Rod Stewart’s always hung on tightly to the two things that have made him wealthier and more famous than he ever dreamed he could be – his great hair and even greater singing voice. With a terrific rasp and emblematic vocal range, Rod Stewart is one of the greatest rock vocalists of all time.
Here are, in my opinion, his 10 best vocal performances.
The 10 Best Vocal Performances by Rod Stewart
10. ”You Wear it Well”
Technically, 1972’s “You Wear It Well” finds Stewart near the start of his solo career. However, by this stage, he’d already been a mod, a soul man and a rocker. He’d sung for The Jeff Beck Group and Faces, and had put out a few solo records of his own.
“You Wear It Well” is a wonderful vocal performance that emphasises Stewart’s already-famous raspy tone and the way he comfortably hits high notes. But it’s also a first glimpse into the kind of mellow, easy-going rock that would become his bread and butter.
9.”In a Broken Dream”
Stewart always possessed the kind of vocal tone that set him apart from other singers. This was a gold mine. And, in 1970, Python Lee Jackson cleverly took advantage of that distinctive sound for the memorable
“In a Broken Dream.” It’s no wonder that the chorus still gets samples on modern hip-hop singles. Stewart kills it!
8. ”Tom Traubert’s Blues”
The fact is that Stewart has excellent taste. You just wouldn’t know it from his 1980s pop output. However, the man’s choices of covering Bob Dylan, Van Morrison, or this Tom Waits song reveal a keen ear for great material that suits his voice. Stewart leans on that smoky G#4 with characteristic ease here.
7. ”(I Know) I’m Losing You”
Faces were too wild to become the biggest band in the world. But, to those who knew them, they were certainly one of the best live draws in any town that they played.
It takes some confidence to even approach a song like “(I Know) I’m Losing You,” initially, by R&B and Soul group The Temptations. But this seems to embolden Stewart even more.
He sings, howls, and yells the song in a kind of male version of Janis Joplin. Faces wasn’t built to last, but this is a testament to the group’s greatness.
6. ”Rhythm of My Heart”
Hitting middle age was the best career move that Rod Stewart could have made. With his voice intact, as well as his commercial ambitions, songs like “Rhythm of My Heart,” with its folk motifs, turned the singer into a beloved elder statesman.
Sure, this is, essentially, an ample up, 80s version of “Sailing,” but it works well. It’s the power with which he can approach the chorus that makes it a hit, in my view.
5. ”Hot Legs”
He delivers the performances like he’s not breaking a sweat. And the songs themselves are usually what you’d expect.
However, Stewart, by his own admission, has taken terrific care of his voice. By the time of “Hot Legs,” he could hit a heady D5 without any strain and, even more impressively, he’s nearly always maintained that ability. Fantastic!
4. ”Stay with Me”
There’s never been, in my opinion, a band that got closer to the essence of the rock n’ roll sound as Faces. Together they created a swaggering mess of sound that felt like the culmination of a great, debauched party.
“Stay with Me” is the group’s most famous song, and much of that, apart from Ron Wood’s riffs, is Stewart’s mean, arrogant singing.
3. ”Gasoline Alley”
His solo career was merely meant to be a minor distraction from singing with the Faces. Initially, his first albums were classy folk-rock affairs. And the singing , as it turns out, surprisingly, worked brilliantly against mainly acoustic instruments.
”Gasoline Alley”, where Stewart laments ever leaving home, has him delivering some of his best singing in a voice that still feels fresh and innocent despite all the time spent on the road with Faces.
2. ”People Get Ready”
Every blue-eyed soul singer takes a stab at a Marvin Gaye or Curtis Mayfield at some point. Few of them get to do it while helped out by their buddy, Jeff Beck. And, frankly, few are convincing as Rod Stewart is here. This is a soulful, thoroughly well-executed cover and one of his best performances.
1. ”Maggie May”
Of course, Stewart can sing anything, but he’s much better off when he’s got strong material to work with. That’s not always been the case. And the standards were set early on.
In my opinion, “Maggie May” is one of the greatest songs ever written. It’s got a memorable mandolin hook, storytelling about women leading young men astray, and vocals by Rod Stewart that many try to unsuccessfully copy on a karaoke night. In my view, “Maggie May” is the greatest vocal performance by Stewart.
