The Second Voice

Summary

Ongoing History of New Music: Episode Summary – "The Second Voice"

Release Date: June 12, 2025
Host: Alan Cross
Podcast: Ongoing History of New Music by Curiouscast

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Introduction

In the episode titled "The Second Voice," Alan Cross delves into the intriguing dynamics of band structures, specifically focusing on instances where secondary members step into the spotlight to deliver unforgettable performances. This exploration highlights how moments when the "second voice" takes center stage can lead to some of the most iconic and beloved songs in music history.

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Spotlight on Secondary Vocalists

The Clash – Paul Simonon on "Guns of Brixton" [04:30] Alan begins by discussing Paul Simonon of The Clash, traditionally the bassist, who took over lead vocals for the track "Guns of Brixton." Cross notes, “Paul was very nervous about recording it” (04:30), but his performance became one of the few instances where Simonon led the band vocals. This song not only showcased his vocal abilities but also added a unique depth to The Clash's repertoire.

Squeeze – Paul Carrick on "Tempted" [05:30] Moving to Squeeze, Alan highlights keyboardist Paul Carrick’s lead on “Tempted,” which became the band’s biggest hit. Cross remarks, “And it's been used in TV commercials for everyone from Heineken to Burger King” (05:30), emphasizing the song’s widespread appeal and enduring legacy, despite Carrick’s brief tenure with the band.

Pixies – Kim Deal on "Gigantic" [07:14] Alan explores the Pixies’ "Gigantic," sung by bassist Kim Deal. He points out, “Kim naturally wanted to sing lead on more Pixies songs. Black Francis did not like that” (07:14), illustrating the internal tensions that can arise when secondary members step into lead roles, ultimately contributing to the band's initial breakup.

R.E.M. – Mike Mills on "Superman" [09:00] The conversation shifts to R.E.M., where bassist Mike Mills took the helm on "Superman." Alan explains, “Wonder why? Does a really good job” (09:00), noting that this was one of the only three R.E.M. tracks featuring Mills on lead vocals, showcasing the band's collaborative spirit despite initial reservations.

U2 – The Edge on "Numb" [12:35] Alan discusses U2’s experimental track "Numb," where The Edge steps out of Bono’s shadow. He describes, “It's Radiohead and fitter, happier from 1997's OK Computer” (12:35), highlighting how the Edge's unique vocal approach contributed to the song's unsettling and powerful impact.

Nirvana – Dave Grohl on "Marigold" [15:22] In Nirvana’s realm, drummer Dave Grohl sings "Marigold," a rare departure from Kurt Cobain’s usual vocals. Alan notes, “Kurt Cobain does not play on the track” (15:22), emphasizing Grohl’s multifaceted talent and the song’s significance as the only track released by both Nirvana and Foo Fighters.

Oasis – Noel Gallagher on "Don't Look Back in Anger" [18:00] Alan moves to Oasis, where Noel Gallagher’s lead on "Don't Look Back in Anger" became a British chart-topper. He explains, “Good move, too, because the first Oasis single to feature Noel became the second Oasis single to reach number one” (18:00), illustrating how Gallagher's vocal contribution was pivotal to the song's success.

The White Stripes – Meg White on "In the Cold, Cold Night" [15:22] Highlighting The White Stripes, Alan points out Meg White’s rare lead vocal on "In the Cold, Cold Night." He states, “And yes, that is Meg White singing lead” (15:22), showcasing her understated yet impactful presence in the band’s dynamic.

Sloan – Collaborative Vocals on "Commonwealth" [19:00] Sloan serves as an exemplary model of a band where every member gets a turn at the mic. Alan discusses their 2014 album "Commonwealth," noting, “Everybody gets a turn on that record” (19:00), highlighting the egalitarian approach that allows each member’s creativity to flourish.

Radiohead – Synthesized Voice on "Fitter Happier" [18:17] Lastly, Alan touches on Radiohead’s "Fitter Happier," where a synthesized voice replaces Thom Yorke. He describes it as, “a synthesized one” (18:17), illustrating Radiohead’s experimental edge and the innovative use of technology in their music.

