You know we’re list whores at PopWatch, which is why we’re loving retroCrush’s 25 Greatest Duets of All Time. (In fact, we’d want to be alone with it, if the video links still worked.) You’ve got everything from Jenna Fischer and John C. Reilly ("Let’s Duet") to Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong ("Summertime"). Well done.
Which other tracks would’ve made your personal list? Off the top of my head, I could never deny Reba McEntire and Linda Davis ("Does He Love You," below), Kenny Rogers and Sheena Easton ("We’ve Got Tonight"), and David Frizzell and Shelly West ("You’re the Reason God Made Oklahoma").
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I love cheesy duets, so I am going to go with “Islands in the Stream” by Kenny and Dolly, “Don’t Fight It” by Kenny Loggins and Steve Perry and “Endless Love” by Lionel Rithie and Diana Ross.
The best duets seem to be either romantic or homicidal. For the former, Gram Parsons and Emmylou Harris did some wonderful work. For the latter, Nick Cave and Kylie Minogue’s “Where the Wild Roses Grow” can’t be beat.
(Richard and Linda Thompson fall somewhere in the middle, with “Dimming of the Day” being probably their greatest song together.)
There’s some terrific stuff on the Robert Plant/Alison Krauss record, too.
Bob Dylan and Eric Clapton: Sign Language
Don’t Fight it- Loggins and Perry
Never Surrender- Loggins and Felder
Whenever I Call You Friend- Loggins and Nicks
Stumbilin In- Quatro and Norman
If I Close My Eyes Forever- Ford and Osborne
Old Black Magic-Prima and Smith
I Got You Babe- Sonny and Cher and Hynde and UB 40
Don’t Go Breaking My Heart- Dee and John
Suddenly- Richards and John
House of Love-Grant and Gill
Anything by Hall and Oates
I forgot all about this song. Thanks! It is so delightfully cheesy and the hair, dear God, the hair!
Some rock & roll duets:
- “Dancing in the Streets” – Mick Jagger and David Bowie
- “Runaway Train” – Elton John and Eric Clapton
- “Whatever Gets You Through the Night” – Elton John and John Lennon
- “Easy Lover” – Phil Collins and Phillip Bailey
- “Under Pressure” – David Bowie and Queen
I liked Reba w/ Vince Gill and the new one with Kelly Clarkson … but the only other song I could think of off the top of my head was “Kids” with Robbie Williams & Kylie Minogue.
Oh, I love the Cher/Peter Cetera duet…can’t remember the name. And also the Martina McBride/Joe Cocker “Chances Are”.
I have a three way tie for the best of all time: Little Drummer Boy, Bing Crosby and David Bowie or Long Tall Texan, Randy Newman and Lyle Lovett or Over and Over, Nelly and Tim McGraw. But Guilty by Barbra Streisand and Barry Gibb sure comes close……
Don Henley & Trisha Yearwood: “Walkaway Joe”
Don Henley and Patty Smyth: “Sometimes Love Just Ain’t Enough”
Eddie Rabbitt & Crystal Gayle: “You and I”
John Denver & Emmylou Harris:”Wild Montana Skies”
Aaron Neville & Trisha Yearwood:”I Fall to Pieces”
Tanya Tucker and T. Graham Brown: “Don’t Go Out With Him”
Barbara Mandrell & Lee Greenwood: “To Me”
Good call on the orkcin’ duets, Eric. I just remembered what is probably the rickingest duet of ‘em all – INXS doing “Good Times” with Jimmy Barnes.
Another odd one – Joni Mitchell and peter Gabriel, “My Secret Place.” it’s almost eerie – they’re finishing each other’s lines, and their timbres are so perfectly matched that sometimes you can’t tell when the switchoff comes.
And of course Serge Gainsbourg did all those great duets with Brigitte Bardot. “Bonnie & Clyde” was probably the best of them; and there’s a great cover of that by Luna, with guest vocals by Laetitia Sadier from Stereolab.
orkcin’ = rockin’
dorkin’ = me, just now
Whenever I Call You Friend – Kenny Loggins and Melissa Manchester
Guilty – Barbara Streisand and Barry Gibb (the greatest duet of all time!)
