Don McLean (4,767 views)

[Alex61]

Donald McLean III
Vocal Range: E2 – G5

Significant High Notes:
G5 ("Everybody Loves Me, Baby", "New Mule Skinner Blues", "Prime Time", "Since I Don't Have You")
F5 ("La La Love You")
E5 ("Beside Myself", "Dreidel", "Everyday", "I Tune the World Out", "Narcisissima", "Where Were You, Baby?" live Solo)
E♭5 ("Lovesick Blues")
D5 ("American Pie", "Lovesick Blues", "New Mule Skinner Blues", "Since I Don't Have You")
C♯5 ("Crying", "Everybody Loves Me, Baby", "Fool's Paradise", "The Pattern is Broken", "Sittin' in the Balcony")
C5 ("Color TV Blues", "Dreidel", "Great Big Man", "La La Love You", "Left for Dead on the Road of Love", "Living With the Blues", "Maybe Baby", "Mother Nature", "My Saddle Pal and I", "Sitting on Top of the World")
B4 ("American Pie", "Castles in the Air" live All Request, "Fool's Paradise", "Go Tell It on the Mountain", "Great Big Man", "Lovesick Blues", "Narcisissima", "On the Amazon", "Singin' the Blues" live Eindhoven 2018, "Where Were You, Baby?" live Solo)
B♭4 ("La La Love You")
A4 ("Ancient History", "Bad Girl", "Building My Body", "Crying in the Chapel", "Everybody Loves Me, Baby", "Everyday", "Go Tell It on the Mountain", "The Grave", "Great Big Man", "He's Got You", "In a Museum", "Left for Dead on the Road of Love", "Living With the Blues", "Love Hurts", "Lovesick Blues", "The Lucky Guy", "Mother Nature", "Nobody Knows You When You're Down and Out", "On the Amazon", "Run, Diana Run", "Sea Cruise", "Sitting on Top of the World", "Winterwood", "You Can't Blame the Train", "(You're So Square) Baby I Don't Care" live Dominion)
G♯4 ("Crying", "Dreidel", "Fool's Paradise", "The Keys to the Kingdom", "Maybe Baby", "Orphans of Wealth", "Respectable", "This Little Girl (Daddy-O)", "Tulsa Time/Deep in the Heart of Texas" live Glasgow 2010, "Where Were You, Baby?" live Solo)
G4 ("American Pie", "Ancient History", "Backwater Blues", "Believers", "Better Still", "A Brand New World", "Bronco Bill's Lament", "Chain Lightning", "Crazy Eyes", "Headroom", "I Tune the World Out", "If We Try", "In a Museum", "Infinity", "La La Love You", "The Legend of Andrew McCrew", "Living With the Blues", "Magdalene Lane", "My Saddle Pal and I", "New Mule Skinner Blues", "Not a Moment Too Soon", "Prime Time", "Run, Diana Run", "Since I Don't Have You", "Sitting on Top of the World", "Tulsa Time/Deep in the Heart of Texas" live Glasgow 2010, "Wonderful Baby", "The Wrong Thing to Do")
F♯4 ("Addicted to Black", "Ancient History", "Better Still", "Building My Body", "Castles in the Air" live ITV 1982, "Color TV Blues", "Crazy", "Crying in the Chapel", "Everybody Loves Me, Baby", "Go Tell It on the Mountain", "It Doesn't Matter Anymore", "Jerusalem", "Mother Nature", "On the Amazon", "Pretty Paper", "Sunshine Life for Me (Sail Away Raymond)", "Winterwood", "You Gave Me a Mountain" live Starry, Starry Night)
F4 ("Bad Girl", "But She Loves Me", "Crying", "Did You Know", "Going for the Gold", "Isn't It Strange", "The Legend of Andrew McCrew", "Masters of War" live Solo, "Orphans of Wealth", "Respectable", "Three Flights Up", "You Can't Blame the Train", "You Got a Way About You, Baby")
E4 ("Aftermath", "Backwater Blues", "Believers", "Beside Myself", "Birthday Song", "A Brand New World", "But She Loves Me", "Castles in the Air" Believers version, "Chain Lightning", "Change Partners", "Crazy Eyes", "Dream Lover", "Dreidel", "Empty Chairs", "Everyday is a Miracle", "Fool's Paradise", "Got the Bull By the Horns", "The Grave", "Happy Trails", "Have You Seen Me", "He's Got You", "Headroom", "Hide Nor Hair", "I Ain’t Never", "I Tune the World Out", "I've Cried All the Tears That I Have", "If I Hadn't Met You", "If I Only Had a Match", "If We Try", "If You Could Read My Mind", "In a Museum", "Infinity", "Isn't It Strange", "Jerusalem", "The Keys to the Kingdom", "Little Sister", "Love in My Heart", "Lovers Love the Spring", "Magdalene Lane", "Maybe Baby", "Mother Nature", "Mountains O' Mourne", "My Saddle Pal and I", "Narcisissima", "Oh, My What a Shame", "Over the Mountains", "The Pattern is Broken", "Pretty Paper", "The Pride Parade", "Promise to Remember", "The River of Love", "Santa Claus Is Coming to Town", "Siamese Twins (Joined at the Heart)", "Somebody Loves Me", "Someone to Watch Over Me", "South of the Border", "Superman's Ghost", "This Little Girl (Daddy-O)", "The Three of Us", "Vincent", "What Will the World Be Like" live Good Morning Britain, "When a Good Thing Goes Bad", "White Christmas", "Winterwood", "Wonderful World", "The Wrong Thing to Do", "You Have Lived", "You Who Love the Truth", "You've Got Such Beautiful Eyes")