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Insights and Conclusions

Alan Cross uses these examples to underscore the importance of every band member's contribution beyond just the lead vocalist. He emphasizes that allowing secondary voices to shine can lead to unexpected and remarkable outcomes, enriching a band's musical tapestry. Cross concludes that these moments often become beloved classics, demonstrating that greatness can emerge from any corner of a group’s dynamic.

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Notable Quotes

• Alan Cross [04:30]: “Paul was very nervous about recording it, but his performance became one of the few instances where Simonon led the band vocals.”
• Alan Cross [05:30]: “And it's been used in TV commercials for everyone from Heineken to Burger King.”
• Alan Cross [07:14]: “Kim naturally wanted to sing lead on more Pixies songs. Black Francis did not like that.”
• Alan Cross [09:00]: “Wonder why? Does a really good job.”
• Alan Cross [12:35]: “It's Radiohead and fitter, happier from 1997's OK Computer.”
• Alan Cross [15:22]: “Kurt Cobain does not play on the track.”
• Alan Cross [18:00]: “Good move, too, because the first Oasis single to feature Noel became the second Oasis single to reach number one.”
• Alan Cross [18:17]: “Radiohead and fitter, happier from 1997's OK Computer. It's the only Radiohead song not sung by Thom York.”

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Final Thoughts

"The Second Voice" compellingly illustrates how secondary members within bands can create significant musical moments, sometimes reshaping the identity of the group itself. Through detailed storytelling and insightful analysis, Alan Cross provides listeners with a deeper appreciation for the collaborative nature of music and the hidden talents that contribute to legendary tracks.

For more episodes and detailed explorations of music history, tune into Ongoing History of New Music with Alan Cross.

Transcript

[Alan Cross]

Hey, it's Alan. And I just wanted to let you know that you can now listen to the ongoing history of new music. Early and ad free on Amazon Music included with Prime.

[Unnamed Band Member]

Uh, guys? Oh, it's you. What do you want? I've. You know how I out with it? I've written a song. That's precious. You've written a song? It's a good song, too. Next you gotta tell us you want to sing it, too. Well, I did write it. You do know I'm the singer of this band, right? Yes, but. And you know that I'm the chief songwriter, so. So why don't you take your little song and go sing it in the shower or something? Don't you even want to hear it first or even look at the lyrics?

[Alan Cross]

Give me that.

[Unnamed Band Member]

Oh, take a look at this. This isn't bad, you know. You know there's a point in the show when I need to go offstage for a little medicine, right? Yeah. Well, if we humor the boy, let him have his moment, I could medicate myself a little more. And his trust fund is our main source of revenue. I'd say we maybe gave him a shot, right? Say, this actually isn't bad. How about we record it? And when it comes to playing live, you can spell me for a couple minutes during the set. Perfect. Thank you so much. Won't lay you down. You really okay with that? Sure. Besides, it's never gonna be a hit. Yeah, that never happens, does it? I don't know. Maybe we should do a show about it. All right, Alan, hit it.

[Alan Cross]

