Suggestions Sought: Songs for two people

Subject: Suggestions Sought: Songs for two peopl
From: DMcG
Date: 30 Dec 06 - 07:00 AM

I'm looking for songs for two people, preferably with a dialogue structure. Examples would be "Husbandman and Servingman" or "The Keys of Canterbury". All suggestions are welcome.

[Some song titles in this thread have been converted to links by a Mudelf.]

Subject: RE: Suggestions Sought: Songs for two peopl
From: GUEST
Date: 30 Dec 06 - 07:13 AM

There's a hole in the bucket dear liza

Subject: RE: Suggestions Sought: Songs for two peopl
From: Dave Hanson
Date: 30 Dec 06 - 07:41 AM

Arkansas Traveller?

eric

Subject: RE: Suggestions Sought: Songs for two peopl
From: GUEST,gleaner
Date: 30 Dec 06 - 10:03 AM

"Mockingbird." James Taylor and Carly Simon sang it; I don't know whether they entirely wrote it or not.

Subject: RE: Suggestions Sought: Songs for two peopl
From: Bert
Date: 30 Dec 06 - 10:11 AM

Oh No John.

Subject: RE: Suggestions Sought: Songs for two peopl
From: open mike
Date: 30 Dec 06 - 10:12 AM

look for another thread where we discussed duets recently.
my pick would be Nanci Griffith's Blackbird's Wing (Gulf Coast Highway)
or any of the John Prine songs from "In Spite of Ourselves" collection.

Subject: RE: Suggestions Sought: Songs for two peopl
From: GUEST
Date: 30 Dec 06 - 10:52 AM

What about - Colin and Phoebe (Harry Cox) or Captain Wedderburn's Courtship or even Seventeen Come Sunday?

Tim Radford

Subject: RE: Suggestions Sought: Songs for two peopl
From: DMcG
Date: 30 Dec 06 - 10:59 AM

Good suggestions all - I'd forgotten about Colin & Pheobe. Keep 'em coming.

Subject: RE: Suggestions Sought: Songs for two peopl
From: GUEST,gleaner
Date: 30 Dec 06 - 02:20 PM

Today I heard an interesting song,"Do You Call That Religion," as recorded by Jim and Kim Lunsford. Reportedly it's an old gospel song, but I haven't checked it out.

Subject: RE: Suggestions Sought: Songs for two peopl
From: GUEST,gleaner
Date: 30 Dec 06 - 02:23 PM

I'm sorry. That's Jim and Kim Lansford, not Lunsford. I must have been thinking back to a girl I once dated.

Subject: RE: Suggestions Sought: Songs for two peopl
From: JohnB
Date: 30 Dec 06 - 04:58 PM

The Copper Family did a lot of two part arrangements.
JohnB

Subject: RE: Suggestions Sought: Songs for two peopl
From: Don Firth
Date: 30 Dec 06 - 05:17 PM

Back around 1962-63, a young lady named Judy Flenniken, with a very big voice, and I did a number of concerts together. Two dialogue songs we did that got a good response from audiences were "Buffalo Boy" and "Jennie Jenkins."

In "Jennie Jenkins," I tossed in a verse that said, "Will you wear orange, oh, my dear, oh, my dear? Will you wear orange, Jennie Jenkins?" Then there was this long pause (vamping on our guitars) while Judy just stared at me with her mouth open. The audience sat there snickering and cackling to see what rhyme Judy would come up with. After about ten or fifteen seconds, she sang, "No, I won't wear orange, 'cause the color's too strange. . . ." (very odd pronunciation of "strange," by the way), but the tension was broken (the essence of humor) and the audience both groaned and laughed.

Most satisfying!

Don Firth

Subject: RE: Suggestions Sought: Songs for two peopl
From: Dave Hanson
Date: 31 Dec 06 - 04:35 AM

From David Grisman and Jerry Garcia,

' Will you wear orange Jenny Jenkins ? '

' No orange I won't wear and it rhymes so there '

Subject: RE: Suggestions Sought: Songs for two peopl
From: Georgiansilver
Date: 31 Dec 06 - 04:56 AM

The Saucy Sailor as performed by Steeleye Span

Subject: RE: Suggestions Sought: Songs for two peopl
From: Don Firth
Date: 31 Dec 06 - 01:58 PM

Good one, eric!