Significant Low Notes:
D3 ("Aftermath", "American Pie", "Ancient History", "And I Love You So", "Babylon", "Believers", "Beside Myself", "Better Still", "Bronco Bill's Lament", "But She Loves Me", "Count Your Blessings", "Crazy Eyes", "Crossroads", "Crying in the Chapel", "Don't", "Dream Lover", "Dreidel", "Empty Chairs", "The Flight of Dragons", "General Store", "Genesis (In the Beginning)", "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen", "Going for the Gold", "The Grave", "Greenback Dollar", "Happy Trails", "I Was Always Young", "It Doesn't Matter Anymore", "It Was a Very Good Year", "The Keys to the Kingdom", "Love Hurts", "Love in My Heart", "Lovesick Blues", "Magdalene Lane", "Mary Lost a Ring", "The More You Pay (The More It's Worth)", "Mother Nature", "Mountains O' Mourne", "Prime Time", "Promise to Remember", "Raining in My Heart" live Starry, Starry Night, "Sea Cruise", "Shadowland", "Since I Don't Have You", "Sister Fatima", "Somebody Loves Me", "A Total Eclipse of the Sun", "Vincent", "When a Good Thing Goes Bad", "When July Comes", "White Christmas", "A White Sport Coat (And a Pink Carnation)", "Winter Has Me in Its Grip", "The Wrong Thing to Do", "You Got a Way About You, Baby", "You Have Lived")
C♯3 ("Backwater Blues", "Bad Girl", "Building My Body", "But Beautiful", "Crying", "Everybody Loves Me, Baby", "Got the Bull By the Horns", "I'll Be Home for Christmas/Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas", "Jerusalem", "Left for Dead on the Road of Love", "Little Cowboy", "Little Sister", "Narcisissima", "Not a Moment Too Soon", "O Little Town of Bethlehem", "Over the Mountains", "Three Flights Up", "No Reason for Your Dreams", "The Pattern is Broken", "Rock 'n' Roll Your Baby", "Singin' the Blues" live Eindhoven 2018, "Sittin' in the Balcony", "This Little Girl (Daddy-O)", "What Will the World Be Like", "When Love Begins", "White Christmas", "Wonderful Baby", "Wonderful World", "(You're So Square) Baby I Don't Care" live Dominion, "Your Cheatin' Heart")
C3 ("1967", "Aftermath", "Ain't She a Honey", "Beside Myself", "Burgundian Carol", "But She Loves Me", "Change Partners", "Color TV Blues", "Crazy", "Crying", "Empty Chairs", "Falling Through Time", "The Flight of Dragons", "From a Beautiful Star", "General Store", "Genesis (In the Beginning)", "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen", "Grief and Hope", "He's Got You", "Homeless Brother", "I'll Be Home for Christmas/Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas", "I've Cried All the Tears That I Have", "If I Hadn't Met You", "It Had to Be You", "Isn't It Strange", "It's Just the Sun", "Last Night When We Were Young", "The Legend of Andrew McCrew", "Love Letters", "Lovers Love the Spring", "Masters of War" live Solo, "Not a Moment Too Soon", "Oh, My What a Shame", "Over the Weekend", "Pretty Paper", "Santa Claus Is Coming to Town", "Sea Man", "Sittin' in the Balcony", "Someone to Watch Over Me", "Somewhere Over the Rainbow/Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?", "South of the Border", "Superman's Ghost", "This Is America (Eisenhower)", "Travelin' Man", "Treat Me Nice", "Vincent" live BBC 1972, "Where Have All the Flowers Gone?", "The Wrong Thing to Do", "You Don't Know Me", "You're All I Ever Had", "You've Got Such Beautiful Eyes")
B2 ("1967", "Addicted to Black", "Angry Words", "Birthday Song", "Botanical Gardens", "Crazy Eyes", "Crossroads", "Everyday", "Fashion Victim", "Fool's Paradise", "Hide Nor Hair", "If We Try", "Infinity", "The King of Fools", "Lady in Waiting", "Last Night When We Were Young", "Little Cowboy", "Love Me Tender", "The Lucky Guy", "Narcisissima", "Nobody Knows You When You're Down and Out", "O Little Town of Bethlehem", "On the Amazon", "One in a Row", "Over the Mountains", "Pretty Paper", "The Pride Parade", "Promise to Remember", "Santa Claus Is Coming to Town", "Six White Horses", "So Doggone Lonesome", "Stardust", "This Is America (Eisenhower)", "Tulsa Time/Deep in the Heart of Texas" live Glasgow 2010, "The Very Thought of You" live Dominion, "Waving Man", "When a Good Thing Goes Bad", "When July Comes", "Where Were You, Baby?" live Solo, "Wonderful World", "You Gave Me a Mountain" live Starry, Starry Night, "You Have Lived", "You Who Love the Truth", "You're My Little Darlin'")
