Voice of the Beehive: Vocal Technique at the Turn of the 1960s

This chapter deals with the vocal technique of popular girl artists in the late 1950s and early 1960s. It realizes that “vocal technique” and "1960s girl singers” might not be concepts immediately or even easily associated. The voice is a fundamental element of the human identity, both as means of communication and expression of the self, and as a means by which the self is recognized by others. Good vocal technique is, therefore, at least partially a matter of control over vocal quality as a conveyor of meaning; for many repertoires this includes the maintenance of the voice in an optimal condition for maximum control. The voices are breathy, unfocussed and unsupported, and the singers are clearly unable to use any sophisticated vocal coloring. However, any possible discomfort is at least partially mitigated by the well-balanced, multi-tracked unison voices singing in harmony. The absence of “good vocal technique” here unambiguously conveys childishness, rather than precocity.