Kiki Dee (2,824 views)

[Baronessa]

Pauline Matthews (6 March 1947)
Vocal Range: A2 - A5

An unsung heroine for female rock belters for what is by now half a century, despite an imitator or two cropping up once or twice a decade, Kiki Dee's legacy remains an obscure one. Being the first European artist to be signed to Motown, and through her partnership with Elton John, Kiki's brief moment in the limelight spawned a multitude of what we now know as undeniable rock 'n' roll classics. In contrast with the histrionics of American rock singers at the time, Kiki's take on raspy emotion was classier and more steadfast -- a style that stayed true to her Merseybeat origins while infusing it with the British branch of folk rock. While unfortunately marred by schlocky radio stations and bad marketing decisions, having toiled in obscurity since the '90s, echoes of Kiki's tone in songs like "I've Got the Music in Me" keep popping up; she remains a powerful enough voice to get the music in everyone.

Significant High Notes:

A5 ("Senza Te")
G♯5 ("Another Day Comes (Another Day Goes)", "Senza Te")
G5 ("I've Got the Music in Me", "One Step", "Stay With Me", "Talk to Me", "Uphill Piece of Mind")
F♯5 ("I Dig You Baby", "Star", "Supercool", "We Cry On", "Wild as Can Be")
F5 ("Another Day Comes (Another Day Goes)", "Beyond Control", "Don't Stop Loving Me", "First Thing in the Morning" Re-recorded version, "How Glad I Am", "How Sweet It Is to Be Loved by You" live Lowdham Book Festival, Nottinghamshire 27 June 2008, "Midnight Flyer", "Pay", "Stay With Me", "Uphill Piece of Mind", "You Need Help", "You're Holding Me Too Tight")
E5 ("Cry Like a Baby", "Don't Stop Loving Me", "Give It Up", "Keep Right On", "The Last Love Song", "The Loser Gets to Win" live The Weekend Show ca. October 1983, "Love Is a Crazy Feeling", "One Jump Ahead of the Storm", "One Step", "Safe Harbour", "Six Days on the Road", "Step by Step", "Talk to Me", "We Cry On", "Why Don't I Run Away from You", "Wild as Can Be", "You Are My Hope in This World")
E♭5 ("Angel Eyes", "Another Day Comes (Another Day Goes)", "Chicago" 1976 version / Re-recorded version, "Dark Side of Your Soul", "I", "I Fall in Love Too Easily", "The Last Good Man in My Life", "Prince of Fools", "Star", "Why Don't I Run Away from You")
D5 ("Ain't That Peculiar", "Bad Day Child", "Cassie's Song", "Chicago", "Colour Me Blue", "Cry Like a Baby", "Digging in the Dirt" live Lowdham Book Festival, Nottinghamshire 27 June 2008, "Don't Cry", "Don't Go Breaking My Heart", "Don't Stop Loving Me", "First Thing in the Morning", "Forward Motion", "Give It Up", "How Glad I Am", "I Dig You Baby", "I'll Build a Tower Over You", "I've Got the Music in Me", "In Return", "Into Eternity", "Kiss Your World Goodbye", "Knowing You Like I Do", "Lay Your Wisdom Down", "Love Is Just a Moment Away", "Man After My Own Heart", "Miracles", "One Jump Ahead of the Storm", "Pay", "Safe Harbour", "Sending Me Angels", "Someone to Me", "Stay With Me", "Supercool", "Talk to Me", "There's a Need", "Travellin' in Style", "Twenty Four Hours", "Uphill Piece of Mind", "Wake Me from This Sleep" live Where Rivers Meet, "You Made Me So Very Happy", "You Put Something Better Inside Me", "You're Holding Me Too Tight")
C♯5 ("Angel Eyes", "Another Break", "Cage the Songbird", "Dark Side of Your Soul", "Ella", "Everyone Should Have Their Way", "Hard Luck Story", "Heal Me Now" live Where Rivers Meet, "Heart & Soul", "I Fall in Love Too Easily", "I've Run Dry" live Where Rivers Meet, "In Return", "Jimmy", "Lay Your Wisdom Down", "The Loser Gets to Win" live The Weekend Show ca. October 1983, "Love Is a Crazy Feeling", "Love Is a Warm Kind of Sorrow", "Love Makes the World Go 'Round", "Loving You Is Sweeter Than Ever", "Midnight Flyer", "My Love", "Oh Life" live Lowdham Book Festival, Nottinghamshire 27 June 2008, "On the Way", "One and Only Love" live Where Rivers Meet, "Perfect Timing", "A Place Where I Can Go", "Running Up That Hill" live Musicport Festival, Whitby 21 October 2006, "Senza Te", "Sidesteppin' (With a Soulman)", "Six Days on the Road", "Small Town", "Standing Room Only", "Star", "Stay Close to You", "Step by Step", "Sweet Creation", "This Town", "True Love", "With a Kiss", "You Are My Hope in This World", "You Don't Have to Say You Love Me", "You Need Help")