B♭2 ("And I Love You So", "Bad Girl", "Castles in the Air", "Circus Song", "Color TV Blues", "Count Your Blessings", "Did You Know", "I'll Be Home for Christmas/Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas", "It Had to Be You", "It Was a Very Good Year", "Masters of War" live Solo, "My Love was True", "Over the Weekend", "Prime Time", "Sea Man", "Stardust", "The Statue", "Three Flights Up", "Till Tomorrow", "Winter Wonderland")
A2 ("Addicted to Black", "Babylon", "Birthday Song", "But Beautiful", "Crazy", "Everybody Loves Me, Baby", "From a Beautiful Star", "General Store", "Genesis (In the Beginning)", "The Grave", "Great Big Man", "Grief and Hope", "Homeless Brother", "I Ain’t Never", "I Was Always Young", "I’m Going To Live The Life I Sing About in My Song", "I've Cried All the Tears That I Have", "If I Hadn't Met You", "If You Can Dream", "If You Could Read My Mind", "It Was a Very Good Year", "It's Just the Sun", "In a Museum", "Jerusalem", "The King of Fools", "The Legend of Andrew McCrew", "Love Me Tender", "Love O' Love", "The Lucky Guy", "The More You Pay (The More It's Worth)", "Most Likely You Go Your Way (And I’ll Go Mine)", "Mother Nature", "My Love was True", "Nobody Knows You When You're Down and Out", "Oh, My What a Shame", "On the Amazon", "The Pattern is Broken", "The Pride Parade", "Run, Diana Run", "Sea Cruise", "She Used to Love Me a Lot", "Sister Fatima", "Somewhere Over the Rainbow/Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?", "Stardust", "Tangled (Like a Spider in Her Hair)", "The Three of Us", "Travelin' Man", "The Very Thought of You" live Dominion, "What Will the World Be Like", "White Christmas", "Winter Has Me in Its Grip", "You Have Lived", "(You're So Square) Baby I Don't Care" live Dominion)
G♯2 ("Angry Words", "Bad Girl", "Burgundian Carol", "Did You Know", "The More You Pay (The More It's Worth)", "Tell Old Bill", "When Love Begins", "Where Were You, Baby?" live Solo, "You Gave Me a Mountain" live Starry, Starry Night, "You're All I Ever Had", "Your Cheatin' Heart")
G2 ("Ain't She a Honey", "Beside Myself", "Color TV Blues", "Crazy Eyes", "Don't", "From a Beautiful Star", "I’m Going To Live The Life I Sing About in My Song", "If I Hadn't Met You", "If I Only Had a Match", "Isn't It Strange", "It's a Beautiful Life", "Most Likely You Go Your Way (And I’ll Go Mine)", "Pretty Paper", "Promise to Remember", "Run, Diana Run", "She Used to Love Me a Lot", "South of the Border", "The Statue", "This Is America (Eisenhower)", "Treat Me Nice", "The Very Thought of You" live Dominion, "When a Good Thing Goes Bad", "The Wrong Thing to Do", "You Don't Know Me", "You're All I Ever Had", "You've Got Such Beautiful Eyes")
F♯2 ("Building My Body", "Fashion Victim", "What Will the World Be Like", "Where Were You, Baby?" live Solo, "You Who Love the Truth")
F2 ("Somewhere Over the Rainbow/Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?")
E2 ("Castles in the Air" Believers version, "The Pattern is Broken", "Run, Diana Run", "So Doggone Lonesome", "Tell Old Bill")
..................................................................
• Blue marks falsetto notes.
• Bold marks notes or passages that are particularly outstanding (relative to the singer).
• Italics mark non-melodic notes.
• Underlines mark notes that are obscured in the song mix.

