music by couples for a couple

May 30, 2006 11:20 AM

Music by couples?

A friend wants to put together a mix CD for two musicians who are soon to wed. The theme of the CD will be "music made by couples."

This couple plays indie/alt-country/blues music but both enjoy a wide range of styles, so any suggestions are welcome.

Thank you.

posted by btwillig to media & arts (95 comments total)

The Mates of State are married, and Quasi used to be.
posted by interrobang at 11:27 AM on May 30, 2006

Handsome Family
posted by skwm at 11:27 AM on May 30, 2006

"i got you babe" by sonny and cher?
posted by clarahamster at 11:27 AM on May 30, 2006

Robin and Linda Williams. Nice folks - had them in the studio once upon a time - and fine music.
posted by Wolfdog at 11:28 AM on May 30, 2006

I just read a really good review of Lad & Bird. I haven't heard it, but I love Keren Ann's voice, and the review from Bust says:

Whether it was all the sex ("Yes, we had sex all the time!" they declare in the album credits) or the recording backdrops of Iceland, Paris, and Belgium, something clicked with Lady & Bird.... Role-playing as two children trapped in the bodies of adults, the two have complementary voices that are completely at ease atop the atmospheric folk, electro-rock, and haunting surprise ending, "La Ballade of Lady & Bird."
posted by occhiblu at 11:28 AM on May 30, 2006

(Sorry, that should have been "Lady & Bird.")
posted by occhiblu at 11:29 AM on May 30, 2006

It's Jo And Danny? I like Over Your Head from this album.

(I think they're married, but can't confirm this...)
posted by randomination at 11:32 AM on May 30, 2006

Buddy and Julie Miller
posted by kimdog at 11:32 AM on May 30, 2006

The Harvey Girls kick major ass, really. Their music is just fantastic, and not easily categorized. melissa may and sleepy pete are MeFites. I'm pretty sure they're married, but in any case they're definitely a couple.

There are quite a few MP3s on their site, and a CD you can buy.
posted by iconomy at 11:32 AM on May 30, 2006

Also, early No Doubt? And Gillian Welch's husband is her guitarist.
posted by occhiblu at 11:34 AM on May 30, 2006

Polly Fiveash and Anand Nayak. http://www.dizzydogmusic.com/ Beautiful music, beautiful couple.
posted by bigd at 11:34 AM on May 30, 2006

Richard and Linda Thompson.- Divorced, but at one time made great British Folk albums.
posted by Gungho at 11:35 AM on May 30, 2006

There's always Johnny Cash and June Carter Cash.

Or the little-known White Stripes.
posted by shakespeherian at 11:36 AM on May 30, 2006

Tuck & Patti would be appropriate for a wedding. Assif Tsahar and Susie Ibarra (now divorced) would not. Toshiko Akiyoshi's big bands with consecutive husbands Charlie Mariano and Lew Tabackin. Mili Bermejo and Dan Greenspan. Donna Byrne and Marshall Wood. Wesla Whitfield and Mike Greensill. Carla Bley and Steve Swallow, or Paul Bley and Carla Bley, or Paul Bley and Annette Peacock, or Annette Peacock and Gary Peacock. Jean Baylor sings some nice tunes with the Yellowjackets, for whom her husband plays drums. Abigail Aronson and Zorm Zocher. Cleo Laine and John Dankworth. Steve Lacy and Irene Aebi. Diana Krall and Elvis Costello. John and Alice Coltrane.

...Sorry. I got on a roll. That's a bit long, and it's mostly jazz, and some (like Tsahar and Coltrane) probably isn't wedding-appropriate, but consider it a contribution to the hive's brainstorm.
posted by cribcage at 11:37 AM on May 30, 2006

Yo La Tengo
Low
posted by pitchblende at 11:38 AM on May 30, 2006

Wings
Dos
Sonic Youth
Mommy & Daddy
Culture Club
early Smashing Pumpkins
posted by JekPorkins at 11:39 AM on May 30, 2006

Gerry Goffin and Carole King co-wrote quite a few hit songs as a married couple, but Goffin was only a songwriter; only King performed any of them.
posted by CrunchyFrog at 11:39 AM on May 30, 2006

...Sorry. I got on a roll.

No apology necessary. Thank you.

