Friday, June 23, 2006

Top Five Friday - Duets




Abbot & Costello
Adam & Eve
Autobot & Decepticon
Calvin & Hobbes
Dungeons & Dragons
Ebony & Ivory
Green Eggs & Ham
Gumby & Pokey
Hillary & Norgay
M & M's
Macaroni & Cheese
Mulder & Scully



Top five duets

5. Devo and Neil Young - Hey Hey My My : Originally on Rust Never Sleeps

Neil Young rocked in the 70's in CSNY, and has rocked ever since (including his latest highly charged political album). Add Devo's New Wave sensibilities and you have a quirky rock gem. Although you can't hear Neil's voice in this version, his guitar lets you know he's there.

4. Elton John & Kiki Dee - Don't Go Breaking My Heart : Duets

This one was just made for singing along with at a karaoke bar. I know it's super pop-songish, but you just can't resist.
3. Ben Folds and Rufus Wainwright - Careless Whisper (Wham! cover) : Original on Make It Big

Like the following song, this one is a cover that is close to the original version, but these performers add something of their own to it. With Ben and Rufus singing it, Careless Whisper loses its 80's cheesability and gains some sincerity.
2. Jack Johnson and G. Love - Holiday (Madonna Cover) : Original on Madonna
I have to admit that ever since I found this song earlier this year, I can't get enough of it. Yes, you can still make out hints of the original version, but Jack, and especially G. Love, bring their own bit of flavor to it making it not only a super duet, but a fabulous cover as well. G. also mixes in some Doors (Who do You Love?) if you listen carefully.
1. Ella Fitzgerald & Louis Armstrong - Let's Call the Whole Thing Off : The Complete Ella Fitzgerald & Louis Armstrong on Verve (Disc 2)

If there were ever two singers who were destined to perform together, these two are them. Mixing Ella's beautifully sweet voice with Louis' distinctive grating voice produces this lovely duet. This was a hard one to choose only because every song they performed together was wonderful. All 5 of my top choices could easily have been performances by this duo.

Honorable Mention

Dizzy Gillespie & Charlie Parker - Groovin' High : Diz 'n Bird At Carniegie Hall
I wanted to include this in the Top Five list, but without any lyrics, I felt I had to relegate it to an honorable mention spot. Be-bop lost a genius when Bird left this world. Thank goodness Dizzy stuck around.
Previous Top Five Fridays = 1st Tracks

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