Artists who had songs written by the Bee Gees
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6 songs we bet you didn't know the Bee Gees wrote

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From Barbra Streisand to Celine Dion, Dionne Warwick and Frankie Valli, check out this six-pack of hit songs written by the Bee Gees for other artists
THE GRAMMYs
GRAMMYs
May 15, 2017 - 2:36 am

You probably know the Bee Gees' classic hits such as "Stayin' Alive," "Night Fever" and "How Deep Is Your Love," but did you know the Bee Gees also penned huge hits for other artists? Indeed, the Bee Gees' impressive songcraft has earned praise as being on par with the likes of the Beatles. From Barbra Streisand to Diana Ross and Frankie Valli, we've gathered six classics you just might be surprised to learn were written by the brothers Gibb — Barry, Robin and Maurice.

Barbra Streisand, "Woman In Love"

Streisand's signature No. 1 smash hit "Woman In Love" wasn't the only song on its accompanying album, 1980's Guilty, written by the Bee Gees. In fact, the entire chart-topping album was co-written and produced by Barry Gibb, with songwriting assists from his brothers on "Woman In Love" and the album's title track (a duet with Barry Gibb).

 

Dionne Warwick, "Heartbreaker"

A peerless interpreter of song, Warwick turned in a heart-wrenching vocal on this Gibb brothers-penned Top 10 hit. Taken from her 1982 album of the same name, "Heartbreaker" may sound like an obvious home run but, believe it or not, the Bee Gees had to convince her it would be a hit record. Giving the track up, however, was a little heartbreaking for some. "I cried my eyes out after we wrote it," remarked Maurice Gibb. "I drove home and thought, 'We should be doing this one,' and when she did it, it was brilliant. We sang on it, and it still became like a duet between the Bee Gees and Dionne Warwick."

 

Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton, "Islands In The Stream"

When you think of the Bee Gees, country music probably isn't the first thing to come to mind. But the brothers had their hands in this breezy No. 1 hit for country superstars Rogers and Parton. According to Robin and Barry Gibb, the song was originally conceptualized as an R&B tune for Marvin Gaye. A testament to the Gibbs' songwriting prowess, it was ultimately countrified and released as the first single from Rogers' 1983 album, Eyes That See In The Dark.

 

Celine Dion, "Immortality"

Featured on Dion's 1997 album, Let's Talk About Love, "Immortality" was written by the Bee Gees with the golden-voiced Canadian singer in mind. And who are the background vocalists you hear on the track? The Gibb brothers themselves. They also made a cameo appearance in the second music video released for the track in 1998. Thanks to strong songs such as "Immortality," which was a U.K. Top 5 hit, Let's Talk About Love reached No. 1 on the Billboard 200.

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Céline Dion - Immortality ft. Bee Gees

Watch: Celine Dion discusses how "Immortality" has grown for her over the years

Diana Ross, "Chain Reaction"

Released via Ross' 1985 album, Eaten Alive, this eventual No. 1 hit single nearly didn't make the final cut. "'Chain Reaction' was never originally meant to be on the album," Barry Gibb later revealed in 1000 UK Number One Hits. "We'd done the whole album and Diana said, 'Well, we still need one more song from somewhere.' We had 'Chain Reaction' all along but didn't have the nerve to play it to her because it was so Motown-ish that we were scared she wouldn't go back there." The song charted on the Billboard Hot 100, but was especially popular in the U.K. and Australia, reaching No. 1 on the charts.

 

Frankie Valli, "Grease"

Written entirely by Barry Gibb as the title track for the 1978 film of the same name, "Grease" earned Valli the top spot on the Billboard Hot 100 for his most recent Top 40 hit. Grease director Robert Stigwood was hesitant at first, concerned that the song didn't fit the '50s vibe of the film, but cooler heads prevailed. "'Grease' was one of the biggest records I ever had in my career," Vall later exclaimed. Barry Gibb can be heard singing backup vocals on the recording, which also features Peter Frampton on lead guitar.

 

Find out what song Keith Urban will perform at "Stayin' Alive: A GRAMMY Salute To The Music Of The Bee Gees," airing on CBS on April 16

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A GRAMMY Valentine

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On Valentine's Day, we offer flowers, a box of chocolates and a sampling of GRAMMY-winning romantic duets
Paul Grein
GRAMMYs
Dec 2, 2014 - 4:06 pm

The year's most romantic holiday seemed an appropriate opportunity to look at a select list of romantic duets honored by the GRAMMY Awards through the years. Covering country, pop, R&B, and even folk and hip-hop, duets have the kind of natural appeal that crosses genres and generations. Whether they combine stars of the highest magnitude or artists who simply make magic together they tend to have a lasting impact on the listener.

