Swing Low - King's Singers

[UkeOne]

I sang professionally (with Norman Luboff & others) and I am truly 'amazed' & 'mezmorized' at this group's almost magical interpretation of these old tunes...and their voices are absolutely 'perfect' to carry-out the rich harmonies of this and all their beautiful arrangements. I want to listen to more and more of their versions of these classics because I am 'hooked' on their wonderful singing. Absolutely Fantastic!!!

[mahnamezmatteh]

At what point does one get considered a contrabass? Because I would say Stephen definitely qualifies

[MegaJane37]

Singers

[matrix86]

the only thing that bothers the crap out of me...it's charioT, not chario. I get a tick every time they say chario instead of chariot, lol. There is no such thing a chario. I get they were maybe trying to have it rhyme with "swing low"....BUT IT'S CHARIOT!!! Makes me pull my hair out, lol. Still...GREAT singers.

[Dawgmandede]

@matrix86 they are british. Different styles of singing. You wouldn't expect Bob marley to be as articulate as these guys, would you?

[seandingley]

Arggggghhhh! Why is this at Baroque pitch?!!!

[e7541]

@seandingley its not, it's no where near A415

[seandingley]

@e7541 Well it is nowhere near A440 either!

[Bmackkc]

@seandingley Does it really matter?

[SnakySteyn]

These guys must get laid at least four times a day.

[juanlobe]

amazing!!

[MrChazbo89]

Totally agree with newporter42!!!

[peytonhillisfan]

The bass Is wonderful. Such great tone so low. I no one man who can sing that low c well out of dozens of great bases that I know.

[CelticKisses]

Two people swung too high.

[pietje32]

Me, the atheist, getting goosebumps on a religous song. Goes to show the awesomeness that is the King's Singers. That last notes sends shivers down my spine, every single time.

[Waerd]

I have revisited this particular song several times over the last year and every time I hear that final note I get cold chills. It's so moving. Best of luck to you, Mr. Connolly.

[kingssingersgirl]

two people were so amazed by stephen's low c that they were shaking and hit the wrong button

[grandplans]

@kingssingersgirl - LOL!! yup, they are amazing. I have about 12 of their cd's and have just sat and listened to them in amazement.

[Forkygolach]

The pinnacle of a cappelle singing -simples !

[vidstreetyt]

I can hit the contra A, but it's been so long since I trained(10+ years, it's sketchy now). A B is no problem for me. I have always been a Bass II(double bass) though.

[jyju66]

WoW! Beautiful. May the Lord bless his own Goodnews to all nations. Amen

[CrimsonFountainofYou]

Apparently 2 people need their ears cleaned . . . 

[hellstrombones7]

@CrimsonFountainofYou

Nah, they are just Welsh.

[tomski3]

That 4-3 suspension at the end- exquisite :)

[michelabosonin]

Stupenda.

[diggingdon]

Heavenly! I can do the low C and lower if needed.

[summer02573]

While you're thinking about gorgeous basses look up some of the old Paul Robeson recordings....just about melts your heart! summer02573

[summer02573]

While you're thinking about gorgeous basses look up some of the old Paul Robeson recordings....just about melts your heart!

[outsider950]

BRAVIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII­IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII­IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII!!!­!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!­!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! BRAVISSIMI, STREPITOSI, SUPER!!!!

[RIngLeBell]

Just so you guys know, he lists himself as a baritone

[JuRo986]

I am also a bass and I can usually (well especially in the morning) hit a low C, sometimes even B. But once I did sing A and it was a result of some vocal exercise that my teacher gave me. It was incredible and I am really sad that I can't do it again. That was about 5 years ago, when I was 18. I was told that after 40 bass can usually sing even lower so I hope that is true :D

[dragonestea]

@JuRo986 actually, not only is that true, but full maturity of voice comes for a bass at around 60. you have a lot to look forward to :)

[JuRo986]

@dragonestea it is nice to have something to look forward to, only it is such a long time :(

[RinzeYtsma]

You can't disagree that training helps you to get higher but also lower. You can change the way you use the resonation in your body to get lower. But you indeed have to be a bass. If you can't hit an E you definitely won't hit the C but if you can hit an Eb without any problem you will hit the low C after training you voice.

