THE 200 MOST ESSENTIAL DUETS. This instalment: #140-131. Continues tomorrow.

Caffe` Latte` presents…

THE 200 ALL-TIME MOST

ESSENTIAL DUETS
 

This countdown looks back on decades of duets, where 2 acts combine on a song.

To be eligible, the acts involved contribute close to equal roles as lead vocalists rather than featured or guest vocals. The collaborations must be by acts that do not usually record together as regular duos (eg. Hall & Oates, Everly Brothers, Simon & Garfunkel and Wham!).

140

MY BOO

USHER & ALICIA KEYS

Usher & Alicia Keys, 2 of contemporary R&B's biggest names, recorded the duet "My Boo". Both contributed as co-writers. The song was included on Usher's album 'Confessions'. In 2004, the single enjoyed 6 weeks atop the US chart.

139

ALONE AGAIN (NATURALLY)

PET SHOP BOYS & ELTON JOHN

In 2003, Elton John joined The Pet Shop Boys for a remake of Gilbert O'Sullivan's 1972 worldwide hit "Alone Again (Naturally)". It's a rare item, but a sweet reminder of a tearjerker from decades ago.

138

I STILL CAN SEE YOUR FACE

BARBRA STREISAND & ANDREA BOCELLI

"I Still Can See Your Face" is a stunning pairing of 2 high calibre vocalists. Andrea Bocelli recorded this duet with Barbra Streisand for her 2014 'Partners' album. Their admiration for each other's talent is evident. 

137

WILD NIGHT

JOHN MELLENCAMP & ME'SHELL NDEGEOCELLO

John Mellencamp covered the Van Morrison 1971 song "Wild Night" with Me'shell Ndegeocello in 1994. It was included on his 'Dance Naked' album that same year. The duet reached #3 in America.

136

I'LL TRY SOMETHING NEW

DIANA ROSS AND THE SUPREMES &  
THE TEMPTATIONS

Motown's 2 chart champion groups were aligned and the results were lucrative for their label Motown. Both groups added to their string of hits. The union spawned hit TV specials and successful albums. "I'll Try Something New", 1 of the best duets by Diana Ross and The Supremes & The Temptations, was a cover of a Smokey Robinson song. He had recorded a version with his group The Miracles in 1962. The 1969 remake fared better on both the US Pop and R&B charts.

135

DOES HE LOVE YOU?

LIZA MINNELLI & DONNA SUMMER

On her 1996 album 'Gently', Liza Minnelli cut a duet with Donna Summer. It was a remake of a song originally recorded 3 years earlier by Reba McEntire with Linda Davis. The 2 women sing about their love for the same man.

134

LOST INSIDE OF YOU

BARBRA STREISAND & BABYFACE

Barbra Streisand first sang "Lost Inside Of You" for the 'A Star Is Born' movie soundtrack in 1976. On the track, she was joined by her screen co-star Kris Kristofferson. Streisand co-wrote the love song with Leon Russell. A solo version was included on her 'Memories' album in 1981. The new duet version this time pairs her with Babyface. He was a co-producer on Streisand's 2014 album 'Partners'. The song was 1 of the deluxe edition's bonus tracks.

133

GIVE IN, YOU JUST CAN'T WIN

MARVIN GAYE & TAMMI TERRELL

Harvey Fuqua and Johnny Bristol created the upbeat Motown duet by Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell. The 2 vocalists' recording was featured on their collaborative project 'You're All I Need', issued in 1968. 

132

LOVE LETTERS

ELTON JOHN & BONNIE RAITT

Elton John covered the1940s song "Love Letters" with Bonnie Raitt. Their duet appeared on his 1993 'Duets' project. The country-fueled collaboration was produced by Don Was.

131

100 DEGREES 
(STILL DISCO TO ME)

KYLIE & DANNII MINOGUE

The original version of "100 Degrees" was a yuletide song from Kylie Minogue's 2015 Christmas album. References to that time of year were replaced with lyrics about disco (hence the new sub-title: "Still Disco To Me") when the duet was issued as a single in April 2016.