This is the ongoing History of New Music podcast with Alan Cross. Hi again, I'm Alan Cross. When you're the lead singer in a band, you're pretty much guaranteed to get all the attention. After all, you are the visual and audio focal point for pretty much everything. Okay, yeah, there might be a hot guitarist or someone else flashy in the group, but for 99% of the time, the spotlight is on you. Which is fine. And if you're the lead singer. But what if you're not? What if you're the schlep on bass or drums? What if you're the newest member of the band and you haven't earned the right to claim any of the glare? Well, maybe you have something to say or maybe you have something to sing. Well, chances are you'll get shouted down, ignored or buried, but not always. I found some very, very good songs where the second voice in the band, or the third or even the fourth, and has stepped up big time to Grab center stage, even if it was for just one single song. And here's the thing, you might not even know it. Keith Richards has taken over for Mick Jagger on a number of occasions. Happy comes to mind. Peter Criss sang Beth for Kiss, and that was a huge hit. Oh, and here's a good one. Grand Funk, An American band. It was sung by drummer Don Brewer and not the usual singer Mark Farner. Another Don't Fear the Reaper, the biggest song ever by Blue Oyster Cult. It was sung by guitarist Buck Darma and not regular lead vocalist Eric Bloom. Africa by Toto, Sister Christian by Night Ranger, Drive by the Cars. All sung by someone other than the regular dude out front. Alright, so what about from the world of alternative rock? Glad you mentioned that. For example, if I were to ask you about the singer in the Clash, who would you say? Primarily Joe Strummer. But, you know, Mick Jones also stepped in and took over lead from time to time. But that's it, right? Well, no. Bass player Paul Simonon had his moment in the sun on the London Calling album. When the band began, he struggled just to play the bass, but by the time London Calling went into production, Paul had taught himself how to play guitar, how to write songs, and how to be, I guess, a little bit more confident. The first track he wrote was Guns of Brixton, and the band decided to give him a shot at singing it. Now, the story goes that Paul was very nervous about recording it. And it didn't help that some executive from the record company stopped by the studio the day Paul was supposed to cut his vocal. For the entire performance. Paul stared through the studio glass at the label dude, hoping that the nervousness and fear he felt about being thrust into the lead singer's spotlight would translate onto tape. Have a listen. Did it work? The Clash and Guns of Brixton, one of the very, very, very few songs in the Clash catalog does feature bass player Paul Simonon on lead vocals. The only other one I know about is called Red Angel Dragnet from Combat Rock. I know that he wrote two others. Neither of them big deals, but he didn't sing on them. So two songs, then. Let's look at Squeeze from 1981. The main songwriters in the band were Glenn Tilbrook and Chris Difford. Tilbrook did most of the singing, although Difford got in there too, from time to time. But there was that one occasion where keyboardist Paul Carrick took over lead vocals. He'd been in the band for maybe a year and he wouldn't stick around for much longer. But this one time resulted in Squeeze's biggest hit. And not only that, the track has been covered by everyone from Sting to Joe Cocker. And it's been used in TV commercials for everyone from Heineken to Burger King. And it's also been used in a bunch of video games like Grand Theft Auto. Again, not the main voice in the band who made the song a hit or all that money. It was the second voice. Actually, it wasn't the second voice. It was the third.

[Unnamed Band Member]

Of another. Tempted. But the truth is discovered. What's been going on now that you.

[Alan Cross]

Have gone Squeeze and tempted from 1981, featuring Paul Karak on vocals. And like we saw with Guns of Brixton from the Clash, it was the band's third voice on lead vocals. And in case you didn't know, Carac left Squeeze and later joined Mike and the Mechanics where he was their permanent lead singer. All right, moving to the Pixies. To know this band is to understand the love hate dynamic that grew between lead singer and main songwriter Black Francis and bass player Kim Dio. She originally joined the band as a bass player and backup singer. Francis would take care of most of everything else, and that's the way it stayed, except in a couple of cases. The most obvious was the song Gigantic from Surfa Rosa, the band's first album. Kim co wrote it with Black Francis and she ended up singing lead. To everybody's surprise, it ended up as a major fan favorite. So much so that the Pixies started including it as part of their encore. Over the years, other indie bands have recorded covers of this song, but the best use of the track came in the spring of 2014 when Apple decided to use it for one of their TV commercials featuring iPhones, iPads and ipods. A very effective commercial, except for one thing. Listen to the lyrics of this song. It's about a woman watching an attractive black man making love to another woman. And then there's the chorus which goes Gigantic, A big, big love. Whatever could she be on about? And who would Apple approve that commercial?

[Unnamed Band Member]

Gigantic, Gigantic, Gigantic, Ugly Big.

[Alan Cross]