Don Firth

Subject: RE: Suggestions Sought: Songs for two peopl
From: Genie
Date: 31 Dec 06 - 03:19 PM

Darling, Go Home (Harry Belafonte and Miriam Makeba) [see One More Dance]


Leather & Lace (Stevie Nicks - sung as a duet with Don Henley)


Less "folkish" -
Up Where We Belong
You Don't Bring Me Flowers


Country:
Jackson - Johnny & June Carter Cash

Subject: RE: Suggestions Sought: Songs for two peopl
From: Genie
Date: 31 Dec 06 - 03:20 PM

Lord Randal(l)

Subject: RE: Suggestions Sought: Songs for two peopl
From: Don Firth
Date: 31 Dec 06 - 04:12 PM

Or any of the other dialogue ballads as well, such as "Edward."

Don Firth

Subject: RE: Suggestions Sought: Songs for two peopl
From: DMcG
Date: 31 Dec 06 - 04:16 PM

Thanks, all, for the suggestions. I'm sure we can use some of them.

As an added complication, the two people involved are my daughter and I, so there's something a little off if either of us is trying to bed the other, or if she's my mother. Still, what else is poetic licence for?

Subject: RE: Suggestions Sought: Songs for two peopl
From: Genie
Date: 31 Dec 06 - 04:23 PM

Cab Calloway did a song called "Daddy Dear" with his daughter Lael. It's a bit schmaltzy but definitely designed for a duo like yours.

Depending on how old your daughter is, I think the two of you might be able to pull off the Makeba-Belafonte duet beautifully. The duet is between a man (either the paramour or just one of those "society" types who calls everyone "darling") and a woman whose husband is home ill. It's a comedy "routine" song.

As you said, what else is poetic license for? Or "role playing," for that matter.

If you sing "Edward," nobody's gonna think one of you is really guilty of fratricide. LOL

Subject: RE: Suggestions Sought: Songs for two peopl
From: DMcG
Date: 31 Dec 06 - 04:26 PM

She's 20, Genie.

Subject: RE: Suggestions Sought: Songs for two peopl
From: Genie
Date: 31 Dec 06 - 09:01 PM

That's perfect for just about any of the songs I mentioned (though you may want to skip the really mushy loves songs). ;-D

Subject: RE: Suggestions Sought: Songs for two peopl
From: Alice
Date: 01 Jan 07 - 12:47 AM

Oh Katy Dear Go Tell Your Mother (not sure if that's the title)
Ian and Sylvia recorded it

Subject: RE: Suggestions Sought: Songs for two peopl
From: GUEST,DonMeixner
Date: 01 Jan 07 - 01:32 AM

Almost anything from Dave Carter and Tracy Grammer.

Someday Soon by Ian Tyson


Don Meixner

Subject: RE: Suggestions Sought: Songs for two peopl
From: Bert
Date: 01 Jan 07 - 01:47 AM

Hi Gleaner,

Re 'Call That Religion', My Dad used to sing that, and Jake Thackeray also sang it, don't remember it being for two singers though.

Subject: RE: Suggestions Sought: Songs for two peopl
From: GUEST,gleaner
Date: 01 Jan 07 - 10:12 PM

I dropped back in specifically to reply to the observation of Bert; I think that's fair enough.

I believe that the song is one that will serve well in solo performance, especially if the singer can hold long notes or there are instrumental fills, but which with one other singer or more may be used with vocal parts that answer or repeat what the lead has laid down. There are hymns that have repetitions of word phrases within them, and I believe that early gospel often had word phrase repetitions or answering parts. I believe that the version of the song that I heard had the female singer doing a word phrase repetition while the male lead held long notes, and that most of the song was sung in harmony.

Subject: Lyr Add: HEY PAULA (from Paul and Paula, 1962)
From: Peace
Date: 01 Jan 07 - 11:39 PM

(Sorry. I could not resist.)

"Hey Paula"

[Paul:]
Hey, hey Paula, I wanna marry you
Hey, hey Paula, no one else could ever do
I've waited so long for school to be through
Paula, I can't wait no more for you
My love, my love

[Paula:]
Hey Paul, I've been waiting for you
Hey, hey, hey Paul, I want to marry you too
If you love me true, if you love me still
Our love will always be real
My love, my love

[Both:]
True love means planning a life for two
Being together the whole day through
True love means waiting and hoping that soon
Wishes we've made will come true
My love, my love

Subject: RE: Suggestions Sought: Songs for two peopl
From: GUEST,Jim Lad
Date: 02 Jan 07 - 11:37 PM

Try "Four O'Clock in the Morning". You can hear it at jimbrannigan.com. Good for male/female duet.

Subject: RE: Suggestions Sought: Songs for two people
From: Splott Man
Date: 03 Jan 07 - 03:39 AM

The Cutty Wren.

Anything by Chip Taylor & Carrie Rodriguez.

