The Singers Unlimited - Killing Me Softly With His Song

[lazydirtyandirrespon]

Nice!. They seem like the Carpenters may have been an influence on their sound.

[elc1960]

@lazydirtyandirrespon More likely the other way around. The group was originally based in Chicago in the early '60s and features people who used to sing commercial jingles, most notably the female lead (whose name escapes me at the moment) and bass singer Len Dresslar, who is also known as the original voice of the Jolly Green Giant. Tremendously gifted and prolific close harmony group. Half the group (Dresslar and Gene Puerling) are no longer with us, sad to say.

[elc1960]

@lazydirtyandirrespon I saw it further down the list of past comments - the female lead's name is Bonnie Herman.

[52Lemieux]

It is so nice to read the lovely comments. Keep spreading the love!

Merry Christmas!

[ninucanini]

more than perfect!

[tuber123asd]

Technically it's good but it lacks a certain soul and feeling that leaves me unmoved.

[bienboy2710]

@tuber123asd i gotta agree

[jzguru1]

@tuber123asd Yea, that's because your ears are so primitive that modern harmony escapes you completely. It's not your fault. I guess.

[tuber123asd]

@jzguru1 Shut up, asshole. Here's a newsflash for you, people have different interpretations of art and performance. What a concept, right? I mean, we're not debating the artistic merits of Justin Bieber here.

[jzguru1]

@tuber123asd Like I said ASSHOLE, it's not your fault.

[tuber123asd]

@jzguru1 Whose fault is it then? And why is this a matter of fault, dumbass? Unless you can bring something that resembles common sense to what is clearly a stupid and immature attempt at an insult about the obvious subjectivity of appreciating a piece of music, why don't you do us both a favor and shut the fuck up.

[BrainstormSongs]

Ich weine ... so schön ist das!

[TheFoete]

I get chills from these vocals

[Brian27R]

It has a holiday feel to it

[Brian27R]

Can't believe Lauren Hill's version wasn't mentioned in the comments, but I like this one too!

[FreddyStarman]

beautiful



[gmmrtn]

Beautiful blend, balance, intonation, musicality & creative arrangements. Gene Puerling has it down to an art.

[01234567898229]

Simplemente lo mejor,bello,hermoso.Y con su gran arreglista vocal.

[Magamaguitam]

Insuperable!

[Zefobossa]

suave como o pôr-do-sol... M-Ú-S-I-C-A...

[nnovahs]

yesssssssssssssssssss....LOVE IT!!!

[FriPilot]

Another wonderful version of this song is done by Perpetuum Jazzile. They use Gene's arangement and really nail the song. You'll like PJ! Check them out here on YouTube.

[sizzle19]

heard this song randomly on the radio with my friend it caught us off guard by how good it was!!

[banjohappy]

Speaking of "Fool on a hill", will someone please post Singers Unlimited rendition of it here? One of their best...

[glopur0]

YES PLEASE! (Luke Clayborn Hopper)

[parjourking]

its up soon

[musiqlover74]

Absolutely beautiful!

[aihoschema]

Awesome! They paved the way and provided the template for Manhattan Transfer, New York Voices and - of course - Take 6 (the best !) . I love them all!

[lesterhooper]

Details

[NYCBG]

FANTASTIC!

[TinaLaMartina]

wonderful group!! I love this interpretation - thanks a lot

[iLOOVEedwardcullen]

this is my favourite version of this song

[maetzchenmusik]

Wunderbar arrangiert und gesungen - mit 4 Personen.

at blucherite:

Is it the singer(s) or the song that counts? Or does music come from composers, not musicians?

[DualThunder]

ich sprache klein deutsch ha.

it comes from both. the composer creates material for musicians to use, then they create music with it, with their own interpretation.

[Hammond100L]

i would like to die right in this moment 3:09 !!!!

[Beebers2006]

Gorgeous vocals. Perfect harmonies. Any real musician has GOT to respect them.

[zeljr]

man please.......They are TIGHT!!!!! If you dont think this is beautiful I dont know what to say to you.... I agrreeeeeee with you100%!!!

[marijands]

Each word is nothing - they are the best

[tjplayz]

Absolutely soothing to my soul. But to my musical ear, it has me in a delightful uproar. Does anyone know how many recordings they've done and are they on cd?

[cap65]

There are 14 albums on the MPS label, which are available as one box set called Magic Voices, and a Christmas album that MPS released, but was actually recorded before they signed with them. The box is expensive, but is worth every penny.

[lesterhooper]

Actually there are 15

Les Hooper

[cap65]

Actually, that's what I said - 14, plus the Christmas album.

[lesterhooper]

Ah yes, so you did.

A little trivia - do you know the track Gene Puerling used

for a demo to get this record deal?

"Fool on a Hill" when we were still in Chicago back in the olden days, Gene kept adding new sections until this brilliant piece of writing came to fruition. The rest is history

[cap65]

Well, he may well have used it with a view to getting "a" deal, but "this" (MPS) deal, as is well documented, came about due to Oscar Peterson having a copy of the demo, and telling HGBS about it - probably after hearing one of Horst Jankowsi's recordings with vocalists.

[rondadoolin]

Any one that has an EAR 4 music has 2 luv THIS GROUP !!!

[Bridajyo]

EXACTLY!!!

[sozijman]

well said

[thelord2000]

They did a great version of London By Night

[Funkatesz]

Zsenial

[blurkreg]

I think they are the most unrecognized and underrated a capella group out there today.

They deserve much better recognition than they get now.

[dbookin]

No one can do it better than singers unlimited

[HHSBrotherHood]

@dbookin Take 6 can

[dbookin]

@HHSBrotherHood where do you think take 6 learned their style of arranging?

[kpillmatic]

@HHSBrotherHood Hey I love take 6 too, but her voice is crazy! A woman singing the top always sound smoother (New York Voices).

[Goldenweiser]

Beautiful... such a shame the didn't get recognition they deserved...

[blucherite]

Never liked this song much...til now

[coulterwoodward]

i have almost every album they made and never tire of listening to their great artistry. What terribly difficult effort to produce such free sounding beauty. As Duke Ellington would say: "Beyond category."

[sonny3107]

too complicated for me man lol

[jonsilence]

Bonnie Herman...possibly the most sublime, sexiest female voice on the planet. What an incomparably beautiful voice...with a face and figure to match.

[yarbles67]

magical.