[tomski3]

Gorgeous plagal cadence at the end there :)

[p0money0ediot]

hehe yellowcake is just trolling guys. You have to be stupid to think this is autotuned. 

[RinzeYtsma]

The low C is not for few people.. Normal basses who train their voices can even get much lower.. I know 2 guys who can hit the contra A thats 1,5 tone lower than the c..

[DontfuckwithElton]

@RinzeYtsma i disagree. a low C IS for few people. i believe you can train your upper range to no extent, but the lower range is "you have it, or you don't" sort of philosophy. not every bass has a low C, not even a D. any director can tell you that. congrats to those two guys you know, but Stephen definitely nails this low C here, and it is wonderful indeed. :)

[randyjsing]

It's not worth squabbling over...they certainly don't need to use autotune. If it's being used then it's very subtle. I must admit that there is something different about the mixing at times that gives it a certain quality that causes me to wonder. Regardless, I'll never forget the flawless performance that I had the privilege of hearing from them back in '02. They're amazing.

[YellowCakeKid]

@derekfnord

i didnt say they use it all the time tho, this is really the only time ive heard it. i dont know why they did it, they sound amazing live. just this one song i can hear it

[daintyWatch]

interesting arrangement, Stephen is fabulous !

[amdeddens]

WOW! Love it! I got goosebumps!

[greatestgoalie25]

Another former Vocal song...we put this on our CD :)

[nicros]

To say these guys use autotune is a bit insulting (IMHO). Autotune is a crutch at worst, a cool gimmick at best, which these guys most definitely do not need. They really are that good. Respect talent like this when you see it.

[PitboyPhotography]

I've performed this song a number of times, and after listening to a few other of their tunes (and being suitably impressed), I listened to this. All good, and about right what I expected for the first 50 sec., then the key change @ 50 sec. totally floored me. I did not expect that, the chords were literally grabbed out of the air ... and nailed. OK ... these guys operate at a different level, not just good voices but amazing ears. Very nice, now to go listen to the rest of their stuff :-)

[Jouwl]

The bass note that people are arguing about is actually a slightly flat C2, or a rather sharp B1.

[whgoss]

I don't know what you guys are talking about. I'm a musician myself and I definitely can't hear any auto-tune. Furthermore, I've heard them live and it sounds identical to this recording. They're just that good.

[YellowCakeKid]

i can hear the autotune, but i dont think it kills the song

great arrangement

[crazyredjazz]

@YellowCakeKid Auto-Tune? What makes you say that? The fact that there is vibrato in the voices means that there cannot be auto-tune, because it would null the vibrato...so yeah...auto-tune?

[YellowCakeKid]

@crazyredjazz

please quote the comment you replied to, especially the part where i mentioned anything about vibrato...

oh wait, i didnt. you must have misclicked. im going to give u the benefit of the doubt

[YellowCakeKid]

and you can hear the autotune. theres a certain "thinness" to the sound when the pitch has been changed. i know im not the only person that hears it. anyone who doesnt hear it apparently cant hear it

[crazyredjazz]

@YellowCakeKid "anyone who doesnt hear it apparently cant hear it"............The logic and the punctuation astound me...

[YellowCakeKid]

@crazyredjazz then you are easily astounded, they used autotune, just accept it

[musicbox193]

@YellowCakeKid this was recorded long before Autotune

[nancypantsy15]

haha!

[onsmerk88]

best version of Swing Low I've ever heard. Got me chills....

[saschamuecke]

This is so beautiful! I love the chord they use!

@istorim yeah I find that funny, too :D

[Steinwaytoday]

why did they auto-tune this!?!?!?!! The King's Singers don't need that at all, and they ruined their natural voice tone!!