"That Old Black Magic," Louis Prima And Keely Smith
This fizzy recording was the signature song by the husband-and-wife team, whose high-energy nightclub act made them Las Vegas favorites. It won a GRAMMY for Best Performance By A Vocal Group Or Chorus in 1958, the first year of the awards. Prima and Smith performed the song in the 1958 movie Senior Prom. Harold Arlen and Johnny Mercer wrote the song for the 1943 movie Star Spangled Rhythm. It earned an Oscar nomination under the title "Black Magic." Big band leader Glenn Miller had the first big hit with the song. Sammy Davis Jr. revived it in 1955.

"If I Were A Carpenter," Johnny Cash And June Carter
The legendary husband-and-wife team had eight country hits, but this was the only one to cross over to the pop chart. This duet made the Top 40 in early 1970, when Cash had a weekly variety series on CBS. The couple brought a warm, informal tone to the Tim Hardin song, which Bobby Darin had popularized in 1966. The hit, which was featured on Cash's album Hello, I'm Johnny Cash, won a GRAMMY for Best Country Vocal Performance By A Duo Or Group in 1970. Cash and Carter had previously won for 1967's "Jackson."

"After The Fire Is Gone," Conway Twitty And Loretta Lynn
This was the first of 14 country hits that these country legends recorded together. The ballad won Best Country Vocal Performance By A Duo Or Group in 1971. It marked Lynn's first GRAMMY and the only one for Twitty. Another country legend, Owen Bradley, produced the traditional country track, which appeared on their album We Only Make Believe. More than 30 years later, Lynn won a GRAMMY for a collaboration with a very different type of artist, Jack White. Their song "Portland Oregon" won Best Country Collaboration With Vocals.

"Where Is The Love," Roberta Flack And Donny Hathaway
These two great singers have perfect chemistry on this bittersweet song about a couple whose romance is at the breaking point. The song, from their hit album Roberta Flack & Donny Hathaway, was one of six chart hits for the pair. Joel Dorn and Arif Mardin co-produced the single, which was voted Best Pop Vocal Performance By A Duo, Group Or Chorus in 1972. This and "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" brought Flack her first two GRAMMYs. This was Hathaway's only GRAMMY. He took his own life in 1979.

"That Lovin' You Feelin' Again," Roy Orbison And Emmylou Harris
This graceful ballad appeared in the movie Roadie, which starred Meat Loaf. It was voted Best Country Performance, Duo Or Group in 1980. (Surprisingly, it marked the first GRAMMY for Orbison.) Both singers went on to win GRAMMYs for subsequent collaborations. Orbison won for a pairing with k.d. lang on his classic "Crying" and for the all-star Traveling Wilburys project. Harris won twice for recordings with Dolly Parton and Linda Ronstadt.

"Guilty," Barbra Streisand And Barry Gibb
Streisand has recorded duets with such stars as Neil Diamond, Celine Dion and Donna Summer, but this was the only one to win a GRAMMY. This slinky recording won Best Pop Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocal in 1980. Barry, Robin and Maurice Gibb co-wrote the song, which was featured on Streisand's smash album of the same name. It's closer to the Bee Gees' hit sound than to Streisand's usual ballad style, but she rose to the occasion, demonstrating her versatility. Gibb also co-produced the album, which spawned a second duet hit, "What Kind Of Fool."

 "I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me)," Aretha Franklin And George Michael
The Queen of Soul and the prince of MTV teamed for this scorching duet, which was featured on Franklin's 1986 album Aretha. The smash won Best R&B Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocal in 1987. It was the first GRAMMY for Michael, who won Album Of The Year the following year for Faith. The video includes stills of two earlier pairings, Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell, and Sonny and Cher — choices that reflect this record's multiformat appeal. The song's success helped its producer, Narada Michael Walden, win the 1987 GRAMMY for Producer Of The Year.

"(I've Had) The Time Of My Life," Bill Medley and Jennifer Warnes.
This vibrant recording helped make Dirty Dancing a hit movie, a smash soundtrack and an enduring phenomenon. The song won an Oscar as well as a GRAMMY for Best Pop Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocal in 1987. Warnes had won in the same category five years earlier for "Up Where We Belong," a duet with Joe Cocker from An Officer And A Gentleman. Dirty Dancing was set in 1963, which is the same year that Medley first hit the chart as one-half of the Righteous Brothers. This is his only GRAMMY to date.

