Post by BAZanine on Apr 30, 2020 6:12:51 GMT
Charles Weedon Westover (30 December 1934 - 8 February 1990)
Years Active: 1958 - 1989
Voice Type: Tenor
Vocal Range: B2 - B♭5
{Vocal Summary}A contemporary to artists such as Frankie Valli and Dion DiMucci, Del Shannon is a singer who nowadays is often considered more of a novelty than anything. From a snarly grit to somewhat pushy belts to an oftentimes grating falsetto register (the lattermost being very common in the day), Del's vocal style is certainly an acquired taste from the perspective of the modern listener. Despite this, his voice most definitely has points of pleasantry. During the late '60s Del experimented with genres such as psychedelic rock and took on a brighter, more subdued tone. This contributed greatly to the dreamy landscape of his music during that time. Another notably good era for Del vocally was his later years; equipped with an aged, deepened timbre, he was able to best convey his songs of lost love and sadness nearing the end of his career. Unfortunately, these songs likely spoke too true at the time given his suicide in 1990. However, Del left behind a fair catalog of music which has influenced and inspired musicians from Presley to Petty, and for that he should be remembered.
Significant High Notes:
B♭5 ("Move It on Over")
A5 ("Keep Searchin' (We'll Follow the Sun)" studio / live Manchester 1972, "Led Along", "Pepsi Commercial" versions 1 and 3)
G♯5 ("Show Me")
G5 ("I Can't Be True", "Move It on Over", "Stand Up", "That's the Way Love Is")
F♯5 ("Stranger in Town", "You Don't Love Me")
F5 ("Break Up", "Cry Myself to Sleep", "Friendly With You", "Misery", "Rag Doll", "So Long Baby", "Stand Up", "Sue's Gotta Be Mine")
E5 ("Are You Lovin' Me Too", "Callin' Out My Name", "Coopersville Yodel" live, "Honey Bee" version 1 / version 2, "I Think I Love You", "Keep Searchin' (We'll Follow the Sun)", "Led Along", "Life Without You", "Lost in a Memory", "Move It on Over", "Now She's Gone", "Raylene", "Runaway" 1967 version / Crime Story version, "She", "She Still Remembers Tony", "Sorry (I Ran All the Way)", "Time Won't Let Me", "Two Kinds of Tear Drops", "Walk Away", "What Kind of Fool Do You Think I Am?")
E♭5 ("Hats Off to Larry", "I Can't Be True", "I Can't Let You Go", "Rag Doll", "The Swiss Maid" live Manchester 1972, "You Never Talked About Me")
D5 ("Break Up", "Crying", "Easy to Say, Easy to Do", "Everybody Loves a Clown", "For a Little While", "I Got You", "I Won't Be There", "Lightnin' Strikes", "Mary Jane", "Midnight Train", "My Love Has Gone", "Now She's Gone", "Over You", "Runaway", "Runnin' on Back", "Stains on My Letter", "Two Kinds of Tear Drops", "What Makes You Run")
C♯5 ("Amanda", "Another Lonely Night", "Are You Lovin' Me Too", "The Big Hurt", "Conquer", "Coopersville Yodel" live, "Day Dreams", "Do You Wanna Dance", "Handy Man", "He Doesn't Care", "Hey Little Girl" live Manchester 1972, "Just You", "Little Town Flirt", "Lost in a Memory", "Sea of Love", "To Love Someone", "Walk Away", "What's a' Matter, Baby?", "Where Were You When I Needed You?")