C5 ("Ain't That Peculiar", "Baby I Don't Care", "Beyond Control", "Bright Medallion", "Cage the Songbird", "A Change Is Gonna Come", "The Chase Is Finally On", "Chicago", "Don't Go Breaking My Heart", "Excuse Me", "For Once in My Life", "Heart & Soul", "Here for All Time", "Horses", "How Can You Mend a Broken Heart" live Lowdham Book Festival, Nottinghamshire 27 June 2008, "How Glad I Am", "How Much Fun", "How Sweet It Is to Be Loved by You" live Lowdham Book Festival, Nottinghamshire 27 June 2008, "I", "I Second That Emotion", "I'll Build a Tower Over You", "I'm Going Out (The Same Way I Came In)", "I've Got the Music in Me", "If I Loved You", "If It Rains", "It Was a Very Good Year" live Lowdham Book Festival, Nottinghamshire 27 June 2008, "Keep It to Yourself", "Keep Right On", "Lonnie & Josie", "Miracles", "Night Hours", "Passing Strangers" live On Air 16 August 1968, "Pay", "Peter", "Prince of Fools", "Rest My Head", "Rock 'n' Roll Me Baby", "Salty Water" live Where Rivers Meet, "Sending Me Angels", "Senza Te", "Sidesteppin' (With a Soulman)", "Small Town", "Song for Adam", "Sweet Creation", "Sweeter Rain", "That's the Way God Planned It", "Wake Me from This Sleep" live Where Rivers Meet, "Walk of Faith" live Alexander's, Chester 15 October 2009, "Walking", "We Cry On", "We've Got Everything Going for Us", "Wild as Can Be", "Wild Eyes", "You're Holding Me Too Tight")
B4 ("Africa", "Amen and Goodbye" live Where Rivers Meet, "Angel Eyes", "Another Break", "Bad Day Child", "Colour Me Blue", "Curve to Your Heart", "Digging in the Dirt" live Lowdham Book Festival, Nottinghamshire 27 June 2008, "Do It Right", "Don't Cry", "Everybody Falls" live Southport Arts Centre, Merseyside 20 November 2009, "Forward Motion", "Give It Up", "Hard Luck Story", "I Dig You Baby", "I Fall in Love Too Easily", "I Shall Be Released", "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For", "I'll Have You, You'll Have Me", "I'm Going Out (The Same Way I Came In)", "In Return", "Into Eternity", "Jimmy", "Keep Right On", "Kiss Your World Goodbye", "The Last Love Song", "Lay Your Wisdom Down", "Love Is a Crazy Feeling", "Love Is a Warm Kind of Sorrow", "Love Is Just a Moment Away", "Love Makes the World Go 'Round", "Loving You Is Sweeter Than Ever", "Man After My Own Heart", "My Whole World Ended (The Moment You Left Me)", "Night Hours", "Oh Life" live Lowdham Book Festival, Nottinghamshire 27 June 2008, "On a Magic Carpet Ride", "Once a Fool", "One Step", "On the Way", "One and Only Love" live Where Rivers Meet, "Out of My Head", "Perfect Timing", "Pretty Tune" live Where Rivers Meet, "She's Smiling Now (A Mother's Song)", "Simple Melody", "Six Days on the Road", "Snow Queen", "Someone to Me", "Standing Room Only", "Stay Close to You", "Step by Step", "That's Right, Walk on By", "There's a Need", "Travellin' in Style", "Twenty Four Hours", "We've Got Everything Going for Us", "What Can't Speak Can't Lie", "Why Don't I Run Away from You", "With a Kiss", "You Are My Hope in This World", "You Don't Have to Say You Love Me", "You Put Something Better Inside Me", "You Won't See Me Crying")
B♭4 ("Ain't Nothing Like the Real Thing", "Amoureuse", "Beyond Control", "Cage the Songbird", "Cassie's Song", "Cry Like a Baby", "Dark Side of Your Soul", "Don't Go Breaking My Heart", "Excuse Me", "First Thing in the Morning", "Heal Me Now" live Where Rivers Meet, "Heartbreak Hotel", "How Much Fun", "I'll Build a Tower Over You", "I've Run Dry" live Where Rivers Meet, "If It Rains", "It Was a Very Good Year" live Lowdham Book Festival, Nottinghamshire 27 June 2008, "Keep It to Yourself", "Knowing You Like I Do", "The Last Good Man in My Life", "Like Nobody's Child" live Alexander's, Chester 15 October 2009, "Midnight Flyer", "My Love", "My Whole World Ended (The Moment You Left Me)", "Peter", "A Place Where I Can Go", "Rest My Head", "Running Up That Hill" live Musicport Festival, Whitby 21 October 2006, "Salty Water" live Where Rivers Meet, "Sidesteppin' (With a Soulman)", "Song for Adam", "Sugar on the Floor", "This Town", "Till We Meet Again" live Where Rivers Meet, "Under the Night Sky" live Lowdham Book Festival, Nottinghamshire 27 June 2008, "Walk of Faith" live Alexander's, Chester 15 October 2009, "What Can't Speak Can't Lie", "Why Don't I Run Away from You", "You Made Me So Very Happy", "You Need Help")
A4 ("Africa", "Ain't That Peculiar", "Amen and Goodbye" live Where Rivers Meet, "Curve to Your Heart", "Dancing Me to the End of Time" live Alexander's, Chester 15 October 2009, "Digging in the Dirt" live Lowdham Book Festival, Nottinghamshire 27 June 2008, "Do It Right", "Ella", "Everybody Falls" live Southport Arts Centre, Merseyside 20 November 2009, "Everyone Should Have Their Way", "For Once in My Life", "Forward Motion", "Heart & Soul", "Heartbreak Hotel", "Here for All Time", "Horses", "How Can You Mend a Broken Heart" live Lowdham Book Festival, Nottinghamshire 27 June 2008, "How Sweet It Is to Be Loved by You" live Lowdham Book Festival, Nottinghamshire 27 June 2008, "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For", "I'm Going Out (The Same Way I Came In)", "Kiss Your World Goodbye", "Like Nobody's Child" live Alexander's, Chester 15 October 2009, "Little Frozen One", "Lonnie & Josie", "Loving & Free", "On a Magic Carpet Ride", "On the Way", "Out of My Head", "Pretty Tune" live Where Rivers Meet, "She's Smiling Now (A Mother's Song)", "Someone to Me", "Sugar on the Floor", "Supercool", "Sweeter Rain", "Till We Meet Again" live Where Rivers Meet, "Travellin' in Style", "Walking", "When We Get There", "Wild Eyes", "You Won't See Me Crying")

