As I put together these “Record Relays…”
…one artist handing off to another in a series of superstar collaborations…
… I can see how the format of such collaborations had its roots in the 1960s and ‘70s.
Several of the songs in this set go back that far.
“I’m just saying.”
A good chunk in this volume features artists who made their name at the House That Gordy Built:
Motown Records.
Even after they left the label, artists like the Four Tops and Diana Ross would be associated with the pinnacle recordings of their Detroit days.
Here’s a look at Volume Two, along with where each track can be found on vinyl or CD.
Track 1:
Lyle Lovett and Al Green
“Funny How Time Slips Away”
The 1994 concept album Rhythm, Country and Blues offered a full set of collaborations between African American and white artists, including this groovy cover of a Willie Nelson composition.
Track 2:
Al Green and Annie Lennox
“Put a Little Love in Your Heart”
In late 1988, the soundtrack to the Bill Murray comedy Scrooged gave us this Top 10 remake of a Jackie DeShannon hit from the ’60s. This duo’s powerful vocals fortunately aren’t overcome by the slick production.
Track 3:
Eurythmics and Aretha Franklin
“Sisters Are Doin’ It for Themselves”
This effervescent Top 20 pop track from 1985 is available on both Aretha’s Who’s Zoomin’ Who? CD and Eurythmics’ Be Yourself Tonight. The assertive lyrics and the singers’ interplay are highlights.
Track 4:
Aretha Franklin and The Four Tops
“If Ever a Love There Was”
Adult R&B became a major format in the mid- to late 1980s, with lots of glossy power ballads. On this track from the Tops CD Indestructible, Franklin’s and Levi Stubbs’ strong vocals render Kenny G’s sax solo redundant.
Track 5:
The Four Tops and The Supremes
“River Deep, Mountain High”
The post-Diana Ross Supremes teamed up with the Tops for this rendition of the Greenwich/Barry/Spector composition. It hit the pop Top 20 in early 1971 and can be found on the album The Magnificent 7.
Track 6:
The Supremes and The Temptations
“I’m Gonna Make You Love Me”
But Ross was still with the Supremes when they teamed up with the Temps for this 1968 No. 2 smash. Ross and Eddie Kendricks sound great, playing off each other’s voices to perfection.
Track 7:
Diana Ross and the Bee Gees
“Chain Reaction.”
The Bee Gees scored songwriting and production hits in the 1980s with Dionne Warwick, Barbra Streisand, Kenny Rogers, and Dolly Parton, so why not Ross? Unfortunately, this sprightly pop track, a hit in the U.K. and Australia, bombed twice in the U.S., peaking at No. 95 on its first go-around and No. 66 in a later remix.
Track 8:
Dionne Warwick and the Bee Gees
“Heartbreaker”
In 1982, Dionne Warwick was in team-up mode, hitting the Top 40 in a summertime duet with Johnny Mathis – and returning months later with this track written by the Brothers Gibb, and featuring Barry on backing vocals. The result went Top 10 in early 1983.
Track 9:
Dionne Warwick and the Spinners
“Then Came You”
One of the earliest, and best-known, collaborations is this Thom Bell-produced No. 1 from 1974, clearly Warwick’s best (and most successful) work between her Bacharach/David days and her 1979 Arista Records comeback.
Track 10:
Elton John and The Spinners
“Are You Ready for Love?”
To enjoy the Spinners on this recording, it’s best to listen to the long version from The Complete Thom Bell Sessions collection (although you can be forgiven for moving on after the five-minute mark). Recorded at the same sessions as the 1979 U.S. top 10 “Mama Can’t Buy You Love,” this song (in a shorter Elton-focused single) went to No. 1 in the U.K. almost a quarter-century later.
Track 11:
Elton John and Bonnie Raitt
“Love Letters”
This bluesy rendition of the 1945 composition from the movie of the same name provides a showcase for Raitt’s guitar work and John’s piano playing. It’s from John’s Duets CD.
Track 12:
Bonnie Raitt and Bryan Adams
“Rock Steady”
Neither a remake of Aretha Franklin’s 1972 hit nor the Whispers’ 1987 R&B-pop crossover, this rocking 1995 duet comes from Raitt’s Road Tested CD.
