A Cappella Group Straight No Chaser
84Just so there is no confusion, this Hub Article is about the original a cappella group Straight No Chaser--an Atlantic Records recording group from Indiana University (SNC) which was first formed in 1996 and NOT the 10 to 12 member college group that is newly-formed yearly. In addition, their name, Straight No Chaser was indeed inspired by the Theloniius Monk composition of the same name. You can visit Straight No Chaser's official website by clicking here where you can learn more about them, listen to more of their amazing compilations, and also pre-order their newest album, With A Twist, which will be available April 13, 2010. Just a head's up.
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Discovering Straight No Chaser
Although I seldom watch television nowadays, I came across Straight No Chaser while flipping through channels one day during the holiday season and by chance came across a PBS (Public Broadcast Station) special of them performing live to help raise money. In case you didn’t know, PBS is a Not-For-Profit television station whose budget is comprised of donations or pledges from its loyal viewers. One of the many benefits of PBS is that they are commercial-free. Most of their programs are educational. Some of their most popular programs that have aired on PBS in the past include Sesame Street and Mister Roger’s Neighborhood.
Not before had I heard of them and to be honest, I normally am not into a Capella singing groups, but these guys are just fun to watch and their propensity to put an interesting twist on some already popular songs is bar none. For those of you who are fans of the television show Glee, you’ll be familiar with some of the mash-ups that Straight No Chaser brings to the forefront of some of their performances. Among some of my personal favorites by them include “The Lion Sleeps Tonight,” Jason Mraz’ cover of “I’m Yours,” a cover of Boyz II Men’s “It’s So Hard To Say Goodbye”, and of course their rendition of “The Twelve Days of Christmas” which consequently put them on the map.
As fate would have it, in April of 2006, an original video of Straight No Chaser's 1998 performance of The 12 Days of Christmas was posted on YouTube. By then, the original members of the 1998 tandem were scattered all over the globe, working as bankers, teachers, and even theme-park characters! To put it mildly, the video was a huge success, as it would go on to receive over 10 million views (11 million plus at last count). And it just so happened that one of those 10 million plus viewers was none other than the CEO of Atlantic Records Craig Kallman who would eventually spearhead the 5-album recording deal with Straight No Chaser.
In time, I think that these guys will become a household name with their rise to stardom. So without further ado, here are some sample performances of Straight No Chaser which will sure to entertain you. Please enjoy!
The 12 Days of Christmas
I think it only fitting that the first video I showcase here of Straight No Chaser is "The 12 Days of Christmas" as it's the first impression of them by many. After viewing it, I wondered how long it took for them to assemble such a song and how many hours and days it took to get their timing just right. I'm sure that it wasn't easy and took a great deal of time and patience.
The Lion Sleeps Tonight
When I watched these guys perform this song, I instantly became a fan. Steve's voice is just incredible as he can hit notes I can only dream of (and would only attempt in the privacy of my own shower). I also liked the little Lion King plug as well. If listening to this song doesn't send chills down your spine, you better check your meds! This is by far the best version of this song I've ever heard. Please listen.
Don't Stop Believin'
Okay, okay...So the video is grainy, the sound is sporadic, and the lead singer (Mike) forgets one of his lines...So what? If you were one of the members of the audience while watching this performance live, I'm sure that you'd be entertained by the talent displayed before you. Mike's voice is simply incredible. Listen for the Steve Perry interlude at the end.
I'm Yours
In my opinion, I think this version of,"I'm Yours" is better than the Jason Mraz's version as I think it was meant to be sung in a cappella, but hey, that's just my own opinion. For some reason, this song just never fails to put me in a good mood. I hope you enjoy listening to this video and have ultimately enjoyed reading this hub article while learning about Straight No Chaser.
Thank you for visiting!
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CommentsLoading...
Hi, IntimateEvolution. Rest assured that I did do my SEO research for this one and so plan to get to the first page via Google. A cappella is a type of music in which only vocals are used. I couldn't think of a better title/URL in which this page could be found without competing with the other one million plus searches for a "Straight No Chaser" disambiguation. Thanks for the head's up.
These guys are just great! Their voices are beautiful as well as interpretation. Bravo Dohn!
"A cappella" is very popular in the coastal part of Croatia (traditionally is performed mainly by men here).
Thank you for making my evening more musical.
