If you told me to name my top three turn-ons, I wouldn’t need to pause for breath before answering.
Great hands.
Nice smell.
Sexy voice.
The latter is a big one for me, and I’m staggered to learn some women are capable of hearing Jason Mraz sing “After an Afternoon” without spontaneously dropping their panties.
Years ago, I worked for the marketing department of a large corporation. My job required frequent phone interaction with a graphic designer I’ll call “Ferdinand.”
Ferdinand had a voice that could melt chocolate. Warm and deep and sexy, and I’ll admit I used to make up excuses to call and check the status of projects.
I thought it was my own secret indulgence until I mentioned it to a colleague at another company that used the same firm for printing and design.
“Oh, you mean Sexy Voice Ferdinand?” she asked. “Yeah, the women in the office fight constantly over who gets to call and talk to him.”
We soon discovered an endless string of women devoted to devising creative reasons to phone the print shop with projects they’d ordinarily email. The funniest part is that none of us wanted to meet Ferdinand in person. We all loved the mysterious voice on the phone, the breathless anticipation of the next call, the titillation of wondering what he really looked like. No one wanted to ruin that.
I eventually did meet Ferdinand, and while he was sweet and charming (not to mention happily married with a kid) it was never quite the same after that.
That’s the thing about voice. Sometimes it’s part of the whole package, and sometimes it’s the only part you want.
In writing romance, I’ve discovered that a character’s speaking voice is one of the toughest things to capture. I can paint a picture to describe the color of my hero’s eyes, or the fact that he always smells like sawdust and fresh-cut grass, but describing the sound of his voice as he murmurs something sexy in the heroine’s ear…well, that’s more difficult.
And really, isn’t a sexy voice all in the eye (or the ear) of the beholder?
Are you a sucker for a sexy voice, or is it a different trait that rolls your socks up? Please share!
I have to go lie down and listen to that song again.
Yes, and an incongruous voice can shatter all good feelings. Or give you a false perception of someone. For instance, a woman with a baby’ish Melanie Griffith voice connotes “Just a bit dumb” to some and “hot and sexy” to others. Was at kickboxing yesterday and this topic came up. Shihan (umpteenth degree black belt owner of dojo) was describing this bouncer at a club when he was a young man – the tallest, biggest, beefiest guy he’d ever seen. But his voice was high and squeaky. Everyone was startled.
Mike Tyson, anyone? I crack up every time I hear that guy talk.
Kim, that’s so funny you mention Melanie Griffith….my dad has always had a crush on her, even though he’s obviously a fan of really smart women (as evidenced by my mother). It’s always seemed strange to me, but I guess there’s no predicting what will roll people’s socks up.
I love most of her movies – A Stranger Among Us is one of my favorite movies ever. I’m sure your Dad and I differ on her charms though. Rightly so! Also, a creepy voice can make me fear an actor forever. Could you watch Robert Englund if he tried to play Mr. Rogers?
There are several actors and singers whom I would pay to read the phone book, if there was no poetry available and if I could afford them.
Clancy Brown, James Earl Jones, Michael Wincott, Benedict Cumberbatch, Gareth David-Lloyd, David Strathairn, Dennis Haysbert, Kevin Conroy, the late Aldo Ray . . . etc.
Give me low-pitched gravel (or Welsh vowels) and I melt.
Mmmmm….add Daniel Craig to the list for me, please!
Done!
A sexy voice is important for me, too (ditto on the hands and smell). But, as you illustrated with Ferdinand, sometimes the voice can be the only part worth that kind of, um, visceral interest. It can enhance (or spoil, if it’s horrible) the whole package, but it doesn’t stand alone. At least, not for me.
I was talking the other night with someone about “deal breakers” in dating someone. One of my deal breakers would be someone with vastly different political views. I just couldn’t do it. But I think I also need to add the voice thing to the list. Unless someone has a voice that at least occasionally gives me goosebumps, I don’t think I could do it 🙂
I said “do it.”
In the comments on my post on Tuesday, a few people brought up accents as a major turn-on. I will admit to having dated a few people whose accents were a major bonus, especially in long-distance relationships. I’d never date someone exclusively for the voice, but it’s definitely a nice perk!
Oooh, accents. Yeah, I can be a sucker for that. There was a computer repair guy from South Africa who used to service the machines for a company I worked for. I’m pretty sure some of the women were breaking their computers on purpose just to get the guy to stop by!
Our kickboxing Shihan is from Rome. Lived here since he was 18, but still has the accent. Somehow push ups aren’t as horrible when he tells you to do them.
Mmm…sexy voice. I like ’em gravelly, like Kiefer Sutherland or Sam Elliot. Sometimes, though, it’s just how distinctive they are, like Val Kilmer (in the 80s). I swear I wish I could sniff the screen when Real Genius comes on because seriously, have you seen what that man can do with those piano hands of his? And then him and Sam Elliot came together all perfect-storm-like in Tombstone…*sigh* What were we talking about?
For me, it is Kenny Chesney. There is just something about that man’s voice that does me in. Mmm, heaven! (Although he really does nothing for me if he isn’t singing.)
I agree with Elenor that accents can be a major turn-on, too. I dated a guy for a few months in college just because of his Scottish accent. Ok, he was a nice guy, too. but he was my height, which is normally a major turn-off. Even years later, I am still a sucker for that accent!
Ahh for the days when I worked in the loan office and frequently called a mortgage rep who had an Australian accent and a voice that was just smoky and made think of dim shadowy rooms and thing that could happen there with the blinds drawn. Unfortunately meeting him in person did in fact shoot that fantasy straight to hell. Let us not judge on specific physical details and merely say that he had both the face and the body to be on…the radio.
ooh, do i get to make a list? Jeremy Northam. Peter Wingfield from Highlander (my dh wonders why i consent to watch those dvds with him…). Chris Isaak when he sings Wicked Game. Ralph Fiennes when he ISNT playing Voldemort…
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