound. albini was right.

― j blount (papa la bas), Thursday, 5 May 2005 01:01 (twenty-one years ago)

hey cinniblount -- you don't sound like michael stipe, or either dre or big boi!

― Eisbär (llamasfur), Thursday, 5 May 2005 01:03 (twenty-one years ago)

Point 1: Y'all realise that genetically there's no such thing as race, right?

Point 2: Don't be dissing Queensryche, motherfucker.

― TV's Mr Noodle Vague (noodle vague), Thursday, 5 May 2005 01:04 (twenty-one years ago)

howevah: i sound EXACTLY like a cross between fred schneider and kenny rogers.

― j blount (papa la bas), Thursday, 5 May 2005 01:04 (twenty-one years ago)

what about leonard cohen? a canadian jew who sounds like a turtle.

― scott seward (scott seward), Thursday, 5 May 2005 01:06 (twenty-one years ago)

the first time i heard foghorn leghorn i thought it was some southern good ol' boy. but then whattya know? - it's a damn chicken! fooled me!

― j blount (papa la bas), Thursday, 5 May 2005 01:09 (twenty-one years ago)

The best bit is when Foghorn paces out the length of the dog chain, scratches a line in the dirt, and then blows a trumpet in the doggie's face. However, he did not write First We Take Manhattan.

― TV's Mr Noodle Vague (noodle vague), Thursday, 5 May 2005 01:11 (twenty-one years ago)

ALso, Pepe le Pew is totally more of a ladies' man than Foghorn Leghorn.

― TV's Mr Noodle Vague (noodle vague), Thursday, 5 May 2005 01:15 (twenty-one years ago)

Never like Pepe. I'm like "c'mon dude - its a fucking cat!"

― space2k (space2k), Thursday, 5 May 2005 01:17 (twenty-one years ago)

Pepe doesn't care: if it's got a backbone, he'll do it.

― TV's Mr Noodle Vague (noodle vague), Thursday, 5 May 2005 01:18 (twenty-one years ago)

motherfucker loves pussy. ain't that just like a skunk?

― j blount (papa la bas), Thursday, 5 May 2005 01:19 (twenty-one years ago)

Bobby Caldwell

― Jordan (Jordan), Thursday, 5 May 2005 01:20 (twenty-one years ago)

pepe was really gay ... it was all an ACT, MASSIVE overcompensation for being un pansie!

― Eisbär (llamasfur), Thursday, 5 May 2005 01:23 (twenty-one years ago)

You wanna talk about closet cases, let's look at Porky Pig.

― TV's Mr Noodle Vague (noodle vague), Thursday, 5 May 2005 01:24 (twenty-one years ago)

or huckleberry hound

― shine headlights on me (electricsound), Thursday, 5 May 2005 01:28 (twenty-one years ago)

Tom Waits, sometimes

― corinne, Thursday, 5 May 2005 01:32 (twenty-one years ago)

Tom Waits is a closet case? Are you sure? He's very litigious.

― TV's Mr Noodle Vague (noodle vague), Thursday, 5 May 2005 01:33 (twenty-one years ago)

Didn't I hear somewhere that the Gypsy Kings, who sing in Spanish, are actually neither Gypsies nor Spanish?

― Hurting (Hurting), Thursday, 5 May 2005 01:55 (twenty-one years ago)

those poseurs probably aren't even real kings either!

― j blount (papa la bas), Thursday, 5 May 2005 02:01 (twenty-one years ago)

Lady Sovereign. The first time I heard her at least.

― Roz, Thursday, 5 May 2005 02:02 (twenty-one years ago)

craig whats-his-name from lifter-puller/the hold steady. for some reason i was under the impression he was black! (he's white)

― one time gaffled 'em up, Thursday, 5 May 2005 02:07 (twenty-one years ago)

Sometimes Michael Jackson sounds black.

― TV's Mr Noodle Vague (noodle vague), Thursday, 5 May 2005 02:09 (twenty-one years ago)

those poseurs probably aren't even real kings either!

-- j blount (jamesbloun...), May 5th, 2005.

I wonder who would win in a fight between the Gypsy Kings and the Latin Kings.

― Hurting (Hurting), Thursday, 5 May 2005 02:10 (twenty-one years ago)

Well there's a lot of white people who supposedly sound black here so far, but Mississippi John Hurt sounds a lot like a white hillbilly a lot of the time. Apparently, some of the 60s "folk revival" types didn't realize he was black until they saw him. And then presumably they did.

― Ogmor Roundtrouser (Ogmor Roundtrouser), Thursday, 5 May 2005 02:10 (twenty-one years ago)

Charley Pride to thread.

― The Father of Honky-Crunk (Matt Chesnut), Thursday, 5 May 2005 02:12 (twenty-one years ago)

I wonder who would win in a fight between the Gypsy Kings and the Latin Kings.

Don King.