A long, long time ago, there was a singer named Don McLean. An American folk singer-songwriter with a knack for poetic lyrics, his music combines his multi-instrumentalism with his flexible, dynamic voice, which in its prime was capable of seamlessly transitioning from chest voice into a confident falsetto. Don is a fairly well-rounded singer overall, actually; his lower register sounds fairly confident down into the second octave (having strengthened over time), while his upper chest voice is used frequently to belt in the upper fourth and lower fifth octaves. Don's greatest vocal asset, however, is that he can comfortably combine all the strengths of his voice into a single performance while never sounding like he's overextending or showing off - he's just that damn smooth.

SPOILER: Click to show

{A Few Examples of His Voice}
How could I not use this song?


Dynamic performance here, Lows down to A2, chesty notes up to C5 - a pretty dynamic performance.


A nice performance to show Don's flexibility as a singer.

SPOILER: Click to show

{Questionable Notes}
A5 ("New Mule Skinner Blues"^[1])
E2 ("Better Still"^[2], "Hide Nor Hair"^[2])
...................................................................
1. Questionable origin/legitimacy (likely sped up).
2. Questionable quality (length, poorly executed, fryish, etc.).
...................................................................
Questionable notes are any notes of questionable significance. In short, this spoiler acknowledges notes that I am aware exist, but do not want to contribute to the singer's range. These involve (but are not limited to) notes of questionable identity, notes of questionable legitimacy and notes of significantly poor quality.

SPOILER: Click to show

{Notewatching Credits & Other Info}
Alex61
Solo:
Tapestry (1970): G♯2 – A4
American Pie (1971): A2 – C♯5 – G5
Don McLean (1972): G♯2 – C5 – E5
Playin' Favorites (1973): A2 – C5 – G5
Homeless Brother (1974): A2 – G4 – F5
Prime Time (1977): E2 – G4 – G5 (minus "Jump" and "Down the Road/Sally Ann")
Chain Lightning (1978): G2 – G♯4 – G5 (minus "Words and Music", "Lotta Lovin'" and "Wonderful Night")
Believers (1978): E2 – A4 – E5
Love Tracks (1988): F♯2 – A4 (minus "Dust for Blood, "The Touch of Her Hand, "It's Not Your Fault" and "Blues Train")
For the Memories Vols I & II (1989): G2 – A4 – C♯5
Headroom (1991): F♯2 – G4
Christmas (1991): G2 – B4
The River of Love (1995): G2 – G♯4
Addicted to Black (2009): E2 – A4 – E5
Botanical Gardens (2018): G2 – E4 – A4
Still Playin’ Favorites (2020): E2 – G♯4

Unavailable Albums:
The following albums only had one or two tracks available. Most weren't listed on Discogs.

And I Love You So (1989) - might not even exist - it's listed on Wikipedia but not anywhere else, and allegedly contains no new recordings.
Christmas Dreams (1997) - no tracks available.
Sings Marty Robbins (2001) - only "Ribbon of Darkness" available.
You've Got to Share: Songs for Children (2003) - only "Where Have All the Flowers Gone?" available.
The Western Album (2003) - no tracks available.
Rearview Mirror: An American Musical Journey (2005) - only new available song was "Love Me Tender", the rest were either old songs or unavailable.

Notewatching of other performances not listed above done by Alex61. Credits to Breakfast in D-sharp for the original thread and for kindly handing it over!

[mikale]

T-Timi?

[BAZanine]

With all due respect, that "American Pie" D5 really shouldn't be bolded imo.

[Henny Macc]

I agree. If it were more sustained/emphasized I could potentially see an argument for it being bolded, cause it does have a nice falsetto tone to it, but with how short it is it really doesn't come off as a standout note. I honestly didn't even remember there being a D5 in the song until I listened to that link.

If any highs from that song were to get bolded, I would say the B4s would make a much better choice.

[Breakfast in D-sharp]

I think the D5 is he most boldworthy note in the song.

[IhateMana]

that's not the metric for a bold though

[Alex61]

Oct 3, 2019 20:35:20 GMT Alex61 said:

• Bold marks notes or passages that are particularly outstanding (relative to the singer).

It's bolded because of the passage and not the note itself. That being said, I've seen there's enough opposition to it so I'll remove it now.

['S]

Ngl would have had that passage as bold if 'twere my thread. Plus, it's still better than Madonna™️

[Bink]

In the spirit of bringing back year-old debates, I figured I'd give my two cents and say this B4 in "American Pie" should be bolded

[Osmosis]

I agree. Really great notes.