It’s an interesting question, what actually makes a song sound believable?
Is it the truth in U2's 'I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For', the absolute fury in Zac De La Rocca’s voice as he shouts “Fuck you, I won’t do what you tell me” in 'Killing in the Name', or is it the sincerity in Ben Harper’s voice as he screams “I believe in a better way”?
I hear it in 'Jesus Christ Pose' by Soundgarden (and throughout most of Badmotorfinger), but without a doubt it was the missing ingredient in Audioslave (incidentally, taste is the missing ingredient Chris Cornell’s recent solo efforts).
Some would say it’s all about how vulnerable the songwriter makes themselves through the lyrics. But I get shivers every time I hear Van Morrison sing “I will drive my chariot down your street and cry” in 'Sweet Thing', even though I wouldn’t have a clue what he’s talking about. Or try the Cold War Kids - Nathan Willet sings with so much passion that even on songs I don’t like I believe every word. And then there are songs like 'Jeremy' by Pearl Jam, where Eddie Vedder reveals little if anything about himself, but you can’t tell me that’s not a believable song. I would never deny that Jeremy spoke in class that day. A good vocalist can pull sincerity off without having to delve too deep into their own demons.
You don’t even need a good voice. Case in point: Peter Garrett. Who sounds more passionate than our very own Minister for Environment, Heritage and the Arts?
- Dave Grohl: "DO YOU HAVE ANY MORE GUM?"
The common theme throughout most of the music I find believable is yelling. But there’s more to it than strained vocal chords. If it was that simple, I’d be a much bigger fan of the Foo Fighters. Dave Grohl, you can yell as much as you like – it doesn’t make your lyrics any more believable.
At the end of the day, believability is pretty subjective. I hear it in songs like 'The ’59 Sound' by the Gaslight Anthem because I can identify with the themes of death and pain, but I find it noticeably absent in songs like 50 cent’s 'Fuck You', because I'm not a muthafukn gangsta who's been shot nine times in the hood. It’s all a matter of selective exposure. You believe what you want to believe. I’ll never find Nickelback believable simply because I’m just not that big a douche bag. I hope.
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