The Pixies and their Apple commercial gigantic, originally from 1987. And that's bass player Kim Deal singing. And I think you can say that this song contributed to the first breakup of the Pixies. When Gigantic became a fan hit for the band, Kim naturally wanted to sing lead on more Pixies songs. Black Francis did not like that. So you can see the problem when we come back. A song that a lead singer refused to take on because he thought it sucked. So when it became a hit with the bass player doing lead, that story in a moment. We're looking at big songs where a band's regular singer decided, for whatever reason, to sit it out. The result is a hit track from the group that doesn't feature the usual voice in the lead position. It's the second, or in some cases the third voice. Now, the guys in REM Were all fans of collecting records. After all, guitarist Peter Buck used to be a record store clerk and one of his big customers was Michael Stipe. So this meant that whenever anyone had a chance to go record shopping on the road, they took it. Which is how bass player Mike Mills ended up in a flea market looking at old singles. And he found a 7 inch single released in 1969 by a long forgotten Texas band called Cleek. Now, the A side of the single wasn't that memorable. It was something called Sugar on Sunday. But the B side was kind of cool. Everybody in the band really liked it except Michael Stipe. Boring, he said. But Stipe was outvoted and the song was recorded for the band's 1986 album Life's Rich Pageant. And if Stipe wasn't going to sing it well, then Mike Mills would. This is only one of three REM songs to feature Mike on lead vocals. Wonder why Does a really good job Superman from REM Featuring bass player Mike Mills on lead vocals. Because Michael Stipe hated the song. He did come in to provide backup vocals, though. Can you name the other two R.E.M songs featuring Mike out front? There's Texarkana and Near Wild Heaven, both from the Out Of Time album. And I think that's it. Here's something even more rare. A U2 song that doesn't feature a main vocal by Bono. It's numb, from their 1993 album Zuropa. @ the time, the Edge was going through a pretty painful divorce and spent a lot of time alone in the studio tinkering with stuff. He became fixated on a song called down all the Days, which was a rejected track from the sessions that resulted in Achtung Baby. He really liked the backing track, featuring all the sound effects. A video arcade, a Walkman rewinding, a Hitler Youth kid playing bass drum from the infamous Leni Riefenstahl's 1935 Nazi propaganda film Triumph of the Will. Rather than try to sing, Edge felt that the industrial feel of the song demanded a deadpan sort of rap. His first thought was to have Bono read a poem that he had written called In Cold Blood. Which dealt with the desensitizing effect of too much violence in the news. That didn't work, so Edge tried it another way with him out front. When the song was recorded, Bono's contribution was some falsetto vocals in the background, and for the first time, maybe for the only time, drummer Larry Mullen can be heard in the song. In fact, it was Larry who came up with the melodic hook in the track Numb, a single from U2's 1993 album Zuropa. With the Edge on vocals, Bono does backup, and so does Larry Mullen. Speaking of drummers, can you name the only Nirvana song that features someone other than Kurt Cobain on lead? You have to dig pretty deep, but such a song does exist. It's the second bonus track on the CD single version of Heart Shaped Box, released in 1993. The track is called Marigold and it was written and sung by the drummer Dave Grohl. Now, the song has a fairly long history. Dave had been recording material on his own for several years, including in the time before he joined Nirvana. One of those projects was an album on cassette called Pocket Watch, which featured a track called Color Pictures of a Marigold. When Nirvana went to Minnesota to record the In Utero album, there was some time and space in the studio towards the end of the sessions, so Dave took the opportunity to re record the song. He played drums, guitars and sang. Chris Novoselic helped out on bass, Kurt nowhere to be found. Recorded sometime on February 25th or 26th, 1993. This is Nirvana. Or I guess more correctly a pre Foos Dave Grohl with Marigold.

[Unnamed Band Member]

Pictures all in a row.

[Alan Cross]

Officially that's a Nirvana song, but Kurt Cobain does not play on the track. It's a Dave Grohl composition called Marigold, recorded at the same time as the In Utero album and stuck as a bonus track on the Heart Shaped Box single. One more interesting thing about this song. It was also released by the Foo Fighters on the Foo's Skin and bones collection in 2006, making it the only track to ever be released by both Nirvana and the Foo Fighters. If we're going to talk about second voices on recordings, we will inevitably run into Oasis, so we might as well tackle that next. We're looking at songs that feature someone else from the band stepping up to take over lead vocals from the guy who normally does it. We're also looking at how and why this happened. When Noel Gallagher launched a coup of his baby brother's band and renamed it Oasis, it was understood that Noel would play Guitar, write the songs and add the occasional background vocal. But by the time material started coming together for the second album, what's the Story, Morning Glory, Noel was prepared to be a little more aggressive with his vocal appearances. He had written an acoustic number in very short order, taking some Inspiration from a 1979 David Bowie song called Look Back In Anger, with help from a John Lennon bootleg. So, yeah, the opening piano bit does sound a little bit like Imagine. And that kind of explains it, doesn't it? Much of it came together in just two days while touring with the Verve. Sound checks mostly. And if the song's lyrics don't make sense to you, I mean, who's Sally? Why can she wait? This is because Noel was happily stoned for much of the time while he was writing the lyrics. When it came time to record the album, Noel had it in his head that he was going to sing lead on a couple of tracks. He first wanted to do Wonderwall, but he lost that fight to Liam. But when it came to Don't Look Back In Anger, he wasn't gonna let that one go. Good move, too, because the first Oasis single to feature Noel became the second Oasis single to reach number one on the British charts. The leader of the band, but the second voice in Oasis, Noel Gallagher, and Don't Look Back In Anger. Now, here's a great one. Jack white was 95% of the white Stripes, and he sang every single White Stripe song, right? No, Meg White sang on several tracks as backup and as lead on five tracks. Here's one of them. This is from the Elephant album and it's called in the Cold, Cold Night.