"I'm In The Mood," John Lee Hooker Featuring Bonnie Raitt
Hooker had a No. 1 R&B hit with this song in 1951. Nearly 40 years later, Raitt teamed with him to remake it for his all-star album The Healer. Their version was voted Best Traditional Blues Recording in 1989. It marked the first GRAMMY win for both artists. (Raitt won three other awards that year for her album Nick Of Time.) Both artists have since won GRAMMYs for collaborations with other artists. Raitt won for 1991's "Good Man, Good Woman," a pairing with Delbert McClinton. Hooker won for 1997's "Don't Look Back," a collaboration with Van Morrison.

"Makin' Whoopee," Dr. John With Rickie Lee Jones
This lighthearted duet appeared on Dr. John's album In A Sentimental Mood. The track won Best Jazz Vocal Performance, Duo Or Group in 1989. This was Dr. John's first GRAMMY. He and Jones capture the song's amorous and impish spirit. Their rendition gained wider exposure in 1993 when it was featured in the hit movie and soundtrack Sleepless In Seattle. Eddie Cantor introduced the song in the 1928 Broadway musical "Whoopee!" Ray Charles revived it in 1965.

"Don't Know Much," Linda Ronstadt Featuring Aaron Neville
Bill Medley and Bette Midler had both charted with this ballad, but it took this pairing to turn it into a smash. The track won for Best Pop Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocal in 1989. It was Neville's first GRAMMY (along with another award that same year for the Neville Brothers). Ronstadt and Neville won again the following year for "All My Life." Both songs appeared on Ronstadt's album Cry Like A Rainstorm — Howl Like The Wind. "Don't Know Much" was co-produced by Peter Asher (that year's GRAMMY winner for Producer Of The Year) and Steve Tyrell.

"Unforgettable," Natalie Cole With Nat "King" Cole
This ultraromantic ballad garnered wins for Record Of The Year and Best Traditional Pop Performance in 1991. It was featured on Natalie's Unforgettable With Love, which was voted Album Of The Year. Nat's vocals were dubbed from a 1961 recording. (He had first recorded the song in 1951.) David Foster produced this velvety recording, which helped him win a GRAMMY for Producer Of The Year (Non-Classical). Natalie encored five years later with a recording of her father's 1957 classic '"When I Fall In Love," which also featured Nat's vocals. It won a GRAMMY for Best Pop Collaboration With Vocals.

"Beauty And The Beast," Celine Dion And Peabo Bryson
This elegant ballad, written by Howard Ashman and Alan Menken, won an Oscar as well as a GRAMMY for Best Song Written Specifically For A Motion Picture Or For Television. Angela Lansbury performed the song in the movie. This pop version played over the end credits. Both versions were featured on the soundtrack. The Dion/Bryson version was voted Best Pop Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocal in 1992. It marked the first GRAMMY for both artists. Bryson won in the same category the following year with another movie theme duet, "A Whole New World (Aladdin's Theme)," which he sang with Regina Belle.

"I'll Be There For You/You're All I Need To Get By," Method Man Featuring Mary J. Blige
This influential recording blended hard-edged rap with old-school R&B. It won for Best Rap Performance By A Duo Or Group in 1995. The smash grew out of the track "All I Need," which appeared on Method Man's 1994 album Tical, his first apart from Wu-Tang Clan. Producer RZA created the hit remix. Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell introduced "You're All I Need To Get By" in 1968. Another blue-chip team, Nick Ashford and Valerie Simpson, wrote the song. This was the first GRAMMY for Blige, who has gone on to win for collaborations with Sting, Aretha Franklin and Chaka Khan.

"Dilemma," Nelly Featuring Kelly Rowland
This smash, which still sounds fresh, was voted Best Rap/Sung Collaboration in 2002. The song borrowed heavily from Patti LaBelle's 1984 R&B hit "Love, Need And Want You," so it was fitting that LaBelle had a cameo in the video as Rowland's mom. This marked the first GRAMMY for Nelly (along with an award that same year for "Hot In Herre," another track from his sophomore album, Nellyville). Rowland had previously won three GRAMMYs for her work with Destiny's Child. The two reunited in 2011 for "Gone."

