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Friday, Aug 9 2024, 7AM
Good morning, happy Friday, and welcome to The Morning show with SF-bound John Richards. John will be broadcasting live from KQED in SF Monday-Wednesday next week. Today, we have Shakey Graves tickets (in the Bay Area) to give away! We're so glad you're here!
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We're beginning our show with duets today. Someone has combined Kylie Minogue covering Need You Tonight (Live) with their original. If you are listening on headphones, on the left side Kylie's cover while, on the right side, you can hear INXS's original song.:www.youtube.com
During their brief yet intense romance sometime between 1994-95, Jeff Buckley and the Cocteau Twins’ Elizabeth Fraser crafted their heavenly duet, “All Flowers in Time Bend Towards the Sun.” Here's the story of that relationship and the song: thepeelingblog.com
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This gorgeous song features a collaboration with Michael Stipe of R.E.M.
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Kristin Hersh said, "“Michael Stipe came across a cassette on my business manager’s table” Kristin Hersh begins, discussing the indelible and desirable nature of 1994’s Your Ghost. “He kind of grabbed it and gave it to Warners. It was a bit like someone reading your diary, I thought, in the acoustic demo forms. So, when I went to record the album again, I was putting Your Ghost down with a cello, which wasn’t doing what I wanted. The D tune wasn’t coming out the way I wanted it to. I was talking to Michael on the phone, he probably thought I was going to fuck it up, and he was giving me advice and listening to his tone, it fixed the song. I convinced him to sing on it, telling him it definitely wouldn’t be a single, there wouldn’t be a video or anything, ha ha. Luckily, he’s a good sport about it all”.
Another beautiful duet---Frightened Rabbit's Scott Hutchison with Julien Baker.
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"He opens the song with an account of literally dressing a wound, before Baker sings, as she did so often throughout her debut LP Sprained Ankle, of being confined to a hospital bed, prodded and helpless. “Opened by instruments, closed by a thread/There’s a space in the stitch,” they sing together, detailing the grim origins of the injury. But it’s combination of Baker’s weary voice and Frightened Rabbit’s strum-and-stomp sound that makes this one particularly effective.": pitchfork.com
This song was written for the soundtrack of the third Twilight Saga movie.
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The song was recorded in Los Angeles, and the collaboration was done by email.
"It turned out great, and I'm really proud of it," says Natasha Khan (Bat for Lashes). "So I'm just branching out, trying to be inspired by different things and collaborate a bit and just nourish the artist."
This is a duet with Kate Pierson of the B-52's,
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Watch the official video to see Mr. Pop and Ms. Pierson performing this great song: www.youtube.com
That's The Human League's Phil Oakey in this duet with teenage vocalist Susan Ann Sulley. Sulley had previously been one of the band's backup vocalists and was chosen through "the luck of the draw."
Watch Bob Dylan and Johnny Cash perform this song live on The Johnny Cash Show in 1969: www.facebook.com
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After Cash's death, Dylan said, “Truly he is what the land and country is all about. The heart and soul of it personified and what it means to be here; and he said it all in plain English. I think we can have recollections of him, but we can’t define him any more than we can define a fountain of truth, light and beauty.”
Iris DeMent eulogized her friend and singing companion:
"John Prine was, without a doubt, one of the greatest songwriters this world will ever know. Many people more qualified than me have written about why that is. And many more will follow. Greatest or not, here’s what it comes down to for me and here’s why he rests on my heart’s mountain top: Because he cared enough to look — at me, you, all of us — until he saw what was noble, and then he wrapped us up in melodies and sung us back to ourselves.
That was the miracle of John Prine. And it was enough."
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"There won't be nothin' but big old hearts dancin' in our eyes..."
Here's the official video for "In Spite of Ourselves": www.youtube.com
In 1981, Debbie Harry seized the opportunity to duet with Kermit the Frog on his signature tune, “The Rainbow Connection” — its only performance in the series’ five-season run.: www.youtube.com
Did you know that one of Dolly Parton’s greatest hits and her top country duet with Kenny Rogers, Islands In the Stream, was originally written by the Bee Gees for Marvin Gaye?
The story is that, once Marvin passed on it, it was given to Rogers and he didn’t like it until Dolly was asked to add her vocals. Once she “Dolly’d” it up, the song was a hit. After it was released in 1983, the song went to No. 1 on Billboard Hot 100, topped the adult contemporary charts and the country charts, and went certified platinum with more than two million physical copies sold.