Hi my lovely Dohn, thank you so much for this lovely hub, you made me even more happy about what you said about the song "I am yours" Would you beleive if I say that this song its really one of my favorite song. I am writing and playing the video in the same time. I love this song so much. I am glad we have the same test in music. I understand why we are so connected.:) Great work my wonderful friend. Thanks again for the lovely journey. Sweet dream to you, and I see you this weekend with "Revenche" ok:) Bless you bro.:)
Sorry my dear Dohn, I know you have a lot of work to do, so please forgive me for telling you, this weekend for Part 23 of "Revenche". I will read it whenever its ready. Take your time. Please forgive me, I dont like puting pressure.:)
My Brother Dohn...
The performance was outstanding. My favorite? Don't Stop Believin'. It sounded to me pretty much Steve Perry-Journey. Only vocals??? Extraordinaire! I loved it, Bro! You did great! Thumbs up(in this case 22. The group plus me Hahaha!)
warmest regards and blessings,
Al
P.S
I just stumbled it!
Great performances and I thank you for bringing it to our attention. I'm yours was amazing and I enjoy that song all the time I hear it. I think you may be right, this was the way it was meant to be sung. Great job!
I had not heard of this group! I enjoy PBS, they often have great programs which I enjoy to the point of purchasing a DVD from PBS. Thanks for introducing me to this group, the one I liked the best was the Lion Sleeps Tonight.
As I was reading your hub and being entertained, I couldn't get over at how amazing Hubpages is; we are a group of writers who entertain, educate, inspire, share and connect, and I am very appreciative and grateful for all who have entered my space! I honestly don't think there is another writer's social network like this one.
Thumbs up!
This is so much fun--never heard of this group before but i think i like them already. Who needs accompaniment when their voices are so beautiful and they seem to harmonize so well. I really like the Christmas video, where they threw in the bit about dreidels and Latkes--very funny. As for their rendition of Jason Mraz's--no--I still like Jason's just because I'm partial.
Thanks, I enjoyed this hub very much.
dohn A very interesting hub. They have wonderful voices. Thanks for sharing it with us.
Great tribute to a group of very talented singers done...
Seems like an amazing group. You did write a great hub on them.
Wow, Tatjana-Mihaela. I had no idea that a cappella was popular in Croatia! That's really cool. I'm glad I was able to entertain you today! Thanks as always :D
Hello, Keira! Isn't this song great? I really like how they mashed it up with "Somewhere Over the Rainbow." They go so well together. I'm so glad that you enjoyed reading this and listening to it as well! Yes, we certainly do have the same taste in music ;) Thanks as always, Keira! Blessings.
You have nothing to apologize for Keira! You know it'll be ready just as always! Actually, it just might be ready sooner than you think, so keep an eye for it ;) And when you do come over to read it, you know I'll be ready to respond! Thanks again!
Hey, Al! Thanks so much for reading this. I'm so glad that you enjoyed this. I'm just grateful that I'm the only person at HubPages to have written this (as far as I know). Journey is one of my favorite bands of all time. Thanks for stumbling this by the way! You're always so supportive of me and my work!
Warmest Regards,
Dohn
Hey, ehern33! Isn't it awesome? I can't wait to download it to my phone so I can hear it on the fly! Thanks so much for coming by and for agreeing with me :D I'm happy to have shared it with you.
Hello, Marie! Yes, I really like the HubPages community. Our closeness is unmatched and we're from all corners of the globe with so much to share and so much to appreciate. I'm glad I'm addicted :D
I think their concert on PBS twice...I caught half of the first one and made sure I caught the second airing of them! The Lion Sleeps Tonight might be my favorite by them as well.
Thanks for always being so supportive of me!
Thank you, anglnwu! I had fun putting this hub together and did my best to keep it short and sweet (800 words). I'm so glad that I made a fan out of you as my goal while writing this hub was to spread awareness to other here on HubPages and of course abroad. Thanks so much for coming over and reading this. It sounds like you're a Jason Mraz fan to me, haha!
Hi Pamela. Thanks for reading this and thanks for listening. These guys are just a treat to watch and listen to. I'm glad you liked them too!
Hey, GH! Thanks for reading and listening to them! I'm glad you enjoyed it.