Significant Low Notes:

A3 ("Angel Eyes", "Another Break", "Bad Day Child", "Beyond Control", "Cry Like a Baby", "Do It Right", "Don't Stop Loving Me", "Everyone Should Have Their Way", "Give It Up", "Hard Luck Story", "Here for All Time", "I Dig You Baby", "I'll Have You, You'll Have Me", "I'm Going Out (The Same Way I Came In)", "Into Eternity", "It Was a Very Good Year" live Lowdham Book Festival, Nottinghamshire 27 June 2008, "Jimmy", "Keep Right On", "Keep the Sun (On Everything I Do)", "The Last Love Song", "Lay Your Wisdom Down", "Lonnie & Josie", "Love Is a Crazy Feeling", "Love Is a Warm Kind of Sorrow", "Love Is Just a Moment Away", "Loving & Free", "Loving You Is Sweeter Than Ever", "Man After My Own Heart", "Midnight Flyer", "Miracles", "My Whole World Ended (The Moment You Left Me)", "One Jump Ahead of the Storm", "One Step", "Safe Harbour", "Senza Te", "Star", "Stay Close to You", "Step by Step", "Sugar on the Floor", "Supercool", "Sweeter Rain", "There's a Need", "Twenty Four Hours", "Water", "We Cry On", "We've Got Everything Going for Us", "When We Get There", "You Don't Have to Say You Love Me", "You Made Me So Very Happy", "You Won't See Me Crying", "You're Holding Me Too Tight")
G♯3 ("Ain't Nothing Like the Real Thing", "Angel Eyes", "Baby I Don't Care", "Don't Stop Loving Me", "Ella", "Excuse Me", "I", "I Fall in Love Too Easily", "I'm Going Out (The Same Way I Came In)", "I've Run Dry" live Where Rivers Meet, "Keep It to Yourself", "The Loser Gets to Win" live The Weekend Show ca. October 1983, "Love Makes the World Go 'Round", "The Man Who Loved to Dance", "My Whole World Ended (The Moment You Left Me)", "Once a Fool", "Passing Strangers" live On Air 16 August 1968, "Pay", "A Place Where I Can Go", "Running Up That Hill" live Musicport Festival, Whitby 21 October 2006, "Senza Te", "Sidesteppin' (With a Soulman)", "Small Town", "Song for Adam", "Standing Room Only", "Step by Step", "Sweet Creation", "That's Right, Walk on By", "True Love", "We've Got Everything Going for Us", "You Are My Hope in This World", "You Put Something Better Inside Me")
G3 ("Ain't That Peculiar", "Amoureuse", "Another Day Comes (Another Day Goes)", "Bad Day Child", "Beyond Control", "Bright Medallion", "Cassie's Song", "A Change Is Gonna Come", "The Chase Is Finally On", "Chicago", "Colour Me Blue", "Curve to Your Heart", "Digging in the Dirt" live Lowdham Book Festival, Nottinghamshire 27 June 2008, "Do It Right", "Don't Stop Loving Me", "For Once in My Life", "Forward Motion", "Heal Me Now" live Where Rivers Meet, "Heart & Soul", "Heartbreak Hotel", "Here for All Time", "Horses", "How Can You Mend a Broken Heart" live Lowdham Book Festival, Nottinghamshire 27 June 2008, "How Much Fun", "How Sweet It Is to Be Loved by You" live Lowdham Book Festival, Nottinghamshire 27 June 2008, "I Second That Emotion", "I Shall Be Released", "I'll Build a Tower Over You", "If I Loved You", "If It Rains", "In Return", "Into Eternity", "It Was a Very Good Year" live Lowdham Book Festival, Nottinghamshire 27 June 2008, "Kiss Your World Goodbye", "The Last Good Man in My Life", "Little Frozen One", "Lonnie & Josie", "Love Is a Warm Kind of Sorrow", "The Man Who Loved to Dance", "Miracles", "Night Hours", "One and Only Love" live Where Rivers Meet, "One Step", "Peter", "A Place Where I Can Go", "Prince of Fools", "Rock 'n' Roll Me Baby", "Safe Harbour", "Sending Me Angels", "Simple Melody", "Snow Queen", "Star", "Sugar on the Floor", "Talk to Me", "That's the Way God Planned It", "Till We Meet Again" live Where Rivers Meet, "Uphill Piece of Mind", "Walking", "We Cry On", "What Can't Speak Can't Lie", "Wild Eyes", "Won't Make Sense (Barbed Wire Fence)", "You Made Me So Very Happy", "You Won't See Me Crying")
