Well, the dog days of summer are officially here. Eggs are frying on the sidewalks, smog is being inhaled with great enthusiasm by the tourists atop Cadillac Mountain, and constant humidity has rendered our brains into a silly, putty-like substance. So cool off with the final entry of Duets Week:
1. “California Stars,” Billy Bragg and Wilco
Pared-down, wistful, yet chipper, this song is worth getting stuck in your head.
2. “Under Pressure” Queen and David Bowie
Recorded almost on a whim, Queen’s only collaboration before Freddie Mercury’s death hits all the right notes.
Vanilla Ice be damned.
3. “Baby It’s Cold Outside,” Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Jordan
Just pretend we aren’t on the cusp of August. This standard has been done by many a duo – Ray Charles/Betty Carter’s 1962 collaboration comes to mind, as does, for some reason, a performance by David “Buster Poindexter” Johansen and Sigorney Weaver on Saturday Night Live in 1986. But no one does it like Ella.
4. “Homeless”/”Diamonds on the Souls of Her Shoes,” Paul Simon and Ladysmith Black Mambazo
Paul Simon’s “Graceland” album is perhaps the greatest ambassador of world music to a mainstream audience. These two songs, recorded with South African a cappella group Ladysmith Black Mambazo, are beautiful enough to give you goosebumps on even the hottest summer days.
5. “Sometimes Love Just Ain’t Enough,” Patty Smyth & Don Henley
I can only assume that Henley was performing an act of contrition for his time with the Eagles when he joined Smyth for this tender, remorseful ballad.
Runners up: “You Don’t Know Me,” Ben Folds and Regina Spektor; “Have A Cigar,” Foo Fighters and Brian May; others too numerous to mention. What duets do-it for you?
The following quote attributed to Wal-Mart senior music buyer Tom Welch is telling: “When Foreigner played at the company’s annual shareholders meeting, the band’s (appeal) was reinforced by how much our associates loved it.”
The category for today’s Top 5 list, though grammatically questionable, comes from a suggestion by my friend Charlie Simmons, after I requested ideas for Top 5 categories. I suppose I have no one but myself to blame. —JS