Duets
Famed duo "Jim and Greg" play their own all-time favorite musical Duets.
Music News
What if you could predict a hit? It's a music industry dream (or nightmare depending on how you look at it.) New research from Emory University suggests that the answers might lie in our brains. Dr. Gregory Berns and his team have discovered that teens have tell-tale brain responses when listening to hit songs, and that could help predict a song's commercial success. He explains to Jim and Greg that the discovery was an accident. After conducting MRI studies on teens listening to MySpace music, he noted that one of the tracks, One Republic's "Apologize" became an American Idol hit years later. Strong activity in two brain regions could predict hits about 1/3 of the time. Weak activity was even better at predicting non-hits. And brain responses in those regions were better predictors of song success than whether the participants said they liked or disliked any given song. Jim and Greg aren't teens, but wonder if their work could be made easier with MRI technology.
Great Rock Duets
Like peas and carrots, and Jim and Greg, some things are better in twos. That especially goes for voices. There's something special about a great Duet, so this week our own duo play their favorites.
Greg
- Simon and Garfunkel, "The Only Living Boy in New York"
- Method Man and Mary J. Blige, "I’ll Be There For You/You’re All I Need to Get By" (Puff Daddy Mix)
- Mickey & Sylvia, "Love Is Strange." (Greg likes this song despite Dirty Dancing, not because of it. And who knew Sylvia was this Sylvia?)
- The Jayhawks, "Blue"
Jim
- Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell, "Onion Song"
- Led Zeppelin featuring Sandy Denny, "The Battle of Evermore"
- Kirsty MacColl and Shane MacGowan, "Fairytale of New York"
- Iggy Pop and Kate Pierson, "Candy." (Kate Pierson takes the prize when it comes to duets. Check out her performances with Michael Stipe and David Byrne.)
Featured Songs
- The Make-Up, "Gold Record Pt. I," Sound Verite, K, 1997
- OneRepublic, "Apologize," Dreaming Out Loud, Interscope, 2007
- Trent Reznor feat. Karen O, "Immigrant Song," N/A, Unreleased, 2011
- Nancy Sinatra & Lee Hazlewood, "Some Velvet Morning," Nancy & Lee, Boots, 1968
- Simon & Garfunkel, "The Only Living Boy in New York," Bridge Over Troubled Water, Sony Music Distribution, 1970
- Sonny & Cher, "I Got You Babe," Look at Us, Sundazed, 1965
- Marvin Gaye, "The Onion Song (w/Tammi Terrell)," The Very Best of Marvin Gaye, Motown, 2004
- Method Man, "I'll Be There for You/You'reAll I Need to Get By [Puff Daddy Mix]," I'll Be There For You [EP], Def Jam, 1995
- Led Zeppelin, "The Battle of Evermore," Led Zeppelin IV, Atlantic, 1971
- Mickey & Sylvia, "Love Is Strange," Oldies But Goodies: Legendary Hits, Original Sound Entertainment, 1979
- Pet Shop Boys, "What Have I Done to Deserve This?," Actually, EMI Music Distribution, 1987
- PJ Harvey, "This Mess We're In," Stories from the City, Stories from the Sea, Island, 2000
- The Pogues, "Fairytale of New York," If I Should Fall from Grace with God, Island, 1988
- The Jayhawks, "Blue," Tomorrow the Green Grass, Universal Distribution, 1995
- Iggy Pop, "Candy," Brick by Brick, Virgin, 1990
- Sam & Dave, "Hold On, I'm Comin'," Hold On, I'm Comin', Atlantic, 1966
- Wilson Pickett, "634-5799 (Soulsville, USA)," The Exciting Wilson Pickett, Collectables, 1966
- tUnE-yArDs, "Powa (Live on Sound Opinions)," w h o k i l l, 4AD, 2011
- Common, " I Used to Love H.E.R.," Resurrection, Ruthless, 1994
- Miles Davis, "Black Satin," On the Corner, Columbia/Legacy, 1972
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