Best Duets of All Time
This fall, the Forever Fiancee and I will celebrate our 14th (more or less) anniversary. We met as reporters for competing newspapers in Ocean City, Md.; we totally made out on our first date. We were both 23. We took a breather (more or less) for patches over the years, including my destructive Lusty Red Walls period in the early '00s, which finally ended when the FF broke into my Washington, D.C. quarters and performed her seductive Copacabana dance, a highly controversial series of Barry Manilow-intensive booty-shaking maneuvers that left me all but defenseless. Soon enough, Kid Lulu was percolating.
The FF and I are catching a heap of crap lately for the whole "not married" thingie. But I've given full clearance to my pals in Feather Sound to suprise us some night with a preacher and a 12-pack of beer. If I showed up, and there was some dude ready to marry us (and there was a 12-pack), I'd do it in a heartbeat. I would.
But what I'm REALLY worried about is that first-dance song. You can't kickstart the marriage with a lousy song. I was thinking a duet might be appropriate. But which one? So I started brainstorming the best duets. They came fast and furious; I'm a sucker for soft hits. The first one listed here might be right -- although Don't Fight It would work, too.
Anyway, here you go, THE BEST DUETS OF ALL TIME:
Stop Draggin' My Heart Around -- Tom Petty & Stevie Nicks
Endless Love -- Lionel Richie & Diana Ross
You Don't Bring Me Flowers -- Neil Diamond & Barbra Streisand
Crying -- Roy Orbison & k.d. lang
Islands in the Stream -- Kenny Rogers & Dolly Parton
Don't Go Breaking My Heart -- Elton John & Kiki Dee
You're All I Need to Get By -- Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell
Leather and Lace -- Don Henley & Stevie Nicks
Under Pressure -- David Bowie & Freddie Mercury
Don't Fight It -- Kenny Loggins & Steve Perry
The Closer I Get to You -- Roberta Flack & Donny Hathaway
Too Much Too Little Too Late -- Johnny Mathis & Deniece Williams
What Kind of Fool -- Barry Gibb & Barbra Streisand
I'll Be There for You/You're All I Need to Get By --Mary J. Blige & Method Man
This Is Us -- Mark Knopfler & Emmylou Harris
On My Own -- Michael McDonald & Patti LaBelle
Summer Nights -- Olivia Newton-John & John Travolta
Close My Eyes Forever -- Ozzy Osbourne & Lita Ford
Here We Go Again -- Ray Charles & Norah Jones
Say Say Say -- Paul McCartney & Michael Jackson
Sean Daly is the pop music critic for the St. Petersburg Times. His CD collection -- from Journey to Dylan, Prince to U2, Public Enemy to Stan Getz -- is much bigger and better than yours.
I Got You Babe - Sonny & Cher
Fairytale of New York - Shane MacGowan & Kirsty MacColl
Almost Paradise - Mike Reno & Ann Wilson
Somewhere Out There - Linda Ronstadt & James Ingram
I Knew You Were Waiting For Me - Aretha Franklin & George Michael
No More Tears/Enough is Enough - Donna Summer & Barbara Streisand
Baby It's Cold Outside - Ella Fitzgerald & Louis Jordan
Unforgettable - Natalie Cole & Nat King Cole
Posted by: Tonianne | July 27, 2007 at 09:18 AM
You & I - Crystal Gayle & Eddie Rabbitt
To celebrate your mutual love of Biggie Smalls, how about I'll be Missing You -Diddy + Faith Evans (bonus points if you track down the version with Sting's backing vocals)
Although it's not a duet, I'd also recommend a hit by one of my favorite groups, Why? The title?
Sanddollars.
Posted by: Guy | July 27, 2007 at 09:48 AM
Daly,
I'll be over at 7 tonight with my Rabbi and a warm 12-pak of Meister Brau. Tell FF to put on that white dress she was saving. MAZEL TOV!
Posted by: ClayFan | July 27, 2007 at 01:44 PM
Is nothing sacred, Guy?? Sheesh! It's bad enough Sean tells the world we made out on the first date!
In my own defense I knew Sean as a friend BEFORE our first date.
And what he fails to metion - probably because it's not very romantic - is that on our second date (or was it our first?) I called him an a------! What chemistry we had!
Posted by: Forever Fiancee | July 27, 2007 at 02:10 PM
Yeah, you called me an a--hole.
And then we made out again.
In the FF's defense, there wasn't much else to do in Ocean City.
Posted by: Sean Daly | July 27, 2007 at 03:46 PM
Oh, MAN, I can't believe you didn't think of "Don't Go Breaking My Heart" by Sir Elton John and the incomparable Kiki Dee!!
... Our first dance at our wedding? "I Got Friends in Low Places" ... true story
Posted by: chase | July 27, 2007 at 03:47 PM
Doesn't say much for the concept of the duet, does it? Yeesh.
BTW: "Bury Me" by Dwight Yoakam and Maria McKee. I win.
Posted by: verse chorus verse chorus chorus fade | July 28, 2007 at 03:17 PM
The first dance my wife and I had was to the song "Anything" by the Continental Drifters (duet of Peter Holsapple and Vicki Peterson). Very romantic.
Posted by: Bluegrass Beachbum | July 28, 2007 at 08:38 PM
Ain't No Mountain High Enough - Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell
It's Only Love - Bryan Adams & Tina Turner
Dancing In The Street - David Bowie & Mick Jagger
Baby Grand - Billy Joel & Ray Charles
Close My Eyes Forever - Lita Ford & Ozzy Osbourne
Posted by: bassnote | July 28, 2007 at 09:26 PM
"Beers to You" ... Clint Eastwood and Ray Charles.
(opening theme of Any Which Way You Can)
Posted by: chase | July 29, 2007 at 10:49 AM
tonianne,
me and my hubby danced to "Unforgettable" by Nat King Cole....
Posted by: db | July 30, 2007 at 04:23 PM
Please make sure that Little Drummer Boy by Bing Crosby and David Bowie makes your holiday duet list.
Posted by: Joe E | August 01, 2007 at 10:28 AM
I absolutely hate that Lita/Ozzy song.
Posted by: Walter Cox | August 03, 2007 at 09:11 AM