C5 ("Angel of Love", "Face of an Angel", "For a Little While", "From Me to You", "Hey Little Girl", "Hot Love", "I Can't Let You Go", "I'm Gonna Be Strong", "Love, It Don't Come Easy", "Magical Musical Box", "My Love Has Gone", "New Orleans (Mardi Gras)", "Pied Piper", "She Was Mine", "Till I Found You", "Twist and Shout")
B4 ("Drop Down and Get Me", "Everybody Loves a Clown", "Give Her Lots of Lovin'", "I Can't Believe My Ears", "I Think I Love You", "Let's Dance", "Life Without You", "Love Letters", "Move It on Over", "Oh, Pretty Woman", "Out of Time", "Red Rubber Ball", "Stranger in Town", "What Makes You Run", "Why Don't You Tell Him")
B♭4 ("I Wish I Wasn't Me Tonight", "It's My Feeling", "It's Too Late", "Life Is but Nothing", "Mind Over Matter", "Needles and Pins", "Red Rubber Ball", "That's the Way Love Is", "Thinkin' It Over", "Thunder and Lightning", "What's a' Matter, Baby?", "Where Is She")
A4 ("Are You Lovin' Me Too", "Be My Friend", "The Big Hurt", "Black Is Black", "Broken Promises", "Callin' Out My Name", "Crying" studio / live Manchester 1972, "Deep in the Valley", "Handy Man", "He Cheated", "Honky Tonk Blues", "Hot Love", "I Go to Pieces" Rock On! version, "I Got You", "I Wake Up Crying", "It's My Feeling", "Just You", "Keep Searchin' (We'll Follow the Sun)", "Leaving You Behind", "Let's Dance", "Long Gone Lonesome Blues", "Lost in a Memory", "Makin's of a Heartache", "Mary Jane", "Misery", "Magical Musical Box", "Needles and Pins", "Nobody's Business", "One Track Mind", "One Woman Man", "Pied Piper", "Runaround Sue", "Runaway" Crime Story version, "Running Scared", "She", "Silently", "Stains on My Letter", "Sucker for Your Love", "Till I Found You", "Time Won't Let Me", "Two Kinds of Tear Drops", "Two Silhouettes", "What Kind of Fool Do You Think I Am?", "When You Walk in the Room", "Where Were You When I Needed You?", "Why Don't You Tell Him", "You Don't Love Me")
G♯4 ("Amanda", "And the Music Plays On", "The Cheater", "Cry Myself to Sleep", "Don't Gild the Lily, Lily", "Hey Baby", "His Latest Flame", "The House Where Nobody Lives", "I Can't Be True", "I Can't Let You Go", "I Go to Pieces", "I'm Gonna Be Strong", "I've Got Eyes for You", "Led Along", "Liar", "Life Without You", "Little Town Flirt", "Midnight Train", "Needles and Pins", "Now She's Gone", "Oh, Pretty Woman", "Pardon Me (I Guess I'm in the Way)" demo, "Sea of Love", "She", "Show Me", "Sorry (I Ran All the Way)", "The Things She Said", "Time Won't Let Me", "To Love Someone", "Weary Blues", "What's a' Matter, Baby?", "You Don't Know What You've Got (Until You Lose It)")
G4 ("Action", "Another Lonely Night", "Best Days of My Life", "The Big Hurt", "Black Is Black", "Break Up", "Cheap Love", "The Cheater", "Cut and Come Again", "Did I See What I Think I Saw", "Drop Down and Get Me", "Early in the Morning", "From Me to You", "Give Her Lots of Lovin'", "Go Away Little Girl", "He Cheated", "Help Me", "Hey Baby", "Honey Bee", "I Can't Be True", "I Don't Care Anymore", "I Got You", "I'll Be Lonely Tomorrow", "The Joker Went Wild", "Life Is but Nothing", "Lorrayne", "Love, It Don't Come Easy", "Love Letters", "Makin's of a Heartbreak", "Mary Jane", "My Love Has Gone", "Never Thought I Could", "New Orleans (Mardi Gras)", "Out of Time", "Pepsi Commercial", "Raylene", "Ruby Baby", "Runaround Sue", "Runaway", "Runnin' on Back", "She Was Mine", "Sue's Gotta Be Mine", "Sunny", "That's the Way Love Is", "The Things She Said", "Thinkin' It Over", "Till I Found You", "Time of the Day", "Twist and Shout", "Two Silhouettes", "The Wamboo", "When I Had You", "Where Is She", "Where Were You When I Needed You?", "You Don't Love Me")
