Male/Female unaccompanied songs

Subject: Male/Female unaccompanied songs
From: GUEST,IRHMusic
Date: 29 Jul 12 - 02:30 PM

Hi all,

Im in a duo with a male friend, and we would like to do an unaccompanied song for male/female voices, something that really makes you get goosebumps, maybe something sad and beautiful? any suggestions?

Thanks!

Ix

Subject: RE: Male/Female unaccompanied songs
From: Nigel Parsons
Date: 29 Jul 12 - 02:37 PM

I've always liked You're just in love
But a little slower than on the YouTube video

Subject: RE: Male/Female unaccompanied songs
From: Nigel Parsons
Date: 29 Jul 12 - 02:39 PM

Or a similar 'soft shoe shuffle' type duet from Godspell "It's all for the best"

Subject: RE: Male/Female unaccompanied songs
From: Keith A of Hertford
Date: 29 Jul 12 - 05:39 PM

Banks Of The Nile.

Subject: RE: Male/Female unaccompanied songs
From: Tattie Bogle
Date: 29 Jul 12 - 07:45 PM

Tom Waits' "The Briar and the Rose" : this version by Niamh Parsons with Fran McPhail, for example. (Yes it's not entirely unaccompanied as there some lovely cello in there, but I have heard several duos do it a cappella).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MKbucti-kcw

Subject: RE: Male/Female unaccompanied songs
From: mg
Date: 29 Jul 12 - 09:27 PM

call and answer

Subject: RE: Male/Female unaccompanied songs
From: Beer
Date: 29 Jul 12 - 09:58 PM

Love that Tom Waits Tattie.
Adrien

Subject: RE: Male/Female unaccompanied songs
From: YorkshireYankee
Date: 29 Jul 12 - 10:23 PM

Tattie B, you beat me to it -- only I was going to suggest Cloudstreet's version (not as sweetly sung as Ms's Parsons & McPhail's rendition, but I adore the way John & Nicole's voices blend & vibrate... Makes me almost swoon with pleasure!)

Subject: RE: Male/Female unaccompanied songs
From: GUEST,IRHMusic
Date: 30 Jul 12 - 01:50 AM

Its amazing you've suggested Tom Waits Briar and the Rose- We actually already do that one, but I won a competition with it when I was younger so we were looking for something else that people don't already know me for. It is beautiful though, thank you for all the suggestions, keep 'em coming!

Ix

Subject: RE: Male/Female unaccompanied songs
From: GUEST
Date: 30 Jul 12 - 08:00 PM

Grey Funnel Line
She moved through the fair
Bushes and briars

Subject: RE: Male/Female unaccompanied songs
From: Suegorgeous
Date: 30 Jul 12 - 08:03 PM

oops, that last was me, sorry.

Subject: RE: Male/Female unaccompanied songs
From: Tattie Bogle
Date: 30 Jul 12 - 09:07 PM

I agree about Cloudstreet too, Beer!

Subject: RE: Male/Female unaccompanied songs
From: GUEST,FloraG
Date: 31 Jul 12 - 04:44 AM

If you sing together surely you are accompanied?

The White Cockade and Halo Halo halo halo you crewel Black smith are good songs for question and answer type songs.
FloraG

Subject: RE: Male/Female unaccompanied songs
From: GUEST,David Wilford
Date: 31 Jul 12 - 11:22 AM

Not originally done unaccompanied, but Dave Carter's "Kate and the Ghost of Lost Love" is sad and beautiful enough to give anyone goosebumps.

Subject: RE: Male/Female unaccompanied songs
From: Anne Neilson
Date: 31 Jul 12 - 12:00 PM

There's a Scottish duet where he is going away/ to war? and she asks what he will bring back to her -- 'Huntingtower'.

V1 is When ye gang awa', laddie,
         Far across the sea, laddie,
       When ye gang tae Germany
       What will ye bring tae me, laddie?

There is then an extended question and answer exchange until it finally ends with his verse where he promises her that "All that's mine is thine, lassie.".

The tune is sweet (but can occasionally sound sentimental if the singers aren't sufficiently sincere, or 'in the zone').

Sorry about the lack of links -- a step too far for my current level of technical expertise!

Subject: RE: Male/Female unaccompanied songs
From: YorkshireYankee
Date: 01 Aug 12 - 12:05 AM

Hi Tattie -- I think it's me you agree with about Cloudstreet... ;-)

IRHMusic, here are a few more:

The Bramble and the Rose (similar title to The Briar and the Rose, but a different song -- and really lovely -- with lots of opportunities for wonderful harmony)

Who Will Watch the Home Place by Kate Long (I have the privilege of being able to say that I was in the songwriting class at Augusta Vocal Week where this song first "saw" the light of day. Laurie Lewis was also at Augusta that week, heard Kate singing it, and the rest is (bluegrass) history...)

(We've Got an) Old Love by Neal Hagberg & Leandra Peak

I'm going to the west

Subject: RE: Male/Female unaccompanied songs
From: GUEST,Gerry
Date: 01 Aug 12 - 01:35 AM

The Scottish duet Anne Nielson mentions, I wonder if it was the inspiration for Bob Dylan's song, Boots Of Spanish Leather? I've never heard that Dylan song done as a duet (nor unaccompanied), but it lends itself to it, as the guy and gal alternate, the guy asking what she wants, the gal telling him. Sad and beautiful? Well, sweet, anyway.