Duets

Friends who know me and my taste in music consider me a die-hard mainstream jazz/swing lover, with an occasional craving for classical music. However, I do actually listen to and enjoy contemporary pop. From time to time, there is the odd modern love song that I would hear on the radio, and it would capture my attention for that entire day.

Within this fairly broad genre of modern love songs, it is the male-female duets that take centre stage. I think it is the intertwining of the male and female voices in perfect harmony, crescendo-ing to the climax of the upper registers, as they passionately and unreservedly express their love for each other, that really stirs up the romantic mood in me.

Admittedly, not all love duets retain my attention and interest. The tune, the instrumental arrangement, the lyrics, the voices of the singers – they all have to blend perfectly into a kaleidoscope of musical colours, throwing me into a hitherto-unknown otherworld of romance.

Here (in rough chronological order of the first times I heard them) are my all-time favourites:

1. Cliff Richard & Olivia Newton-John “Suddenly”
2. Neil Diamond & Barbra Streisand “You Don’t Bring Me Flowers Anymore”
3. Andrea Bocelli & Celine Dion “The Prayer”
4. Gary Valenciano & Regine Velasquez “The Perfect Year (from the Broadway “Sunset Boulevard”)”
5. Russell Watson & Cleopatra Higgins “Someone Like You”
6. Danny Chan & Sally Yeh “等 (Waiting)”

Well, okay… I admit not all of them are what one would categorise as happy love songs (e.g. “You Don’t Bring Me Flowers Anymore”) – or even love songs (e.g. “The Prayer”), per se! A couple of them are slowly starting to fall out of my favour (I recently dropped Michael Jackson & Siedah Garrett’s “I Just Can’t Stop Loving You” from the above list, as I eventually found the lack of harmonic creativity rather stultifying to my romantic senses), as they are overwritten by new discoveries (which may not necessarily be new songs, but songs I newly-discovered).

Recently, I heard another lovely duet on Light Radio. It’s not a new song, but this was the first time I had heard it. The music and lyrics was captivating enough for me to seek out a recording of it (thanks a million for finding it for me, Kevin!). And listening to it always brings to mind that special woman present in my life today.

The song was “Till I Loved You” by Don Johnson and Barbra Streisand. It’s from Barbra Streisand’s title album.