Please no "Islands in the Stream"
December 17, 2010 9:20 AM   Subscribe

Help me make a romantic playlist! I'm looking for quirky boy-girl duets that are sweet but with rough edges.

Here are two examples of what I'm looking for:

Chairlift - Bruises
Moldy Peaches - Anybody Else But You

I'm really looking for specific song recommendations, rather than just a group or album. Need not adhere to any particular genre.
posted by 2bucksplus to Media & Arts (64 answers total) 44 users marked this as a favorite
 
Best answer: Bouncing Souls - Wish me Well (You Can Go To Hell)
posted by hafehd at 9:23 AM on December 17, 2010


Best answer: A few on All the Roadrunning come to mind, but particularly "This is Us."

And John Prine - "In Spite of Ourselves." Definitely quirky.
posted by semacd at 9:24 AM on December 17, 2010


Best answer: John Prine and Iris DeMent - In Spit of Ourselves
George Jones and Melba Montgomery - We Must Have Been Out of Our Minds
posted by dobbs at 9:24 AM on December 17, 2010


Grr.
posted by dobbs at 9:25 AM on December 17, 2010


Best answer: Awkward Duet - Sons and Daughters (but all of their music kinda fits your criteria)
posted by iamkimiam at 9:28 AM on December 17, 2010




Best answer: Pink Mountaintops - Tourist in Your Town
posted by dobbs at 9:33 AM on December 17, 2010


Best answer: The Postal Service - Nothing Better
posted by orme at 9:33 AM on December 17, 2010


Best answer: Robbie Fulks & Nora O'Connor - Parallel Bars
posted by Clambone at 9:33 AM on December 17, 2010 [1 favorite]




Best answer: i like +44's "Make You Smile." Kinda cheesy but catchy too.

Postal Service's "Nothing Better" crossed my mind but that's really more of a break-up song than a love song . . .
posted by GastrocNemesis at 9:34 AM on December 17, 2010


Best answer: Big Sandy - "Hey Boy, Hey Girl"
posted by christopherious at 9:37 AM on December 17, 2010




Best answer: Cary Ann Hearst & Michael Trent - Boxcar
posted by ghharr at 9:39 AM on December 17, 2010


Not a duet but The White Stripes did Fell In Love With A Girl and about a year later, Joss Stone covered the tune but renamed it and changed the lyrics to Fell In Love With A Boy. The White Stripes tune is fast paced, hard rockin', and edgy. Joss Stone's version is funky, soulful and sexy. Personally, I think they'd sound great one right after the other on a mix.
posted by Rewind at 9:39 AM on December 17, 2010


Response by poster: Postal Service's "Nothing Better" crossed my mind but that's really more of a break-up song than a love song . . .

Actually I really like that suggestion and would appreciate more songs in that vein.
posted by 2bucksplus at 9:40 AM on December 17, 2010


Best answer: Feist and Ben Gibbard - Train Song
posted by Sara C. at 9:41 AM on December 17, 2010 [2 favorites]




Best answer: Eric's Trip - My Chest is Empty (!!!)
posted by eunoia at 9:44 AM on December 17, 2010


Best answer: Magnetic Fields - Papa Was a Rodeo
posted by ghharr at 9:47 AM on December 17, 2010 [3 favorites]


Best answer: The Pogues and Kirsty MacColl - Fairytale of New York (and seasonally appropriate!)
posted by kimdog at 9:48 AM on December 17, 2010 [2 favorites]


The Moldy Peaches - Anyone Else always makes me miss my wife :)
posted by Glendale at 9:52 AM on December 17, 2010


The tango Maureen from rent?
posted by Betty_effn_White at 9:53 AM on December 17, 2010


Best answer: Actually I really like that suggestion and would appreciate more songs in that vein.

