Help me find some more songs that feature male and female vocalists telling a story
September 9, 2011 2:04 PM Subscribe
Looking for songs that tell a story, specifically songs that feature both male and female vocals.
I'm looking for examples of songs that tell a story(although doesn't have to be as direct as that). Specifically songs that feature both male and female vocalists who sing their "part" in the story. I don't have a particular genre I like although I've been listening to a lot of indie-folk lately.
Any ideas?
Some examples:
Damien Rice "I Remember it well"
Bedoiun Soundclash "Brutal Hearts(ft. Coeur de Pirate)"
Gotye "Somebody that I used to know(ft. Kimbra)"
I'm looking for examples of songs that tell a story(although doesn't have to be as direct as that). Specifically songs that feature both male and female vocalists who sing their "part" in the story. I don't have a particular genre I like although I've been listening to a lot of indie-folk lately.
Any ideas?
Some examples:
Damien Rice "I Remember it well"
Bedoiun Soundclash "Brutal Hearts(ft. Coeur de Pirate)"
Gotye "Somebody that I used to know(ft. Kimbra)"
I would be linking to the video to "Don't You Want Me Baby" if I wasn't at work.
Sadly, that work is not "as a waitress in a cocktail bar."
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 2:07 PM on September 9, 2011 [4 favorites]
Sadly, that work is not "as a waitress in a cocktail bar."
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 2:07 PM on September 9, 2011 [4 favorites]
John Prine and Iris DeMent, "In Spite of Ourselves." (Hang in until the 1:30 mark or so.)
(He sings:) She don't like her eggs all runny
She thinks crossin' her legs is funny
She looks down her nose at money
She gets it on like the Easter Bunny
She's my baby I'm her honey
I'm never gonna let her go
(And then she sings:) He ain't got laid in a month of Sundays
I caught him once and he was sniffin' my undies
He ain't too sharp but he gets things done
Drinks his beer like it's oxygen
He's my baby
And I'm his honey
Never gonna let him go
posted by MonkeyToes at 2:08 PM on September 9, 2011 [3 favorites]
(He sings:) She don't like her eggs all runny
She thinks crossin' her legs is funny
She looks down her nose at money
She gets it on like the Easter Bunny
She's my baby I'm her honey
I'm never gonna let her go
(And then she sings:) He ain't got laid in a month of Sundays
I caught him once and he was sniffin' my undies
He ain't too sharp but he gets things done
Drinks his beer like it's oxygen
He's my baby
And I'm his honey
Never gonna let him go
posted by MonkeyToes at 2:08 PM on September 9, 2011 [3 favorites]
Hum...how about the Human League's "Don't You Want Me"....and I guess "Baby it's cold outside" could fit too...
posted by Captain_Science at 2:11 PM on September 9, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by Captain_Science at 2:11 PM on September 9, 2011 [1 favorite]
Kid Rock and Sheryl Crow, "Picture" And now I hate you for making me think of that song.
posted by restless_nomad at 2:12 PM on September 9, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by restless_nomad at 2:12 PM on September 9, 2011 [1 favorite]
Beautiful South does this fairly often. Probably their best effort are "A Little Time," "We Are Each Other," and "'Til You Can't Tuck It In."
posted by dlugoczaj at 2:15 PM on September 9, 2011
posted by dlugoczaj at 2:15 PM on September 9, 2011
Hello in There has variously been done that way - but be warned, it's real toss back some prozac before listening kind of stuff
posted by IndigoJones at 2:15 PM on September 9, 2011
posted by IndigoJones at 2:15 PM on September 9, 2011
Basically every duet in Gilbert and Sullivan, but when you said you didn't have a particular genre, I'm guessing you didn't mean light opera.
posted by The Bellman at 2:16 PM on September 9, 2011
posted by The Bellman at 2:16 PM on September 9, 2011
"Goodbye Again" by Dave Alvin and Rosie Flores (and I think this must be the fifth or sixth time I've found a reason to post this song on AskMeFi) (and I do kind of prefer the album version).
posted by peagood at 2:16 PM on September 9, 2011
posted by peagood at 2:16 PM on September 9, 2011
Paradise by the Dashboard Light
Don't hate the messenger.
posted by nickjadlowe at 2:17 PM on September 9, 2011 [3 favorites]
Don't hate the messenger.
posted by nickjadlowe at 2:17 PM on September 9, 2011 [3 favorites]
You're the Reason God Made Oklahoma, by David Frizzell and Shelly West.
posted by Francolin at 2:30 PM on September 9, 2011 [2 favorites]
posted by Francolin at 2:30 PM on September 9, 2011 [2 favorites]
Magnetic Fields is good for this. I'm partial to Yeah! Oh Yeah!