― TV's Mr Noodle Vague (noodle vague), Thursday, 5 May 2005 02:17 (twenty-one years ago)

no seriously race isn't genetic etc. but the Bobby Caldwell revelation just blew my mind

― tremendoid (tremendoid), Thursday, 5 May 2005 02:21 (twenty-one years ago)

and I'm black so I normally take pride in sitting back and laughing at threads like this(eg. Steve Winwood wtf?)

― tremendoid (tremendoid), Thursday, 5 May 2005 02:24 (twenty-one years ago)

but the Bobby Caldwell revelation just blew my mind

In what way?

― Jordan (Jordan), Thursday, 5 May 2005 02:26 (twenty-one years ago)

('cause I totally thought he was a black r&b singer until I saw a pic of him)

― Jordan (Jordan), Thursday, 5 May 2005 02:27 (twenty-one years ago)

yeah it blew my mind "'cause I totally thought he was a black r&b singer until I saw a pic of him" ten minutes ago.

― tremendoid (tremendoid), Thursday, 5 May 2005 02:37 (twenty-one years ago)

http://www.adweek.com/aw/images/best_spots/best_spots_05/0314_bs05.gif

― mr. drew (mr. drew), Thursday, 5 May 2005 02:49 (twenty-one years ago)

[[[I wonder who would win in a fight between the Gypsy Kings and the Latin Kings.]]]

The Mambo Kings.

Real answer: Michael McDonald (obviously)

"yeeeeeeeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah"

― PappaWheelie (PappaWheelie), Thursday, 5 May 2005 02:59 (twenty-one years ago)

and I'm black so I normally take pride in sitting back and laughing at threads like this(eg. Steve Winwood wtf?)

-- tremendoid (kemeti...), May 5th, 2005.

I have yet to meet one black person who thinks that Janis Joplin "sounds black."

― Hurting (Hurting), Thursday, 5 May 2005 03:03 (twenty-one years ago)

rick astley TOTALLY sounded like a 300-lb black dude (and presumably still does)!

― Eisbär (llamasfur), Thursday, 5 May 2005 03:06 (twenty-one years ago)

Charley Pride?

― Douglas (Douglas), Thursday, 5 May 2005 03:09 (twenty-one years ago)

busta rhymes sounds jamaican ... and he is (of jamaican ancestry).

― Eisbär (llamasfur), Thursday, 5 May 2005 03:14 (twenty-one years ago)

http://www.perigord.com/westcoast/images/caldwelllive.gif

― Jordan (Jordan), Thursday, 5 May 2005 03:21 (twenty-one years ago)

Barney does not sound like a dinosaur.

― TV's Mr Noodle Vague (noodle vague), Thursday, 5 May 2005 03:23 (twenty-one years ago)

considerable xpost: I imagine it doesn't take too much to set off Geir's 'ethnic radar'. Janis Joplin seems reasonable, all things considered.

― tremendoid (tremendoid), Thursday, 5 May 2005 03:29 (twenty-one years ago)

I dunno Jordan, do I see some naps peeking out of that stetson?

― tremendoid (tremendoid), Thursday, 5 May 2005 03:38 (twenty-one years ago)

Bobby Caldwell's shadow is trying to sneak off while he's not looking.

― TV's Mr Noodle Vague (noodle vague), Thursday, 5 May 2005 03:40 (twenty-one years ago)

Obvious, but M.I.A. doesn't sound Tamil.

― Roz, Thursday, 5 May 2005 05:18 (twenty-one years ago)

You don't sound like you're from Martha's Vineyard ya landlubber. Grr, grr!

Which poster is from Martha's Vineyard now? E-mail me as I used to live there and am always up for some nostalgic indulgence.

― Cunga (Cunga), Thursday, 5 May 2005 06:01 (twenty-one years ago)

Sting.

― dog latin (dog latin), Thursday, 5 May 2005 08:21 (twenty-one years ago)

yeah, he certainly doesnt sound like a bee.

― latebloomer: But when the monkey die, people gonna cry. (latebloomer), Thursday, 5 May 2005 08:23 (twenty-one years ago)

as does kate bush and bjork.

― pixie (pixie), Thursday, 5 May 2005 08:27 (twenty-one years ago)

Also, I cannot believe Travis are Scottish. I mean, they don't play bagpipes, they don't wear kilts, and I have never seen them throwing logs in their videos.

The lead singer wears a kilt in one of the videos (why does it always rain down one me? I think). Admittedly I've never seen them tossing their logs.

― Billy Dods (Billy Dods), Thursday, 5 May 2005 09:34 (twenty-one years ago)

Also, I cannot believe Travis are Scottish. I mean, they don't play bagpipes, they don't wear kilts, and I have never seen them throwing logs in their videos.

And they have jobs as well.

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Thursday, 5 May 2005 09:55 (twenty-one years ago)

Considering how much they have earned from record sales, they dress quite cheaply though, and I haven't heard a lot of stories about luxury and extravagance, so I suppose there is something typically Scottish about them after all. :-)

― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Thursday, 5 May 2005 10:10 (twenty-one years ago)

People Who Sound Black (all this thread amounts to) has been done at least twice before guys...