Hmm:

Eric's Trip - Stove ?
posted by eunoia at 9:56 AM on December 17, 2010


Best answer: Tom Waits and Bette Midler (!) - I Never Talk to Strangers
posted by otolith at 9:57 AM on December 17, 2010 [1 favorite]


Best answer: The Jesus and Mary Chain with Hope Sandoval - Sometimes Always
posted by otolith at 9:59 AM on December 17, 2010 [4 favorites]


Best answer: Jens Lekman - Maple Leaves (the lyrics talk about a guy whose gf talks about "make believe" and he think she says "maple leaves") His other songs are pretty charming too.

Jonathan Richman - Her Mystery Not Of High Heels & Eye Shadow (the whole album)
posted by RK at 10:00 AM on December 17, 2010


Best answer: A recent favorite: Eszter Balint and Smokey Hormel - The Color of Your Eyes
posted by neroli at 10:00 AM on December 17, 2010


Best answer: The Stars have a lot of tracks in this vein, especially of the sort-of-a-love-song-sort-of-a-breakup-song genre. Romantic Comedy is one in particular.
posted by anotherthink at 10:03 AM on December 17, 2010 [1 favorite]


Best answer: Belle and Sebastian - I Didn't See it Coming
posted by oinopaponton at 10:11 AM on December 17, 2010 [1 favorite]


Best answer: Isobel Campbell and Mark Lanegan - Honey Child What Can I Do
posted by timetoevolve at 10:11 AM on December 17, 2010 [3 favorites]


Best answer: The White Stripes - 1. Fell In Love With A Girl 2. You're Pretty Good Looking For A Girl (kind of?)

Best Coast - When I'm With You

Best Coast - The Sun Was High (And So Was I)
posted by RK at 10:13 AM on December 17, 2010


Best answer: Coconut Records/Kirsten Dunst - Summer Day
posted by geekchic at 10:14 AM on December 17, 2010


Best answer: I cannot second more ... what's the adverb (powerfully? vocally? numerically?)... Fairytale of New York by the Pogues. The lyrics are definitely a bit rough edged, easy to sing duet, compelling, and just downright fun. And perfect for the season. One of my favorite karaoke duets when I come across someone who know the lady's part. If not, I'm happy to sing it solo.

Ike and Tina Turner's Proud Mary is less rough but still fun. I think Baby It's Cold Outside is great and implicitly a bit sketchy.

Ah, I love duets.
posted by slide at 10:18 AM on December 17, 2010


Best answer: "Borne on the FM Waves of the Heart" by Against Me! with Tegan from Tegan & Sara. I love Tegan.
posted by changeling at 10:22 AM on December 17, 2010 [1 favorite]


Best answer: It's True That We Love One Another (feat. Holly Golightly) by the White Stripes.
posted by doctord at 10:34 AM on December 17, 2010 [1 favorite]


Best answer: Heh, the ending might be a bit too rough? Nick Cave feat Kylie Minogue - Where the Wild Roses Grow
posted by jng at 10:37 AM on December 17, 2010 [2 favorites]


Peaches vs Tone Loc - Wild Thing.
posted by empath at 10:52 AM on December 17, 2010


Best answer: Class's cover of "We Don't Have to Take Our Clothes Off"
posted by chesty_a_arthur at 10:58 AM on December 17, 2010


Bjork - Human Behavior

Decemberist - Grace Cathedral Hil

The Pixies - Hey (you wanted edgy, this ones has who-rahs)

Radiohead - All I Need

My Morning Jacket - Librarian

Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers - Built To Last

The Avalanches - A Different Feeling

Passion Pit - Chunk Of Change (Album) if you can stand the high pitch
posted by RK at 11:06 AM on December 17, 2010


Best answer: Isobel Campbell and Mark Lanegan Come On Over (Turn Me On)

sexy.
posted by jillithd at 11:06 AM on December 17, 2010


Best answer: And for the fun factor, Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros Home
posted by jillithd at 11:11 AM on December 17, 2010 [1 favorite]


Best answer: The Radiohead mention above reminds me:

PJ Harvey and Thom Yorke - This Mess We're In

Thom Yorke and Bjork - I've Seen it All
posted by jng at 11:15 AM on December 17, 2010


Best answer: Peter, Bjorn, and John - Young Folks

Andre 3000 and Norah Jones - Take Off Your Cool
posted by chrisulonic at 11:18 AM on December 17, 2010


Best answer: Almost anything by The Brunettes, particularly Loopy Loopy Love or Mars Loves Venus.

