Norah Jones VS Sarah McLachlan in a Heavenly Steel Cage Death Match
Posted on January 14th, 2008 by Josh Hathaway
The three most perfect female voices in the history of mankind are:
- Etta James
- tie: Norah Jones and Sarah McLachlan
I’m calling for a singoff for second between Norah and Sarah Mc. They could alternate; Norah sings one, Sarah follows. Even if I could come to a concrete decision on who should get the silver and who should get the bronze, I don’t think I would. I’d just let them continue until they ran out of songs. Then I’d have them start all over again.
If I’m allowed a vote on what heaven is, this would be a very good start.
Filed under: Tags: Norah Jones, Sarah McLachlan
I’m listening to Norah right now, so she’s in the early lead. Spectacular.
I agree with your choices. But I think Sarah just edges out Norah…at least for me. Sorry, but Miss Jones has a tendency to put me to sleep. Ok….I’m waiting….This is where all of the Norah fans hand me a RedBull and slap me awake!
Uhh… You just profaned the name of Etta James. She could raise the dead; these two can barely raise elevators. I don’t know if it’s how they’re recorded, or their technique, or the corporate sheen that glosses everything they do (including the songwriting). So bah humbub, give me real soul.
subtlety is just lost on some people.
I am throwing my hands in the air and going to look for small children and puppies to kick.
[...] nor there. I’m watching/listening to the DVD and Sarah Mc has just edged ahead of Norah in my cosmic, heavenly sing-off. I guess I should put my Norah DVD in [...]
love all those chickies. They can warble quite nicely.
I love you dearly, Josh, but really? Breathy ingenues don’t even begin to compare to Etta. Sarah has a more substantial voice than Norah, but still falls short.
You want great female voices? How about Shemekia Copeland, Marva Wright, Mavis Staples, Joan Osborne (not so much her big hit voice, but the rest of her body of work), Billy Holiday, Martina McBride, or Christen Chenowith? I could go on, but I have a feeling your mind’s made up and we’ll just have to agree to disagree on your choices.
Etta is the all-time winner. Hands down. No further discussion needed.
Holiday is classic, so is Ella Fitzgerald. Anyone who wants to toss those names out won’t get an argument from me even if they aren’t my particular cup of tea. Joan Osbourne and Martina McBride would get you 10 demerits, but I love you too, Joanie.
After Etta James, we’re talking about second place and I guess for me I get more out of the understated voices than the powerhouses where women singers are concerned. My favorite Etta cuts are the songs where she just lets it flow. I know she has some tunes where she really belts it out there and they’re good but not my favorites.
I don’t like the throaty female singers a la Joplin or Etheridge. I don’t like the uber voices that have to over sing and over emote (I think we know the names that fit that description). Sarah Mc and Norah Jones have beautiful voices with no effort, with no histrionics, no effects. Their voices just are, and they are beautiful, gorgeous tonics for my battered self.
Like I said, we’ll just have to agree to disagree on this one. But 10 demerits? Oh boy! I haven’t received any in so long.
Get yourself a gin and tonic if you want to be soothed, my friend. I still say (at least) Norah is too waifish in her delivery to be taken seriously. And Sarah is too Lilith for my tastes anymore. (Yes, I do own a couple of her CDs but it’s been ages since I felt compelled to listen)
This is all a long-winded manner of saying this is why music is so wonderful. So many options and so many different musical tastes.
I still *heart* you, Josh.
P.S. Do yourself a favor and find a copy of Marva Wright’s glorious “This Is My Home” if you want to be transported to someplace comfy and soothing.