[syrinx79]

@Steinwaytoday  You're right, they don't.. And I don't think they did here either. This is how they sound, no auto-tune needed.

[Steinwaytoday]

@syrinx79 They don't need it, but I think they DID use auto tune on this one. You can notice it only in certain places, such as 0:59 - 1:08, 2:13 , 2:34 , to call just a few. Again, I don't blame the King's Singers, they don't need auto-tune at all, I'm blaming the producer, or whoever recorded this.

[gabriellejordan]

gorgeous and MrXroft thanks so much for using the word shmuck and also thanks for using it to describe terrible basses. :D

[istorim]

I find it Ironic that the low C fell on the word low :-D

[allroundgenius]

@istorim that's not ironic... that's fitting

[kurtzrepublican]

Can anybody recommend me another song where the bass singer's voice is the focal point of the song? I really love it. It's incredible.

[glangenwalter]

@kurtzrepublican How about Ol' Man River?

[allroundgenius]

@kurtzrepublican take six, get back jordan. The jules holand perfomance on you tube is some of the best singing I have ever heard.

[pottsi39]

i wish i had that bass end the odd thing i notice is that it generally has nothing to do with size im 6ft and extremley well built but dont actually have a very low voice but i have a surprising high end it makes no sense lol

[FrizzibaldBR]

@pottsi39

It's funny, one of the lowest bass singers in the world is a Russian basso profondo and he's 5'4

[dbikeguy]

@FrizzibaldBR  who are you referring to?

[TheFlutegirl15]

@pottsi39 -lol my roommate is 6'6" and sang first tenor in college, so yeah, size has nothing to do with it lol I know some smaller basses too

[Resholden]

@TheFlutegirl15 daft thing is I'm 5' 7", around ten stone, but I can just about carry this bass line!

[6string21]

@Resholden for anyone that wants to know, thats ilke 155 pounds i believe.

[newporter42]

Unreal, the synchronization and beauty of phrasing

Even the intake of breath is beautiful when these guys sing

[GonegalRose]

@cleac Not my favourite bit. Mine's at 0:51. That bit nearly makes me orgasm its so awesome.

[bleachkid1000]

wtheck these guys are HOT

[papierkorb]

i LOVE this arrangement.

[6string21]

beautiful

[Resholden]

I've done it- I've practised & practised and can hit all the bass notes- even the last one!

[6string21]

same

[iwanabana]

a lot of people can hit super low notes my friend...it's HOW the sound comes out. stephen's low notes are so rich so flexible so blend and so supportive. that's why he's king.

[VanSensei]

Yeah. I'm a baritone and I can hit a C2, but that comes out really quiet.

[johnrobert2]

@VanSensei Hah I just saw this but I am the exact same way....

[deutschely]

I just love them. SInce I was a little girl. I've always had.

[donquixoteisdaman]

I only have one dream and that is to be as good of a bass as Stephen,,,Jesus Tap dancing Christ, this guy is my idol

[Jinsei007]

Whats the lowest note Stephen hits?

[6string21]

maybe an f

[tasieone111]

he speaks in f bahahaha can you not hear how he goes beyond our ears ability to hear such frequencies....way beyond f my dear. might reach the C

[ericabranagh1992]

im not sure how low he gets on this song, but ive heard that he can get as low as a low c, maybe a b flat on a really good day

[red425]

I think the lowest note stephen hits in swing low is probably F or F#.... cuz I know I can almost hit it

[sephiroth3782]

the lowest note is a tiny bit flatter than a C2 i think

[RyanFlynn91]

You are right. This group is simply incredible, but Stephen Connelly really adds a great element to it.

[MrXrofl]

that would be a low C. really, it's the money note for a true bass. any shmuck can fry that low, but the ability to use your chest and resonate it like that belongs to very few people.

[johnrobert2]

@MrXrofl You are so right dude.