Wow, so many great suggestions already and some obvious ones I hadn't considered. Thank you all!
posted by btwillig at 11:40 AM on May 30, 2006

Dude, Captain and Tennille.
posted by Ogre Lawless at 11:42 AM on May 30, 2006

Over the Rhine. Particularly, stuff off their Drunkard's Prayer disc.
posted by anthom at 11:43 AM on May 30, 2006

Ian and Sylvia. Les Paul and Mary Ford. Mickey and Sylvia. Louis Prima and Keely Smith. Steve and Eydie.
posted by wsg at 11:43 AM on May 30, 2006

Oh, and The Mamas and the Papas had a married couple in it, John and Michelle Philips. Probably not the sort of thing you're looking for, though, since it also includes an unrequited love (Cass for Denny) and an extramarital affair (Denny and Michelle). Still "Dedicated to the One I Love" is a nice romantic song.
posted by CrunchyFrog at 11:46 AM on May 30, 2006

Mike Watt and Kira's dos project. They're not married anymore. But they were and the project is ongoing.
posted by wheat at 11:46 AM on May 30, 2006

Two of the members of The Arcade Fire are married.
posted by TheOnlyCoolTim at 11:49 AM on May 30, 2006

Dang-- on preview I see most of these were suggested all ready. But here ya go:

The Harvey Girls-- metafilter's own Melissa May and her husband

Fleetwood Mac-- might not be an appropriate wedding selection, as both couples in the band got divorced

Johnny Cash & June Carter

The Carter Family-- although A.P. and Sara Carter also got divorced

The Trachtenberg Family Slideshow Players

The Partridge Family

Sonic Youth-- Kim Gordon and Thurston Moore have been happily married for years.
posted by Fuzzy Monster at 11:50 AM on May 30, 2006

Second, Kimdog, on Buddy and Julie Miller. "You Make My Heart Beat Too Fast" would be a great song on the compilation.
posted by Thorzdad at 11:51 AM on May 30, 2006

Oh! How can I forget Carly Simon and James Taylor.
They were married up until 1983, and did quite a few songs together. (There's a list on the wiki entry for Carly Simon.)
posted by CrunchyFrog at 11:51 AM on May 30, 2006

Splendid

Also, James Taylor & Carly Simon made a nice duet of "Mockingbird" while they were together.

In a similar vein to CrunchyFrog's suggestion, there's John and Christine McVie (not to mention Stevie Nicks/Lindsay Buckingham, Stevie Nicks/Mick Fleetwood...) of Fleetwood Mac.

Who was a couple in the Patridge Family??
posted by nakedcodemonkey at 11:52 AM on May 30, 2006

Pat Benatar now writes and performs with her husband.
posted by clh at 11:54 AM on May 30, 2006

Junior Brown and Tanya Rae Brown.
posted by sonofsamiam at 11:54 AM on May 30, 2006

Oop, nakedcodemonkey, you're right-- The Partridge Family had a single mom.
posted by Fuzzy Monster at 11:58 AM on May 30, 2006

The Submarines.
Blonde Redhead.

Didn't Kurt Cobain ghost write all of... ah, forget it.
posted by jon_kill at 12:00 PM on May 30, 2006

Jim & Jean (Glover)

I like Ian & Sylvia's music, but their marriage was not one you'd want to use as an example.
posted by Kirth Gerson at 12:05 PM on May 30, 2006

Aimee Mann and Michael Penn
posted by baltimore at 12:07 PM on May 30, 2006

Sam Phillips and T Bone Burnette
posted by baltimore at 12:11 PM on May 30, 2006

Talking Heads (Chris Franz + Tina Weymouth, also the Tom Tom Club).

Eurythmics - well they were for quite a while.
posted by handee at 12:12 PM on May 30, 2006

Jucifer!
posted by Dr. Wu at 12:12 PM on May 30, 2006

ABBA!

(okay, so both couples ended up divorced)
posted by witchstone at 12:13 PM on May 30, 2006

I second Tuck and Patti. Heaven Down Here (Real Audio) comes to mind, for example.
posted by purplemonkie at 12:15 PM on May 30, 2006

Suzanne Vega and Mitchell Froom, though she's since moved on
posted by baltimore at 12:19 PM on May 30, 2006

I don't know if you're only looking for things by established artists, but through Songfight I discovered a song called "Need Stilts" by Glenn and Rachael that is really great.
posted by ckolderup at 12:19 PM on May 30, 2006

Matmos, two boys, still in love.
posted by xo at 12:22 PM on May 30, 2006

Magpie, who also work with Kim and Reggie Harris. Lots of great country and blues from both couples.
posted by nonane at 12:22 PM on May 30, 2006

Mr. & Mrs. Elvis Costello.

