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Suggestions Sought: Songs for two people

30 Dec 06 - 07:00 AM (#1922055)
Subject: Suggestions Sought: Songs for two peopl
From: DMcG

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.]


30 Dec 06 - 07:13 AM (#1922060)
Subject: RE: Suggestions Sought: Songs for two peopl
From: GUEST

There's a hole in the bucket dear liza


30 Dec 06 - 07:41 AM (#1922072)
Subject: RE: Suggestions Sought: Songs for two peopl
From: Dave Hanson

Arkansas Traveller?

eric


30 Dec 06 - 10:03 AM (#1922173)
Subject: RE: Suggestions Sought: Songs for two peopl
From: GUEST,gleaner

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


30 Dec 06 - 10:11 AM (#1922182)
Subject: RE: Suggestions Sought: Songs for two peopl
From: Bert

Oh No John.


30 Dec 06 - 10:12 AM (#1922184)
Subject: RE: Suggestions Sought: Songs for two peopl
From: open mike

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.


30 Dec 06 - 10:52 AM (#1922206)
Subject: RE: Suggestions Sought: Songs for two peopl
From: GUEST

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

Tim Radford


30 Dec 06 - 10:59 AM (#1922212)
Subject: RE: Suggestions Sought: Songs for two peopl
From: DMcG

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


30 Dec 06 - 02:20 PM (#1922384)
Subject: RE: Suggestions Sought: Songs for two peopl
From: GUEST,gleaner

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.


30 Dec 06 - 02:23 PM (#1922387)
Subject: RE: Suggestions Sought: Songs for two peopl
From: GUEST,gleaner

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


30 Dec 06 - 04:58 PM (#1922550)
Subject: RE: Suggestions Sought: Songs for two peopl
From: JohnB

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


30 Dec 06 - 05:17 PM (#1922563)
Subject: RE: Suggestions Sought: Songs for two peopl
From: Don Firth

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


31 Dec 06 - 04:35 AM (#1922935)
Subject: RE: Suggestions Sought: Songs for two peopl
From: Dave Hanson

From David Grisman and Jerry Garcia,

' Will you wear orange Jenny Jenkins ? '

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


31 Dec 06 - 04:56 AM (#1922942)
Subject: RE: Suggestions Sought: Songs for two peopl
From: Georgiansilver

The Saucy Sailor as performed by Steeleye Span


31 Dec 06 - 01:58 PM (#1923326)
Subject: RE: Suggestions Sought: Songs for two peopl
From: Don Firth

Good one, eric!

Don Firth


31 Dec 06 - 03:19 PM (#1923411)
Subject: RE: Suggestions Sought: Songs for two peopl
From: Genie

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


31 Dec 06 - 03:20 PM (#1923413)
Subject: RE: Suggestions Sought: Songs for two peopl
From: Genie

Lord Randal(l)


31 Dec 06 - 04:12 PM (#1923461)
Subject: RE: Suggestions Sought: Songs for two peopl
From: Don Firth

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

Don Firth


31 Dec 06 - 04:16 PM (#1923463)
Subject: RE: Suggestions Sought: Songs for two peopl
From: DMcG

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?


31 Dec 06 - 04:23 PM (#1923468)
Subject: RE: Suggestions Sought: Songs for two peopl
From: Genie

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


31 Dec 06 - 04:26 PM (#1923472)
Subject: RE: Suggestions Sought: Songs for two peopl
From: DMcG

She's 20, Genie.


31 Dec 06 - 09:01 PM (#1923674)
Subject: RE: Suggestions Sought: Songs for two peopl
From: Genie

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


01 Jan 07 - 12:47 AM (#1923743)
Subject: RE: Suggestions Sought: Songs for two peopl
From: Alice

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


01 Jan 07 - 01:32 AM (#1923749)
Subject: RE: Suggestions Sought: Songs for two peopl
From: GUEST,DonMeixner

Almost anything from Dave Carter and Tracy Grammer.

Someday Soon by Ian Tyson


Don Meixner


01 Jan 07 - 01:47 AM (#1923751)
Subject: RE: Suggestions Sought: Songs for two peopl
From: Bert

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.


01 Jan 07 - 10:12 PM (#1924473)
Subject: RE: Suggestions Sought: Songs for two peopl
From: GUEST,gleaner

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.


01 Jan 07 - 11:39 PM (#1924499)
Subject: Lyr Add: HEY PAULA (from Paul and Paula, 1962)
From: Peace

(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


02 Jan 07 - 11:37 PM (#1925352)
Subject: RE: Suggestions Sought: Songs for two peopl
From: GUEST,Jim Lad

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


03 Jan 07 - 03:39 AM (#1925429)
Subject: RE: Suggestions Sought: Songs for two people
From: Splott Man

The Cutty Wren.

Anything by Chip Taylor & Carrie Rodriguez.

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


03 Jan 07 - 09:10 AM (#1925573)
Subject: RE: Suggestions Sought: Songs for two people
From: Bat Goddess

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

Linn


03 Jan 07 - 09:16 AM (#1925577)
Subject: RE: Suggestions Sought: Songs for two people
From: Beer

Your The Reason God Made Oklahoma


03 Jan 07 - 09:57 AM (#1925602)
Subject: RE: Suggestions Sought: Songs for two people
From: Keith A of Hertford

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.


03 Jan 07 - 10:10 AM (#1925607)
Subject: RE: Suggestions Sought: Songs for two people
From: Keith A of Hertford

Soldier,Soldier (Kipling)


03 Jan 07 - 02:29 PM (#1925802)
Subject: RE: Suggestions Sought: Songs for two people
From: Scrump

Then fix it dear GUEST, dear GUEST


03 Jan 07 - 06:15 PM (#1925947)
Subject: RE: Suggestions Sought: Songs for two people
From: GUEST,Richard Bridge with no cookie

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.