posted by Gilbert at 2:32 PM on September 9, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by Gilbert at 2:32 PM on September 9, 2011 [1 favorite]
Best answer: These are all duets, or at least feature vocals from a male and a female, telling a story:
A Little Time - The Beautiful South
You Keep it All In - The Beautiful South
Little Talks - Of Monsters and Men
Okay - KaiserCartel
Oh No - KaiserCartel
Awkward Duet - Sons and Daughters
Hey Pretty - Poe and Mark Danielewski
This Mess We're In - PJ Harvey featuring Thom Yorke
Where the Wild Roses Grow - Nick Cave & PJ Harvey
Henry Lee - Nick Cave & PJ Harvey
I want to hear what you've got to say - the Subways
If it's the Beaches - the Avett Brothers
I wish I could see you soon - Herman Dune
posted by iamkimiam at 2:33 PM on September 9, 2011 [2 favorites]
A Little Time - The Beautiful South
You Keep it All In - The Beautiful South
Little Talks - Of Monsters and Men
Okay - KaiserCartel
Oh No - KaiserCartel
Awkward Duet - Sons and Daughters
Hey Pretty - Poe and Mark Danielewski
This Mess We're In - PJ Harvey featuring Thom Yorke
Where the Wild Roses Grow - Nick Cave & PJ Harvey
Henry Lee - Nick Cave & PJ Harvey
I want to hear what you've got to say - the Subways
If it's the Beaches - the Avett Brothers
I wish I could see you soon - Herman Dune
posted by iamkimiam at 2:33 PM on September 9, 2011 [2 favorites]
Ian and Sylvia Tyson: Four Strong Winds, one of the anthems of Western Canada, is probably their most famous example.
posted by bonehead at 2:42 PM on September 9, 2011
posted by bonehead at 2:42 PM on September 9, 2011
Peter Gabriel and Kate Bush: Don't give up; Another Day.
posted by bonehead at 2:53 PM on September 9, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by bonehead at 2:53 PM on September 9, 2011 [1 favorite]
Not duets, but every James McMurtry (son of Larry) song is a little 3-minute novel.
posted by cyndigo at 2:56 PM on September 9, 2011 [2 favorites]
posted by cyndigo at 2:56 PM on September 9, 2011 [2 favorites]
Tindersticks A Marriage Made in Heaven (duet with Isabella Rosselini)
posted by Kafkaesque at 2:58 PM on September 9, 2011
posted by Kafkaesque at 2:58 PM on September 9, 2011
You don't bring me flowers anymore, as sung by Barbra Streisand and Neil Diamond.
posted by sardonyx at 3:18 PM on September 9, 2011 [2 favorites]
posted by sardonyx at 3:18 PM on September 9, 2011 [2 favorites]
The Pogues and Kirsty MacColl - Fairytale of New York.
posted by Ask Ives at 3:19 PM on September 9, 2011 [6 favorites]
posted by Ask Ives at 3:19 PM on September 9, 2011 [6 favorites]
I was coming here to say Fairytale too, but will make do with corecting "Where The Wild Roses Grow", which was Nick Cave with Kylie Minogue, and is, quite frankly, one of the most amazing murder-ballads evef recorded...
posted by benzo8 at 3:37 PM on September 9, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by benzo8 at 3:37 PM on September 9, 2011 [1 favorite]
Kenny Rogers did a lot of duets with female singers. Some of the resulting songs include "What are we doing in love?," "Don't fall in love with a dreamer, and "Real Love."
"Summer Lovin'" from Grease has a definite story told between the male and female leads.
A few other 70s duets from this site may also meet your requirements.
posted by sardonyx at 3:42 PM on September 9, 2011
"Summer Lovin'" from Grease has a definite story told between the male and female leads.
A few other 70s duets from this site may also meet your requirements.
posted by sardonyx at 3:42 PM on September 9, 2011
Train Song - Feist and Ben Gibbard
Personal - Stars
Winter Song - The Head and the Heart
Home - Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros
Heart Skipped a Beat - The xx
posted by n-clue at 3:57 PM on September 9, 2011 [2 favorites]
Personal - Stars
Winter Song - The Head and the Heart
Home - Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros
Heart Skipped a Beat - The xx
posted by n-clue at 3:57 PM on September 9, 2011 [2 favorites]
First one that came to my mind was Paradise. Second was Stop Dragging My Heart Around.
and I forgot about Islands in the Stream by the aforementioned Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton.
posted by China Grover at 3:59 PM on September 9, 2011
and I forgot about Islands in the Stream by the aforementioned Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton.
posted by China Grover at 3:59 PM on September 9, 2011
Dil Mera (One Night) by Juggy D (ft. Jay Sean and Veronica)
A one-night stand, with the stereotypical difference of opinion you'd expect, but here's the money part -- the man and the woman are literally speaking different languages!