F♯4 ("And the Music Plays On", "The Answer to Everything", "Broken Promises", "Callin' Out My Name", "Cheap Love", "Condemned to Die", "Conquer", "Crying", "Dream Baby", "Drop Down and Get Me", "Early in the Morning", "Handy Man", "Hey Little Star", "Hot Love", "I Can't Believe My Ears", "I'm Going Through It Too (Table Reserved for the Blues)", "I'm Gonna Sit Right Down and Cry Over You", "The Jury", "Just You", "Kelly", "Leaving You Behind", "Led Along", "Let's Dance", "Liar", "Lightnin' Strikes", "Midnight Train", "Never Stop Tryin'", "Nobody's Business", "Oh, Pretty Woman", "One Kiss", "One Woman Man", "Pardon Me (I Guess I'm in the Way)", "Pepsi Commercial" version 2, "Ramblin' Man", "Red Rubber Ball", "Runnin' on Back", "Sea of Love", "Silver Birch", "So Long Baby", "Stand Up", "Sucker for Your Love", "Summer in the City", "The Swiss Maid", "To Love Someone", "Today I Started Loving You Again", "This Is All I Have to Give", "Thunder and Lightning", "Two Kinds of Tear Drops", "Walk Away", "The Wedding (There Goes Billy)", "Who Left Who", "Why Don't You Tell Him", "Your Cheatin' Heart")
F4 ("Amanda", "Another Lonely Night", "The Answer to Everything", "Black Is Black", "Colour Flashing Hair", "Cry Myself to Sleep", "Cut and Come Again", "Day Dreams", "Deep in the Valley", "Easy to Say, Easy to Do", "Friendly With You", "Hey Baby", "Hey Little Star", "I Guess I'll Never Really Know", "I Never Caught Her Name", "I Wish I Wasn't Me Tonight", "I Won't Be There", "I'm Gonna Be Strong", "It's Too Late", "Kicks", "Little Oscar", "Little Town Flirt", "Love, It Don't Come Easy", "Misery", "New Orleans (Mardi Gras)", "Now She's Gone", "One Track Mind", "Pied Piper", "River Cool", "Runaway", "She Cried", "Summer in the City", "This Feeling Called Love" version 2, "Time of the Day", "What Kind of Fool Do You Think I Am?", "When I Had You", "When You Walk in the Room", "World Without Love")
E4 ("Action", "And the Music Plays On", "Angel of Love", "Be My Friend", "Been So Long", "Best Days of My Life", "The Big Hurt", "Colour Flashing Hair", "Could Be, Can't Tell, Don't Know", "Did I See What I Think I Saw", "Do You Wanna Dance", "Don't Gild the Lily, Lily", "Dream Baby", "Face of an Angel", "For a Little While", "From Me to You", "Gemini", "Ginny in the Mirror", "Happiness", "Hats Off to Larry", "He Doesn't Care", "Hey Little Girl" live Manchester 1972, "Honey Bee", "I Can't Fool Around Anymore", "I Can't Help It", "I Go to Pieces", "I Never Caught Her Name", "I Think I Love You", "I Won't Be There", "I'll Always Love You", "I'm Going Through It Too (Table Reserved for the Blues)", "I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry", "I've Got Eyes for You", "If She Were My Girl", "In My Arms Again", "It's Funny", "Jody", "Johnny's Got the Blues", "Kaw-Liga", "Keep Searchin' (We'll Follow the Sun)", "Lies", "Living in Misery", "Lost in a Memory", "Magical Musical Box", "Makin's of a Heartbreak", "Maybe Tomorrow", "My Love Has Gone", "My Wild One", "Never Stop Tryin'", "Never Thought I Could", "Nobody's Business", "One Kiss", "One More Time", "One Woman Man", "Over You", "The Prom", "Runnin' on Back", "Running Scared", "(See I Hear) That Lonesome Whistle", "She", "She Still Remembers Tony", "She Thinks I Still Care", "She Was Mine", "Silently", "Sorry (I Ran All the Way)", "Stains on My Letter", "Sunny", "The Swiss Maid", "Time Marches On", "Today I Started Loving You Again", "Under My Thumb", "What Makes You Run", "What's the Use (In Trying)", "Wide Wide World", "Wishing on a Star (Counting Stars at Night)", "You Don't Know What You've Got (Until You Lose It)", "You Win Again", "Your Cheatin' Heart")