[RinzeYtsma]

@MrXrofl It also needs training. if you can get volume on a D you can train to a C or further. I have two teacher who can both go at least the A under this C so.

But for a tenor it would be kinda hard to train to it :P

[8Ryuk8]

@MrXrofl It actually is a low B. But I totally agree with you about all the rest. Just a wonderful Version of this Song!

[phoenx00]

@8Ryuk8 it's low C! not B for 100% :)

[8Ryuk8]

@phoenx00 I would go any bet for the B ;) But we should not use youtube for something like that--

[mrpankau]

@MrXrofl too true. well said.

[MrXrofl]

@mrpankau its a B, my bad

[Jouwl]

@MrXrofl

Very true and very sad. I wish I was born a major third lower.

D:

[mboschm]

@MrXrofl Indeed. Actually, except for most "extreme" cases, men tessitures depend more on the tone, and the ability to give a "body" to notes than of being able of singing higher or lower.

[Resholden]

Perhaps with a bit of training I could sing Bass? I know I can but....?

[oiznas]

The KS first released this arrangement about 1979 "Atlantic Bridge" (when tenor Bill Ives just got in) performing it slighty faster: the arrangement has also been sheet published ...I've got it!

[Gojga4]

Bravo!!!! from Poland

[headon2]

AWESOME!

[paracletelux]

Stephen's bass is amazing!

[loveismydestruction]

Agreed! Its all smooth and velvety...

[hugedell]

it's a good C2, not G, you can simply verify with a piano, computer organ, telephone. nice anyway

[dandefikon]

The low note in the end is a C

[basoprofundo]

i am really loving this...excellent balance...whats that low note that the bass rocks

[StephenLarson]

i believe it is a low G. I might be wrong, but that would be my best guess after trying to figure it out...

[joshclarksjb7389]

it is intended to be in c major which would mean that the bottom note is a bottom G, but it starts a quarter tone flat, meaning that it is halfway between a G and an F sharp (almost a G flat really). Not to say anything about the Kings singers competency of tuning, as they have an incredible sound, and end up in the same key they began in.

[StephenLarson]

i don't know how they get their starting pitch, whether it be a tuning fork, pitch pipe, or tonal memory, getting within quarter tones or where you want to start is awesome. but just the fact that they stay in tune, and blend so fantastically is a testament to their amazing musicianship.

[Resholden]

I think it's a low pitchfork, but I know nothing. I can sing it though

[ronkerbonks]

Pitch pipe maybe?

[Yuggdrasial]

Well, it can't be a low G, since the lowest note Stephen can sing is a low Bflat, so maybe it's that.

[comiendolimon99]

swing "slow" -.-

[altismira]

I adore this piece. it's a very different arrangement from the original and I love every minute of it. Stephan really has a spectacular voice, something I think many people overlook because of his unique facial expressions and such onstage. thank you for sharing this with me and the world, the kings singers deserve more publicity for this level of beauty. peace and love.

[willyd7235]

chario?

[jonahkwok]

I wanna sing as low as him xD

And as high as him xD

[michaelwalsh1234]

I love Stephen.

[m9hymas80]

Of course the King's singers are always craftsmen of the highest order.... But I can't help but get a kick out of "chari-OHH-t." :)

[Grindhax]

Wow......

[gfunk449]

That -- is how you swing low.

[hegechri90]

super tempo

[1singasong8]

Do they have this recorded on CD?

[deadatnight]

I love his voice! SO low! its like soothing baha. :]]

[misssweets09]

our choir sing it too ...:) just lovely

[moimimi5612]

un mot "magnifique "

[lutheranorthodoksi]

Oui, je suis d'accord.

[NunyaBizznis]

I'm in love...................

[Masamuneblader]

i hope you're not ignorant

[helenasolares]

I am too, of all six of them LOL!!!

[intrepiddoobs]

Absolutely fantastic. The guys just get better and better. This is on the latest album.