In Spite of Ourselves by John Prine from an album of duets.

Subject: RE: Suggestions Sought: Songs for two people
From: Bat Goddess
Date: 03 Jan 07 - 09:10 AM

Cuckoo's Nest (English, not Scots, version)

Linn

Subject: RE: Suggestions Sought: Songs for two people
From: Beer
Date: 03 Jan 07 - 09:16 AM

Your The Reason God Made Oklahoma

Subject: RE: Suggestions Sought: Songs for two people
From: Keith A of Hertford
Date: 03 Jan 07 - 09:57 AM

Pete Bellamy put Kipling's Soldier, Soldier to music.
It is a dialogue between a returned soldier and the sweetheart of a non-returned soldier.
Good song.

Subject: RE: Suggestions Sought: Songs for two people
From: Keith A of Hertford
Date: 03 Jan 07 - 10:10 AM

Soldier,Soldier (Kipling)

Subject: RE: Suggestions Sought: Songs for two people
From: Scrump
Date: 03 Jan 07 - 02:29 PM

Then fix it dear GUEST, dear GUEST

Subject: RE: Suggestions Sought: Songs for two people
From: GUEST,Richard Bridge with no cookie
Date: 03 Jan 07 - 06:15 PM

The other Soldier, Soldier (won't you marry me, with your musket pipe and drum....)

Green and Yellow (Mother be quick 'cos I wanna be sick and lay me down to die)

But the nailer for a father-daughter duo simply HAS to be

Come Away, Melinda.

Subject: RE: Suggestions Sought: Songs for two people
From: GUEST
Date: 04 Jan 07 - 09:46 AM

The Spanish Lady or Galway City or whatever you call it. Some versions have a question-response structure.

Subject: RE: Suggestions Sought: Songs for two people
From: Scrump
Date: 04 Jan 07 - 10:00 AM

Melinda: Sha'n't! :-)

There's also a different version of "Soldier, Soldier, Won't You Marry Me?" called "Farmer, Farmer, Won't You Marry Me?"

Subject: RE: Suggestions Sought: Songs for two people
From: GUEST
Date: 04 Jan 07 - 06:12 PM

Lou & Peter Berryman have written/ recorded lots of great (usually humourous) 'dialogue' duets.

Subject: RE: Suggestions Sought: Songs for two people
From: Joe_F
Date: 04 Jan 07 - 08:44 PM

The False Lover Won Back (Child 218). The narrative parts can be sung in duet, as Ewan MacColl & Peggy Seeger did.

Subject: RE: Suggestions Sought: Songs for two people
From: Little Robyn
Date: 05 Jan 07 - 04:42 AM

Huntingtower, found here

Alistair Hulett used to sing it with his sister Alison many years ago.
Robyn

Subject: RE: Suggestions Sought: Songs for two people
From: Gurney
Date: 05 Jan 07 - 07:38 PM

Some of 'Liverpool Judies' is made for two male voices.

Subject: RE: Suggestions Sought: Songs for two people
From: GUEST
Date: 05 Jan 07 - 11:42 PM

'Hoppípolla' from the group called Sigur Rós taken from the beautiful album call 'Takk'.

Subject: Lyr Add: WAD YE DAE THAT? (Robert Burns)
From: GUEST,Duncan McLeerie
Date: 06 Jan 07 - 10:39 AM

"Wad ye dae that?" by Robert Burns, to the air "John Anderson my Jo"


"Guidwife, whan your guidman's frae hame,
Gin I micht be sae bauld
As come tae your bed-chamber,
Whan winter nicht's are cauld,
As come tae your bed-chamber,
Whan nichts are cauld and wat,
And lie there in your guidman's place---
Wad ye dae that?"

"Young man, if ye wad be sae kind
Whan my guidman's frae hame,
As come tae my bed-chamber,
Where I am laid my lane             (i.e., "alone")
And lie there in my guidman's place,
I wull tell ye what;
He fucks me five times ilka nicht-
Wad ye dae THAT?"

Subject: RE: Suggestions Sought: Songs for two people
From: GUEST,Janet, his wife.
Date: 06 Jan 07 - 10:40 AM

"What Will You Do, Love?" by Samuel Lover is rather more genteel.

Subject: RE: Suggestions Sought: Songs for two people
From: Cats
Date: 07 Jan 07 - 10:29 AM

Jon Heslop wrote 'The Lost Gardeners of Heligan' for two people. The first part of each verse is someone in the gardens now and the response is from one of the 1914 gardeners. Very moving. We sang it at Heligan at about midnight after the last show there with Jon singing the second part from various places in the melon garden so you couldn't see him, only hear a voice from the darkness. A very spooky moment.