Significant Low Notes:
E3 ("The Answer to Everything" live Manchester 1972, "Black Is Black", "Condemned to Die", "Cut and Come Again", "Don't Gild the Lily, Lily", "Dream Baby", "Early in the Morning", "Easy to Say, Easy to Do", "Face of an Angel", "For a Little While", "Ginny in the Mirror", "A Girl of My Own", "Hey Good Looking", "Hey Little Star", "Honey Bee", "Honky Tonk Blues", "I Can't Fool Around Anymore", "I Can't Help It", "I Go to Pieces", "I Wake Up Crying", "I'm Going Through It Too (Table Reserved for the Blues)", "I'm Gonna Move On", "If She Were My Girl", "In My Arms Again", "It's Funny", "Jody", "The Jury", "Kaw-Liga", "Led Along", "Let's Dance", "Liar", "Lies" demo, "Little Town Flirt" live Manchester 1972, "Long Gone Lonesome Blues", "Lost in a Memory", "Maybe Tomorrow", "My Wild One", "Never Stop Tryin'", "Never Thought I Could", "One Kiss", "Out of Time", "Pardon Me (I Guess I'm in the Way)", "Runaway" live Manchester 1972, "Running Scared", "Sea of Love", "(See I Hear) That Lonesome Whistle", "She Still Remembers Tony", "Silently", "Silver Birch", "So Long Baby" live Manchester 1972, "Sorry (I Ran All the Way)", "Stranger in Town", "Sunny", "That's the Way Love Is", "Today I Started Loving You Again", "Two Silhouettes", "Under My Thumb", "Weary Blues", "The Wedding (There Goes Billy)", "Where Were You When I Needed You?", "Who Left Who", "Wide Wide World", "Wishing on a Star (Counting Stars at Night)", "You Don't Love Me", "You Win Again")
E♭3 ("Cold, Cold Heart", "Happiness", "I Can't Believe My Ears", "I Never Caught Her Name", "I'll Always Love You", "Kicks", "Red Rubber Ball", "She Thinks I Still Care", "The Things She Said", "Thunder and Lightning", "Your Cheatin' Heart")
D3 ("The Answer to Everything" live Manchester 1972, "Cheap Love", "Ginny in the Mirror", "Give Her Lots of Lovin'", "Go Away Little Girl", "Handy Man", "Happiness" demo, "He Cheated", "The House Where Nobody Lives", "I Fell in Love With You", "I'm Gonna Sit Right Down and Cry Over You", "The Prom" demo, "Raylene", "She Still Remembers Tony", "This Feeling Called Love", "This Is All I Have to Give", "Time Marches On", "Two Kinds of Tear Drops", "The Wedding (There Goes Billy)")
C♯3 ("Condemned to Die" version 1, "Crying", "Day Dreams", "Go Away Little Girl", "I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry", "Kelly", "Living in Misery", "Running Scared", "The Search", "Songwriter" demo, "Today I Started Loving You Again", "Weary Blues", "Wide Wide World")
C3 ("Day Dreams" demo, "I Don't Care Anymore", "I Fell in Love With You", "I'll Be Lonely Tomorrow", "I'm Gonna Be Strong", "It's My Feeling", "It's Too Late", "Out of Time", "Pied Piper", "The Search", "This Feeling Called Love", "Time of the Day", "What's the Use (In Trying)", "Wishing on a Star (Counting Stars at Night)")
B2 ("Crying" live Sydney 1989, "Kaw-Liga", "Pied Piper", "Ramblin' Man")
…………………………………………………………………….
