When I listen to most music, the male/female duet is always terribly uncool. Are there any truly good ones or have they all been yuppie-cheese like “Up Where We Belong”?
I’m not talking about musicals, etc. where they’re supposed to have duets for the narrative, but about radio and album oriented music.
“Paradise by the Dashboard Light” by Meat Loaf (and Ellen Foley)
“Wooden Ships” by the Jefferson Airplane.
The Civil Wars - Poison & Wine comes right to mind (as does almost anything else they’ve done).
Or if that’s still too cheesy for your taste, try Barton Hollow.
John Stewart/Stevie Nicks - Gold
Walter Egan/Stevie Nicks - Magnet and Steel
Stevie Nicks/Tom Petty - Stop Draggin’ My Heart Around
I’m sensing a theme here.
Tom Petty / Stevie Nicks - Stop Draggin’ My Heart Around
(Stevie seems to be the key here…)
Fairytale of New York with the Pogues and Kirsty MacColl. Bonus: It’s the Christmas season.
Not sure what qualifies for your definition of yuppie cheese…but:
The Human League had a number of catchy pop hits including (Keep Feeling) Fascination and Don’t You Want Me.
If you want some more album-oriented songs, (but not necessarily radio hits):
The Gathering -A Life All Mine (with Anneke Van Giersbergen) and Meltdown (with new singer Silje)
And a short but beautiful song, Coil, By Opeth (Nathalie Lorichs)
Don’t Give Up - Peter Gabriel and Kate Bush. Moving and powerful, though your mileage may vary.
If you want something a lot darker, there is this.
I don’t think there’s a shortage, but the first one that came to mind is Paul Simon and Phoebe Snow doing Gone At Last.
I highly recommend:
What Have You Done Now by Within Temptation(and Keith Caputo)
Candy - Iggy Pop and Kate Pierson
Mesh has a duet that’s not sappy or sentimental. It’s called “Who Says” and has lyrics like:
“It only feels good when I’m treating you bad”
and
“I only take sides if the other one’s you”
They are sorta cheesy, but Matthew Sweet and Susanna Hoffs (who I am in love with) put out a couple of covers albums that are fun to listen to (good cover of Willin’.)
Have you listened to She & Him? They are supposed to be pretty good.
I’m sort of partial to “Where Do The Children Go?” by The Hooters.
In Spite of Ourselves by John Prine and Iris Dement.
The Civil Wars have a wonderful cover of Billie Jean.
Not able to provide a link, but I’ve always liked
Please Don’t Touch
A classic by Motorhead and Girlschool.
The Cowboy Junkies If You Were The Woman has a wonderful duet with John Prine and Margot Timmins.
I like Robbie Williams and Nicole Kidman singing “Something Stupid.” The video is dead sexy and quite Christmas-y.