Subject: RE: Suggestions Sought: Songs for two people
From: GUEST,henryp
Date: 20 Oct 24 - 11:18 AM

Boots of Spanish Leather; by Bob Dylan

Oh, I’m sailin’ away my own true love
I’m sailin’ away in the morning
Is there something I can send you from across the sea
From the place that I’ll be landing?

No, there’s nothin’ you can send me, my own true love
There’s nothin’ I wish to be ownin’
Just carry yourself back to me unspoiled
From across that lonesome ocean

Subject: RE: Suggestions Sought: Songs for two people
From: gillymor
Date: 20 Oct 24 - 11:38 AM

First wife and I used to trade verses on The House Carpenter (aka The Daemon Lover). She singing the female part and me the male part.

Subject: RE: Suggestions Sought: Songs for two people
From: Joe Offer
Date: 20 Oct 24 - 11:50 AM

"Green Grow the Rushes, O" works well with a partner - except that the partner doesn't have much of a part.

Subject: RE: Suggestions Sought: Songs for two people
From: gillymor
Date: 20 Oct 24 - 11:58 AM

Townes Van Zandt's "If I Needed You" works well a la the Don Williams/Emmylou version.

Subject: RE: Suggestions Sought: Songs for two people
From: GUEST,Ray
Date: 20 Oct 24 - 04:16 PM

“The Nurse” - Jake Thackray.

Subject: RE: Suggestions Sought: Songs for two people
From: GUEST
Date: 20 Oct 24 - 04:24 PM

Auld Rob Morris from Ramsay's Tea Table Miscellany. A conversation between a mother and daughter, the former trying to convince the latter that marrying the titular auld man is a good idea.

Subject: RE: Suggestions Sought: Songs for two people
From: Tattie Bogle
Date: 20 Oct 24 - 07:27 PM

Huntingtower is a great Scottish traditional dialogue song.

Subject: RE: Suggestions Sought: Songs for two people
From: GUEST
Date: 20 Oct 24 - 10:37 PM

I realize this is much off topic, but rhyming with orange?

My friend George said nothing rhymes with orange (my wife said no it doesn't)

I sent this to George:

Things that rhyme with ORANGE: forage, storage, porridge, mortgage, marriage, courage, encourage, carriage, anchorage, coverage, voyage, homage, arrange, average, college, scourge, forge, gorge, GEORGE, torch, emerge, range, carnage, foliage, enlarge, knowledge, and leverage.

There's also image, avenge, engage, enrage, exchange, hinge, indulge, language, manage, revenge, and twinge.

Your MILEAGE May Vary.

Subject: RE: Suggestions Sought: Songs for two people
From: GUEST,henryp
Date: 21 Oct 24 - 05:59 AM

Across the Blue Mountains - this actually has three characters, but can be sung by a male and a female voice.

"I'll buy you a horse, love, and saddle to ride
I'll buy myself another to ride by your side
We'll stop at every tavern, we’ll drink when we’re dry
Across the Blue Mountains go my Katie and I"

Then up spoke her mother, and angry was she then
Crying "Daughter, oh dear daughter, he's a married man!
There's young men a-plenty more handsome than he
Let him take his own wife to the Allegheny"

"Oh mother, dear mother, he's the man of my own heart
Wouldn't it be a tragedy if we should have to part?
For I'd envy every woman that I'd ever see
Cross the Blue Mountains to the Allegheny"

Subject: RE: Suggestions Sought: Songs for two people
From: The Og
Date: 21 Oct 24 - 12:06 PM

Songs with the same chord patterns can be sung against each other

I Was Born about 10,000 Years Ago + Lonesome Traveler

It's a Sin to Tell a Lie + Little White Lie

Subject: RE: Suggestions Sought: Songs for two people
From: keberoxu
Date: 21 Oct 24 - 01:03 PM

The ever-controversial
"Baby, It's Cold Outside."

Recorded by more duos than I can enumerate,
chief among them
Ray Charles and Betty Carter.

Subject: RE: Suggestions Sought: Songs for two people
From: gillymor
Date: 21 Oct 24 - 01:25 PM

Ray and Betty also did an outstanding version of Cole Porter's "Every Time We Say Goodbye".

Subject: RE: Suggestions Sought: Songs for two people
From: gillymor
Date: 22 Oct 24 - 03:32 AM

Goodbye Again by Dave Alvin with Rosie Flores.