"A Wonderful World," Tony Bennett And k.d. lang
This was the title track of an album-length collaboration that won Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album in 2003. Near the end of the song, Bennett tips his hat to Louis Armstrong, who introduced the song in 1967. Bennett and lang have a long history of collaborations. They teamed to sing "Moonglow" on his 1994 album MTV Unplugged; "Because Of You" on his first duets album, 2006's Duets: An American Classic; and "Blue Velvet" on his 2011 album Duets II. In addition, both singers have won GRAMMYs for duets with other partners. Lang won for a 1988 pairing with Roy Orbison; Bennett for a 2006 collaboration with Stevie Wonder.

"Crazy In Love," Beyoncé (Featuring Jay-Z)
Beyoncé's solo career got off to an explosive start with this smash, which won Best Rap/Sung Collaboration in 2003. It borrows the horn hook from the Chi-Lites' 1970 R&B hit "Are You My Woman? (Tell Me So)." "Crazy In Love" appeared on Beyoncé's first solo album, Dangerously In Love, which won Best Contemporary R&B Album. "Crazy In Love" was the second of four pairings by Beyoncé and Jay-Z to hit the chart. In 2008 they took their collaboration to the next level by getting married.

"My Boo," Usher And Alicia Keys
This tender duet won a GRAMMY for Best R&B Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocals in 2004. It was added to a deluxe edition of Usher's blockbuster album Confessions, which was voted Best Contemporary R&B Album. Usher is featured on an edgy, rock-accented opening, but the song really comes alive when the two singers join forces. Keys' plaintive vocal enhances the song's emotional power. This valentine is just right for the hip-hop generation: it's warm and melodic but not at all gooey.

"Please Read The Letter," Robert Plant And Alison Krauss
This rootsy ballad won Record Of The Year in 2008. It was one of the highlights of Raising Sand, the unlikely pairing of rock idol Plant and country/bluegrass star Krauss. The album brought the pair a total of six GRAMMYs, including Album Of The Year and Best Contemporary Folk/Americana Album. T Bone Burnett's spare production adds to the song's impact. The song first appeared on the 1998 album Walking Into Clarksville, which Plant recorded with his former Led Zeppelin cohort Jimmy Page.

"Lucky," Jason Mraz And Colbie Caillat
Mraz and Caillat are known for mellow songs such as "I'm Yours" (his) and "Bubbly" (hers), and this duet couldn't be mellower. The serene ballad about being in love with your best friend won Best Pop Collaboration With Vocals in 2009. (Remarkably, Caillat had a second teaming in the running, "Breathe," which she recorded with Taylor Swift.) The song appeared on Mraz's album We Sing. We Dance. We Steal Things. Mraz and Mexican singer Ximena Sariñana later recorded a Spanish-language version of the song.

(Paul Grein, a veteran music journalist based in Los Angeles, writes the weekly Chart Watch column for Yahoo.com.)

Bee Gees special
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Join Celine Dion, DNCE, Ed Sheeran for Bee Gees salute

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Recording Academy TV special "Stayin' Alive: A GRAMMY Salute To The Music Of The Bee Gees" will air on CBS on April 16 at 8 p.m. ET/PT; lineup also features Demi Lovato, Pentatonix and Stevie Wonder
THE GRAMMYs
GRAMMYs
May 15, 2017 - 2:36 am

The Recording Academy's 40th-anniversary celebration of the landmark Saturday Night Fever film soundtrack — "Stayin' Alive: A GRAMMY Salute To The Music Of The Bee Gees" — will air on Sunday, April 16 at 8–10 p.m. ET/ PT on CBS.

From "Stayin' Alive" to "How Deep Is Your Love," GRAMMY winners, nominees and star performers will take the stage to reinterpret classics from the groundbreaking soundtrack. The all-star lineup features GRAMMY winners Celine Dion, John Legend, Little Big Town, Pentatonix, Ed Sheeran, Tavares, Keith Urban, and Stevie Wonder; GRAMMY nominees Kelsea Ballerini, Andra Day, Nick Jonas, Tori Kelly, Demi Lovato, Panic! At The Disco, and Thomas Rhett; and Jason Derulo, DNCE and Katharine McPhee.

Do you know these 10 facts about the Bee Gees and Saturday Night Fever?

To cap the night, Bee Gees co-founder and seven-time GRAMMY winner Barry Gibb will perform a selection of hits from Saturday Night Fever — Soundtrack, which won Album Of The Year for 1978 at the 21st Annual GRAMMY Awards and was inducted into the GRAMMY Hall Of Fame in 2004. The memorable tribute special will also feature appearances by Cynthia Erivo, John Travolta and Wilmer Valderrama.