[Unnamed Band Member]

I can't stand it any longer.

[Alan Cross]

I.

[Unnamed Band Member]

Need the fuel to make my fire bright so don't fight it any longer.

[Alan Cross]

That'S the White Stripes and In the Cold, Cold Night. And yes, that is Meg White singing lead. One of the five times she did that for the White Stripes. Here's perhaps the ultimate example of second voices coming through in a band. Actually, that doesn't even begin to describe Sloan, because not only does everyone get a turn at the mic, but everyone in the band also gets to contribute songs. The best example of what I'm talking about is probably the vinyl version of Sloan's 2014 album, Commonwealth. It's a double album, and each of the four sides features material written by a member of the band. Record one, side one features songs by Jay Ferguson. Five tracks. Record one, side two is all material from Chris Murphy. Another five songs, record two, side one comes from Patrick Pentland. Four songs and record two, side two is one big, long 18 minute track written by Andrew Scott. The first release from the album was Record Two Side one, Track four. It's a Patrick Pentland track called Keep Swinging Downtown. Sloan with Keep Swinging downtown from their 2014 album Commonwealth. Everybody gets a turn on that record. Okay, I got one more. When you think of Radiohead singers, it's Thom York, full stop, right? Everybody channels their personal creative muses into solo projects. So if you want to sing, go do a solo record. But when it comes to Radiohead songs, Tom is always the guy singing. Always. It's his voice on lead vocals on every single Radiohead song. Except in one case where he was replaced by a computer. Tom had run into a bad case of writer's block and was looking for some way to break through, so he turned to his Mac. This is 1997, so it must have been some kind of powerbook and a program called Simple Text. Tom just wrote a bunch of slogans into the program and let the computer speak. The result was both unsettling and powerful. It almost ended up as the opening track for OK Computer, but was considered too much of a downer, so it ended up as track seven. And here it is, the second voice in Radiohead, which is a synthesized one.

[Unnamed Band Member]

Fitter, happier, more productive, comfortable, not drinking too much, Regular exercise at the gym three days a week, Getting on better with your associate employee. Contemporary.

[Alan Cross]

Radiohead and fitter, happier from 1997's OK Computer. It's the only Radiohead song not sung by Thom York. In this case, it's the speech function from Simple Text, an old Mac voice synthesis program. If you're looking to reach me at any time, and I encourage that, just send an email to AlanLancross CA. You can also go to my website, ajournalofmusicalthings.com it's always being updated with cool stuff like music news and music recommendations and audio, video, whatever I can get my hands on. And once you get to the site, you could be there for a while. That's just a warning. I'm also on Twitter and Facebook and Instagram. Look for me there. And please, if you have any suggestions or ideas for show topics, let me know. Always interested in what you think. Technical productions by Rob Johnston. I'm Alan Cross. A celebration of strength. We have to be so brave as singles of sisterhood.

[Unnamed Band Member]

You look so good of success.

[Alan Cross]

I want my boys to see how resilient mommies can be. This is more than a makeover, it's a movement.

[Unnamed Band Member]

We're gonna start this community together.

[Alan Cross]

Hosted and executive produced by Connie britton.

[Unnamed Band Member]

I just feel more confident.

[Alan Cross]

Yes, the motherhood all new Sunday at 9 only. I'm W stream on Stack TV.