Subject: RE: Suggestions Sought: Songs for two people
From: FreddyHeadey
Date: 27 Oct 24 - 10:21 PM

The Elfin Knight / Scarborough Fair / Whittingham Fair / Rosemary Lane
https://mainlynorfolk.info/martin.carthy/songs/theelfinknight.html

Subject: RE: Suggestions Sought: Songs for two people
From: John MacKenzie
Date: 28 Oct 24 - 06:11 PM

BUFFALO BOY
Sung by: Marian Dozha and George Fisher
Recorded in Mountain View, AR 4/19/63



When are we gonna get married, get married, get married?
Oh, when are we gonna get married, my dear old buffalo boy?

I guess we’ll marry Tuesday, next Tuesday, next Tuesday.
I guess we’ll marry next Tuesday--that is, if the weather is good.

Well, what you gonna wear to the wedding in, the wedding in, the wedding in?
What you gonna wear to the wedding in, my dear old buffalo boy?

I guess I’ll wear my britches, my britches, my britches.
I guess I’ll wear my britches--that is, if the weather is good.

Well, how you gonna get to the wedding in, the wedding in, the wedding in?
How you gonna get to the wedding in, my dear old buffalo boy?

I guess I’ll ride my oxcart, my oxcart, my oxcart.
I guess I’ll ride my oxcart--that is, if the weather be good.

I’se a-hoping you’d bring your buggy, your buggy, your buggy.
I’se a-hoping you’d bring your buggy, my dear old buffalo boy.

The ox won’t fit in the buggy, the buggy, the buggy.
Ox won’t fit in the buggy, not even if the weather be good.

Well, who you gonna bring to the wedding in, the wedding in, the wedding in?
Who you gonna bring to the wedding in, my dear old buffalo boy?

I thought I’d bring my children, my children, my children.
I thought I’d bring my children--that is, if the weather be good.

I didn’t know you had no children, no children, no children.
Didn’t know you had no children, my dear old buffalo boy.

Reckon I got six children, six children, six children.
I reckon I got six children--seven if the weather be good.

Well, there ain’t gonna be no wedding in, no wedding in, no wedding in.
There ain’t gonna be no wedding in, not even if the weather be good.

Subject: RE: Suggestions Sought: Songs for two people
From: GUEST
Date: 30 Oct 24 - 01:40 PM

Proud Maisrie. Not dialogue, but male first 4 verses, female the last three. Bleak rejection.

Subject: RE: Suggestions Sought: Songs for two people
From: Bill D
Date: 30 Oct 24 - 05:11 PM

If you are serious..
double yodel

Subject: RE: Suggestions Sought: Songs for two people
From: Neil D
Date: 06 Nov 24 - 05:24 AM

I always thought "Fields of Athenrye" would make a great duet.

Subject: RE: Suggestions Sought: Songs for two people
From: Tattie Bogle
Date: 06 Nov 24 - 06:50 PM

Anyone mentioned “Anything you can do, I can do better”, from Annie Get your Gun? It’s a real hoot of a song!

Subject: RE: Suggestions Sought: Songs for two people
From: GUEST,henryp
Date: 09 Nov 24 - 06:37 AM

Pretty Polly

Oh Willie, oh Willie, I'm a feared for my life
Oh Willie, oh Willie, I'm a feared for my life
I'm afraid you mean to murder me, and leave me behind

Pretty Polly, Pretty Polly, you guessed about right
Polly, Pretty Polly, you guessed about right
I've been diggin' your grave, for the best part of last night

American versions of the song, such as those of B.F. Shelton and Dock Boggs, tend to begin in the first person
("I courted Pretty Polly...") and switch to the third person for the murder ("he stabbed her to the heart");
Jean Ritchie's 1963 recording as well as Judy Collins' 1968 recording featured alternating verses,
switching back and forth between Polly and Willie's perspectives. Wikipedia

Subject: RE: Suggestions Sought: Songs for two people
From: GUEST,Dennis D'Asaro
Date: 13 Nov 24 - 02:13 AM

God knows if you are still at this.

"Love Is All Around" (the Troggs' other hit)
Heard whatsisname Jackrabbit Slim do this once with a woman at a NYC open mic. Very effective counter-torchy.

It was an awful environment for an outsider. The New Folk (or whomever) people all left their concert manners at home for strangers. This was at least 30 yrs ago.

Subject: RE: Suggestions Sought: Songs for two people
From: Jack Campin
Date: 18 Nov 24 - 08:43 PM

The Hungarian song "Elment a madarka". Dialogue between a man and a woman, mediated by a bird carrying messages. He's in exile as an outlaw. She wants him to come back, but he wants to stay out there, eating raw grain from the fields and drinking the dew. I haven't heard it sung as a duet but the form fits.