This great duet was written by Billy Edd Wheeler. Learn more about this famous songwriter: www.ncarts.org
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Then, watch a young Cash and Carter perform this one live on The Ralph Emery Show in 1967: www.youtube.com
“Hunger Strike” features a duet between Chris Cornell and Eddie Vedder.
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"Temple Of The Dog’s short-lived status as a Seattle rock supergroup got its start as a tribute project for the late Andrew Wood of Mother Love Bone, and ended up yielding one self-titled album that became a platinum seller. The idea to record songs for Wood, who died of an overdose at age 24, was the late Chris Cornell of Soundgarden’s way of coping with the grief of losing his friend, and the band he recruited as the songs became a full album included not only fellow Seattle musicians who would go on to form Pearl Jam, but a then-unknown singer who had flown up from San Diego, Eddie Vedder. ": www.youtube.com
That's Ann and Nancy Wilson of Heart covering Led Zeppelin in a Sandy Denny style. Watch the sisters performing "Battle of Evermore" live at the premiere of the movie "Singles": www.youtube.com
Loretta Lynn wrote this song years before recording it as a duet with the son's (and album') producer Jack White. The song was based on a true event, during a time when Lynn pretended to have a love affair with her guitarist, Cal Smith in order to make her husband Mooney Lynn jealous.
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"And a pitcher to go..." Watch these two in the official video: www.youtube.com
"Remember when people were content to be unambitious?"
Here are all the lyrics to "Dream of the '90s': genius.com
Here's a lovely duet between Bret McKenzie and Jermaine Clement.
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From the first ever episode of Flight of the Conchords which aired June 17, 2007: www.youtube.com
In a 2015 interview, Geddy Lee talked about his cameo vocal on "Take Off," the hit single by Bob and Doug McKenzie, the characters created by Rick Moranis and Dave Thomas during their days on SCTV.:ultimateclassicrock.com
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This track, fresh off the just-released "Stampede" duets album, is accompanied by a visually stunning music video, featuring guest stars Sharon Stone and drag superstar Gigi Goode.: www.youtube.com
“Empire State of Mind” is Keys and JAY-Z’s legendary salute to the Big Apple. After its release in 2009, it peaked at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 for five weeks.: www.youtube.com
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Keys said that she sent in her vocals for the song and the Brooklyn emcee asked her to record them again. “I actually had to record it a couple times,” she said. “The first time I recorded it in L.A., the s**t just didn’t work. I thought it sounded good but [JAY-Z] called me and was like, ‘You think you can do them vocals again?’ I was like, what? What’s wrong with my vocals? My vocals are fresh. But to be honest and to be fair, I was sick. And you could kind of hear it. I went back in, I did it in New York, the energy was right. You can’t do a New York record in L.A. That’s just wrong.”
This wonderful song was written by Fred Ebb and John Kander and was first released by Liza Minnelli in 1977.
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"For my money, Tony Bennett is the best singer in the business." --Frank Sinatra to Life Magazine in 1965
This is Peter Tosh and Mick Jagger's reggae cover of The Temptations' "Don't Look Back," written by The Miracles' Smokey Robinson and Ronald White.
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Don't miss the video of Tosh and Jagger performing together: www.youtube.com
A fabulous duet between The Clash and the late Ranking Roger of the English Beat. He's singing in place of Joe Strummer's original vocal.
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R.I.P., Roger Charlery (Ranking Roger), who died in 2019 at age 56: www.kexp.org
Yhe song contains the first appearance of Sheena Easton on a Prince release (although he had previously worked with her on tracks for her albums "A Private Heaven" and "No Sound But A Heart"). She is credited with co-lead vocals.: www.youtube.com
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Easton explained the recording process in a 2012 interview: "'U Got The Look' was a track he'd basically finished for himself. It was just a Prince track. He said, 'Do you want to just come in and sing some backup vocals on the choruses?' So I went into the studio, and because I didn't know I was singing against him... I was all over the place - and he said he kind of liked that, so he expanded it into a duet."
"Released as the second single from Pet Shop Boys’ second studio album, “Actually,” in 1987, the song not only marked Pet Shop Boys’ first collaboration but also solidified itself as one of the greatest queer duets of all time.": www.queerty.com
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Originally intended for their debut album “Please,” challenges arose in finding the perfect vocalist for the song to become a duet. The label wanted popular singers at the time to hop on the song, suggesting Tina Turner or Barbra Streisand, but when their manager’s assistant suggested Dusty Springfield, Neil Tennant was keen on having Springfield lend her vocals on the song, as her 1969 album “Dusty in Memphis” was one of his favorites.