Or the former Mr. & Mrs. Elvis Costello, who performed together sparingly.
posted by baltimore at 12:25 PM on May 30, 2006

The Rosebuds are a married couple, plus a drummer.
posted by leesh at 12:26 PM on May 30, 2006

Tom Tom Club
posted by Thorzdad at 12:27 PM on May 30, 2006

John & Yoko, obviously!

Matmos.

Prince and Kim Basinger (no, really), Prince and Sheena Easton, Prince and Jill Jones, Prince and Apollonia, Prince and Vanity, Prince and Carmen Electra, Prince and Martika. Think that's all of them, if rumours are to be believed (Vanity is a definite, but I dunno if you'd want Sex Shooter or Nasty Girl on a romantic compilation tape.)
posted by jack_mo at 12:29 PM on May 30, 2006

Tim McGraw and Faith Hill. They fit the bill, and have a few duets that would make great wedding music (see the beautiful (IMO) "It's Your Love").
posted by jcummings1974 at 12:32 PM on May 30, 2006

Diana Krall and Elvis Costello

Given that Elvis left his previous wife for Diana, this may not be so appropriate.

Richard and Linda Thompson might not be appropriate, either. As I believe the animosity level ran a little high in their final years, too.
posted by doctor_negative at 12:37 PM on May 30, 2006

Mi and L'au.
posted by RGD at 12:45 PM on May 30, 2006

The Bellrays.
posted by dobbs at 12:52 PM on May 30, 2006

Matthew Herbert: Around the House
Matthew Herbert: Bodily Functions

Both of these prominently feature vocals sung by his extremely talented wife Dani Siciliano, and are excellent albums.

Similarly her own album Likes is mostly produced by Matthew Herbert, and has a similar sound.

Bodily Functions is one of my favorite albums of all time.
posted by aubilenon at 1:03 PM on May 30, 2006

John Martyn made a couple of albums with his then wife Beverley. Dunno whether that's appropriate either.
posted by aisforal at 1:07 PM on May 30, 2006

Amadou and Mariam are currently huge favorites of mine. Wiki here. They are known as "The Blind Couple from Mali" and are incredible. They recently did a song, "Senegal Fast Food," with Manu Chao but have tons on their own as well.
posted by arcticwoman at 1:09 PM on May 30, 2006

The Like Young.
posted by brad! at 1:16 PM on May 30, 2006

Cibo Matto - didn't one of the two original female members marry or otherwise carry-on with John Lennon's son, who was in the band at the time of the last album & tour? I imagine Lint of Love would be a wonderful wedding song :)
posted by luriete at 1:21 PM on May 30, 2006

Well, Julia Wolfe and Michael Gordon are married, and they're two of the three people behind the amazing Bang on a Can. They've done several collaborations with their third-partner David Lang.
posted by allterrainbrain at 2:01 PM on May 30, 2006

Viva Voce.
posted by adamdrici at 2:03 PM on May 30, 2006

Seconding ABBA (but before they all got divorced) - it's a double whammy!
posted by Lotto at 2:07 PM on May 30, 2006

Britta Phillips and Dean Wareham (of Luna) put out a quite charming album of romantic, 60's French pop-ish duets, L'Avventura. And they are a couple--maybe even married.
posted by _sirmissalot_ at 2:07 PM on May 30, 2006

Fleetwood Mac?

George and Olivia Harrison
posted by martinX's bellbottoms at 2:13 PM on May 30, 2006

The two leads in Rainer Maria were encoupled for their first few albums.
posted by drewbeck at 2:13 PM on May 30, 2006

I feel like the oldest person in this thread.

1. Ike and Tina Turner

2. Nancy and Frank Sinatra (Something Stupid?)

3. Serge Gainsbourg and Jane Birkin (Je t'aime)
posted by selton at 2:16 PM on May 30, 2006

Sarah McLachlan married her drummer. So did Pearl Bailey.
posted by blackkar at 2:50 PM on May 30, 2006

Nancy Sinatra (the singer) is Frank's daughter. I'm not sure that's what btwillig is looking for.
posted by JekPorkins at 2:50 PM on May 30, 2006

btwillig, if you do count Old Blue Eyes & Miss Bleached Tresses, why not include the demi-posthumous pairing of Nat 'n' Nat?
posted by rob511 at 2:53 PM on May 30, 2006

White Stripes are not a couple... at least not any more, so that may not work
posted by edgeways at 3:05 PM on May 30, 2006

What about Tatu for a little bit of schmaltz?
posted by iconomy at 3:14 PM on May 30, 2006

Wow, this may end up being a double cd... lots to choose from here. Thanks everyone.