Hey, UH. Thanks so much for that. I've been meaning to write a hub on them for some time. I'm just glad that no one else wrote a hub on them while I was stalling! Thanks a bunch!
WOW!! LOVE these guys...I am so very out of the music loop these days, it's pitiful. Thanks to you as well as other hubbers, I'm making a comeback!
Your title is what caught my attention, by the way, A Cappella voices are so incredibly pure!
My favorite here? "I'm Yours."
And dohn, I am...:)
Laurel
Excellent well researched article Dohn. These guys are really talented. The you tube songs are great. Thanks Dohn.
Thanks, Laurel. I'm so glad that you stopped by. No worries, I'm "out of the loop" as well. I can't stand most of today's music (and please don't ask me about what others consider hip hop). I think you hit the nail on the head when you made mention that A Cappella voices are pure! You're too sweet :D Thanks, Laurel!
Hey, TFT! Thanks for the great compliment and congrats on your 100 fans! Well done, my friend! Here's to a hundred more! I'm glad you enjoyed this one.
you know, i always thought i didn't like a capella music. you proved me wrong though. these guys are good! :) who knew...?
Donny, Thank you, Thank you, Thank you ... I absolutely LOVE to hear acapella music. I have never heard of this group ... these guys are AWESOME!!! I did a hub on acappella music too .. take a peak and let me know if you've heard these singers before. I'm so glad I found this ... I'm listening away and enjoying EVERY minute! Blessings
Ohhh very cool! The lion sleep tonight--one of my favorite songs and never heard it done acapella!The video was great! eeeeeeeeeeeeeeweeeahweeeumbumbaawaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay! ;)
Dohn, you sure know how to hear a good music, acapella, I watched also PBS as it is like charity. These guys can sing, nice music. Thank you, It is enchanting to hear them sing!YAY, Maita
I never heard or came across Straight no Chaser before but it sounds like the Queen group, even though they are in different kind of music-anyway thanks for sharing an acapellas.
Hi, cosette! Yeah, I think I made a believer out of you ;) As you know, I've been meaning to write a hub on these guys and so here it is! As I've said before, I'm just glad that no one else here on HubPages beat me to the punch! Thanks, buddy :D
Hello, Mckenzie! I'm so happy to hear that you enjoyed reading and listening to this hub. Like you, I didn't know about them until I happened upon them. It's crazy that they've been around for years now and yet I'm only learning about them now! Thank you so much for reading, listening, and commenting! Cheers :D
Hey, Maita! Thanks so much for that! These guys definitely deserve to be heard and definitely deserve to have a hub written on them. Aren't they great? I'm so glad you like them as well. Salamat!
Dohn
Hi, sord87. Thank you for reading and commenting. I'm very familiar with Queen as they are one of the top five bands that I listen to frequently (I have all of their songs). I'm not sure that they sound similar, as all the original members of Queen were opera singers before uniting to become a band...But who am I to judge? Thanks for coming by and sharing the video!
What a find! I enjoyed this SO MUCH! I'd pay to see THEM in concert!
Hi, Paradise7. Aren't these guys amazing? Yes, I'd definitely go to see them as well. They are very good entertainers.
Straight No Chaser is one of my favorite a cappella groups (and I also happen to think that their group name is quite clever). There rendition of the "12 Days of Christmas" is absolutely fantastic, not to mention quite entertaining. They also have a song called "Insomnia" that I really like.
Another great hub! I have a huge respect for a cappella groups. It is amazing to me how they maintain such perfect pitch. Straight No Chaser is a really talented group. Though I still like Jason Mraz's version of "I'm Yours" better, but that's just me :)
Just stopped by for another listen and to rate up... It thrills my soul and right down to my toes .. this music... WOOO HOOO Don't forget to go listen to my Acappela Groups. Love Ya Dohn!
I've never heard of them but I'm glad I read the Hub. They sound really good. Nice to read a Music Hub from you. I just need to hear you sing along to the music.
Thanks. :)
Good hub, dohn.
It's funny... I read this hub Sunday morning and that evening, I came across them on pbs while channel surfing.
They are even better than Rockapella... I think that's how it's spelled.
Hey thanks, really thanks for hubbing about the group as I just enjoyed some truly great music. Those guys are amazing. I specially like how they fuse (sample) other songs into their main song (i did hear Brown Eyed Girl in the Lion Sleps Tonight - I think! - and Faithfully in Don't Stop Believing).
