Comments on: music by couples for a couple

Question: music by couples for a couple

btwillig — Tue, 30 May 2006 11:20:34 -0800

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.

By: interrobang

interrobang — Tue, 30 May 2006 11:27:03 -0800

The Mates of State are married, and Quasi used to be.

By: skwm

skwm — Tue, 30 May 2006 11:27:38 -0800

Handsome Family

By: clarahamster

clarahamster — Tue, 30 May 2006 11:27:58 -0800

"i got you babe" by sonny and cher?

By: Wolfdog

Wolfdog — Tue, 30 May 2006 11:28:54 -0800

Robin and Linda Williams. Nice folks - had them in the studio once upon a time - and fine music.

By: occhiblu

occhiblu — Tue, 30 May 2006 11:28:56 -0800

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."

By: occhiblu

occhiblu — Tue, 30 May 2006 11:29:26 -0800

(Sorry, that should have been "Lady & Bird.")

By: randomination

randomination — Tue, 30 May 2006 11:32:19 -0800

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

(I think they're married, but can't confirm this...)

By: kimdog

kimdog — Tue, 30 May 2006 11:32:36 -0800

Buddy and Julie Miller

By: iconomy

iconomy — Tue, 30 May 2006 11:32:48 -0800

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.

By: occhiblu

occhiblu — Tue, 30 May 2006 11:34:00 -0800

Also, early No Doubt? And Gillian Welch's husband is her guitarist.

By: bigd

bigd — Tue, 30 May 2006 11:34:04 -0800

Polly Fiveash and Anand Nayak. http://www.dizzydogmusic.com/ Beautiful music, beautiful couple.

By: Gungho

Gungho — Tue, 30 May 2006 11:35:06 -0800

Richard and Linda Thompson.- Divorced, but at one time made great British Folk albums.

By: shakespeherian

shakespeherian — Tue, 30 May 2006 11:36:27 -0800

There's always Johnny Cash and June Carter Cash.

Or the little-known White Stripes.

By: cribcage

cribcage — Tue, 30 May 2006 11:37:14 -0800

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.

By: pitchblende

pitchblende — Tue, 30 May 2006 11:38:39 -0800

Yo La Tengo
Low

By: JekPorkins

JekPorkins — Tue, 30 May 2006 11:39:22 -0800

Wings
Dos
Sonic Youth
Mommy & Daddy
Culture Club
early Smashing Pumpkins

By: CrunchyFrog

CrunchyFrog — Tue, 30 May 2006 11:39:47 -0800

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.

By: btwillig

btwillig — Tue, 30 May 2006 11:40:53 -0800

...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!

By: Ogre Lawless

Ogre Lawless — Tue, 30 May 2006 11:42:48 -0800

Dude, Captain and Tennille.

By: anthom

anthom — Tue, 30 May 2006 11:43:27 -0800

Over the Rhine. Particularly, stuff off their Drunkard's Prayer disc.

By: wsg

wsg — Tue, 30 May 2006 11:43:34 -0800

Ian and Sylvia. Les Paul and Mary Ford. Mickey and Sylvia. Louis Prima and Keely Smith. Steve and Eydie.

By: CrunchyFrog

CrunchyFrog — Tue, 30 May 2006 11:46:16 -0800

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.

By: wheat

wheat — Tue, 30 May 2006 11:46:42 -0800

Mike Watt and Kira's dos project. They're not married anymore. But they were and the project is ongoing.

By: TheOnlyCoolTim

TheOnlyCoolTim — Tue, 30 May 2006 11:49:15 -0800

Two of the members of The Arcade Fire are married.

By: Fuzzy Monster

Fuzzy Monster — Tue, 30 May 2006 11:50:01 -0800

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.

By: Thorzdad

Thorzdad — Tue, 30 May 2006 11:51:00 -0800

Second, Kimdog, on Buddy and Julie Miller. "You Make My Heart Beat Too Fast" would be a great song on the compilation.

By: CrunchyFrog

CrunchyFrog — Tue, 30 May 2006 11:51:50 -0800

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.)

By: nakedcodemonkey

nakedcodemonkey — Tue, 30 May 2006 11:52:14 -0800

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??

By: clh

clh — Tue, 30 May 2006 11:54:07 -0800

Pat Benatar now writes and performs with her husband.

By: sonofsamiam

sonofsamiam — Tue, 30 May 2006 11:54:42 -0800

Junior Brown and Tanya Rae Brown.

By: Fuzzy Monster

Fuzzy Monster — Tue, 30 May 2006 11:58:44 -0800

Oop, nakedcodemonkey, you're right-- The Partridge Family had a single mom.