_sirmissalot, definitely agree with you on L'Avventura -- so good.
posted by btwillig at 3:16 PM on May 30, 2006

Pretty much everything Tom Waits has written since the early 80s has been co-written by his wife, Kathleen Brennan. She doesn't perform with him though, as far I know.
posted by Lazlo Hollyfeld at 3:32 PM on May 30, 2006

The Sundays
posted by gergtreble at 3:38 PM on May 30, 2006

Timbuk 3 had a lot of great music besides Future's So Bright. I Love You In the Strangest Way might be good, if the couple has a sense of humor.
posted by mkhall at 4:19 PM on May 30, 2006

Amy Grant & Vince Gill
posted by clh at 4:21 PM on May 30, 2006

The Whole Bolivian Army

Lester and Holly
posted by Buzz at 4:22 PM on May 30, 2006

It's rumored that Sheryl Crow & Kid Rock were a (short-lived) couple when they recorded "Picture".
posted by clh at 4:36 PM on May 30, 2006

Wendy & Lisa [Flash].

Tammy Wynette & George Jones performed together while they were married.
posted by SuperSquirrel at 5:03 PM on May 30, 2006

Pat Benatar now writes and performs with her husband.
posted by clh at 1:54 PM CST on May 30 [+fave] [!] [↑] Other comments (1/3): ·

Actually, he [Neil Giraldo] has been her writer and producer and guitarist since the early days.
posted by SuperSquirrel at 5:06 PM on May 30, 2006

Has anyone mentioned Boss Hog? Aren't Cristina Martinez and Jon Spencer husband and wife?
posted by misozaki at 5:14 PM on May 30, 2006

How about Bruce Springsteen's "Red Headed Woman", his song about Patti?
posted by AmbroseChapel at 5:15 PM on May 30, 2006

A bit late to the party but:

Michel Berger and France Gall / Quand on est ensemble

Jane Birkin and Serge Gainsbourg
posted by ceri richard at 5:21 PM on May 30, 2006

...and how could I forget the the husband-and-wife duo of Jo Stafford and Paul Weston, who teamed up as the deliberately and hilariously awful lounge act, Jonathan and Darlene Edwards?
posted by Buzz at 5:30 PM on May 30, 2006

Country blues? Geoff & Maria Muldaur
posted by Kirth Gerson at 5:47 PM on May 30, 2006

Stacey Earle & Mark Stuart
posted by essexjan at 5:55 PM on May 30, 2006

Nu Shooz -- "I Can't Wait"

One-hit wonder from the 80s.
posted by frogan at 5:56 PM on May 30, 2006

The Raveonettes?
posted by Zero Gravitas at 6:01 PM on May 30, 2006

Fleming and John
posted by flod logic at 6:41 PM on May 30, 2006

James and Emily from Metric.
posted by scody at 8:15 PM on May 30, 2006

David Wilcox and wife Nance Petit. She does a lot of backing vocals on his albums and they recently recorded an album of songs from different faith traditions together.
posted by Biblio at 8:33 PM on May 30, 2006

Everything But The Girl (Ben Watt and Tracey Thorn.)
posted by enrevanche at 3:11 AM on May 31, 2006

Dave Graney and Claire Moore.
posted by hot soup girl at 5:22 AM on May 31, 2006

The Lovers. Very playful, fun and naughty. La Le is a favourite track of mine.
posted by mordecai at 9:11 AM on May 31, 2006

Filament

Otomo Yoshihide & Sachiko M. (who also do lots of other groups with others too, including the superb I.S.O. with Ichiraku Yoshimitsu)
posted by Joseph Gurl at 9:21 AM on May 31, 2006

Hovercraft? (Beth Liebling/Eddie Vedder)
posted by 1f2frfbf at 9:48 AM on May 31, 2006

Sarah McLachlan married her drummer.

Holy crap, all this time I thought she was a lesbian.
posted by kittyprecious at 12:34 PM on May 31, 2006

The Newbees from Cincinnati. Great, sometimes geeky (in a good way) rock in the tradition of BareNaked Ladies and XTC. A couple of tracks are available on their website and we have another song (and my personal favorite), 'Mary', for download with their permission of course, on I See Sound.

'Mary' though probably isn't the song for a soon to be married couple. It's a great anti-love song though and a trip to watch them sing since they are so definitely in love.
posted by Jase at 5:41 AM on June 7, 2006