O ~ Could I love this Hub anymore? Why was I not surprised to have become instantly addicted to these guys? "For some reason, this song just never fails to put me in a good mood" As usual your sentiments are a duplicate of mine ? . . . And once again you have proven to me why it is that Straight No Chaser right to the point . . I am Yours. . yes your most loyal fan . forever!
p.s. I love my comment position as well .. I see I am in the best company with CrisA right above me~
Thanks, askjanebrass. They really are great entertainers. I'd love to see them in concert one day. I bet they'll appear in Las Vegas one day. Insomnia, huh? I'll definitely have to look for it now! Thanks for the comment.
Ha! anglnwu said the very same thing! I suspect that they're lots of Jason Mraz fans out there! In either case, I'm glad that you enjoyed this. Thank you, Rose West.
Hey, Mekenzie. Thank you and yeah, I won't forget! I was out of town for a few days. Thanks so much for the comment and rating me up! I really do appreciate it.
Haha! Thanks, Elena! I actually really like to sing. Maybe one day, you'll get your wish ;) Thanks so much for reading this and I'm glad that you enjoyed it. I'm glad I was able to find these guys.
Wow. That's so funny. Weren't they great? One day, I would really like to go see them with my girlfriend. I'm sure it'll be worth every penny. Thanks for that, bat115. I'll definitely check out Rockappella.
Hey, Cris. Yeah, these guys definitely deserve to be in a hub! Wow, you certainly have a good ear my friend. I don't think they could make any song sound bad, in my opinion. I think that their stardom will only continue to rise. It's really cool that I like virtually every song they decide to sing. Thanks again, Cris!
Thanks so much, Shari. I was hoping you'd read this one. These guys are just easy to like. Their antics and fun-loving nature is contagious and they are natural entertainers. Like I said before, I think I'll see these guys performing in Vegas one day. I'm sure that they won't have a problem selling tickets.
All you guys are so supportive of my work. I can't ever express just how much all of your support, comments, and emails mean to me! Thanks as always, Shari!
"I'm Yours" is better than the Jason Mraz's version -- agree agree agree, now I can tell you as I listened to it every am now, all I need to do is to click on hub of dohn121 and then click this nice acapella, Salamat Dohn! Maita
Haha! I couldn't agree with you more, Maita. I especially liked the inclusion of "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" in this song. It fits perfectly. Yes, please do come back whenever the mood strikes you. You're always welcome in my house ;) Salamat, Maita!
Dohn
Dohn I cud tell ya a lie and say I likes em but being honest I can't, deff not my thang but a great hub moi friend, and for me Somewhere Over the Rainbow should only ever be sung by the great Garland, jeeez I hope my honesty doesnt annoy ya but I couldnt lie my friend.
Not a problem, Captain. I much rather you be honest than lie and pretend that you did like them! Honest is the best policy, right? I appreciate you coming by and reading in any case as your always welcome.
Very entertaining my friend I love music of all kinds and artists who truly love what they do are by far the best performers. I am going to share this with my husband, he loves A Cappella music. I really enjoyed this hub!
Thanks so much, Tammy! I had a good time writing this and have been wanting to write this since the first time I saw these guys on TV. It's great to hear that you enjoyed this. I'm sure that your husband will enjoy this as well!
Delightful to rediscover these fantastic singer-guys on your hub/videos! I saw a small part of their Christmas special and just adored them! Voices, actions, all of it.
Thank you very much for fixing this up for our enjoyment!
Ha! I'm glad you liked this, frogyfish. I think that these guys do deserve some recognition. I really like the story behind how practically a decade had passed and they were reunited to sing again. Thanks for the feedback! I really appreciate it.
Great Hub and thanks for introducing me to this great group!
The song mistitled "The Lion Sleeps Tonight" though worries me. It is actually a song called "Mbube" by Zulu musician Solomon Linda which has been stolen by very many artists who make money out of it and Linda himself died in abject poverty. The Disney organisation had to pay Linda's family out for their use of the song in "The Lion King" after a long court battle.
The word which is usually sung as "Wimoweh" in the chorus is a corruption of the Zulu "uyimBube" which means something like "you are the lion" i.e. the strong person.