By: jon_kill

jon_kill — Tue, 30 May 2006 12:00:32 -0800

The Submarines.
Blonde Redhead.

Didn't Kurt Cobain ghost write all of... ah, forget it.

By: Kirth Gerson

Kirth Gerson — Tue, 30 May 2006 12:05:56 -0800

Jim & Jean (Glover)

I like Ian & Sylvia's music, but their marriage was not one you'd want to use as an example.

By: baltimore

baltimore — Tue, 30 May 2006 12:07:10 -0800

Aimee Mann and Michael Penn

By: baltimore

baltimore — Tue, 30 May 2006 12:11:26 -0800

Sam Phillips and T Bone Burnette

By: handee

handee — Tue, 30 May 2006 12:12:16 -0800

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

Eurythmics - well they were for quite a while.

By: Dr. Wu

Dr. Wu — Tue, 30 May 2006 12:12:20 -0800

Jucifer!

By: witchstone

witchstone — Tue, 30 May 2006 12:13:59 -0800

ABBA!

(okay, so both couples ended up divorced)

By: purplemonkie

purplemonkie — Tue, 30 May 2006 12:15:58 -0800

I second Tuck and Patti. Heaven Down Here (Real Audio) comes to mind, for example.

By: baltimore

baltimore — Tue, 30 May 2006 12:19:02 -0800

Suzanne Vega and Mitchell Froom, though she's since moved on

By: ckolderup

ckolderup — Tue, 30 May 2006 12:19:10 -0800

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.

By: xo

xo — Tue, 30 May 2006 12:22:28 -0800

Matmos, two boys, still in love.

By: nonane

nonane — Tue, 30 May 2006 12:22:32 -0800

Magpie, who also work with Kim and Reggie Harris. Lots of great country and blues from both couples.

By: baltimore

baltimore — Tue, 30 May 2006 12:25:51 -0800

Mr. & Mrs. Elvis Costello.

Or the former Mr. & Mrs. Elvis Costello, who performed together sparingly.

By: leesh

leesh — Tue, 30 May 2006 12:26:16 -0800

The Rosebuds are a married couple, plus a drummer.

By: Thorzdad

Thorzdad — Tue, 30 May 2006 12:27:54 -0800

Tom Tom Club

By: jack_mo

jack_mo — Tue, 30 May 2006 12:29:07 -0800

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.)

By: jcummings1974

jcummings1974 — Tue, 30 May 2006 12:32:07 -0800

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").

By: doctor_negative

doctor_negative — Tue, 30 May 2006 12:37:48 -0800

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.

By: RGD

RGD — Tue, 30 May 2006 12:45:36 -0800

Mi and L'au.

By: dobbs

dobbs — Tue, 30 May 2006 12:52:45 -0800

The Bellrays.

By: aubilenon

aubilenon — Tue, 30 May 2006 13:03:12 -0800

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.

By: aisforal

aisforal — Tue, 30 May 2006 13:07:03 -0800

John Martyn made a couple of albums with his then wife Beverley. Dunno whether that's appropriate either.

By: arcticwoman

arcticwoman — Tue, 30 May 2006 13:09:53 -0800

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.

By: brad!

brad! — Tue, 30 May 2006 13:16:59 -0800

The Like Young.

By: luriete

luriete — Tue, 30 May 2006 13:21:59 -0800

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 :)

By: allterrainbrain

allterrainbrain — Tue, 30 May 2006 14:01:34 -0800

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.

By: adamdrici

adamdrici — Tue, 30 May 2006 14:03:39 -0800

Viva Voce.

By: Lotto

Lotto — Tue, 30 May 2006 14:07:16 -0800

Seconding ABBA (but before they all got divorced) - it's a double whammy!

By: _sirmissalot_

_sirmissalot_ — Tue, 30 May 2006 14:07:21 -0800

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.

By: martinX's bellbottoms

martinX's bellbottoms — Tue, 30 May 2006 14:13:11 -0800

Fleetwood Mac?

George and Olivia Harrison

By: drewbeck

drewbeck — Tue, 30 May 2006 14:13:32 -0800

The two leads in Rainer Maria were encoupled for their first few albums.

By: selton

selton — Tue, 30 May 2006 14:16:10 -0800

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)

By: blackkar

blackkar — Tue, 30 May 2006 14:50:17 -0800

Sarah McLachlan married her drummer. So did Pearl Bailey.