"I got chills, they're multiplying
And I'm losing control
'Cause the power you're supplying
It's electrifying..."
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Here's film of Danny and Sandy: www.youtube.com
Cool people singing "Cool Places" --
This is Sparks in collaboration with the Go-Go's rhythm guitarist and backing vocalist Jane Wiedlin.
For Kate Pierson, the actual Love Shack is where she lived in the '70s: a five-room cabin with a tin roof in Athens, Georgia. The band would sometimes work up songs there, including "Rock Lobster." It really was set way back in the middle of a field (off of Jefferson River Road), with no plumbing or running water (an outhouse was nearby). The shack was later renovated, but in 2004 it burned down.
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Enjoy KEXP's exploration of this classic song: www.kexp.org
9:06 AM
10th spin
This incredible duet was featured on Nicks' first solo album, "Bella Donna." Don't miss this live performance with the late and beloved Tom Petty: www.youtube.com
R.I.P. French singer Jane Birkin, who died last year at age 76.: www.theguardian.com
Her partner Serge Gainsbourg died in 1991: www.nytimes.com
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Rumors that the vocal track was recorded under the covers during a moment of intimacy were untrue (the couple were standing at separate microphones in a studio in central London) though they did nothing to harm the mythology surrounding a song that was later condemned by the Vatican.
This is Luna's cover of the 1967 song by Serge Gainsbourg and Brigitte Bardot. That's Lætitia Sadier of Stereolab on vocals along with French-singing Dean Wareham.
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Watch Luna perform the "Bonnie and Clyde (Serge Gainsbourg)" version in New York in 2018: www.youtube.com
That's husband-and-wife Alan Sparhawk and Mim Parker singing here.: www.youtube.com
In 2022, Mimi Parker, age 55, died from ovarian cancer. Here's a KEXP remembrance: www.kexp.org
In 1992, Kurt Cobain said: “I wish Kim [Deal] was allowed to write more songs for the Pixies, because 'Gigantic' is the best Pixies song and Kim wrote it.” (She also sang lead on this track.): faroutmagazine.co.uk
Speaking of duets...Joe Jackson is contributing those great vocals to Shatner's cover of the Pulp song.
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Watch Captain Kirk perform this Pulp cover on the Tonight Show, with the help of Joe Jackson and the Ben Folds Five: www.dailymotion.com
Don't you love this collaboration between Michael Stipe and the B-52's incredible Kate Pierson?
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In 2007, R.E.M. song historian Matthew Perpetua wrote that “the song overflows with love and goodwill, and despite its confusion, ‘Me In Honey’ is among the most jubilant pieces of music R.E.M. have ever written.”: patrickhosken.medium.com
As a young musician, Natalie Merchant felt misunderstood and unsure of her place in the music industry but that changed the first time she heard Michael Stipe sing. “There was something about his voice that I was really attracted to,” she say. “It was something very primal and which made me feel connected to him, so I sought him out.” Merchant and Stipe became friends, briefly dated, and REM and 10,000 Maniacs toured together.
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See alive performance of "Candy Everybody Wants": www.youtube.com
In addition to Stipe's vocals, Neneh Cherry's 1992 song "Trout" features a guitar riff from Steppenwolf's version of "The Pusher" (replayed by Jonny Dollar) and the drum track by John Bonham from "When the Levee Breaks"
Stipe has long touted Patti Smith as an inspiration: They dueted together on R.E.M.’s “E-Bow the Letter” and Stipe has even published a book of photographs of Smith on tour, Two Times Intro. With a chance to channel his inner Patti, Stipe didn’t disappoint, working the upper reaches of his vocal register and singing “they can’t hurt you now” with real passion. Stipe, wearing a sharp white suit (with a Kerry T-shirt underneath), also provided some of the freakiest dancing ever seen onstage with the E Street Band, flailing and spinning with abandon. When Springsteen played an epic guitar solo, Stipe just stood agog, eventually falling to his knees, as if he was observing closely so he could report back to Peter Buck about this unfamiliar rock idiom. :www.youtube.com
Ahhh....the Friday song. Join KEXP and John Richards of The Morning Show for happy hour before Shakey Graves performs at The Regency Ballroom! This 21+ event takes place on Tuesday, August 13 from 5-7 PM.: www.kexp.org