I just feel a little irritated at the cultural imperialism involved in the way this song has been used over the years. Just thought I should add this little bit of cultural history!
Thanks for a very good Hub, though!
Love and peace
Tony
Wow, Tony. I really had no clue of the origin of this song. Thank you so much for the insight. It really is terrible that someone's song could be basically stolen and without giving the creator or writer of the song his or her due. It's good to hear that Disney coughed up some money for Linda. I'm sorry that he died so tragically. You really are the "go to guy" when it comes to music, Tony. I thank you for your kind words and insight. I really do appreciate it. I'm glad that you enjoyed this hub.
Dohn
A cappella is beautiful music. This group is amazing. I tend to listen to a cappella, and have a small collection of many groups. I'm really appreciative for your hub....another great group to add to my collection. Thanks Dohn, always a well written article by you for me to enjoy! Hugs
I'm so glad you came by, Beth! I'm doubly glad that I was able to get you to include them into your collection as well! Their new album comes out on April 3rd by the way and it's titled,"With a Twist." I'm definitely going to check it out! Thanks a million, Beth (((HUGS BACK)))
I'll have to download that on the 3rd! Hey, we could have a listening party! :) And thank YOU Dohn, for always bringing a smile to my face. Enjoy the remainder of your weeknd! xox
Ha! A listening party sounds like a fun idea :) You're welcome, Beth. It's good to hear of those who have such a good ear for music :D I'm planning to go see them in concert one of these days while they're on tour. I hope you enjoy your weekend as well!
I love listening to good A Capella choirs and these guys are great! I saw them perform on our PBS channel like you, and they are equally fun to watch as to listen to their performances. Thanks for this wonderful compilation of songs.
Thanks, Peggy! I'm so glad you stopped in. I really do like watching PBS as they don't have any commercials and are always airing wholesome, educational entertainment for so many years. Someday soon I will see them in concert. Thanks again.
Good music, really uplifting.
Thanks again, Chicagovision! I'm glad you liked and am happy I was able to share this with you.
great hub.... hope your house, job, etc is going well for you..... still stuck in Tampa as we cannot get flights home yet....
Thanks, Brenda for reading and enjoying this and thank you for the well-wishing. Yes, things are much better at the home front at this time. I really can't ask for much more. I'm sure that by now you're getting homesick. I sure do hope that you're able to return soon.
I sheepishly confess I over looked this great hub because I thought it was about drinking! Hehehe! Straight No Chaser? Man, do I feel stupid! Anyhooo, I loved this music! They sound and look Yummy! LOL! Very Michael Buble-ish in a way! I felt the christmas and holiday spirit hit home with their lovey music. I will look out for this amazing group now! Thanks Dohn! Grovy Hub! : D
Haha! I'm so happy to hear that you enjoyed their music, Cheeky. No, I'm don't listen to A Cappella all the time or anything, but when I came across these guys, I became interested in A Cappella overall (what with Glee, etc. nowadays). Thanks for coming by, Cheeky! It's always good to hear from you!
Pete Seeger introduced us to "Wimoweh". I remember when PBS started. god I am getting old. Good stuff dohn.
Haha! You're only as old as you feel, my man! I love the fact that PBS is still as good as it has always been and still beats to the tune of its own drum. Thanks Charles!
dohn121, PBS is great for such introductions and thank you for introducing the straight no chaser to us, otherwise I didn't know about them and they are amazing. Peace :)
Thank you Katie. Isn't it funny how there are like a thousand channels out there and the ones that are even worth their salt are free? I've always been of fan of PBS! Thanks for reading this :)
I have a new dream. I want these guys to sneak into my bedroom in the morning and wake me with song. (big cheezy grin)
Haha! I've got a big cheesy grin after reading your comment, Randy B :D
yuo guyz re awesome and tight.
Dohn, after listening to that, i must say im pretty impressed!!
Would you consider laying vocals on any beat at all? Check out my article on a unique website that offers a creative personalised solution to vocals - this might be the flexibility you want (if you want a basic soundtrack behind the vocals)..
http://hubpages.com/hub/NewBeatOldSong
once again, great job!!
IntimatEvolution Level 3 Commenter 2 years ago
I didn't understand the title to this hub. Maybe a little complicated for website search engines too. I like to keep my titles simple, so that search engine are able to find me fast and easy. However, nice hub.