 

Celebrate the Bee Gees' legacy on April 16

"Stayin' Alive: A GRAMMY Salute To The Music Of The Bee Gees" is produced by AEG Ehrlich Ventures LLC. Ken Ehrlich and Rac Clark are the executive producers, Ron Basile is the show producer, and David Wild is the writer.

 

 

Polls

The Bee Gees scored nine No. 1 hits during their career. Which is your favorite?

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Dr. Dre to Tom Petty: What's your GRAMMY friend playlist?

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The GRAMMY Friendship Day playlist
Tim McPhate
GRAMMYs
May 15, 2017 - 2:36 am

There aren't many things more important than friendship. A friend is someone you can talk with about a problem, someone who is always there when you need a hand, someone you can trust with your deepest secrets, someone who makes you laugh, or even someone you can poke on Facebook. And a friend can be anyone or anything: a parent, a sibling, a classmate, a pet, a stuffed animal, or even invisible.

In recognizing the important role friends play in people's lives, in 1935 Congress proclaimed the first Sunday in August as Friendship Day. The idea is simple: spend time with your friends and express your love and appreciation for them. The holiday has caught on globally as friends worldwide take part in the celebration, led by friendship ambassador Winnie the Pooh, who was named to the post in 1997 by the United Nations.

Of course, artists and musicians know the importance of friendship. Whether it is a bandmate, producer, songwriter, or manager, an artist needs a good team of friends he/she can trust. Sometimes musical friendship can manifest itself in other ways, such as getting together with a fellow artist in the spirit of collaboration.

With the latter thought in mind, we present our GRAMMY Friendship Day playlist featuring memorable pairings and duets, and the coveted fruits of thy friendships: the songs. 

 

Neil Diamond & Barbra Streisand (iTunes>)
"You Don't Bring Me Flowers," Record Of The Year nominee, 1979

Written by Diamond with Alan and Marilyn Bergman, Diamond and Streisand each recorded solo versions of this solemn song and an enterprising disc jockey spliced together both versions, which ultimately resulted in the pair coming together for their duet recording. It was a good idea as the duet hit the summit of the Billboard Hot 100 in 1978, and was followed by a memorable performance at the 22nd Annual GRAMMY Awards in 1980.

 

Joe Cocker & Jennifer Warnes (iTunes>)
"Up Where We Belong," Best Pop Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocal, 1982

Appearing on the soundtrack for An Officer And A Gentleman, this uplifting No. 1 hit almost didn't happen. Film producer Don Simpson demanded it be shelved from the soundtrack, saying at the time, "The song is no good. It isn't a hit." The magic combination of Cocker and Warnes ultimately proved him wrong. Songwriters Will Jennings, Jack Nitzsche and Buffy Sainte-Marie also took home the Oscar for best original song in 1982.

 

Bill Medley & Jennifer Warnes (iTunes>)
"(I've Had) The Time Of My Life," Best Pop Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocal, 1987

Warnes makes a second playlist appearance with her duet with Medley featured in Dirty Dancing. Who could forget the film's dancing finale? Frances "Baby" Houseman (played by Jennifer Grey) overcomes her trepidation and trusts both herself and her dancing partner, Johnny Castle (played by Patrick Swayze), to allow him to lift her up figuratively and literally, set to the perfect backdrop of "(I've Had) The Time Of My Life." The song also picked up the Oscar for best original song in 1987.

 

Robert Plant & Alison Krauss (iTunes>)
"Please Read The Letter," Record Of The Year, 2008

The Album Of The Year winner in 2008, Raising Sand, was spawned by the unlikely combination of a bluegrass princess and rock royalty. The collaboration, which also featured the able assistance of producer T Bone Burnett, proved to be fruitful as Krauss and Plant struck GRAMMY gold five times over. Asked to sum up the partnership with Krauss, Plant said in a 2007 interview: "We're happy. We feel good together, this seems to be a good little team."

 

Santana & Rob Thomas (iTunes>)
"Smooth," Record Of The Year, 1999

Santana employed a large cast of friends for his 1999 album Supernatural, including Eric Clapton, Lauryn Hill, Maná, and Dave Matthews. Most notably, his teamwork with Matchbox Twenty singer Thomas on "Smooth" resulted in one of the top songs not only of the year, but of the last 50 years. In 2008 Billboard named "Smooth" as the No. 2 song on its list of the Billboard Hot 100's top 100 songs from its first 50 years, only behind Chubby Checker's "The Twist."