Also Tennessee by the Silver Jews and (I can't believe nobody's said this) Jackson by Johnny Cash and June Carter Cash
posted by dizziest at 11:24 AM on December 17, 2010


Awww, Islands in the Stream was my sister's wedding song! I'm fond of the melodramatic franglais breakup song "J'oublirais ton nom" (Carmel & Johnny Halliday)
posted by cindywho at 11:53 AM on December 17, 2010


Best answer: The Matthew Sweet/Susanna Hoffs "Under the Covers" records are awesome.
posted by brand-gnu at 12:09 PM on December 17, 2010 [1 favorite]


I never seem to recommend anything other than Los Campesinos! in these threads, but My Year In Lists might be the sort of thing you're after.
posted by corvine at 1:18 PM on December 17, 2010


The Deirdres, Fun to Pretend
posted by Hlewagast at 2:32 PM on December 17, 2010


"I'm In", the original Radney Foster/Abra Moore duet.
posted by epj at 2:43 PM on December 17, 2010


Nobody has mentioned She & Him yet? "Sweet Darlin" is my favorite of theirs.

Jenny Lewis has a new project as Jenny and Johnny which also fits the mold, and they played "Big Wave" on Conan last night which I thought was pretty good.
posted by kyleg at 3:37 PM on December 17, 2010


Das Erse Mal - Stereo Total
posted by custard heart at 4:30 PM on December 17, 2010


Best answer: wait wait wait a minute.....how has nobody suggested Je T'aime...Moi Non Plus yet???

Jane Birken + Serge Gainsbourg = pure bliss, and maybe the most fun song to perform at karaoke ever.


for a totally creepsville alternative, try Serge Gainsbourg duet with his daughter Charlotte: Lemon Incest.
posted by custard heart at 4:35 PM on December 17, 2010


Don't Go Breakin My Heart by The Mr T Experience (with Kim Shattuck from the Muffs).

I *love* this version. So much that I am going to make sure my boyfriend knows the original so we can do it at karaoke.
posted by bibliogrrl at 5:33 PM on December 17, 2010


One of the most incredible duets I ever heard in my life was written by Bill Finn of 'Falsettos' fame. Unhealthy power dynamics in song! It's called 'The Passion of Rhoda' and as far as I know it has only been recorded once. Finn sings it with Alison Fraser on her CD 'Men in My Life'.

'She had boots made of steel and an iron constitution that could make me crawl. Who'd forgive you (she said) when you're lying in bed with your head turned towards the wall?. But, I never expected the tears. When she teared I'd expect her to die'
posted by Pennyblack at 5:33 PM on December 17, 2010


The XX - Crystalised
posted by otolith at 10:23 PM on December 17, 2010


The xx? Islands (not in the stream)
posted by ke rose ne at 10:29 PM on December 17, 2010


Damn, you beat me
posted by ke rose ne at 10:30 PM on December 17, 2010


The Ballad of Tom Jones?

On a more serious note, "Shnaim" by Shlomo Artzi and Rita (in Hebrew, but you don't need to know the language to enjoy a wonderfully beautiful song).
posted by holterbarbour at 10:59 PM on December 17, 2010




Best answer: Lush - Ciao (with Jarvis Cocker from Pulp)

Another breakup song, but fits the other requirements.
posted by Lapin at 10:29 AM on December 18, 2010 [1 favorite]


Best answer: Sober Driver - Dengue Fever
posted by krikany at 9:01 AM on December 19, 2010 [2 favorites]


Stuck with You sung by Voltaire and Amanda Palmer (of the Dresden Dolls).
posted by Logic Sheep at 7:39 PM on December 20, 2010


Best answer: "Modern Nature" by Sondre Lerche (featuring Lillian Sarndal) pretty much epitomizes this.
posted by scarykarrey at 8:01 AM on December 22, 2010


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