*Blue marks clear falsetto or whistle notes.
*Italics mark non-melodic notes.
*Boldface marks notes that are considered impressive in relation to this person's vocal capabilities.
*Underlines mark notes obscured in the mix of the song.
Best Vocal Performances:
1. The Big Hurt
2. Running Scared
3. Crying
4. What's a' Matter, Baby?
5. You Don't Love Me
{Questionable Notes}B♭5 ("Stand Up"[2a])
G♯5 ("Cheap Love"[1a])
F♯5 ("Handy Man"[1a], "Hot Love"[1a])
E5 ("Ruby Baby"[1a])
B4 ("Let's Dance"[1b])
A2 ("Songwriter" demo[1c])
.......................................................
[1] Questionable representativeness.
a. Brief woos.
b. Speaking.
c. Brief anacrusis.
[2] Questionable legitimacy.
a. Notes that may or may not exist.
G♯5 ("Cheap Love"[1a])
F♯5 ("Handy Man"[1a], "Hot Love"[1a])
E5 ("Ruby Baby"[1a])
B4 ("Let's Dance"[1b])
A2 ("Songwriter" demo[1c])
.......................................................
[1] Questionable representativeness.
a. Brief woos.
b. Speaking.
c. Brief anacrusis.
[2] Questionable legitimacy.
a. Notes that may or may not exist.
{Notewatched Discography & Album Ranges}Runaway With Del Shannon (1961) (C3 - A4 - F5)
Hats Off to Del Shannon (1962) (C3 - G♯4 - F5)
Little Town Flirt (1963) (C♯3 - A4 - E5)
Handy Man (1964) (C3 - B♭4 - G5)
Del Shannon Sings Hank Williams (1965) (B2 - F♯4 - A4)
1,661 Seconds With Del Shannon (1965) (C3 - B4 - A5)
This Is My Bag (1966) (C3 - B4 - D5)
Total Commitment (1966) (B2 - A4 - B4 - G♯5)
The Further Adventures of Charles Westover (1968) (E3 - B4 - E5)
Live in England (1972) (C♯3 - B♭4 - A5)
...And the Music Plays On (1978, recorded 1967) (C3 - B♭4 - A5)
Drop Down and Get Me (1982) (C3 - G♯4 - A4 - E5)
Rock On! (1991) (E3 - A4 - E5)
The Dublin Sessions (2017, recorded 1977) (C♯3 - A4 - E5)
+ Live performances
+ Assorted singles/stray tracks (note: some of these tracks' tape speeds likely run a bit fast/slow and so I chose the key the track sounded closest to being in)
+ Demos
Hats Off to Del Shannon (1962) (C3 - G♯4 - F5)
Little Town Flirt (1963) (C♯3 - A4 - E5)
Handy Man (1964) (C3 - B♭4 - G5)
Del Shannon Sings Hank Williams (1965) (B2 - F♯4 - A4)
1,661 Seconds With Del Shannon (1965) (C3 - B4 - A5)
This Is My Bag (1966) (C3 - B4 - D5)
Total Commitment (1966) (B2 - A4 - B4 - G♯5)
The Further Adventures of Charles Westover (1968) (E3 - B4 - E5)
Live in England (1972) (C♯3 - B♭4 - A5)
...And the Music Plays On (1978, recorded 1967) (C3 - B♭4 - A5)
Drop Down and Get Me (1982) (C3 - G♯4 - A4 - E5)
Rock On! (1991) (E3 - A4 - E5)
The Dublin Sessions (2017, recorded 1977) (C♯3 - A4 - E5)
+ Live performances
+ Assorted singles/stray tracks (note: some of these tracks' tape speeds likely run a bit fast/slow and so I chose the key the track sounded closest to being in)
+ Demos