 

Paul McCartney & Stevie Wonder (iTunes>)
"Ebony And Ivory," Record Of The Year nominee, 1982

A song embodying harmony and true friendship, "Ebony And Ivory" united two legends in McCartney and Wonder. The song's call-and-response includes a reference to black-and-white keys being side by side on a piano, underscoring its theme of racial harmony. Penned solely by Macca, the song lived in perfect harmony at No. 1 on both sides of the Atlantic in 1982.

 

Dolly Parton & Kenny Rogers (iTunes>)
"Islands In The Stream," Best Pop Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocal nominee, 1983

Written by the Bee Gees, "Islands In The Stream" was the start of a beautiful friendship between two of country's finest artists. After riding the stream all the way to No. 1, Parton and Rogers proceeded to record a Christmas album and would eventually team for another duet in 1985, "Real Love," which was followed by a brief U.S. tour.

 

Faith Evans & Puff Daddy (iTunes>)
"I'll Be Missing You," Best Rap Performance By A Duo Or Group, 1997

Diddy, the artist formerly known as Puffy and Puff Daddy, joined with Evans for the touching "I'll Be Missing You" to honor the late Notorious B.I.G, who was murdered in 1997. The song borrows the melody and basic structure from the Police's "Every Breath You Take." Friendship assist: Sting.

 

Dr. Dre & Snoop Dogg (iTunes>)
"Nuthin' But A 'G' Thang," Best Rap Performance By A Duo Or Group nominee, 1993

Featured on Dr. Dre's seminal hip-hop album, The Chronic, "Nuthin' But A 'G' Thang" paired Dre with then-new artist Snoop Dogg. In true friendship fashion, the music video depicts Dre trekking to pick up Snoop for a block party blowout featuring volleyball, barbeque and other thangs.

 

Stevie Nicks & Tom Petty (iTunes>)
"Stop Draggin' My Heart Around," Best Rock Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocal nominee, 1981

For her first solo album outside Fleetwood Mac, Nicks enlisted the talents of Petty and his band the Heartbreakers in 1981 on "Stop Draggin' My Heart Around." The song features spirited vocal interplay between Petty and Nicks, with backing from the entire Heartbreakers roster. In reciprocal friendship nature, earlier that year Nicks sang vocals on tracks featured on Petty's Hard Promises album.

 

Mariah Carey & Boyz II Men (iTunes>)
"One Sweet Day," Record Of The Year nominee, 1995

Boyz II Men and Carey teamed for this soaring ballad, featured on Carey's Daydream album, in 1995. The somber verse lyrics lament a friend who has passed while the chorus offers optimism with the hopes of a reunion in heaven "one sweet day." The song holds the distinction for having the longest run (16 weeks) at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100.

 

Johnny Cash & Joe Strummer
"Redemption Song," Best Pop Collaboration With Vocals nominee, 2004

The pairing of former Clash member Strummer and country legend Cash proved to be equally redeeming and exciting. Their cover of Bob Marley's "Redemption Song," a song encouraging emancipation from "mental slavery," made its way on to Cash's box set, Unearthed, in 2003. Sadly, these two friends are no longer with us: Strummer died in 2002 and Cash died in 2003.

 

Babyface & Eric Clapton (iTunes>)
"Change The World," Record Of The Year, 1996

Clapton and Babyface teamed for "Change The World" for Phenomenon, a film telling the tale of a small-town man (played by John Travolta) who unexpectedly attains telekinetic powers. The classic rock guitar titan and smooth R&B crooner rode this song all the way to No. 1 with the help of some other friends, songwriters Gordon Kennedy, Wayne Kirkpatrick and Tommy Sims.

 

k.d. lang & Roy Orbison (iTunes>)
"Crying," Best Country Vocal Collaboration, 1988

Sometimes it's a friend who can make all the difference. Canadian songstress lang got one of her first big career breaks touring as a backup singer with Orbison, and received another when Orbison decided to record a duet with her on "Crying" in 1987. Orbison originally wrote the song with Joe Melson and released it in 1961. The duet marked lang's first appearance on the Country Singles chart.

