80's Duets

As usual I started looking at music videos on YouTube and my focus changed. My evening started with random 80's music and then I narrowed my focus to only include duets.  Here are my top three, but not in any particular order.

First on my list is "Separate Lives"  by Phil Collins and Marilyn Martin from the movie White Nights
At the 2:50 minute mark is my favorite vocal."...build that wall...."

Overall, it's an amazing song.However, to Academy voters it wasn't amazing enough to beat Lionel Richie's "Say You, Say Me" for Best Song at the Oscars that year. I remember being bummed out because I really wanted it win. I believe it's one of my earliest memories of REALLY watching the Oscars and paying attention to categories. The song is not cheezy and awesome in its range. Lionel's....not so much. I think Marilyn Martin makes the song, and seeing  Baryshnikov dance is always fantastic.Plus seeing him in a white t-shirt doesn't hurt either.



Next on my list is  "Can't We Try"  by Dan Hill and Vonda Shepard. I was telling my sister, Trixie, this evening that these songs have that "build that wall" moment in them sung by the female singer. This song's moment is "...don't let our love fade away..." at the 2:09 mark. Again, excellent vocals and nothing extraordinarily tacky, plus it tell a story as "Separate Lives" does. I love a good narrative in a song.



Finally,  I've chosen "On My Own" by Patti LaBelle and Michael McDonald. I don't even know where to start with this one. The whole song is a *moment* like the snippets in the previous songs. It's two big voices in one song and one hell of a narrative. Need I say more?

While I was only 15 when this song came out and I couldn't really relate to the subject matter, the vocals stood out. It also didn't hurt that I was a rabid General Hospital fan in those days. Lucy Coe and Jimmy Lee were in this deep relationship and their "song" was "On My Own". Because the show was so popular back then, the song took off even faster on Billboard.

The video is a time capsule. Patti's hair: HUGE. Her shoulder pads: HUGE. Her voice: HUGE. Love it! I remember thinking she was like a singing Dominique Deveraux.



I have a few more duets saved up, but these were the ones that meant the most to my teenage soul.