By: JekPorkins

JekPorkins — Tue, 30 May 2006 14:50:49 -0800

Nancy Sinatra (the singer) is Frank's daughter. I'm not sure that's what btwillig is looking for.

By: rob511

rob511 — Tue, 30 May 2006 14:53:56 -0800

btwillig, if you do count Old Blue Eyes & Miss Bleached Tresses, why not include the demi-posthumous pairing of Nat 'n' Nat?

By: edgeways

edgeways — Tue, 30 May 2006 15:05:23 -0800

White Stripes are not a couple... at least not any more, so that may not work

By: iconomy

iconomy — Tue, 30 May 2006 15:14:10 -0800

What about Tatu for a little bit of schmaltz?

By: btwillig

btwillig — Tue, 30 May 2006 15:16:49 -0800

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.

By: Lazlo Hollyfeld

Lazlo Hollyfeld — Tue, 30 May 2006 15:32:36 -0800

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.

By: gergtreble

gergtreble — Tue, 30 May 2006 15:38:22 -0800

The Sundays

By: mkhall

mkhall — Tue, 30 May 2006 16:19:20 -0800

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.

By: clh

clh — Tue, 30 May 2006 16:21:34 -0800

Amy Grant & Vince Gill

By: Buzz

Buzz — Tue, 30 May 2006 16:22:40 -0800

The Whole Bolivian Army

Lester and Holly

By: clh

clh — Tue, 30 May 2006 16:36:49 -0800

It's rumored that Sheryl Crow & Kid Rock were a (short-lived) couple when they recorded "Picture".

By: SuperSquirrel

SuperSquirrel — Tue, 30 May 2006 17:03:57 -0800

Wendy & Lisa [Flash].

Tammy Wynette & George Jones performed together while they were married.

By: SuperSquirrel

SuperSquirrel — Tue, 30 May 2006 17:06:37 -0800

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.

By: misozaki

misozaki — Tue, 30 May 2006 17:14:51 -0800

Has anyone mentioned Boss Hog? Aren't Cristina Martinez and Jon Spencer husband and wife?

By: AmbroseChapel

AmbroseChapel — Tue, 30 May 2006 17:15:26 -0800

How about Bruce Springsteen's "Red Headed Woman", his song about Patti?

By: ceri richard

ceri richard — Tue, 30 May 2006 17:21:17 -0800

A bit late to the party but:

Michel Berger and France Gall / Quand on est ensemble

Jane Birkin and Serge Gainsbourg

By: Buzz

Buzz — Tue, 30 May 2006 17:30:28 -0800

...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?

By: Kirth Gerson

Kirth Gerson — Tue, 30 May 2006 17:47:25 -0800

Country blues? Geoff & Maria Muldaur

By: essexjan

essexjan — Tue, 30 May 2006 17:55:07 -0800

Stacey Earle & Mark Stuart

By: frogan

frogan — Tue, 30 May 2006 17:56:32 -0800

Nu Shooz -- "I Can't Wait"

One-hit wonder from the 80s.

By: Zero Gravitas

Zero Gravitas — Tue, 30 May 2006 18:01:36 -0800

The Raveonettes?

By: flod logic

flod logic — Tue, 30 May 2006 18:41:06 -0800

Fleming and John

By: scody

scody — Tue, 30 May 2006 20:15:52 -0800

James and Emily from Metric.

By: Biblio

Biblio — Tue, 30 May 2006 20:33:34 -0800

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.

By: enrevanche

enrevanche — Wed, 31 May 2006 03:11:45 -0800

Everything But The Girl (Ben Watt and Tracey Thorn.)

By: hot soup girl

hot soup girl — Wed, 31 May 2006 05:22:31 -0800

Dave Graney and Claire Moore.

By: mordecai

mordecai — Wed, 31 May 2006 09:11:22 -0800

The Lovers. Very playful, fun and naughty. La Le is a favourite track of mine.

By: Joseph Gurl

Joseph Gurl — Wed, 31 May 2006 09:21:32 -0800

Filament

Otomo Yoshihide & Sachiko M. (who also do lots of other groups with others too, including the superb I.S.O. with Ichiraku Yoshimitsu)

By: 1f2frfbf

1f2frfbf — Wed, 31 May 2006 09:48:23 -0800

Hovercraft? (Beth Liebling/Eddie Vedder)

By: kittyprecious

kittyprecious — Wed, 31 May 2006 12:34:50 -0800

Sarah McLachlan married her drummer.

Holy crap, all this time I thought she was a lesbian.

By: Jase

Jase — Wed, 07 Jun 2006 05:41:47 -0800

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.