Chorus:
M: Baby you know
F: Hai hai hai! (Alas, alas, alas!)
M: Gotta let go
F: Dil mera, dil mera! (My heart, my heart!)
Whatever the sentiments might be -- and between the video and the song there is one great big onion of reprehensible -- it is also catchy as hell and a lot of fun to dance to.
posted by pH Indicating Socks at 4:54 PM on September 9, 2011
A one-night stand, with the stereotypical difference of opinion you'd expect, but here's the money part -- the man and the woman are literally speaking different languages!
Chorus:
M: Baby you know
F: Hai hai hai! (Alas, alas, alas!)
M: Gotta let go
F: Dil mera, dil mera! (My heart, my heart!)
Whatever the sentiments might be -- and between the video and the song there is one great big onion of reprehensible -- it is also catchy as hell and a lot of fun to dance to.
posted by pH Indicating Socks at 4:54 PM on September 9, 2011
Makin' Whoopee (I am partial to the live version by Rickie Lee Jones and Dr. John)
posted by hurdy gurdy girl at 5:58 PM on September 9, 2011
posted by hurdy gurdy girl at 5:58 PM on September 9, 2011
Stop Dragging My Heart Around, Tom Petty/Stevie Nicks
posted by waitangi at 7:03 PM on September 9, 2011
posted by waitangi at 7:03 PM on September 9, 2011
Off the top of my head:
The Civil Wars - Poison and Wine
Rachael Yamagata and Ray LaMontagne - Duet
posted by yasaman at 7:17 PM on September 9, 2011
The Civil Wars - Poison and Wine
Rachael Yamagata and Ray LaMontagne - Duet
posted by yasaman at 7:17 PM on September 9, 2011
Cruising- Gwyneth Paltrow and Huey Lewis
posted by whowearsthepants at 7:50 PM on September 9, 2011
posted by whowearsthepants at 7:50 PM on September 9, 2011
Obligatory: Chillout Tent - The Hold Steady
Fairytale of New York - The Pogues
posted by Lovecraft In Brooklyn at 8:10 PM on September 9, 2011
Fairytale of New York - The Pogues
posted by Lovecraft In Brooklyn at 8:10 PM on September 9, 2011
Bunch of Moldy Peaches songs too
posted by Lovecraft In Brooklyn at 8:11 PM on September 9, 2011
posted by Lovecraft In Brooklyn at 8:11 PM on September 9, 2011
The The - Kingdom of Rain
bonus: Sinead O'Connor
posted by outlaw of averages at 9:57 PM on September 9, 2011
bonus: Sinead O'Connor
posted by outlaw of averages at 9:57 PM on September 9, 2011
Cults - Bumper
posted by lastofthelost at 7:49 AM on September 10, 2011
posted by lastofthelost at 7:49 AM on September 10, 2011
Ah, you didn't say English!
Here's one that's half in Mongolian and half in Chinese. The story is told by three characters: a mother, a father, and a daughter, and they each take turns singing their parts, as well as singing together. It's a nice little song and was hugely popular when I was visiting China in 2006.
The youtube link has a rough translation of what they're saying if you click "Read More".
posted by losvedir at 9:17 AM on September 10, 2011
Here's one that's half in Mongolian and half in Chinese. The story is told by three characters: a mother, a father, and a daughter, and they each take turns singing their parts, as well as singing together. It's a nice little song and was hugely popular when I was visiting China in 2006.
The youtube link has a rough translation of what they're saying if you click "Read More".
posted by losvedir at 9:17 AM on September 10, 2011
my favourite: "Truth Serum" by Smog, with Sarabeth Tucek singing the lady part.
posted by tealsocks at 1:58 PM on September 10, 2011
posted by tealsocks at 1:58 PM on September 10, 2011
Mark Knopfler & Emmylou Harris singing This Is Us comes to mind. The whole album deserves repeated listens.
posted by knile at 4:18 AM on September 13, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by knile at 4:18 AM on September 13, 2011 [1 favorite]
Jumping in on this really late, but Suzanne Vega's "The Queen and the Soldier" is a touching story.
posted by adverb at 11:02 AM on September 20, 2011
posted by adverb at 11:02 AM on September 20, 2011
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by joan_holloway at 2:06 PM on September 9, 2011