MMN Artist-Run Radio: Dar Williams Shares Her Favorite Duets with Joan Baez, Simon & Garfunkel (STREAM)
From time to time, MMN asks its favorite artists to create personally curated playlists for our curiosity-satisfying- and audio-streaming pleasure. Themes and styles will vary, but you’ll always know your favorite bands just a little better after listening.
Today’s MMN Artist Radio DJ is: Dar Williams.
Dar Williams knows a thing or two about duets. Sure, the singer-songwriter has made plenty of incredible folk tunes on her own, but some of her best work happened to come via collaboration, something that is explored on her excellent new record, Many Great Companions, which came out last week via Razor & Tie. To celebrate this, Williams gave us an exclusive playlist centered solely around duets, with some representing her all-time favorites, some giving love to duets by close friends, and the closers featuring her own collaborations with Lucy Kaplansky (as Cry Cry Cry) and Joan Baez. Check out the tracks alongside Williams’ commentary, and stream the playlist (YouTube links have been provided for any selections not available in our MOG library) after the jump….
Stream “Duets,” An MMN Artist-Run Radio Playlist by Dar Williams
Tracklist:
Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell – “You’re All I Need to Get By”
Elton John and Kiki Dee – “Don’t Go Breaking My Heart”
Stevie Wonder and Syreeta Wright – “If You Really Love Me”
Diana Ross and Lionel Richie – “Endless Love”
Sara Watkins (with Sean Watkins) – “Same Mistakes”
Dar Williams Says: “There’s nothing like siblings singing together, especially these siblings. It’s on Sara’s solo record, and their two voices are not forced; they let the heartbreaking words and gorgeous melody speak for themselves.”
Joan Baez (with Mimi Farina) – “I Am a Poor Wayfaring Stranger”
Dar Williams Says: “Actually, Mimi is technically on back-up vocals, but it’s such a deep performance for both of them. When I was young I thought the Bible took place in the United States (mostly Connecticut). The way folk-rockers sang about things like the River of Jordan only reinforced that, and I think the Baez sisters (Mimi was Joan’s sister) knew these old songs were shaping the struggles of their times.”
Simon & Garfunkel – “Benedictus”
Dar Williams Says: “To me this is the soundtrack of New York’s St. John the Divine. High crosses encircled by pigeons on a rainy day in October.”
Patty Larkin and Dar Williams – “Good Thing”
Dar Williams Says: “I got to request which song of Patty’s I wanted to be on for her 25 record, and I chose this immediately.”
Cry Cry Cry – “The Kid” and “I Know What Kind Of Love This Is”
Dar Williams Says: “Even I can’t always tell who was singing what; we both loved both songs so much, and I feel like you can hear that in the performances.”
Joan Baez and Dar Williams – “You’re Aging Well”
Dar Williams Says: “I loved how she sang this, and, of course I was so thrilled every time I sang it with her (and promptly went and got voice lessons after our first tour).”
Gary Louris and Mark Olson – “Rose Society”
Dar Williams Says: “There’s also nothing like two guys who’ve sung together so long they sound like siblings, and in this case the song sounds like it was done in one take and they looked at each other and said, ‘Let’s not mess with that.’ It’s so beautiful. Now Gary will tell me it took six days and they threw chairs at each other…” (HEAR IT HERE)
Photo by Rudolf van Dommele
Listen to Dar Williams, and hear Many Great Companions along with other albums, at MOG.
Ok, Dar, first, in Cry, Cry, Cry those are my two favorite songs as well, they are very evocative. Secondly, voice lessons? I guess I can see it, I would love to sing with both of you and I’d probably feel the need to bone up on my voice lessons prior to! Hearing Joan sing Poor Wayfaring Stranger makes me want to go out and read Cold Mountain again (& again)…It’s funny how you pick the songs I love, I’ve told you you sing the sound track to my life !