Track 13:
Bryan Adams and Tina Turner
“It’s Only Love”
This is one of my favorite collaborations, hands down. It’s a great “crank it up in the car” song. The fact that this was the sixth release from Adams’ Reckless CD in 1985 just shows how hot he was at the time.
Track 14:
Tina Turner and Mick Jagger
“State of Shock”
I didn’t care for the Michael Jackson’s … excuse me … The Jacksons/Mick Jagger version of this song. It wasn’t until Jagger and Turner performed it at Live Aid the following year that I saw its potential as a call-and-response romp:
Track 15:
Mick Jagger and David Bowie
“Dancing in the Street”
This 1985 Martha and the Vandellas remake was a famine relief fund-raiser. That these two rock gods camp it up and throw as many rump-shaking, in-each-other’s-face moments in its video during the homophobic height of the AIDS panic is icing on the cake. Not the best work of either, it’s still a lot of fun.
Track 16:
David Bowie and Luther Vandross
“Young Americans.”
Vandross first gained mainstream pop attention as a backing vocalist on Bowie’s 1975 classic. And when Bowie sings, “Ain’t that close to love?” he sounds an awful lot like Vandross himself.
Track 17:
Luther Vandross and Gregory Hines
“There’s Nothing Better Than Love”
Stopping short of American Top 40 (peaking at No. 50 pop but going to No. 1 R&B), this track from Vandross’ Give Me the Reason CD sparkles with the R&B bromance of smooth Vandross and actor, dancer and occasional singer Hines. I also love its laid-back video
Listen to all of the hand-offs at…
Which is your favorite?
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No Gregory Hines/Lyle Lovett duet to bring it back full circle, eh?
I don’t know how you find all of these, Chuck. Most of them I’ve never heard of. But I do like your enthusiasm for the Tina/Bryan collab, “It’s Only Love”. I’m always happy to hear that one.
“I don’t know how you find all of these, Chuck.”
You all should see me during layout. I am consistently surprised.
Bowie didn’t just sing like Vandross, he songed like him as well.
He took Luther’s song “Funky Music,” wrote new lyrics, and released it as “Fascination” on the Young Americans album.
A fairly standard practice around that time, and Luther was happy to get the break, but the race and class dimensions to that dynamic register as fairly exploitative these days.
This was Bowie at his spiritual nadir, so perhaps it’s not surprising he wasn’t at his most thoughtful of other people in his orbit. He at least got a lot more thoughtful.
Here’s Luther’s original song:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DHudPIoeL2E
Thank you for clarifying that “Rock Steady” by Bonnie Raitt and Bryan Adams was not an Aretha Franklin cover. That just didn’t feel right at first glance.
I was familiar with 7 of these. “Then Came You” is an all-timer for me.
“I’m Gonna Make You Love Me” is on a James Jamerson bass line playlist for me and I really love it.
I knew 9 of these, although I had forgotten all about a couple of them. You definitely picked the correct Jagger duet. I think it would be hard to overstate how much better the Jagger/Turner version is than the original.
“Then Came You” was the Number One I was born under. It’s not in my Spinners top 5, but I still have a soft spot for it.
Spinners Top 5
Lots of choice cuts here, but it’s a shame that a certain song appears to be missing from both of these lists.
And another one-of-a-kind single.
Love them all including Then Came You but you’re missing one of their best, “Mighty Love,” which should’ve peaked much higher than just Number 20 pop in the United States.
Are You Ready For Love was a UK #1 for Elton in 2003 having been used to promote Sky Sports football coverage. I had no idea The Spinners had any involvement with it until now. They weren’t credited. Instead it was Ashley Beedle who got the credit on remix duties.
Passing the baton on, he was also a member of X-Press 2 who had a #2 of their own with David Byrne guesting on vocals;
https://youtu.be/qB_I1YBAozE?feature=shared
Is Ashley Beedle the fifth Beedle?
The failure of Chain Reaction in the United States during the 1980s always perplexed me. It had that 60s throwback bouncy beat sound combined with modern production techniques and sounded great to hear on the radio. I’m afraid programmers were just ready to write off Diana and The Bee Gees as passe at that point, unfortunately. Great blog as usual, Chuck!