04 Jan 07 - 09:46 AM (#1926389)
Subject: RE: Suggestions Sought: Songs for two people
From: GUEST

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


04 Jan 07 - 10:00 AM (#1926406)
Subject: RE: Suggestions Sought: Songs for two people
From: Scrump

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?"


04 Jan 07 - 06:12 PM (#1926805)
Subject: RE: Suggestions Sought: Songs for two people
From: GUEST

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


04 Jan 07 - 08:44 PM (#1926903)
Subject: RE: Suggestions Sought: Songs for two people
From: Joe_F

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


05 Jan 07 - 04:42 AM (#1927134)
Subject: RE: Suggestions Sought: Songs for two people
From: Little Robyn

Huntingtower, found here

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


05 Jan 07 - 07:38 PM (#1927814)
Subject: RE: Suggestions Sought: Songs for two people
From: Gurney

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


05 Jan 07 - 11:42 PM (#1927944)
Subject: RE: Suggestions Sought: Songs for two people
From: GUEST

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


06 Jan 07 - 10:39 AM (#1928225)
Subject: Lyr Add: WAD YE DAE THAT? (Robert Burns)
From: GUEST,Duncan McLeerie

"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?"


06 Jan 07 - 10:40 AM (#1928227)
Subject: RE: Suggestions Sought: Songs for two people
From: GUEST,Janet, his wife.

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


07 Jan 07 - 10:29 AM (#1929115)
Subject: RE: Suggestions Sought: Songs for two people
From: Cats

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.


20 Oct 24 - 11:18 AM (#4210129)
Subject: RE: Suggestions Sought: Songs for two people
From: GUEST,henryp

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


20 Oct 24 - 11:38 AM (#4210131)
Subject: RE: Suggestions Sought: Songs for two people
From: gillymor

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.


20 Oct 24 - 11:50 AM (#4210132)
Subject: RE: Suggestions Sought: Songs for two people
From: Joe Offer

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


20 Oct 24 - 11:58 AM (#4210133)
Subject: RE: Suggestions Sought: Songs for two people
From: gillymor

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


20 Oct 24 - 04:16 PM (#4210137)
Subject: RE: Suggestions Sought: Songs for two people
From: GUEST,Ray

“The Nurse” - Jake Thackray.


20 Oct 24 - 04:24 PM (#4210138)
Subject: RE: Suggestions Sought: Songs for two people
From: GUEST

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.


20 Oct 24 - 07:27 PM (#4210143)
Subject: RE: Suggestions Sought: Songs for two people
From: Tattie Bogle

Huntingtower is a great Scottish traditional dialogue song.


20 Oct 24 - 10:37 PM (#4210149)
Subject: RE: Suggestions Sought: Songs for two people
From: GUEST

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.


21 Oct 24 - 05:59 AM (#4210154)
Subject: RE: Suggestions Sought: Songs for two people
From: GUEST,henryp

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"


21 Oct 24 - 12:06 PM (#4210172)
Subject: RE: Suggestions Sought: Songs for two people
From: The Og

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


21 Oct 24 - 01:03 PM (#4210178)
Subject: RE: Suggestions Sought: Songs for two people
From: keberoxu

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

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


21 Oct 24 - 01:25 PM (#4210180)
Subject: RE: Suggestions Sought: Songs for two people
From: gillymor

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


22 Oct 24 - 03:32 AM (#4210209)
Subject: RE: Suggestions Sought: Songs for two people
From: gillymor

Goodbye Again by Dave Alvin with Rosie Flores.


27 Oct 24 - 10:21 PM (#4210503)
Subject: RE: Suggestions Sought: Songs for two people
From: FreddyHeadey

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


28 Oct 24 - 06:11 PM (#4210548)
Subject: RE: Suggestions Sought: Songs for two people
From: John MacKenzie

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.


30 Oct 24 - 01:40 PM (#4210668)
Subject: RE: Suggestions Sought: Songs for two people
From: GUEST

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


30 Oct 24 - 05:11 PM (#4210681)
Subject: RE: Suggestions Sought: Songs for two people
From: Bill D

If you are serious..
double yodel


06 Nov 24 - 05:24 AM (#4211093)
Subject: RE: Suggestions Sought: Songs for two people
From: Neil D

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


06 Nov 24 - 06:50 PM (#4211165)
Subject: RE: Suggestions Sought: Songs for two people
From: Tattie Bogle

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


09 Nov 24 - 06:37 AM (#4211287)
Subject: RE: Suggestions Sought: Songs for two people
From: GUEST,henryp

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


13 Nov 24 - 02:13 AM (#4211551)
Subject: RE: Suggestions Sought: Songs for two people
From: GUEST,Dennis D'Asaro

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.


18 Nov 24 - 08:43 PM (#4211900)
Subject: RE: Suggestions Sought: Songs for two people
From: Jack Campin

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.


23 Nov 24 - 09:22 AM (#4212200)
Subject: RE: Suggestions Sought: Songs for two people
From: GUEST

My Jo Janet,


23 Nov 24 - 05:20 PM (#4212231)
Subject: RE: Suggestions Sought: Songs for two people
From: Seamus Kennedy

I Heard The Bluebirds Sing.


23 Nov 24 - 06:06 PM (#4212235)
Subject: RE: Suggestions Sought: Songs for two people
From: gillymor

Someone's probably mentioned it but John Prine has dueted on his Angel From Montgomery with a number of different female singers.
There's a recording somewhere oof Joan Baez and Bob Dylan singing Railroad Boy.