F♯3 ("Africa", "Amen and Goodbye" live Where Rivers Meet, "Another Break", "Dancing Me to the End of Time" live Alexander's, Chester 15 October 2009, "Dark Side of Your Soul", "Excuse Me", "I Fall in Love Too Easily", "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For", "Keep the Sun (On Everything I Do)", "Kiss Your World Goodbye", "The Last Love Song", "Little Frozen One", "Love Is a Crazy Feeling", "Love Is Just a Moment Away", "Love Makes the World Go 'Round", "Loving & Free", "Man After My Own Heart", "Midnight Flyer", "My Love", "Night Hours", "Oh Life" live Lowdham Book Festival, Nottinghamshire 27 June 2008, "On a Magic Carpet Ride", "On the Way", "Out of My Head", "Perfect Timing", "Rest My Head", "Reunion" live Where Rivers Meet, "Running Up That Hill" live Musicport Festival, Whitby 21 October 2006, "She's Smiling Now (A Mother's Song)", "Someone to Me", "Stay Close to You", "Twenty Four Hours", "Wake Me from This Sleep" live Where Rivers Meet, "We Cry On", "You Put Something Better Inside Me")
F3 ("Cage the Songbird", "Don't Cry", "For Once in My Life", "Good Times", "Horses", "How Can You Mend a Broken Heart" live Lowdham Book Festival, Nottinghamshire 27 June 2008, "How Glad I Am", "How Sweet It Is to Be Loved by You" live Lowdham Book Festival, Nottinghamshire 27 June 2008, "I've Run Dry" live Where Rivers Meet, "In Return", "Keep It to Yourself", "Knowing You Like I Do", "Like Nobody's Child" live Alexander's, Chester 15 October 2009, "Pay", "Prince of Fools", "Salty Water" live Where Rivers Meet, "Sidesteppin' (With a Soulman)", "Simple Melody", "Stay With Me", "Sweeter Rain", "Under the Night Sky" live Lowdham Book Festival, Nottinghamshire 27 June 2008, "Uphill Piece of Mind", "Walk of Faith" live Alexander's, Chester 15 October 2009, "Walking", "Water", "Won't Make Sense (Barbed Wire Fence)")
E3 ("Africa", "Colour Me Blue", "Curve to Your Heart", "Digging in the Dirt" live Lowdham Book Festival, Nottinghamshire 27 June 2008, "Ella", "Everybody Falls" live Southport Arts Centre, Merseyside 20 November 2009, "Everyone Should Have Their Way", "Forward Motion", "Hard Luck Story", "I'll Build a Tower Over You", "Lay Your Wisdom Down", "The Loser Gets to Win" live The Weekend Show ca. October 1983, "My Love", "Oh Life" live Lowdham Book Festival, Nottinghamshire 27 June 2008, "On the Way", "One and Only Love" live Where Rivers Meet, "Out of My Head", "Perfect Timing", "Pretty Tune" live Where Rivers Meet, "Reunion" live Where Rivers Meet, "Star", "This Town", "Till We Meet Again" live Where Rivers Meet, "Water", "Wild as Can Be", "Wild Eyes")
E♭3 ("Don't Cry", "Good Times", "Heal Me Now" live Where Rivers Meet, "Like Nobody's Child" live Alexander's, Chester 15 October 2009, "Rest My Head", "Salty Water" live Where Rivers Meet, "Song for Adam", "This Town", "Walk of Faith" live Alexander's, Chester 15 October 2009, "What Can't Speak Can't Lie")
D3 ("Ain't That Peculiar", "Cage the Songbird", "Everybody Falls" live Southport Arts Centre, Merseyside 20 November 2009, "Heartbreak Hotel", "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For", "Knowing You Like I Do", "On a Magic Carpet Ride", "Pretty Tune" live Where Rivers Meet, "She's Smiling Now (A Mother's Song)", "Wake Me from This Sleep" live Where Rivers Meet, "Won't Make Sense (Barbed Wire Fence)")
C♯3 ("Amen and Goodbye" live Where Rivers Meet, "Heal Me Now" live Where Rivers Meet, "Keep the Sun (On Everything I Do)", "Reunion" live Where Rivers Meet, "Wild as Can Be")
C3 ("Another Day Comes (Another Day Goes)", "Wild as Can Be")
B2 ("Ella")
A2 ("Forward Motion")