― $V£N! (blueski), Thursday, 5 May 2005 10:22 (twenty-one years ago)

MIA doesn't sound brazilian. no, wait...

― N_RQ, Thursday, 5 May 2005 10:27 (twenty-one years ago)

Hmm. Thinking of white people that sound black, for me, that applies to a lot of black acts from the UK, simply because the difference between white and black "slang" isn't as obvious in the UK that it tends to be in the US (at least among musicians, I mean, Condoleeza Rice doesn't release pop records...)

― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Thursday, 5 May 2005 10:44 (twenty-one years ago)

black british people sound white?

― N_RQ, Thursday, 5 May 2005 10:48 (twenty-one years ago)

They sound British

― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Thursday, 5 May 2005 10:49 (twenty-one years ago)

Give me five examples.

― $V£N! (blueski), Thursday, 5 May 2005 11:05 (twenty-one years ago)

You see Token, people really enjoy seeing African-Americans on the news... Seeing African-Americans on the news, not hearing them. That's why all African-Americans newspeople learn to talk more... wha, how should I say... white. [Sees that Token isn't following] Token, all the great African-Americans newspeople have learned to hide their ebonic tribespeak with a more pure Caucasian dialect. There's no shame in it, and I think it'll really help our ratings.

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Thursday, 5 May 2005 11:15 (twenty-one years ago)

Plenty of white Brits do great imitations of American Black southerners, but William Topley is among the best. There was also some Brit, I don't remember his name but he was on the British segment of that long Blues documentary series, who put out a blues record in the early 60s under a made-up name and claims there are still people who refuse to believe it was him. (But . . . I didn't know Joss Stone was white until after I bought her first record.)

On Harry Smith's Anthology, supposedly there are a number of Black artists who sound white and vice versa. But apart from the household names, I have no idea which is which.

Leontyne Price does not sound "Black"; most opera singers don't.

MC Solaar has a very standard French accent, so he doesn't sound Black to me, but the rapping part may give it away.

― Vornado, Thursday, 5 May 2005 11:47 (twenty-one years ago)

Dusty Springfield, although I'm sure she's all over similar threads.

― Ian Riese-Moraine has a grenade, that pineapple's not just a toy! (Eastern Mantr, Thursday, 5 May 2005 14:48 (twenty-one years ago)

-- Dom Passantino (juror...), May 5th, 2005.

Um, I wouldn't automatically assume that all black newspeople grew up speaking "ebonics".

― Hurting (Hurting), Thursday, 5 May 2005 14:50 (twenty-one years ago)

i thought arthur lee was scottish the first time i heard forever changes.

― debden, Thursday, 5 May 2005 15:00 (twenty-one years ago)

http://www.blackdiamondvocals.com/home.cfm

http://www.blackdiamondvocals.com/shared/page_images/_home_color_homepage.jpg

"It all started at eleven years old, when the two hundredth Caucasion lady leaned over the back of the church pew and said, “young man, you sound just like Neil Diamond”. Unbeknownst to me, it was at that moment the Black Diamond show was born!"

― Joseph McCombs (Joseph McCombs), Thursday, 5 May 2005 15:21 (twenty-one years ago)

I didn't know Dusty Springfield was black?!

How about Branford Marsalis? He plays the sax just like a white man.

― diedre mousedropping (Dave225), Thursday, 5 May 2005 15:47 (twenty-one years ago)

Young Winwood maybe. Old Winwood no.

Susan Tedeschi and Eva Cassidy are sometimes bandied about as little white girls who CAN sound like gospel mamas, but they don't always even try to do that. Cassidy did both pretty girly folky music and go-go collaborations with Chuck Brown that do have some soul in them.

But overall, yeah, this is One of Those Topics.

― The Mad Puffin (The Mad Puffin), Thursday, 5 May 2005 16:53 (twenty-one years ago)

Ray Lamontagne...??

― Eva van Rein (Gaia1981), Tuesday, 10 May 2005 09:16 (twenty years ago)

The singer of the Dears.

― zeusz, Tuesday, 10 May 2005 09:29 (twenty years ago)

Don "No Soul" Simmons from "Amazon Women On The Moon"

― John Fredland (jfredland), Tuesday, 10 May 2005 20:40 (twenty years ago)

me!

― Morley Timmons (Donna Brown), Tuesday, 10 May 2005 22:38 (twenty years ago)

Ray Lamontagne...??

-- Eva van Rein (evan_rei...) (webmail), May 10th, 2005.

OTM! I bought this album a couple days ago and I absolutely love it. I checked out his webpage and was SHOCKED to find out that he's white. Since then, I've been trying to decide between posting on this thread about it or starting a new thread on him because I don't remember his name coming up here. My damned indecision lead to you beating me!

― Mickey (modestmickey), Tuesday, 10 May 2005 23:29 (twenty years ago)

believe it or not, Snow wasn't really Jamaican

― Seuss, Wednesday, 11 May 2005 09:56 (twenty years ago)

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