 

Judy Garland & Gene Kelly (iTunes>)
"For Me And My Gal," GRAMMY Hall Of Fame, 2010

Graduating from the role of Dorothy in The Wizard Of Oz, a then-20-year-old Garland played her first adult role in 1942's For Me And My Gal. The film is set during World War I and follows the journey of two talented performers, Jo Hayden (Garland) and Harry Palmer (Kelly), with grand plans for vaudeville success. The song was inducted into the GRAMMY Hall Of Fame in 2010, becoming Garland's sixth recording to earn Hall honors. 

 

Elton John, Gladys Knight, Dionne Warwick & Stevie Wonder (iTunes>)
"That's What Friends Are For," Song Of The Year, 1986

What's better than a duet? How about four GRAMMY-winning artists getting together to perform a song that speaks to the true meaning of friendship.

 

What songs symbolize friendship to you? Drop us a comment.

How 1996 Became The Year Of The Pop Diva

(L-R) Celine Dion, Mariah Carey, Whitney Houston

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Big Voices, Ballads and Blockbuster Hits: How 1996 Became The Year Of The Pop Diva

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Shortly before Spicemania took hold, Whitney Houston, Mariah Carey and Celine Dion ushered in a more grown-up wave of girl power
Jon O'Brien
GRAMMYs
Mar 31, 2021 - 11:51 am

Mariah, Whitney and Celine—a.k.a. the holy trinity of pop divas with pyrotechnic vocal ranges—had enjoyed triumphant years before. Carey scored the biggest-selling album of 1991 with her self-titled debut, which spawned four consecutive No. 1s. Houston achieved the same feat in 1986 and 1993 with her eponymous first LP and The Bodyguard OST. And the chart-topping success of Celine Dion's "The Power of Love" in 1994 helped push its parent album The Colour of My Love to sales of more than 20 million. 

In 1996, the stars aligned for all three powerhouse singers to reach the pole position on Billboard’s singles chart. The trio essentially monopolized its first six months. You had to wait until May 18—when the distinctly non-pop-diva-like Bone Thugs-n-Harmony’s hip-hop eulogy "Tha Crossroads" replaced Carey’s "Always Be My Baby"—to hear someone else at the top of the US Hot 100. 

This remarkable pop diva merry-go-round had actually started back in September 1995 thanks to "Fantasy." Sampling Tom Tom Club and featuring Ol' Dirty Bastard, the sublime Daydream cut pioneered the soon-to-be ubiquitous hip-hop sound. At eight weeks, it also became the longest-running of Carey’s first nine No. 1s before being unseated by her biggest rival’s "Exhale (Shoop Shoop)." 

That, in turn, was knocked off the top spot after just seven days by another Carey collaboration, with the slick vocal harmonies of Boyz II Men replacing the gonzo, growling rhymes of ODB. A tribute to the loved ones who they’d lost to the AIDS epidemic, "One Sweet Day" remarkably remained the nation’s most popular single until March of the following year. The song’s record-breaking 16-week stint wouldn’t be surpassed until another much less likely duet 23 years later, Lil Nas X’s and Billy Ray Cyrus’ hick-hop smash "Old Town Road."

The artist who finally toppled "One Sweet Day" ended up truly dominating 1996. Although Dion had already released a string of albums before Houston and Carey had set foot inside a recording studio, the Canadian only began making waves outside the Francophone market with 1990’s Unison. It would be another four years before she started being mentioned in the same breath. But by the end of her fourth English-language album’s campaign, Dion had become the new queen. 

A true blockbuster of a record, Falling Into You reportedly shifted a colossal 32 million copies, placing it in the same bracket as The Beatles’ Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band and Eagles’ Hotel California. It spawned two No.1 hits: the slow-building theme to the Robert Redford/Michelle Pfeiffer romance Up Close and Personal, "Because You Loved Me," and the epic-from-the-get-go "It’s All Coming Back to Me Now." And it saw Dion recognized at every major award ceremony, including the Oscars, Golden Globes, and, most notably, the GRAMMYs. 

Of course, Houston had previously shared the Album of the Year award for her contributions to The Bodyguard OST. However, Dion was the first of her peers to achieve the accolade entirely independently: despite some rather snooty predictions, Carey’s Daydream had failed to win the category, or indeed any of the five others it was nominated for, in 1996. Falling Into You, which was additionally crowned Best Pop Album at the same 1997 ceremony, even beat another Houston-heavy soundtrack, Waiting to Exhale, to the glittering prize.

Proving her double-threat credentials once again, Houston not only held her own against Angela Bassett in Forest Whitaker’s directorial debut, but she lent her unmistakable voice to three of its songs as well. "Why Does It Hurt So Bad" and CeCe Winans’ duet "Count on Me" later joined "Exhale" on Houston’s tally of Top 30 entries, as did "I Believe in You and Me" from The Preacher’s Wife OST later that same year, too. 