SPOILER: Click to show

{Questionable Notes}Questionable notes are any notes with a 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) weak vocal fry, uncontrolled slides, very short notes, notes hit at an ambiguous pitch and notes where it is unclear who is singing.

B5 ("There's a Need"^[1a])
G♯2 ("Heal Me Now" live Where Rivers Meet^[2a])
..................................................
[1] Questionable identity
a. Unidentified backing vocal

[2] Questionable representativeness
a. Ambiguously pitched dips

..................................................
• Blue marks falsetto notes.
• Bold marks outstanding passages.
• Italics mark non-melodic notes.
• Underlines mark obscured notes.

SPOILER: Click to show

{Vocal Range Timeline}Kiki Dee:
I'm Kiki Dee (1968): N/A^[1a]
Great Expectations (1970): N/A^[1a]
Loving & Free (1973): E♭3 - F♯5
Patterns (1974): N/A^[1a]
Kiki Dee (1977): F3 - F5
Stay With Me (1978): F3 - G5
Perfect Timing (1982): E3 - F♯5
Angel Eyes (1987): C3 - G♯5
Where Rivers Meet (1998): N/A^[1a][2a]
The Walk of Faith (2005): N/A^[1a][2a]
Cage the Songbird (2008): D3 - G5^[3a]
A Place Where I Can Go (2013): A2 - F♯5^[2a]

The Kiki Dee Band:
I've Got the Music in Me (1974): E3 - G5
..................................................
[1] Range inapplicable
a. Unavailable albums

[2] Collaboration albums
a. With Carmelo Luggeri

[3] Archival albums
a. Recorded 1976