1. Barbra Streisand and Neil Diamond
“You Don’t Bring Me Flowers”
2. Barbra Streisand and Donna Summer
“Enough is Enough ( No More Tears)
3. Linda Ronstadt and James Ingram
” Somewhere Out There”
4. Olivia Newton John and John Travolta ” You are the One that I Want”
5. Olivia Newton John and John Travolta “Summer Nights”
Those would have to be my top 5..
Aymzer:
You are thinking of “After All” from the movie “Chances Are”, and it’s a lot better than Cetera’s duet with Amy Grant “The Next Time I Fall (In Love)”. As for rock duets how about Anthrax and Public Enemy, “Bring the Noise”, Rap, ” Doug E. Fresh and Slick Rick, “The Show”, Rock: “It’s Only Love” , Tina Turner and Bryan Adams, New Wave, “Don’t Give Up”, Peter Gabriel and Kate Bush, and R&B “Baby, Come To Me”, Peebo Bryson and Patti Austin
I personally liked Chandler and Phoebe’s version of “Endless Love”.
WILD MONTANA SKIES-JOHN DENVER AND EMMYLOU HARRIS…BEST SONG EVER!
“Stop Dragging my Heart Around” – Tom Petty and Stevie Nicks
Leather and Lace – Stevie Nicks and Don Henley? or was it another Eagle…good song either way
These aren’t true duets, but, Ride Like the Wind – Christopher Cross and Michael McDonald and What a Fool Believes – Kenny Loggins and Michael McDonald
I Guess That’s Why They Call It the Blues–Elton John and Mary J. Blige. (The original version is good too, but the duet…brilliant.)
03 Bonnie and Clyde–Beyonce and Jay-Z
I LOVE After All and Islands in the Stream!
Careless Whisper–Ben Folds and Rufus Wainwright
Falling Slowly and When Your Mind’s Made Up–Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova, from Once
Signs–Justin Timberlake and Snoop Dogg (why did this not get more radio play?)
Peaceful World–John Mellencamp and India Arie
Also…I really liked Picture (Sheryl Crow and Kid Rock).
And I second Don’t Go Breaking My Heart…so fun!
how about Diana Ross and Lional Ritchie in “Endless Love” or Sonny and Cher “Beat goes on”Glen Campbell and Bobbie Gentry “God didnt make the little green apples” Prince and Sheila E “You got that look”
how about Diana Ross and Lional Ritchie in “Endless Love” or Sonny and Cher “Beat goes on”Glen Campbell and Bobbie Gentry “God didnt make the little green apples” Prince and Sheila E “You got that look”
You were right whomever it was Don Henley and Stevie Nicks – that did Leather and Lace
I’ll add another vote for Stop Draggin’ My Heart Around – Petty and Nicks – and Insider from the same duo
Much love to the poster who mentioned Don’t Fight it – I STILL LOVE THAT SONG!
Don’t go Breakin’ my heart my mom and I still sing to it when it comes on the radio.
Where The Wild Roses Grow — Nick Cave & Kylie Minogue
The Mess We’re In — PJ Harvey & Thom Yorke
Linda Ronstadt & Aaron Neville: “Don’t Know Much
Joe Cocker & Jennifer Warnes: “Up Where We Belong”
Bill Medley & Jennifer Warnes: “(I’ve Had) THe Time of My Life
Billy Ray & Miley Cyrus: “Ready, Set, Don’t Go”
Up Where We Belong- Joe Cocker and Jennifer Warnes.
Hands down…the best!
Some of my favourites…
That Boy is Mine (Brandy & Monica)
I knew you were waiting (George Michael & Aretha Franklin)
Dilemna (Nelly & Kelly Rowland)
Seven Seconds (Youssou N’Dour & Neneah Cherry)