Houston wasn’t the only pop diva to score hits from the 12 million-selling Waiting to Exhale, which placed fourth behind Falling Into You, Daydream and Alanis Morissette’s Jagged Little Pill on 1996’s year-end album chart. Mary J. Blige’s defiant slow jam, "Not Gon’ Cry," became the Queen of Hip-Hop Soul’s biggest single to date before the sweetly-sung funk of Brandy’s "Sittin’ Up In My Room" followed in its footsteps by also peaking at No.2. Meanwhile, Toni Braxton’s emotive ballad, "Let It Flow," effectively topped the charts thanks to its memorable double A-side. 

Braxton had a remarkable 1996 herself, following up the No. 1 success of "You’re Makin' Me High" with the year’s defining power ballad, "Un-Break My Heart" (its parent LP Secrets went eight times platinum, too). Although she wasn’t entirely averse to bombast, Babyface’s musical protégé proved you didn’t have to shatter glasses to be considered a ‘90s pop diva. Alongside Brandy, Monica and another Waiting to Exhale contributor, TLC’s T-Boz, Braxton’s strengths lay in the kind of rich lower register that could melt butter.  

On the other end of the spectrum, the featherlight vocals of Aaliyah had found their perfect foil in the shape of Timbaland and Missy Elliott’s futuristic production on One In a Million. The sparse robotic funk of "If Your Girl Only Knew" was a prime contender for single of the year. Then there was Lauryn Hill, busy sowing the seeds for her frustratingly erratic solo career as the gritty but beautifully melodic voice behind 1996’s biggest hip-hop act, Fugees.

And although the States would have to wait until the following year for Spicemania to take hold, there were still plenty of groups bringing the girl power. SWV scored their final Top 10 hit with "You’re the One," 702 put themselves on the map with the slick street soul of "Steelo" and Total provided the sugary melodic hook for LL Cool J’s bedroom song "Loungin’." The self-ordained funkiest bunch of divas, En Vogue, also launched their comeback single, "Don’t Let Go," which in 1997 saw them come agonizingly close to the top spot for the third time. 

The new guard of pop divas, however, hadn’t completely shut out the old. Barbra Streisand reached the Top 10 for the first time since 1981 with "I Finally Found Someone," the Oscar-nominated Bryan Adams collaboration taken from her self-directed starring vehicle, The Mirror Has Two Faces. Gloria Estefan’s soaring "Reach" was chosen as the official anthem for the year’s biggest sporting event, the Atlanta Olympics. And Cher ("One By One"), Tina Turner ("Missing You") and Chaka Khan & Gladys Knight ("Missing You") all made deserved returns to the US Hot 100. 

Perhaps the most interesting pop diva development, though, arrived at the tail end of the year. Madonna had already settled into the demure balladeer phase of her career with the hits compilation Something to Remember. But she made an even more concerted bid for respectability with the leading role in Evita. The First Lady of Pop’s performance as the First Lady of Argentina was deemed the strongest in her filmography. Simultaneously, the accompanying soundtrack—recorded with musical impresarios Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice—silenced those who believed she didn’t possess the range. 

Of course, Madge would soon reinvent herself as the Earth Mother of electronica on 1998’s magnum opus Ray of Light, completely abandoning the showboating love songs that had become Carey, Houston and Dion’s forte. Yet whereas the latter went on to double down on the histrionics with Streisand duets and disaster movie themes, her two vocal counterparts also began to explore much more credible directions.

Carey roped in Q-Tip, Missy and P. Diddy for the urban pop of 1997’s Butterfly, a clear statement of independence following her split with manager husband Tommy Mottola. Houston, meanwhile, surprised everyone with 1999’s My Love Is Your Love, a masterful comeback guided by a who’s who of contemporary R&B including Rodney Jerkins, Wyclef Jean and Soulshock & Karlin.

By this point, VH1 had belatedly recognized that we were in a golden era for female vocalists, launching their own charity concert series simply titled Divas. The annual show celebrated artists both established and emerging during its initial seven-year run, with Houston, Carey and Dion all making regular appearances.

However, thanks to their dominance of the Billboard charts and the emergence of countless names they inspired, 1996 remains the year when the pop divas—or perhaps more aptly, the elusive chanteuses—truly reigned supreme.

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